Genesis 43

• 1. Now the famine was still severe in the land.
• 2. So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, "Go back and buy us a little more food."
• 3. But Judah said to him, "The man warned us solemnly, 'You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.'
• 4. If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you.
• 5. But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, 'You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.'"
• 6. Israel asked, "Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man you had another brother?"
• 7. They replied, "The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. 'Is your father still living?' he asked us. 'Do you have another brother?' We simply answered his questions. How were we to know he would say, 'Bring your brother down here'?"
• 8. Then Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die.
• 9. I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life.
• 10. As it is, if we had not delayed, we could have gone and returned twice."
• 11. Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift-a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds.
• 12. Take double the amount of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake.
• 13. Take your brother also and go back to the man at once.
• 14. And may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved."
• 15. So the men took the gifts and double the amount of silver, and Benjamin also. They hurried down to Egypt and presented themselves to Joseph.
• 16. When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Take these men to my house, slaughter an animal and prepare dinner; they are to eat with me at noon."
• 17. The man did as Joseph told him and took the men to Joseph's house.
• 18. Now the men were frightened when they were taken to his house. They thought, "We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us and overpower us and seize us as slaves and take our donkeys."
• 19. So they went up to Joseph's steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house.
• 20. "Please, sir," they said, "we came down here the first time to buy food.
• 21. But at the place where we stopped for the night we opened our sacks and each of us found his silver-the exact weight-in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought it back with us.
• 22. We have also brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don't know who put our silver in our sacks."
• 23. "It's all right," he said. "Don't be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I received your silver." Then he brought Simeon out to them.
• 24. The steward took the men into Joseph's house, gave them water to wash their feet and provided fodder for their donkeys.
• 25. They prepared their gifts for Joseph's arrival at noon, because they had heard that they were to eat there.
• 26. When Joseph came home, they presented to him the gifts they had brought into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground.
• 27. He asked them how they were, and then he said, "How is your aged father you told me about? Is he still living?"
• 28. They replied, "Your servant our father is still alive and well." And they bowed low to pay him honor.
• 29. As he looked about and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother's son, he asked, "Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?" And he said, "God be gracious to you, my son."
• 30. Deeply moved at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there.
• 31. After he had washed his face, he came out and, controlling himself, said, "Serve the food."
• 32. They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, for that is detestable to Egyptians.
• 33. The men had been seated before him in the order of their ages, from the firstborn to the youngest; and they looked at each other in astonishment.
• 34. When portions were served to them from Joseph's table, Benjamin's portion was five times as much as anyone else's. So they feasted and drank freely with him.

Mark 14

• 1. Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him.
• 2. "But not during the Feast," they said, "or the people may riot."
• 3. While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.
• 4. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, "Why this waste of perfume?
• 5. It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor." And they rebuked her harshly.
• 6. "Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.
• 7. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me.
• 8. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.
• 9. I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."
• 10. Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them.
• 11. They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
• 12. On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus' disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?"
• 13. So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him.
• 14. Say to the owner of the house he enters, 'The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?'
• 15. He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there."
• 16. The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.
• 17. When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve.
• 18. While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me--one who is eating with me."
• 19. They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, "Surely not I?"
• 20. "It is one of the Twelve," he replied, "one who dips bread into the bowl with me.
• 21. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."
• 22. While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body."
• 23. Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it.
• 24. "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many," he said to them.
• 25. "I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God."
• 26. When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
• 27. "You will all fall away," Jesus told them, "for it is written: "'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'
• 28. But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee."
• 29. Peter declared, "Even if all fall away, I will not."
• 30. "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "today--yes, tonight--before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times."
• 31. But Peter insisted emphatically, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." And all the others said the same.
• 32. They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray."
• 33. He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.
• 34. "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."
• 35. Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.
• 36. "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."
• 37. Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour?
• 38. Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
• 39. Once more he went away and prayed the same thing.
• 40. When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
• 41. Returning the third time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
• 42. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"
• 43. Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders.
• 44. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: "The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard."
• 45. Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, "Rabbi!" and kissed him.
• 46. The men seized Jesus and arrested him.
• 47. Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
• 48. "Am I leading a rebellion," said Jesus, "that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me?
• 49. Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled."
• 50. Then everyone deserted him and fled.
• 51. A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him,
• 52. he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.
• 53. They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, elders and teachers of the law came together.
• 54. Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.
• 55. The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any.
• 56. Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.
• 57. Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him:
• 58. "We heard him say, 'I will destroy this man-made temple and in three days will build another, not made by man.'"
• 59. Yet even then their testimony did not agree.
• 60. Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?"
• 61. But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?"
• 62. "I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."
• 63. The high priest tore his clothes. "Why do we need any more witnesses?" he asked.
• 64. "You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?"
• 65. They all condemned him as worthy of death. Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, "Prophesy!" And the guards took him and beat him.
• 66. While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by.
• 67. When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. "You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus," she said.
• 68. But he denied it. "I don't know or understand what you're talking about," he said, and went out into the entryway.
• 69. When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, "This fellow is one of them."
• 70. Again he denied it. After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, "Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean."
• 71. He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, "I don't know this man you're talking about."
• 72. Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times." And he broke down and wept.

Job 10

• 1. "I loathe my very life; therefore I will give free rein to my complaint and speak out in the bitterness of my soul.
• 2. I will say to God: Do not condemn me, but tell me what charges you have against me.
• 3. Does it please you to oppress me, to spurn the work of your hands, while you smile on the schemes of the wicked?
• 4. Do you have eyes of flesh? Do you see as a mortal sees?
• 5. Are your days like those of a mortal or your years like those of a man,
• 6. that you must search out my faults and probe after my sin-
• 7. though you know that I am not guilty and that no one can rescue me from your hand?
• 8. "Your hands shaped me and made me. Will you now turn and destroy me?
• 9. Remember that you molded me like clay. Will you now turn me to dust again?
• 10. Did you not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese,
• 11. clothe me with skin and flesh and knit me together with bones and sinews?
• 12. You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over my spirit.
• 13. "But this is what you concealed in your heart, and I know that this was in your mind:
• 14. If I sinned, you would be watching me and would not let my offense go unpunished.
• 15. If I am guilty-woe to me! Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head, for I am full of shame and drowned in my affliction.
• 16. If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion and again display your awesome power against me.
• 17. You bring new witnesses against me and increase your anger toward me; your forces come against me wave upon wave.
• 18. "Why then did you bring me out of the womb? I wish I had died before any eye saw me.
• 19. If only I had never come into being, or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave!
• 20. Are not my few days almost over? Turn away from me so I can have a moment's joy
• 21. before I go to the place of no return, to the land of gloom and deep shadow,
• 22. to the land of deepest night, of deep shadow and disorder, where even the light is like darkness."

New International Version

37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | Day 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 |