Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” His brothers could not answer him because they were dumbfounded before him. 4 Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me,” so they came near. Then he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 Now, do not be upset and do not be angry with yourselves because you sold me here,[a] for God sent me[b] ahead of you to preserve life! 6 For these past two years there has been famine in[c] the land and for five more years there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 God sent me[d] ahead of you to preserve you[e] on the earth and to save your lives[f] by a great deliverance. 8 So now, it is not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me an adviser[g] to Pharaoh, lord over all his household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9 Now go up to my father quickly[h] and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not delay! 10 You will live[i] in the land of Goshen, and you will be near me—you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and everything you have. 11 I will provide you with food[j] there because there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise you would become poor—you, your household, and everyone who belongs to you.”’
15 He kissed all his brothers and wept over them. After this his brothers talked with him.
Psalm 37[a]
By David.
37 Do not fret[b] when wicked men seem to succeed.[c]
Do not envy evildoers.
2 For they will quickly dry up like grass,
and wither away like plants.[d]
3 Trust in the Lord and do what is right.
Settle in the land and maintain your integrity.[e]
4 Then you will take delight in the Lord,[f]
and he will answer your prayers.[g]
5 Commit your future to the Lord.[h]
Trust in him, and he will act on your behalf.[i]
6 He will vindicate you in broad daylight,
and publicly defend your just cause.[j]
7 Wait patiently for the Lord![k]
Wait confidently[l] for him!
Do not fret over the apparent success of a sinner,[m]
a man who carries out wicked schemes.
8 Do not be angry and frustrated.[n]
Do not fret. That only leads to trouble.
9 Wicked men[o] will be wiped out,[p]
but those who rely on the Lord are the ones who will possess the land.[q]
10 Evil men will soon disappear;[r]
you will stare at the spot where they once were, but they will be gone.[s]
11 But the oppressed will possess the land
and enjoy great prosperity.[t]
The Resurrection Body
35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” 36 Fool! What you sow will not come to life unless it dies. 37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare seed[a]—perhaps of wheat or something else. 38 But God gives it a body just as he planned, and to each of the seeds a body of its own.
42 It is the same with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable.[a] 43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living person”;[b] the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man is from the earth, made of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 Like the one made of dust, so too are those made of dust, and like the one from heaven, so too those who are heavenly. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, let us also bear[c] the image of the man of heaven.
50 Now this is what I am saying, brothers and sisters:[d] Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
27 “But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies,[a] do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat[b] you. 29 To the person who strikes you on the cheek,[c] offer the other as well,[d] and from the person who takes away your coat,[e] do not withhold your tunic[f] either.[g] 30 Give to everyone who asks you,[h] and do not ask for your possessions[i] back[j] from the person who takes them away. 31 Treat others[k] in the same way that you would want them to treat you.[l]
32 “If[m] you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners[n] love those who love them.[o] 33 And[p] if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even[q] sinners[r] do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to be repaid,[s] what credit is that to you? Even sinners[t] lend to sinners, so that they may be repaid in full.[u] 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back.[v] Then[w] your reward will be great, and you will be sons[x] of the Most High,[y] because he is kind to ungrateful and evil people.[z] 36 Be merciful,[aa] just as your Father is merciful.
Do Not Judge Others
37 “Do[ab] not judge,[ac] and you will not be judged;[ad] do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive,[ae] and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you: A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over,[af] will be poured[ag] into your lap. For the measure you use will be the measure you receive.”[ah]
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