Genesis 40
Joseph Interprets the Dreams of the Prisoners
1 Now it came to pass after these things, that the king of Egypt’s chief cupbearer and chief baker offended their lord, the king of Egypt.
2 So Pharaoh was angry with his two eunuchs, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker.
3 Thus he put them in custody with the chief bodyguard in the prison, the place where Joseph was confined.
4 Then the chief jailer committed them to Joseph, and he attended them; so they were in custody for a while.
5 Then the king of Egypt’s chief cupbearer and the chief baker, who were confined in the prison, had a dream, both of them, each man’s dream in one night and each man’s dream with its own interpretation.
6 So Joseph came in to them in the morning and looked at them, and saw they were troubled.
7 Thus he asked Pharaoh’s eunuchs, who were with him in the custody of his lord, saying, “Why do you look so sad today?”
8 So they said to him, “We each had a dream, and there is no one to interpret it.” Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Therefore, relate them to me.”†
9 Then the chief cupbearer related his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “Behold, in my dream a vine was before me,
10 and in the vine were three branches; it was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes.
11 Then Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”
12 And Joseph said to him, “This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days.
13 Now within three days Pharaoh will remember your position and restore your office of chief cupbearer; and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand according to the former manner, when you were his cupbearer.
14 But remember me when it is well with you, and have mercy on me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this prison.
15 For indeed I was stolen away from the land of the Hebrews; and I also have done nothing for them to put me into the dungeon.”
16 When the chief baker saw the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream, and there were three white baskets on my head.
17 In the uppermost basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.”
18 So Joseph answered and said, “This is the interpretation of it: The three baskets are three days.
19 Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head from you and hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from you.”
20 Now it came to pass on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants; and he remembered the positions of his chief cupbearer and chief baker among his servants.
21 Then he restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.
22 But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them.
23 Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.†
Psalms 36
21 The sinner borrows, but will not repay; However, the righteous man is compassionate, and gives;
22 For those who bless Him shall inherit the earth, But those who curse Him shall be utterly destroyed.
23 The steps of a man are guided aright by the Lord, And he shall desire His way.
24 When he falls, he shall not be broken to pieces, For the Lord supports him with His hand.
25 I was young, but indeed I grew old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his seed begging bread.
26 Day in and out, he is merciful and lends, And his seed shall be a blessing.
27 Turn away from evil, and do good, And dwell unto ages of ages;
28 For the Lord loves judgment, And He will not abandon His holy ones; They shall be kept forever. But the lawless shall be banished, And the seed of the ungodly shall be utterly destroyed.
29 The righteous shall inherit the earth And dwell upon it unto ages of ages.
30 The mouth of the righteous shall meditate on wisdom, And his tongue shall speak of judgment;
31 The law of God is in his heart, And his steps shall not be tripped up.
32 The sinner observes the righteous man And seeks to put him to death;
33 But the Lord will not leave him in his hands, Nor condemn him, when He judges him.
34 Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, And He shall exalt you to inherit the earth; You shall see the sinners when they are utterly destroyed.
35 I saw the ungodly greatly exalted And lifting himself up like the cedars of Lebanon;
36 And I passed by, and behold, he was not; And I sought for him, But his place was not found.
37 Keep innocence, and behold uprightness, For this is the remnant for the peaceful man.
38 But transgressors shall be utterly destroyed together; The remnants of the ungodly shall be utterly destroyed.
39 Now the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord, And He is their protector in time of affliction;
40 And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them; And He shall deliver them from sinners, And save them, because they hope in Him.
Proverbs of Solomon 7
25 Now therefore, my son, hear me, And hold fast to the words of my mouth;†
26 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, For she wounded and cast down many, And those whom she slew are innumerable;
27 Her house is the road to Hades, Leading down to the chambers of death.
Matthew 25
We Must Be Prepared
1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.†
2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’
7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘ No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’
12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
We Must Be Good Stewards
14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.†
15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.
16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.
17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.
18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money.
19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’
21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’
23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.
27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.
28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.
30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’