Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A Song of Ascents

A Prayer for Mercy

Pharaoh is Pleased

¹⁶ As soon as the news reached Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers had arrived, Pharaoh and his servants were ecstatic. ¹⁷ Pharaoh told Joseph, “Be sure to tell your brothers, ‘Do this: load up your livestock, go back to the land of Canaan, ¹⁸ get your father and your households, and come back to me. I’ll give you the best of the land of Egypt and you can live off the abundance of the land.’ ¹⁹ In addition,” Pharaoh ordered, “Do this: take some transport wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones to ride in, along with your wives, and bring your father and come! ²⁰ Don’t worry about your household goods, because the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.”

Joseph’s Brothers Go Back Home

²¹ So Israel’s sons did what they were asked to do, and Joseph provided wagons for them, as Pharaoh had commanded. He also gave them provisions for the journey. ²² He gave each of them some changes of clothes, but he also gave Benjamin 300 pieces of silver and five changes of clothes. ²³ He sent his father ten male donkeys loaded with the best of Egyptian goods and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and provisions for his father during the journey. ²⁴ Then Joseph^[a] sent his brothers away, and they left for home.^[b] As they were leaving, Joseph admonished them, “Don’t quarrel on the way back!”

²⁵ So Joseph’s brothers^[c] left Egypt and returned to the land of Canaan and to their father Jacob, ²⁶ where they informed their father, “Joseph is still alive! As a matter of fact, he’s ruling the entire land of Egypt.” But Jacob didn’t believe them, because he had become cynical.^{[d] 27} However, as soon as his sons^[e] had told him everything Joseph had said, and after he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent along to carry him, their father Jacob’s spirit was encouraged.

²⁸ “It’s enough,” Israel replied. “My son Joseph is still alive. I’m going to go see him before I die!”

Jesus Cleanses a Leper^(A)

8 When Jesus^[a] came down from the hillside, large crowds followed him. ² Suddenly, a leper^[b] came up to him, fell down before him, and said, “Sir,^[c] if you want to, you can make me clean.”^[d]

³ So Jesus^[e] reached out his hand, touched him, and said, “I do want to. Be clean!” And instantly his leprosy was made clean. ⁴ Then Jesus told him, “See to it that you don’t speak to anyone. Instead, go and show yourself to the priest, and then offer the sacrifice that Moses commanded^[f] as proof to the authorities.”^[g]

Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant^(B)

⁵ When Jesus^[h] returned to Capernaum, a centurion^[i] came up to him and begged him repeatedly, ⁶ “Sir,^[j] my servant is lying at home paralyzed and in terrible pain.”

⁷ Jesus^[k] told him, “I will come and heal him.”

⁸ The centurion replied, “Sir,^[l] I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed, ⁹ because I, too, am a man under authority and I have soldiers under me. I say to one of them^[m] ‘Go’ and he goes, to another ‘Come’ and he comes, and to my servant ‘Do this’ and he does it.”

¹⁰ When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and told those who were following him, “I tell all of you^[n] with certainty, not even^[o] in Israel have I found this kind of faith! ¹¹ I tell all of you,^[p] many will come from east and west and will feast with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom from^[q] heaven. ¹² But the unfaithful heirs^[r] of that kingdom will be thrown into the darkness outside. In that place there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”^[s]

¹³ “Go,” Jesus told the centurion, “and it will be done for you, just as you have believed.” And his servant was healed that very hour.