Genesis 46

• 1. So Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
• 2. And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, "Jacob! Jacob!Here I am," he replied.
• 3. "I am God, the God of your father," he said. "Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.
• 4. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph's own hand will close your eyes."
• 5. Then Jacob left Beersheba, and Israel's sons took their father Jacob and their children and their wives in the carts that Pharaoh had sent to transport him.
• 6. They also took with them their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in Canaan, and Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt.
• 7. He took with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters-all his offspring.
• 8. These are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt: Reuben the firstborn of Jacob.
• 9. The sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron and Carmi.
• 10. The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.
• 11. The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
• 12. The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez and Zerah (but Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul.
• 13. The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puah, Jashub and Shimron.
• 14. The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon and Jahleel.
• 15. These were the sons Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, besides his daughter Dinah. These sons and daughters of his were thirty-three in all.
• 16. The sons of Gad: Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli.
• 17. The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah. Their sister was Serah. The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malkiel.
• 18. These were the children born to Jacob by Zilpah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Leah-sixteen in all.
• 19. The sons of Jacob's wife Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.
• 20. In Egypt, Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.
• 21. The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.
• 22. These were the sons of Rachel who were born to Jacob-fourteen in all.
• 23. The son of Dan: Hushim.
• 24. The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem.
• 25. These were the sons born to Jacob by Bilhah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachel-seven in all.
• 26. All those who went to Egypt with Jacob-those who were his direct descendants, not counting his sons' wives-numbered sixty-six persons.
• 27. With the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob's family, which went to Egypt, were seventy in all.
• 28. Now Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When they arrived in the region of Goshen,
• 29. Joseph had his chariot made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel. As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father and wept for a long time.
• 30. Israel said to Joseph, "Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive."
• 31. Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's household, "I will go up and speak to Pharaoh and will say to him, 'My brothers and my father's household, who were living in the land of Canaan, have come to me.
• 32. The men are shepherds; they tend livestock, and they have brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own.'
• 33. When Pharaoh calls you in and asks, 'What is your occupation?'
• 34. you should answer, 'Your servants have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.' Then you will be allowed to settle in the region of Goshen, for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians."

Luke 1

• 1. Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,
• 2. just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.
• 3. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
• 4. so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
• 5. In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.
• 6. Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly.
• 7. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.
• 8. Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
• 9. he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
• 10. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
• 11. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
• 12. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.
• 13. But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.
• 14. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,
• 15. for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.
• 16. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God.
• 17. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
• 18. Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."
• 19. The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.
• 20. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."
• 21. Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple.
• 22. When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
• 23. When his time of service was completed, he returned home.
• 24. After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.
• 25. "The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people."
• 26. In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,
• 27. to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.
• 28. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
• 29. Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
• 30. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.
• 31. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.
• 32. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
• 33. and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
• 34. "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"
• 35. The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
• 36. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month.
• 37. For nothing is impossible with God."
• 38. "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.
• 39. At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,
• 40. where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth.
• 41. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
• 42. In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!
• 43. But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
• 44. As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
• 45. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"
• 46. And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord
• 47. and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
• 48. for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,
• 49. for the Mighty One has done great things for me--holy is his name.
• 50. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
• 51. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
• 52. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
• 53. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
• 54. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful
• 55. to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers."
• 56. Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
• 57. When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son.
• 58. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
• 59. On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah,
• 60. but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John."
• 61. They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name."
• 62. Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child.
• 63. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "His name is John."
• 64. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God.
• 65. The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.
• 66. Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him.
• 67. His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
• 68. "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people.
• 69. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
• 70. (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
• 71. salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us--
• 72. to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,
• 73. the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
• 74. to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear
• 75. in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
• 76. And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
• 77. to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
• 78. because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
• 79. to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace."
• 80. And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel.

Job 13

• 1. "My eyes have seen all this, my ears have heard and understood it.
• 2. What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you.
• 3. But I desire to speak to the Almighty and to argue my case with God.
• 4. You, however, smear me with lies; you are worthless physicians, all of you!
• 5. If only you would be altogether silent! For you, that would be wisdom.
• 6. Hear now my argument; listen to the plea of my lips.
• 7. Will you speak wickedly on God's behalf? Will you speak deceitfully for him?
• 8. Will you show him partiality? Will you argue the case for God?
• 9. Would it turn out well if he examined you? Could you deceive him as you might deceive men?
• 10. He would surely rebuke you if you secretly showed partiality.
• 11. Would not his splendor terrify you? Would not the dread of him fall on you?
• 12. Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay.
• 13. "Keep silent and let me speak; then let come to me what may.
• 14. Why do I put myself in jeopardy and take my life in my hands?
• 15. Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face.
• 16. Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance, for no godless man would dare come before him!
• 17. Listen carefully to my words; let your ears take in what I say.
• 18. Now that I have prepared my case, I know I will be vindicated.
• 19. Can anyone bring charges against me? If so, I will be silent and die.
• 20. "Only grant me these two things, O God, and then I will not hide from you:
• 21. Withdraw your hand far from me, and stop frightening me with your terrors.
• 22. Then summon me and I will answer, or let me speak, and you reply.
• 23. How many wrongs and sins have I committed? Show me my offense and my sin.
• 24. Why do you hide your face and consider me your enemy?
• 25. Will you torment a windblown leaf? Will you chase after dry chaff?
• 26. For you write down bitter things against me and make me inherit the sins of my youth.
• 27. You fasten my feet in shackles; you keep close watch on all my paths by putting marks on the soles of my feet.
• 28. "So man wastes away like something rotten, like a garment eaten by moths.

New International Version

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