Genesis 41

• 1. Two years later, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing on the bank of the Nile River.
• 2. In his dream, seven fat, healthy-looking cows suddenly came up out of the river and began grazing along its bank.
• 3. Then seven other cows came up from the river, but these were very ugly and gaunt. These cows went over and stood beside the fat cows.
• 4. Then the thin, ugly cows ate the fat ones! At this point in the dream, Pharaoh woke up.
• 5. Soon he fell asleep again and had a second dream. This time he saw seven heads of grain on one stalk, with every kernel well formed and plump.
• 6. Then suddenly, seven more heads appeared on the stalk, but these were shriveled and withered by the east wind.
• 7. And these thin heads swallowed up the seven plump, well-formed heads! Then Pharaoh woke up again and realized it was a dream.
• 8. The next morning, as he thought about it, Pharaoh became very concerned as to what the dreams might mean. So he called for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt and told them about his dreams, but not one of them could suggest what they meant.
• 9. Then the king's cup-bearer spoke up. "Today I have been reminded of my failure," he said.
• 10. "Some time ago, you were angry with the chief baker and me, and you imprisoned us in the palace of the captain of the guard.
• 11. One night the chief baker and I each had a dream, and each dream had a meaning.
• 12. We told the dreams to a young Hebrew man who was a servant of the captain of the guard. He told us what each of our dreams meant,
• 13. and everything happened just as he said it would. I was restored to my position as cup-bearer, and the chief baker was executed and impaled on a pole."
• 14. Pharaoh sent for Joseph at once, and he was brought hastily from the dungeon. After a quick shave and change of clothes, he went in and stood in Pharaoh's presence.
• 15. "I had a dream last night," Pharaoh told him, "and none of these men can tell me what it means. But I have heard that you can interpret dreams, and that is why I have called for you."
• 16. "It is beyond my power to do this," Joseph replied. "But God will tell you what it means and will set you at ease."
• 17. So Pharaoh told him the dream. "I was standing on the bank of the Nile River," he said.
• 18. "Suddenly, seven fat, healthy-looking cows came up out of the river and began grazing along its bank.
• 19. But then seven other cows came up from the river. They were very thin and gaunt--in fact, I've never seen such ugly animals in all the land of Egypt.
• 20. These thin, ugly cows ate up the seven fat ones that had come out of the river first,
• 21. but afterward they were still as ugly and gaunt as before! Then I woke up.
• 22. "A little later I had another dream. This time there were seven heads of grain on one stalk, and all seven heads were plump and full.
• 23. Then out of the same stalk came seven withered heads, shriveled by the east wind.
• 24. And the withered heads swallowed up the plump ones! I told these dreams to my magicians, but not one of them could tell me what they mean."
• 25. "Both dreams mean the same thing," Joseph told Pharaoh. "God was telling you what he is about to do.
• 26. The seven fat cows and the seven plump heads of grain both represent seven years of prosperity.
• 27. The seven thin, ugly cows and the seven withered heads of grain represent seven years of famine.
• 28. This will happen just as I have described it, for God has shown you what he is about to do.
• 29. The next seven years will be a period of great prosperity throughout the land of Egypt.
• 30. But afterward there will be seven years of famine so great that all the prosperity will be forgotten and wiped out. Famine will destroy the land.
• 31. This famine will be so terrible that even the memory of the good years will be erased.
• 32. As for having the dream twice, it means that the matter has been decreed by God and that he will make these events happen soon.
• 33. "My suggestion is that you find the wisest man in Egypt and put him in charge of a nationwide program.
• 34. Let Pharaoh appoint officials over the land, and let them collect one-fifth of all the crops during the seven good years.
• 35. Have them gather all the food and grain of these good years into the royal storehouses, and store it away so there will be food in the cities.
• 36. That way there will be enough to eat when the seven years of famine come. Otherwise disaster will surely strike the land, and all the people will die."
• 37. Joseph's suggestions were well received by Pharaoh and his advisers.
• 38. As they discussed who should be appointed for the job, Pharaoh said, "Who could do it better than Joseph? For he is a man who is obviously filled with the spirit of God."
• 39. Turning to Joseph, Pharaoh said, "Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, you are the wisest man in the land!
• 40. I hereby appoint you to direct this project. You will manage my household and organize all my people. Only I will have a rank higher than yours."
• 41. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt."
• 42. Then Pharaoh placed his own signet ring on Joseph's finger as a symbol of his authority. He dressed him in beautiful clothing and placed the royal gold chain about his neck.
• 43. Pharaoh also gave Joseph the chariot of his second-in-command, and wherever he went the command was shouted, "Kneel down!" So Joseph was put in charge of all Egypt.
• 44. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am the king, but no one will move a hand or a foot in the entire land of Egypt without your approval."
• 45. Pharaoh renamed him Zaphenath-paneah and gave him a wife--a young woman named Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis. So Joseph took charge of the entire land of Egypt.
• 46. He was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. And when Joseph left Pharaoh's presence, he made a tour of inspection throughout the land.
• 47. And sure enough, for the next seven years there were bumper crops everywhere.
• 48. During those years, Joseph took a portion of all the crops grown in Egypt and stored them for the government in nearby cities.
• 49. After seven years, the granaries were filled to overflowing. There was so much grain, like sand on the seashore, that the people could not keep track of the amount.
• 50. During this time, before the arrival of the first of the famine years, two sons were born to Joseph and his wife, Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis.
• 51. Joseph named his older son Manasseh, for he said, "God has made me forget all my troubles and the family of my father."
• 52. Joseph named his second son Ephraim, for he said, "God has made me fruitful in this land of my suffering."
• 53. At last the seven years of plenty came to an end.
• 54. Then the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had predicted. There were crop failures in all the surrounding countries, too, but in Egypt there was plenty of grain in the storehouses.
• 55. Throughout the land of Egypt the people began to starve. They pleaded with Pharaoh for food, and he told them, "Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you."
• 56. So with severe famine everywhere in the land, Joseph opened up the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians.
• 57. And people from surrounding lands also came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph because the famine was severe throughout the world.

Mark 12

• 1. Then Jesus began telling them stories: "A man planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country.
• 2. At grape-picking time he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop.
• 3. But the farmers grabbed the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed.
• 4. "The owner then sent another servant, but they beat him over the head and treated him shamefully.
• 5. The next servant he sent was killed. Others who were sent were either beaten or killed,
• 6. until there was only one left--his son whom he loved dearly. The owner finally sent him, thinking, 'Surely they will respect my son.'
• 7. "But the farmers said to one another, 'Here comes the heir to this estate. Let's kill him and get the estate for ourselves!'
• 8. So they grabbed him and murdered him and threw his body out of the vineyard.
• 9. "What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do?" Jesus asked. "I'll tell you--he will come and kill them all and lease the vineyard to others.
• 10. Didn't you ever read this in the Scriptures? 'The stone rejected by the builders has now become the cornerstone.
• 11. This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous to see.'"
• 12. The Jewish leaders wanted to arrest him for using this illustration because they realized he was pointing at them--they were the wicked farmers in his story. But they were afraid to touch him because of the crowds. So they left him and went away.
• 13. The leaders sent some Pharisees and supporters of Herod to try to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested.
• 14. "Teacher," these men said, "we know how honest you are. You are impartial and don't play favorites. You sincerely teach the ways of God. Now tell us--is it right to pay taxes to the Roman government or not?
• 15. Should we pay them, or should we not?" Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, "Whom are you trying to fool with your trick questions? Show me a Roman coin, and I'll tell you."
• 16. When they handed it to him, he asked, "Whose picture and title are stamped on it?Caesar's," they replied.
• 17. "Well, then," Jesus said, "give to Caesar what belongs to him. But everything that belongs to God must be given to God." This reply completely amazed them.
• 18. Then the Sadducees stepped forward--a group of Jews who say there is no resurrection after death. They posed this question:
• 19. "Teacher, Moses gave us a law that if a man dies, leaving a wife without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will be the brother's heir.
• 20. Well, there were seven brothers. The oldest of them married and then died without children.
• 21. So the second brother married the widow, but soon he too died and left no children. Then the next brother married her and died without children.
• 22. This continued until all the brothers had married her and died, and still there were no children. Last of all, the woman died, too.
• 23. So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her."
• 24. Jesus replied, "Your problem is that you don't know the Scriptures, and you don't know the power of God.
• 25. For when the dead rise, they won't be married. They will be like the angels in heaven.
• 26. But now, as to whether the dead will be raised--haven't you ever read about this in the writings of Moses, in the story of the burning bush? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said to Moses, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'
• 27. So he is the God of the living, not the dead. You have made a serious error."
• 28. One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the discussion. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"
• 29. Jesus replied, "The most important commandment is this: 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord.
• 30. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.'
• 31. The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these."
• 32. The teacher of religious law replied, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other.
• 33. And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbors as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law."
• 34. Realizing this man's understanding, Jesus said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.
• 35. Later, as Jesus was teaching the people in the Temple, he asked, "Why do the teachers of religious law claim that the Messiah will be the son of David?
• 36. For David himself, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said, 'The LORD said to my Lord, Sit in honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.'
• 37. Since David himself called him Lord, how can he be his son at the same time?" And the crowd listened to him with great interest.
• 38. Here are some of the other things he taught them at this time: "Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they love to parade in flowing robes and to have everyone bow to them as they walk in the marketplaces.
• 39. And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and at banquets.
• 40. But they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property, and then, to cover up the kind of people they really are, they make long prayers in public. Because of this, their punishment will be the greater."
• 41. Jesus went over to the collection box in the Temple and sat and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts.
• 42. Then a poor widow came and dropped in two pennies.
• 43. He called his disciples to him and said, "I assure you, this poor widow has given more than all the others have given.
• 44. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has."

Job 8

• 1. Then Bildad the Shuhite replied to Job:
• 2. "How long will you go on like this? Your words are a blustering wind.
• 3. Does God twist justice? Does the Almighty twist what is right?
• 4. Your children obviously sinned against him, so their punishment was well deserved.
• 5. But if you pray to God and seek the favor of the Almighty,
• 6. if you are pure and live with complete integrity, he will rise up and restore your happy home.
• 7. And though you started with little, you will end with much.
• 8. "Just ask the former generation. Pay attention to the experience of our ancestors.
• 9. For we were born but yesterday and know so little. Our days on earth are as transient as a shadow.
• 10. But those who came before us will teach you. They will teach you from the wisdom of former generations.
• 11. "Can papyrus reeds grow where there is no marsh? Can bulrushes flourish where there is no water?
• 12. While they are still flowering, not ready to be cut, they begin to wither.
• 13. Such is the fate of all who forget God. The hope of the godless comes to nothing.
• 14. Everything they count on will collapse. They are leaning on a spiderweb.
• 15. They cling to their home for security, but it won't last. They try to hold it fast, but it will not endure.
• 16. The godless seem so strong, like a lush plant growing in the sunshine, its branches spreading across the garden.
• 17. Its roots grow down through a pile of rocks to hold it firm.
• 18. But when it is uprooted, it isn't even missed!
• 19. That is the end of its life, and others spring up from the earth to replace it.
• 20. "But look! God will not reject a person of integrity, nor will he make evildoers prosper.
• 21. He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.
• 22. Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked will be destroyed."

New Living Translation: 40 of 365 days.