Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Security of Those Who Trust in the Lord, and Insecurity of the Wicked.
A Psalm of David.
37 (A)Do not fret because of evildoers,
Be not (B)envious toward wrongdoers.
2 For they will (C)wither quickly like the grass
And (D)fade like the green herb.
3 (E)Trust in the Lord and do good;
(F)Dwell in the land and [a](G)cultivate faithfulness.
4 (H)Delight yourself in the Lord;
And He will (I)give you the desires of your heart.
5 (J)Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
6 He will bring forth (K)your righteousness as the light
And your judgment (L)as the noonday.
7 [b]Rest in the Lord and (M)wait [c]patiently for Him;
(N)Do not fret because of him who (O)prospers in his way,
Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.
8 Cease from anger and (P)forsake wrath;
Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.
9 For (Q)evildoers will be cut off,
But those who wait for the Lord, they will (R)inherit the land.
10 Yet (S)a little while and the wicked man will be no more;
And you will look carefully for (T)his place and he will not be there.
11 But (U)the humble will inherit the land
And will delight themselves in (V)abundant prosperity.
The Brothers Are Brought Back
44 (A)Then he commanded his house steward, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack. 2 Put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his money for the grain.” And he did [a]as Joseph had told him. 3 [b]As soon as it was light, the men were sent away, they with their donkeys. 4 They had just gone out of (B)the city, and were not far off, when Joseph said to his house steward, “Up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good? 5 Is not this the one from which my lord drinks and which he indeed uses for (C)divination? You have done wrong in doing this.’”
6 So he overtook them and spoke these words to them. 7 They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing. 8 Behold, (D)the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks we have brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house? 9 (E)With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s (F)slaves.” 10 So he said, “Now let it also be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and the rest of you shall be innocent.” 11 Then they hurried, each man lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack. 12 He searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest, and (G)the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13 Then they (H)tore their clothes, and when each man loaded his donkey, they returned to (I)the city.
14 When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there, and (J)they fell to the ground before him. 15 Joseph said to them, “What is this deed that you have done? Do you not know that such a man as I can indeed practice (K)divination?” 16 So Judah said, “What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? And how can we justify ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; behold, we are my lord’s (L)slaves, both we and the one in whose [c]possession the cup has been found.” 17 But he said, “Far be it from me to do this. The man in whose [d]possession the cup has been found, he shall be my slave; but as for you, go up in peace to your father.”
12 I am writing to you, (A)little children, because (B)your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him (C)who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because (D)you have overcome (E)the evil one. I have written to you, children, because (F)you know the Father. 14 I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him (G)who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are (H)strong, and the (I)word of God abides in you, and (J)you have overcome the evil one.
Do Not Love the World
15 Do not love (K)the world nor the things in the world. (L)If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, (M)the lust of the flesh and (N)the lust of the eyes and (O)the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 (P)The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who (Q)does the will of God lives forever.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.