Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
A Song of Praise
133 See, how good and how pleasing it is for brothers to live together as one! 2 It is like oil of great worth poured on the head, flowing down through the hair on the face, even the face of Aaron, and flowing down to his coat. 3 It is like the morning water of Hermon coming down upon the hills of Zion. For there the Lord has given the gift of life that lasts forever.
Joseph Made Ruler over Egypt
37 The plan pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. 38 Then Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, who has in him the Spirit of God?” 39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has shown you all this, there is no one as understanding and wise as you are. 40 My house will be put in your care. And all my people will do as you say. Only on the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have put you in power over all the land of Egypt.”
42 Then Pharaoh took the ring from his hand, and put it on Joseph’s hand. He dressed him in clothes of fine cloth. He put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had him travel in his second wagon of honor. And they called out in front of him, “Bow down!” Pharaoh put him in power over all the land of Egypt. 44 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh. But unless it is your will, no one will raise his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” 45 Then Pharaoh gave Joseph the name of Zaphenath-paneah. He gave him for a wife Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera who was the religious leader of On. So Joseph went out through the land of Egypt.
46 Joseph was thirty years old when he stood in front of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. And Joseph went from Pharaoh to visit every part of Egypt. 47 During the seven good years the land brought much food. 48 So he gathered into the cities all the food of these seven years when there was much in the land of Egypt. He put into each city the food from the fields around it. 49 Joseph gathered as much grain as the sand of the sea. The time came when he stopped trying to know how much there was.
Joseph’s Two Sons
50 Two sons were born to Joseph before the years without food came. Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, the religious leader of On, gave birth to them. 51 Joseph gave the first-born the name Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my trouble and all those of my father’s house.” 52 He gave the second son the name of Ephraim. “For,” he said, “God has given me children in the land of my suffering.”
53 The seven good years of much food in the land of Egypt came to an end. 54 And the seven bad years of no food began, as Joseph had said. No food was growing in all the lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was food. 55 So when all the people of Egypt were hungry, they cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. Do what he tells you.” 56 When the hunger was spreading over all the earth, Joseph opened the store-houses. And he sold food to the Egyptians for the time without food had become hard in the land of Egypt. 57 The people of all the earth came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph because the time without food was hard everywhere.
19 By this time some Jews from the cities of Antioch and Iconium came. They turned the minds of the people against Paul and Barnabas and told them to throw stones at Paul. After they threw stones at him, they dragged him out of the city thinking he was dead.
Paul and Barnabas Preach to the Christians on Their Return Trip to Antioch
20 As the Christians gathered around Paul, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he went with Barnabas to Derbe. 21 In that city they preached the Good News and taught many people. Then they returned to the cities of Lystra and Iconium and Antioch. 22 In each city they helped the Christians to be strong and true to the faith. They told them, “We must suffer many hard things to get into the holy nation of God.”
23 In every church they chose leaders for them. They went without food during that time so they could pray better. Paul and Barnabas prayed for the leaders, giving them over to the Lord in Whom they believed.
24 When they had gone through the city of Pisidia, they came to the city of Pamphylia. 25 Then they preached the Good News in the city of Perga. After this they went down to the city of Attalia. 26 From there they went by ship to Antioch where they had been given to the Lord for His work. The work of this trip was done.
27 When they got there, they called the church together. They told them everything God had done for them. They told how God had opened the door for the people who were not Jews to have faith. 28 They stayed there with the followers a long time.
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