Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

God Watches Over His People

124 “If the Lord had not been on our side,” let Israel say, ² “If the Lord had not been on our side when men came against us, ³ they would have eaten us up alive. Because their anger burned against us. ⁴ The waters would have covered us. The river would have passed over our soul. ⁵ The angry waters would have passed over our soul.”

⁶ Honor and thanks be to the Lord! He has not let us be torn by their teeth. ⁷ We have become free like a bird out of a trap. The net is broken and now we are free. ⁸ Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.

Joseph Tells His Brothers Not to Be Afraid

¹⁵ When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be now that Joseph will hate us, and pay us in return for all the wrong that we did to him!” ¹⁶ So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Before he died, our father told us, ¹⁷ ‘You say to Joseph, “Forgive the wrong-doing of your brothers and their sin. For they did a bad thing to you.”’ Now we beg you, forgive the wrong-doing of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph cried when they spoke to him. ¹⁸ Then his brothers came and fell down in front of him and said, “See, we are your servants.”

¹⁹ But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God? ²⁰ You planned to do a bad thing to me. But God planned it for good, to make it happen that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. ²¹ So do not be afraid. I will take care of you and your little ones.” He gave them comfort and words of kindness.

The Death of Joseph

²² Joseph and his father’s family stayed in Egypt. And Joseph lived 110 years. ²³ He lived long enough to see Ephraim’s grandchildren. And the sons of Manasseh’s son Machir were held on Joseph’s knees. ²⁴ Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will take care of you. He will bring you from this land to the land that He promised to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.” ²⁵ Then Joseph made the sons of Israel promise. He said, “God will take care of you. And you will carry my bones from here.” ²⁶ So Joseph died after living 110 years. They made his body ready, and he was put in a grave in Egypt.

Jesus Shows That the Teaching of the Proud Religious Law-Keepers Is Wrong ^(A)

⁵ The followers came to the other side of the lake. They remembered they had forgotten to bring bread. ⁶ Jesus said to them, “See! Have nothing to do with the yeast of the proud religious law-keepers and the religious group of people who believe no one will be raised from the dead.” ⁷ They started to think about it among themselves and said, “He said this because we forgot to bring bread.” ⁸ Jesus knew this and said, “You have very little faith! Why are you talking among yourselves about not bringing bread? ⁹ Do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves of bread that fed five thousand men? And how many baskets full were gathered up? ¹⁰ Or do you not even remember the seven loaves of bread that fed the four thousand men? And how many baskets full were gathered up? ¹¹ Why is it that you do not see that I was not talking to you about bread? I was talking to you about keeping away from the yeast of the proud religious law-keepers and the religious group of people who believe no one will be raised from the dead.” ¹² Then they understood that it was not the yeast of bread that He was talking about. But He was talking about the teaching of the proud religious law-keepers and of the other religious group of people.