Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A song of David.

Joseph Explains Two Dreams

40 Later, two of Pharaoh’s servants did something wrong to Pharaoh. These servants were the baker and the man who served wine to Pharaoh. ² Pharaoh became angry with his baker and wine server, ³ so he put them in the same prison as Joseph. Potiphar, the commander of Pharaoh’s guards, was in charge of this prison. ⁴ The commander put the two prisoners under Joseph’s care. The two men continued to stay in prison for some time. ⁵ One night both of the prisoners had a dream. The baker and the wine server each had his own dream, and each dream had its own meaning. ⁶ Joseph went to them the next morning and saw that the two men were worried. ⁷ He asked them, “Why do you look so worried today?”

⁸ The two men answered, “We both had dreams last night, but we don’t understand what we dreamed. There is no one to explain the dreams to us.”

Joseph said to them, “God is the only one who can understand and explain dreams. So I beg you, tell me your dreams.”

The Wine Server’s Dream

⁹ So the wine server told Joseph his dream. The server said, “I dreamed I saw a vine. ¹⁰ On the vine there were three branches. I watched the branches grow flowers and then become grapes. ¹¹ I was holding Pharaoh’s cup, so I took the grapes and squeezed the juice into the cup. Then I gave the cup to Pharaoh.”

¹² Then Joseph said, “I will explain the dream to you. The three branches mean three days. ¹³ Before the end of three days, Pharaoh will forgive you and allow you to go back to your work. You will do the same work for Pharaoh as you did before. ¹⁴ But when you are free, remember me. Be good to me and help me. Tell Pharaoh about me so that I can get out of this prison. ¹⁵ I was kidnapped and taken from the land of my people, the Hebrews. I have done nothing wrong! I should not be in prison.”

The Baker’s Dream

¹⁶ The baker saw that the other servant’s dream was good, so he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream. I dreamed there were three baskets of bread on my head. ¹⁷ In the top basket there were all kinds of baked food for the king, but birds were eating this food.”

¹⁸ Joseph answered, “I will tell you what the dream means. The three baskets mean three days. ¹⁹ Before the end of three days, the king will take you out of this prison and cut off your head! He will hang your body on a pole, and the birds will eat it.”

Joseph Is Forgotten

²⁰ Three days later it was Pharaoh’s birthday. He gave a party for all his servants. At the party Pharaoh allowed the wine server and the baker to leave the prison. ²¹ He freed the wine server and gave him his job back, and once again the wine server put a cup of wine in Pharaoh’s hand. ²² But Pharaoh hanged the baker, and everything happened the way Joseph said it would. ²³ But the wine server did not remember to help Joseph. He said nothing about him to Pharaoh. The wine server forgot about Joseph.

Jesus’ Followers See His Power^(A)

²³ Jesus got into a boat, and his followers went with him. ²⁴ After the boat left the shore, a very bad storm began on the lake. The waves covered the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. ²⁵ The followers went to him and woke him. They said, “Lord, save us! We will drown!”

²⁶ Jesus answered, “Why are you afraid? You don’t have enough faith.” Then he stood up and gave a command to the wind and the water. The wind stopped, and the lake became very calm.

²⁷ The men were amazed. They said, “What kind of man is this? Even the wind and the water obey him!”