Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Blessed Unity of the People of God

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

Joseph’s Rise to Power

³⁷ So ^(A)the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants. ³⁸ And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man ^(B)in whom is the Spirit of God?”

³⁹ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. ^40 (C)You shall be ^[a]over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” ⁴¹ And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have ^(D)set you over all the land of Egypt.”

⁴² Then Pharaoh ^(E)took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand; and he ^(F)clothed him in garments of fine linen ^(G)and put a gold chain around his neck. ⁴³ And he had him ride in the second ^(H)chariot which he had; ^(I)and they cried out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he set him ^(J)over all the land of Egypt. ⁴⁴ Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” ⁴⁵ And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name ^[b]Zaphnath-Paaneah. And he gave him as a wife ^(K)Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On. So Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.

⁴⁶ Joseph was thirty years old when he ^(L)stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. ⁴⁷ Now in the seven plentiful years the ground brought forth ^[c]abundantly. ⁴⁸ So he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities; he laid up in every city the food of the fields which surrounded them. ⁴⁹ Joseph gathered very much grain, ^(M)as the sand of the sea, until he stopped counting, for it was immeasurable.

^50 (N)And to Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him. ⁵¹ Joseph called the name of the firstborn ^[d]Manasseh: “For God has made me forget all my toil and all my ^(O)father’s house.” ⁵² And the name of the second he called ^[e]Ephraim: “For God has caused me to be ^(P)fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

⁵³ Then the seven years of plenty which were in the land of Egypt ended, ^54 (Q)and the seven years of famine began to come, ^(R)as Joseph had said. The famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. ⁵⁵ So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Then Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; ^(S)whatever he says to you, do.” ⁵⁶ The famine was over all the face of the earth, and Joseph opened ^[f]all the storehouses and ^(T)sold to the Egyptians. And the famine became severe in the land of Egypt. ^57 (U)So all countries came to Joseph in Egypt to ^(V)buy grain, because the famine was severe in all lands.

Stoning, Escape to Derbe

^19 (A)Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, ^(B)they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be ^(C)dead. ²⁰ However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

Strengthening the Converts

²¹ And when they had preached the gospel to that city ^(D)and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, ²² strengthening the souls of the disciples, ^(E)exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, ^(F)“We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” ²³ So when they had ^(G)appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. ²⁴ And after they had passed through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. ²⁵ Now when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. ²⁶ From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed.

²⁷ Now when they had come and gathered the church together, ^(H)they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had ^(I)opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. ²⁸ So they stayed there a long time with the disciples.