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Daily Readings for January 25
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Genesis 41
1.It happened at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and behold, he stood by the river. 2.Behold, there came up out of the river seven cattle, sleek and fat, and they fed in the marsh grass. 3.Behold, seven other cattle came up after them out of the river, ugly and thin, and stood by the other cattle on the brink of the river. 4.The ugly and thin cattle ate up the seven sleek and fat cattle. So Pharaoh awoke. 5.He slept and dreamed a second time: and behold, seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, healthy and good. 6.Behold, seven heads of grain, thin and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them. 7.The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy and full ears. Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream. 8.It happened in the morning that his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all of Egypt's magicians and wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh.
9.Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, "I remember my faults today. 10.Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and put me in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, me and the chief baker. 11.We dreamed a dream in one night, I and he. We dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream. 12.There was with us there a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard, and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams. To each man according to his dream he interpreted. 13.It happened, as he interpreted to us, so it was: he restored me to my office, and he hanged him."
14.Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon. He shaved himself, changed his clothing, and came in to Pharaoh. 15.Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it."
16.Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, "It isn't in me. God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace."
17.Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, "In my dream, behold, I stood on the brink of the river: 18.and behold, there came up out of the river seven cattle, fat and sleek. They fed in the marsh grass, 19.and behold, seven other cattle came up after them, poor and very ugly and thin, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for ugliness. 20.The thin and ugly cattle ate up the first seven fat cattle, 21.and when they had eaten them up, it couldn't be known that they had eaten them, but they were still ugly, as at the beginning. So I awoke. 22.I saw in my dream, and behold, seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, full and good: 23.and behold, seven heads of grain, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them. 24.The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads of grain. I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me."
25.Joseph said to Pharaoh, "The dream of Pharaoh is one. What God is about to do he has declared to Pharaoh. 26.The seven good cattle are seven years; and the seven good heads of grain are seven years. The dream is one. 27.The seven thin and ugly cattle that came up after them are seven years, and also the seven empty heads of grain blasted with the east wind; they will be seven years of famine. 28.That is the thing which I spoke to Pharaoh. What God is about to do he has shown to Pharaoh. 29.Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt. 30.There will arise after them seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will consume the land, 31.and the plenty will not be known in the land by reason of that famine which follows; for it will be very grievous. 32.The dream was doubled to Pharaoh, because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
33."Now therefore let Pharaoh look for a discreet and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34.Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint overseers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt's produce in the seven plenteous years. 35.Let them gather all the food of these good years that come, and lay up grain under the hand of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. 36.The food will be for a store to the land against the seven years of famine, which will be in the land of Egypt; that the land not perish through the famine."
37.The thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. 38.Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?" 39.Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Because God has shown you all of this, there is none so discreet and wise as you. 40.You shall be over my house, and according to your word will all my people be ruled. Only in the throne I will be greater than you." 41.Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Behold, I have set you over all the land of Egypt." 42.Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand, and put it on Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in robes of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck, 43.and he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had. They cried before him, "Bow the knee!" He set him over all the land of Egypt. 44.Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, and without you shall no man lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt." 45.Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphenath-Paneah; and he gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On as a wife. Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.
46.Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. 47.In the seven plenteous years the earth produced abundantly. 48.He gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was around every city, he laid up in the same. 49.Joseph laid up grain as the sand of the sea, very much, until he stopped counting, for it was without number. 50.To Joseph were born two sons before the year of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore to him. 51.Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh,28 "For," he said, "God has made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house." 52.The name of the second, he called Ephraim29: "For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction."
53.The seven years of plenty, that were in the land of Egypt, came to an end. 54.The seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55.When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread, and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do." 56.The famine was over all the surface of the earth. Joseph opened all the store houses, and sold to the Egyptians. The famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57.All countries came into Egypt, to Joseph, to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all the earth.
Psalm 45
1.My heart overflows with a noble theme. I recite my verses for the king. My tongue is like the pen of a skillful writer. 2.You are the most excellent of the sons of men. Grace has anointed your lips, therefore God has blessed you forever. 3.Strap your sword on your thigh, mighty one: your splendor and your majesty. 4.In your majesty ride on victoriously on behalf of truth, humility, and righteousness. Let your right hand display awesome deeds. 5.Your arrows are sharp. The nations fall under you, with arrows in the heart of the king's enemies. 6.Your throne, God, is forever and ever. A scepter of equity is the scepter of your kingdom. 7.You have loved righteousness, and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows. 8.All your garments smell like myrrh, aloes, and cassia. Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made you glad. 9.Kings' daughters are among your honorable women. At your right hand the queen stands in gold of Ophir. 10.Listen, daughter, consider, and turn your ear. Forget your own people, and also your father's house. 11.So the king will desire your beauty, honor him, for he is your lord. 12.The daughter of Tyre comes with a gift. The rich among the people entreat your favor. 13.The princess inside is all glorious. Her clothing is interwoven with gold. 14.She shall be led to the king in embroidered work. The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to you. 15.With gladness and rejoicing they shall be led. They shall enter into the king's palace. 16.Your sons will take the place of your fathers. You shall make them princes in all the earth. 17.I will make your name to be remembered in all generations. Therefore the peoples shall give you thanks forever and ever.
Matthew 27
1.Now when morning had come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: 2.and they bound him, and led him away, and delivered him up to Pontius Pilate, the governor. 3.Then Judas, who betrayed him, when he saw that Jesus was condemned, felt remorse, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4.saying, "I have sinned in that I betrayed innocent blood."
But they said, "What is that to us? You see to it."
5.He threw down the pieces of silver in the sanctuary, and departed. He went away and hanged himself. 6.The chief priests took the pieces of silver, and said, "It's not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is the price of blood." 7.They took counsel, and bought the potter's field with them, to bury strangers in. 8.Therefore that field was called "The Field of Blood" to this day. 9.Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah125 the prophet was fulfilled, saying, "They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him upon whom a price had been set, whom some of the children of Israel priced, 10.and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord commanded me."[126]
11.Now Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, "Are you the King of the Jews?"
Jesus said to him, "So you say."
12.When he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. 13.Then Pilate said to him, "Don't you hear how many things they testify against you?"
14.He gave him no answer, not even one word, so that the governor marveled greatly. 15.Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the multitude one prisoner, whom they desired. 16.They had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. 17.When therefore they were gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus, who is called Christ?" 18.For he knew that because of envy they had delivered him up.
19.While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him." 20.Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes to ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. 21.But the governor answered them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?"
They said, "Barabbas!"
22.Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do to Jesus, who is called Christ?"
They all said to him, "Let him be crucified!"
23.But the governor said, "Why? What evil has he done?"
But they cried out exceedingly, saying, "Let him be crucified!"
24.So when Pilate saw that nothing was being gained, but rather that a disturbance was starting, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this righteous person. You see to it."
25.All the people answered, "May his blood be on us, and on our children!"
26.Then he released to them Barabbas, but Jesus he flogged and delivered to be crucified. 27.Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, and gathered the whole garrison together against him. 28.They stripped him, and put a scarlet robe on him. 29.They braided a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they kneeled down before him, and mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" 30.They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31.When they had mocked him, they took the robe off of him, and put his clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.
32.As they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, and they compelled him to go with them, that he might carry his cross. 33.They came to a place called "Golgotha," that is to say, "The place of a skull." 34.They gave him sour wine to drink mixed with gall. When he had tasted it, he would not drink. 35.When they had crucified him, they divided his clothing among them, casting lots,[127] 36.and they sat and watched him there. 37.They set up over his head the accusation against him written, "THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS."
38.Then there were two robbers crucified with him, one on his right hand and one on the left. 39.Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, 40.and saying, "You who destroy the temple, and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!"
41.Likewise the chief priests also mocking, with the scribes, the Pharisees,128 and the elders, said, 42."He saved others, but he can't save himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. 43.He trusts in God. Let God deliver him now, if he wants him; for he said, 'I am the Son of God.'" 44.The robbers also who were crucified with him cast on him the same reproach.
45.Now from the sixth hour129 there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.130 46.About the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lima131 sabachthani?" That is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"[132]
47.Some of them who stood there, when they heard it, said, "This man is calling Elijah."
48.Immediately one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him a drink. 49.The rest said, "Let him be. Let's see whether Elijah comes to save him."
50.Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit. 51.Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split. 52.The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53.and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to many. 54.Now the centurion, and those who were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared exceedingly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God."
55.Many women were there watching from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, serving him. 56.Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. 57.When evening had come, a rich man from Arimathaea, named Joseph, who himself was also Jesus' disciple came. 58.This man went to Pilate, and asked for Jesus' body. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given up. 59.Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60.and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut out in the rock, and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and departed. 61.Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb. 62.Now on the next day, which was the day after the Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees were gathered together to Pilate, 63.saying, "Sir, we remember what that deceiver said while he was still alive: 'After three days I will rise again.' 64.Command therefore that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest perhaps his disciples come at night and steal him away, and tell the people, 'He is risen from the dead;' and the last deception will be worse than the first."
65.Pilate said to them, "You have a guard. Go, make it as secure as you can." 66.So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone.