Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Joseph's Dreams

37 Jacob lived in ^(A)the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan.

² These are the generations of Jacob.

Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought ^(B)a bad report of them to their father. ³ Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was ^(C)the son of his old age. And he made him ^(D)a robe of many colors.^{[a] 4} But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.

Joseph Sold by His Brothers

¹² Now his brothers went to pasture their father's flock near ^(A)Shechem. ¹³ And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” ¹⁴ So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word.” So he sent him from the Valley of ^(B)Hebron, and he came to Shechem. ¹⁵ And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, “What are you seeking?” ¹⁶ “I am seeking my brothers,” he said. “Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.” ¹⁷ And the man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to ^(C)Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at ^(D)Dothan.

¹⁸ They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them ^(E)they conspired against him to kill him. ¹⁹ They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. ²⁰ Come now, ^(F)let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits.^[a] Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.” ²¹ But when ^(G)Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” ²² And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him”—^(H)that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father. ²³ So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, ^(I)the robe of many colors that he wore. ²⁴ And they took him and ^(J)threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.

²⁵ Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a ^(K)caravan of ^(L)Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing ^(M)gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. ²⁶ Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it ^(N)if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? ²⁷ Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and ^(O)let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. ²⁸ Then ^(P)Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and ^(Q)sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels^[b] of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.

Tell of All His Wondrous Works

The Message of Salvation to All

⁵ For ^(A)Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that ^(B)the person who does the commandments shall live by them. ⁶ But ^(C)the righteousness based on faith says, ^(D)“Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) ⁷ “or ‘Who will descend into the ^(E)abyss?’” (that is, ^(F)to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸ But what does it say? ^(G)“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); ⁹ because, if ^(H)you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and ^(I)believe in your heart ^(J)that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, ^(K)“Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” ^12 (L)For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; ^(M)for the same Lord is Lord of all, ^(N)bestowing his riches on all who call on him. ¹³ For ^(O)“everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

¹⁴ How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him ^(P)of whom they have never heard?^[a] And how are they to hear ^(Q)without someone preaching? ¹⁵ And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ^(R)“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

Jesus Walks on the Water

^22 (A)Immediately he ^(B)made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. ²³ And after he had dismissed the crowds, ^(C)he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When ^(D)evening came, he was there alone, ²⁴ but the boat by this time was a long way^[a] from the land,^[b] beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. ²⁵ And ^(E)in the fourth watch of the night^[c] he came to them, walking on the sea. ²⁶ But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, ^(F)they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. ²⁷ But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ^(G)“Take heart; it is I. ^(H)Do not be afraid.”

²⁸ And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” ²⁹ He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and ^(I)walked on the water and came to Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind,^[d] he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ^(J)“Lord, save me.” ³¹ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, ^(K)“O you of little faith, why did you ^(L)doubt?” ³² And when they got into the boat, ^(M)the wind ceased. ³³ And ^(N)those in the boat ^(O)worshiped him, saying, ^(P)“Truly you are ^(Q)the Son of God.”