Genesis 48
Jacob Blesses His Grandsons
1 Now it came to pass after these things that Joseph was told, “Indeed your father is sick”; and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, and went to Jacob.
2 Thus Jacob was told, “Look, your son Joseph is coming to you”; and Israel strengthened himself and sat up on the bed.
3 Then Jacob said to Joseph, “My God appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me†
4 and said to me, ‘Behold, I will increase and multiply you; and I will make of you a gathering of nations, and give this land to your seed after you as an everlasting possession.’†
5 “Now therefore, your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.†
6 Your offspring whom you beget after them shall take possession of their inheritances within the tribes of their brothers.
7 But as for me, when I came from Mesopotamia of Syria, Rachel died beside me in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath; and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).
8 Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons, and said, “Who are these with you?”†
9 So Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons God gave me here.” Jacob then said, “Bring them to me that I may bless them.”
10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim by reason of old age, and he could not see. Then Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed and embraced them.
11 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also shown me your seed.”
12 So Joseph brought them from beside his knees, and they bowed down with their face to the ground.
13 Then Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near him.
14 Thus 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.
15 Then he blessed them and said: “God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac were well-pleasing, The God who has fed me all my life long to this day,†
16 The Angel who redeemed me from all evil, Bless these lads; Let my name be named upon them, And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; And let them grow into a great multitude in the midst of the earth.”
17 Now when Joseph saw his father put his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took hold of his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.
18 So Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”
19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be exalted; but truly, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.”
20 So he blessed them that day, saying, “By you Israel will be blessed, saying, ‘May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh.’ ” Thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh.
21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers.†
22 Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers; I am giving you Shechem, which I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and bow.”
Psalms 43
10 But now You rejected and disgraced us, And You will not go out with our armies;
11 You turned us back from our enemies, And those who hate us took spoil for themselves.
12 You gave us as sheep to be eaten, And You scattered us among the nations.
13 You bound Your people without honor, And there was no abundance given to ransom them.
14 You made us a reproach to our neighbors And a scorn and derision to those around us;
15 You made us a byword among the nations And a shaking of the head among the peoples.
16 All day long my disgrace is before me, And the shame of my face covers me,
17 Because of the voice of him who reviles and chatters, Because of the face of the enemy and persecutor.
18 All these things came upon us, but we have not forgotten You, And we did not act unjustly with Your covenant;
19 Our heart did not draw back, Yet you turned our steps from Your way.
20 You humbled us in a place of affliction, And the shadow of death covered us.
21 If we forget the name of our God, And spread out our hands to a foreign god,
22 Would not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.
23 For Your sake we are put to death all day long, We are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
24 Awake; why do You sleep, O Lord? Arise; and do not reject us to the end.
25 Why do You turn away Your face, And forget our poverty and our affliction?
26 For our soul was humbled to the dust, And our belly was joined to the ground.
27 Arise, O Lord; help us, And redeem us for Your name’s sake.
Proverbs of Solomon 9
Wisdom’s Invitation
1 Wisdom built her house, And she supported it with seven pillars.†
2 She offered her sacrifices; She mixed her wine in a bowl And prepared her table.†
3 She sent her servants, Inviting people to the bowl with a lofty proclamation, saying,†
4 “He who is without discernment, Let him turn aside to me”; And to those in need of discernment, she says,†
5 “Come, eat my bread And drink the wine I mixed for you;†
6 Forsake lack of discernment, and you shall live; Seek discernment so you may live, And keep straight your understanding with knowledge.”
Matthew 28
Sunday: Christ Is Risen
1 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.
2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.†
3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.
4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.
5 But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.†
6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”
8 So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.
Jesus Appears to the Women
9 And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.
10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”
Deceit of Jewish Authorities
11 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened.
12 When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,
13 saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’†
14 And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.”
15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.
The Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.
17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.†
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,†
20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. †