Genesis 42

• 1. When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why do you just keep looking at each other?"
• 2. He continued, "I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die."
• 3. Then ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.
• 4. But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph's brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him.
• 5. So Israel's sons were among those who went to buy grain, for the famine was in the land of Canaan also.
• 6. Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the one who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph's brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.
• 7. As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. "Where do you come from?" he asked. "From the land of Canaan," they replied, "to buy food."
• 8. Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.
• 9. Then he remembered his dreams about them and said to them, "You are spies! You have come to see where our land is unprotected."
• 10. "No, my lord," they answered. "Your servants have come to buy food.
• 11. We are all the sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies."
• 12. "No!" he said to them. "You have come to see where our land is unprotected."
• 13. But they replied, "Your servants were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more."
• 14. Joseph said to them, "It is just as I told you: You are spies!
• 15. And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.
• 16. Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be kept in prison, so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!"
• 17. And he put them all in custody for three days.
• 18. On the third day, Joseph said to them, "Do this and you will live, for I fear God:
• 19. If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison, while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households.
• 20. But you must bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified and that you may not die." This they proceeded to do.
• 21. They said to one another, "Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that's why this distress has come upon us."
• 22. Reuben replied, "Didn't I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn't listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood."
• 23. They did not realize that Joseph could understand them, since he was using an interpreter.
• 24. He turned away from them and began to weep, but then turned back and spoke to them again. He had Simeon taken from them and bound before their eyes.
• 25. Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to put each man's silver back in his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. After this was done for them,
• 26. they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left.
• 27. At the place where they stopped for the night one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver in the mouth of his sack.
• 28. "My silver has been returned," he said to his brothers. "Here it is in my sack." Their hearts sank and they turned to each other trembling and said, "What is this that God has done to us?"
• 29. When they came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them. They said,
• 30. "The man who is lord over the land spoke harshly to us and treated us as though we were spying on the land.
• 31. But we said to him, 'We are honest men; we are not spies.
• 32. We were twelve brothers, sons of one father. One is no more, and the youngest is now with our father in Canaan.'
• 33. "Then the man who is lord over the land said to us, 'This is how I will know whether you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me, and take food for your starving households and go.
• 34. But bring your youngest brother to me so I will know that you are not spies but honest men. Then I will give your brother back to you, and you can trade in the land.'"
• 35. As they were emptying their sacks, there in each man's sack was his pouch of silver! When they and their father saw the money pouches, they were frightened.
• 36. Their father Jacob said to them, "You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more, and now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is against me!"
• 37. Then Reuben said to his father, "You may put both of my sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Entrust him to my care, and I will bring him back."
• 38. But Jacob said, "My son will not go down there with you; his brother is dead and he is the only one left. If harm comes to him on the journey you are taking, you will bring my gray head down to the grave in sorrow."

Mark 13

• 1. As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!"
• 2. "Do you see all these great buildings?" replied Jesus. "Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down."
• 3. As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately,
• 4. "Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?"
• 5. Jesus said to them: "Watch out that no one deceives you.
• 6. Many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and will deceive many.
• 7. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.
• 8. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.
• 9. "You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them.
• 10. And the gospel must first be preached to all nations.
• 11. Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.
• 12. "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death.
• 13. All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
• 14. "When you see 'the abomination that causes desolation' standing where it does not belong--let the reader understand--then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
• 15. Let no one on the roof of his house go down or enter the house to take anything out.
• 16. Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak.
• 17. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!
• 18. Pray that this will not take place in winter,
• 19. because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now--and never to be equaled again.
• 20. If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them.
• 21. At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'Look, there he is!' do not believe it.
• 22. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect--if that were possible.
• 23. So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.
• 24. "But in those days, following that distress, "'the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;
• 25. the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.'
• 26. "At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.
• 27. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.
• 28. "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.
• 29. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door.
• 30. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
• 31. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
• 32. "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
• 33. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.
• 34. It's like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.
• 35. "Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back--whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn.
• 36. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping.
• 37. What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!'"

Job 9

• 1. Then Job replied:
• 2. "Indeed, I know that this is true. But how can a mortal be righteous before God?
• 3. Though one wished to dispute with him, he could not answer him one time out of a thousand.
• 4. His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. Who has resisted him and come out unscathed?
• 5. He moves mountains without their knowing it and overturns them in his anger.
• 6. He shakes the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble.
• 7. He speaks to the sun and it does not shine; he seals off the light of the stars.
• 8. He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.
• 9. He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
• 10. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.
• 11. When he passes me, I cannot see him; when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.
• 12. If he snatches away, who can stop him? Who can say to him, 'What are you doing?'
• 13. God does not restrain his anger; even the cohorts of Rahab cowered at his feet.
• 14. "How then can I dispute with him? How can I find words to argue with him?
• 15. Though I were innocent, I could not answer him; I could only plead with my Judge for mercy.
• 16. Even if I summoned him and he responded, I do not believe he would give me a hearing.
• 17. He would crush me with a storm and multiply my wounds for no reason.
• 18. He would not let me regain my breath but would overwhelm me with misery.
• 19. If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty! And if it is a matter of justice, who will summon him?
• 20. Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.
• 21. "Although I am blameless, I have no concern for myself; I despise my own life.
• 22. It is all the same; that is why I say, 'He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.'
• 23. When a scourge brings sudden death, he mocks the despair of the innocent.
• 24. When a land falls into the hands of the wicked, he blindfolds its judges. If it is not he, then who is it?
• 25. "My days are swifter than a runner; they fly away without a glimpse of joy.
• 26. They skim past like boats of papyrus, like eagles swooping down on their prey.
• 27. If I say, 'I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression, and smile,'
• 28. I still dread all my sufferings, for I know you will not hold me innocent.
• 29. Since I am already found guilty, why should I struggle in vain?
• 30. Even if I washed myself with soap and my hands with washing soda,
• 31. you would plunge me into a slime pit so that even my clothes would detest me.
• 32. "He is not a man like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court.
• 33. If only there were someone to arbitrate between us, to lay his hand upon us both,
• 34. someone to remove God's rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more.
• 35. Then I would speak up without fear of him, but as it now stands with me, I cannot.

New International Version

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