Bible Reading for February 17 and 18
World English Bible
Feb.
17
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."
Feb.
18
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.
Feb. 17
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.
Feb.
18
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."
