Bible Reading February 16-18
(World English Bible)
Feb.
16
Genesis
47
Gen
47:1 Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said, "My father
and my brothers, with their flocks, their herds, and all that they
own, have come out of the land of Canaan; and behold, they are in the
land of Goshen."
Gen
47:2 From among his brothers he took five men, and presented them to
Pharaoh.
Gen
47:3 Pharaoh said to his brothers, "What is your occupation?"
They said to Pharaoh, "Your servants are shepherds, both we, and
our fathers."
Gen
47:4 They said to Pharaoh, "We have come to live as foreigners
in the land, for there is no pasture for your servants' flocks. For
the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, please let
your servants dwell in the land of Goshen."
Gen
47:5 Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, "Your father and your
brothers have come to you.
Gen
47:6 The land of Egypt is before you. Make your father and your
brothers dwell in the best of the land. Let them dwell in the land of
Goshen. If you know any able men among them, then put them in charge
of my livestock."
Gen
47:7 Joseph brought in Jacob, his father, and set him before
Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.
Gen
47:8 Pharaoh said to Jacob, "How many are the days of the years
of your life?"
Gen
47:9 Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The days of the years of my
pilgrimage are one hundred thirty years. Few and evil have been the
days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days
of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their
pilgrimage."
Gen
47:10 Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from the presence of
Pharaoh.
Gen
47:11 Joseph placed his father and his brothers, and gave them a
possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land
of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.
Gen
47:12 Joseph nourished his father, his brothers, and all of his
father's household, with bread, according to their families.
Gen
47:13 There was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very
severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan fainted by
reason of the famine.
Gen
47:14 Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of
Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the grain which they bought:
and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house.
Gen
47:15 When the money was all spent in the land of Egypt, and in the
land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph, and said, "Give
us bread, for why should we die in your presence? For our money
fails."
Gen
47:16 Joseph said, "Give me your livestock; and I will give you
food for your livestock, if your money is gone."
Gen
47:17 They brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them
bread in exchange for the horses, and for the flocks, and for the
herds, and for the donkeys: and he fed them with bread in exchange
for all their livestock for that year.
Gen
47:18 When that year was ended, they came to him the second year,
and said to him, "We will not hide from my lord how our money is
all spent, and the herds of livestock are my lord's. There is nothing
left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands.
Gen
47:19 Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy
us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants to
Pharaoh. Give us seed, that we may live, and not die, and that the
land won't be desolate."
Gen
47:20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for the
Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine was severe on
them, and the land became Pharaoh's.
Gen
47:21 As for the people, he moved them to the cities from one end of
the border of Egypt even to the other end of it.
Gen
47:22 Only he didn't buy the land of the priests, for the priests
had a portion from Pharaoh, and ate their portion which Pharaoh gave
them. That is why they didn't sell their land.
Gen
47:23 Then Joseph said to the people, "Behold, I have bought
you and your land today for Pharaoh. Behold, here is seed for you,
and you shall sow the land.
Gen
47:24 It will happen at the harvests, that you shall give a fifth to
Pharaoh, and four parts will be your own, for seed of the field, for
your food, for them of your households, and for food for your little
ones."
Gen
47:25 They said, "You have saved our lives! Let us find favor
in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants."
Gen
47:26 Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt to this
day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth. Only the land of the priests
alone didn't become Pharaoh's.
Gen
47:27 Israel lived in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen; and
they got themselves possessions therein, and were fruitful, and
multiplied exceedingly.
Gen
47:28 Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the days
of Jacob, the years of his life, were one hundred forty-seven years.
Gen
47:29 The time drew near that Israel must die, and he called his son
Joseph, and said to him, "If now I have found favor in your
sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly
with me. Please don't bury me in Egypt,
Gen
47:30 but when I sleep with my fathers, you shall carry me out of
Egypt, and bury me in their burying place." He said, "I
will do as you have said."
Gen
47:31 He said, "Swear to me," and he swore to him. Israel
bowed himself on the bed's head.
Genesis
48
Gen
48:1 It happened after these things, that someone said to Joseph,
"Behold, your father is sick." He took with him his two
sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
Gen
48:2 Someone told Jacob, and said, "Behold, your son Joseph
comes to you," and Israel strengthened himself, and sat on the
bed.
Gen
48:3 Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz
in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,
Gen
48:4 and said to me, 'Behold, I will make you fruitful, and multiply
you, and I will make of you a company of peoples, and will give this
land to your seed after you for an everlasting possession.'
Gen
48:5 Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt
before I came to you into Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh, even
as Reuben and Simeon, will be mine.
Gen
48:6 Your issue, who you become the father of after them, will be
yours. They will be called after the name of their brothers in their
inheritance.
Gen
48:7 As for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died by me in the
land of Canaan in the way, when there was still some distance to come
to Ephrath, and I buried her there in the way to Ephrath (the same
is Bethlehem)."
Gen
48:8 Israel saw Joseph's sons, and said, "Who are these?"
Gen
48:9 Joseph said to his father, "They are my sons, whom God has
given me here." He said, "Please bring them to me, and I
will bless them."
Gen
48:10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he couldn't
see. He brought them near to him; and he kissed them, and embraced
them.
Gen
48:11 Israel said to Joseph, "I didn't think I would see your
face, and behold, God has let me see your seed also."
Gen
48:12 Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed
himself with his face to the earth.
Gen
48:13 Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward
Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's
right hand, and brought them near to him.
Gen
48:14 Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it on Ephraim's
head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh's head,
guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn.
Gen
48:15 He blessed Joseph, and said, "The God before whom my
fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God who has fed me all my
life long to this day,
Gen
48:16 the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads,
and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham
and Isaac. Let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth."
Gen
48:17 When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the
head of Ephraim, it displeased him. He held up his father's hand, to
remove it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head.
Gen
48:18 Joseph said to his father, "Not so, my father; for this
is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head."
Gen
48:19 His father refused, and said, "I know, my son, I know. He
also will become a people, and he also will be great. However, his
younger brother will be greater than he, and his seed will become a
multitude of nations."
Gen
48:20 He blessed them that day, saying, "In you will Israel
bless, saying, 'God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh' " He
set Ephraim before Manasseh.
Gen
48:21 Israel said to Joseph, "Behold, I am dying, but God will
be with you, and bring you again to the land of your fathers.
Gen
48:22 Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers,
which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my
bow."
Genesis
49
Gen
49:1 Jacob called to his sons, and said: "Gather yourselves
together, that I may tell you that which will happen to you in the
days to come.
Gen
49:2 Assemble yourselves, and hear, you sons of Jacob. Listen to
Israel, your father.
Gen
49:3 "Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning
of my strength; excelling in dignity, and excelling in power.
Gen
49:4 Boiling over as water, you shall not excel; because you went up
to your father's bed, then defiled it. He went up to my couch.
Gen
49:5 "Simeon and Levi are brothers. Their swords are weapons of
violence.
Gen
49:6 My soul, don't come into their council. My glory, don't be
united to their assembly; for in their anger they killed men. In
their self-will they hamstrung cattle.
Gen
49:7 Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for
it was cruel. I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in
Israel.
Gen
49:8 "Judah, your brothers will praise you. Your hand will be
on the neck of your enemies. Your father's sons will bow down before
you.
Gen
49:9 Judah is a lion's cub. From the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He stooped down, he crouched as a lion, as a lioness. Who will rouse
him up?
Gen
49:10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff
from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs. To him will
the obedience of the peoples be.
Gen
49:11 Binding his foal to the vine, his donkey's colt to the choice
vine; he has washed his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of
grapes.
Gen
49:12 His eyes will be red with wine, his teeth white with milk.
Gen
49:13 "Zebulun will dwell at the haven of the sea. He will be
for a haven of ships. His border will be on Sidon.
Gen
49:14 "Issachar is a strong donkey, lying down between the
saddlebags.
Gen
49:15 He saw a resting place, that it was good, the land, that it
was pleasant. He bows his shoulder to the burden, and becomes a
servant doing forced labor.
Gen
49:16 "Dan will judge his people, as one of the tribes of
Israel.
Gen
49:17 Dan will be a serpent in the way, an adder in the path, That
bites the horse's heels, so that his rider falls backward.
Gen
49:18 I have waited for your salvation, Yahweh.
Gen
49:19 "A troop will press on Gad, but he will press on their
heel.
Gen
49:20 "Asher's food will be rich. He will yield royal dainties.
Gen
49:21 "Naphtali is a doe set free, who bears beautiful fawns.
Gen
49:22 "Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine by a spring.
His branches run over the wall.
Gen
49:23 The archers have sorely grieved him, shot at him, and
persecute him:
Gen
49:24 But his bow remained strong. The arms of his hands were made
strong, by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, (from there is the
shepherd, the stone of Israel),
Gen
49:25 even by the God of your father, who will help you; by the
Almighty, who will bless you, with blessings of heaven above,
blessings of the deep that lies below, blessings of the breasts, and
of the womb.
Gen
49:26 The blessings of your father have prevailed above the
blessings of your ancestors, above the boundaries of the ancient
hills. They will be on the head of Joseph, on the crown of the head
of him who is separated from his brothers.
Gen
49:27 "Benjamin is a ravenous wolf. In the morning he will
devour the prey. At evening he will divide the spoil."
Gen
49:28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what
their father spoke to them and blessed them. He blessed everyone
according to his blessing.
Gen
49:29 He instructed them, and said to them, "I am to be
gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in
the field of Ephron the Hittite,
Gen
49:30 in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before
Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field
from Ephron the Hittite as a burial place.
Gen
49:31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah, his wife. There they
buried Isaac and Rebekah, his wife, and there I buried Leah:
Gen
49:32 the field and the cave that is therein, which was purchased
from the children of Heth."
Gen
49:33 When Jacob made an end of charging his sons, he gathered up
his feet into the bed, and yielded up the spirit, and was gathered to
his people.
Matthew 24
Mat 24:1
Jesus went out from the temple, and was going on his way. His
disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple.
Mat 24:2
But he answered them, "You see all of these things, don't you?
Most certainly I tell you, there will not be left here one stone on
another, that will not be thrown down."
Mat 24:3
As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him
privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? What is
the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?"
Mat 24:4
Jesus answered them, "Be careful that no one leads you astray.
Mat 24:5
For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will
lead many astray.
Mat 24:6
You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you aren't
troubled, for all this must happen, but the end is not yet.
Mat 24:7
For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and
there will be famines, plagues, and earthquakes in various places.
Mat 24:8
But all these things are the beginning of birth pains.
Mat 24:9
Then they will deliver you up to oppression, and will kill you. You
will be hated by all of the nations for my name's sake.
Mat 24:10
Then many will stumble, and will deliver up one another, and will
hate one another.
Mat 24:11
Many false prophets will arise, and will lead many astray.
Mat 24:12
Because iniquity will be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold.
Mat 24:13
But he who endures to the end, the same will be saved.
Mat 24:14
This Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world for
a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
Mat 24:15
"When, therefore, you see the abomination of desolation, which
was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place
(let the reader understand),
Mat 24:16
then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
Mat 24:17
Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take out things that
are in his house.
Mat 24:18
Let him who is in the field not return back to get his clothes.
Mat 24:19
But woe to those who are with child and to nursing mothers in those
days!
Mat 24:20
Pray that your flight will not be in the winter, nor on a Sabbath,
Mat 24:21
for then there will be great oppression, such as has not been from
the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever will be.
Mat 24:22
Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved.
But for the sake of the chosen ones, those days will be shortened.
Mat 24:23
"Then if any man tells you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or,
'There,' don't believe it.
Mat 24:24
For there will arise false christs, and false prophets, and they will
show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even
the chosen ones.
Mat 24:25
"Behold, I have told you beforehand.
Mat 24:26
If therefore they tell you, 'Behold, he is in the wilderness,' don't
go out; 'Behold, he is in the inner chambers,' don't believe it.
Mat 24:27
For as the lightning flashes from the east, and is seen even to the
west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Mat 24:28
For wherever the carcass is, there is where the vultures gather
together.
Mat 24:29
But immediately after the oppression of those days, the sun will be
darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from
the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken;
Mat 24:30
and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. Then all
the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man
coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.
Mat 24:31
He will send out his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they
will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from one
end of the sky to the other.
Mat 24:32
"Now from the fig tree learn this parable. When its branch has
now become tender, and puts forth its leaves, you know that the
summer is near.
Mat 24:33
Even so you also, when you see all these things, know that it is
near, even at the doors.
Mat 24:34
Most certainly I tell you, this generation will not pass away, until
all these things are accomplished.
Mat 24:35
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
Mat 24:36
But no one knows of that day and hour, not even the angels of heaven,
but my Father only.
Mat 24:37
"As the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of
Man.
Mat 24:38
For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and
drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah
entered into the ship,
Mat 24:39
and they didn't know until the flood came, and took them all away, so
will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Mat 24:40
Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and one will be
left;
Mat 24:41
two women grinding at the mill, one will be taken and one will be
left.
Mat 24:42
Watch therefore, for you don't know in what hour your Lord comes.
Mat 24:43
But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what
watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched, and
would not have allowed his house to be broken into.
Mat 24:44
Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you don't expect, the
Son of Man will come.
Mat 24:45
"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has
set over his household, to give them their food in due season?
Mat 24:46
Blessed is that servant whom his lord finds doing so when he comes.
Mat 24:47
Most certainly I tell you that he will set him over all that he has.
Mat 24:48
But if that evil servant should say in his heart, 'My lord is
delaying his coming,'
Mat 24:49
and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with the
drunkards,
Mat 24:50
the lord of that servant will come in a day when he doesn't expect
it, and in an hour when he doesn't know it,
Mat 24:51
and will cut him in pieces, and appoint his portion with the
hypocrites. There is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.
Matthew 25
Mat 25:1
"Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins, who took
their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom.
Mat 25:2
Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
Mat 25:3
Those who were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with
them,
Mat 25:4
but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
Mat 25:5
Now while the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
Mat 25:6
But at midnight there was a cry, 'Behold! The bridegroom is coming!
Come out to meet him!'
Mat 25:7
Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
Mat 25:8
The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our
lamps are going out.'
Mat 25:9
But the wise answered, saying, 'What if there isn't enough for us and
you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'
Mat 25:10
While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were
ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.
Mat 25:11
Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to
us.'
Mat 25:12
But he answered, 'Most certainly I tell you, I don't know you.'
Mat 25:13
Watch therefore, for you don't know the day nor the hour in which the
Son of Man is coming.
Mat 25:14
"For it is like a man, going into another country, who called
his own servants, and entrusted his goods to them.
Mat 25:15
To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each
according to his own ability. Then he went on his journey.
Mat 25:16
Immediately he who received the five talents went and traded with
them, and made another five talents.
Mat 25:17
In like manner he also who got the two gained another two.
Mat 25:18
But he who received the one went away and dug in the earth, and hid
his lord's money.
Mat 25:19
"Now after a long time the lord of those servants came, and
reconciled accounts with them.
Mat 25:20
He who received the five talents came and brought another five
talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents. Behold, I
have gained another five talents besides them.'
Mat 25:21
"His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant.
You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many
things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'
Mat 25:22
"He also who got the two talents came and said, 'Lord, you
delivered to me two talents. Behold, I have gained another two
talents besides them.'
Mat 25:23
"His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant.
You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many
things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'
Mat 25:24
"He also who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I
knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and
gathering where you did not scatter.
Mat 25:25
I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the earth. Behold,
you have what is yours.'
Mat 25:26
"But his lord answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant.
You knew that I reap where I didn't sow, and gather where I didn't
scatter.
Mat 25:27
You ought therefore to have deposited my money with the bankers, and
at my coming I should have received back my own with interest.
Mat 25:28
Take away therefore the talent from him, and give it to him who has
the ten talents.
Mat 25:29
For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance,
but from him who doesn't have, even that which he has will be taken
away.
Mat 25:30
Throw out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness, where
there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
Mat 25:31
"But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy
angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.
Mat 25:32
Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate
them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the
goats.
Mat 25:33
He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Mat 25:34
Then the King will tell those on his right hand, 'Come, blessed of my
Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of
the world;
Mat 25:35
for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you
gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in.
Mat 25:36
I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I
was in prison, and you came to me.'
Mat 25:37
"Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we
see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you a drink?
Mat 25:38
When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and
clothe you?
Mat 25:39
When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?'
Mat 25:40
"The King will answer them, 'Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch
as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to
me.'
Mat 25:41
Then he will say also to those on the left hand, 'Depart from me, you
cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his
angels;
Mat 25:42
for I was hungry, and you didn't give me food to eat; I was thirsty,
and you gave me no drink;
Mat 25:43
I was a stranger, and you didn't take me in; naked, and you didn't
clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn't visit me.'
Mat 25:44
"Then they will also answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you
hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison,
and didn't help you?'
Mat 25:45
"Then he will answer them, saying, 'Most certainly I tell you,
inasmuch as you didn't do it to one of the least of these, you didn't
do it to me.'
Mat 25:46
These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into
eternal life."
