From Prison to Palace: God's Hidden Hand

1. After these things, the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker offended their lord, the king of Egypt. 2. Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cup bearer and the chief baker. 3. He put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound. 4. The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he took care of them. They stayed in prison many days. 5. They both dreamed a dream, each man his dream, in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the cup bearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were bound in the prison. 6. Joseph came in to them in the morning, and saw them, and saw that they were sad. 7. He asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, saying, “Why do you look so sad today?” 8. They said to him, “We have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it.” Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Please tell it to me.” 9. The chief cup bearer told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “In my dream, behold, a vine was in front of me, 10. and in the vine were three branches. It was as though it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters produced ripe grapes. 11. Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand.” 12. Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days. 13. Within three more days, Pharaoh will lift up your head, and restore you to your office. You will give Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, the way you did when you were his cup bearer. 14. But remember me when it will be well with you, and please show kindness to me, and make mention of me to Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house. 15. For indeed, I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.” 16. When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, “I also was in my dream, and behold, three baskets of white bread were on my head. 17. In the uppermost basket there were all kinds of baked food for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.” 18. Joseph answered, “This is its interpretation. The three baskets are three days. 19. Within three more days, Pharaoh will lift up your head from off you, and will hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from off you.” 20. On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a feast for all his servants, and he lifted up the head of the chief cup bearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. 21. He restored the chief cup bearer to his position again, and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand; 22. but he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23. Yet the chief cup bearer didn’t remember Joseph, but forgot him. 1. At the end of two full years, 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. In the morning, 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 cup bearer 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, with the chief baker. 11. We dreamed a dream in one night, he and I. 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. 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 no one 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, “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 Ephraim: “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. 1. Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?” 2. He said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there, and buy for us from there, so that we may live, and not die.” 3. Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. 4. But Jacob didn’t send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with his brothers; for he said, “Lest perhaps harm happen to him.” 5. The sons of Israel came to buy among those who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. 6. Joseph was the governor over the land. It was he who sold to all the people of the land. Joseph’s brothers came, and bowed themselves down to him with their faces to the earth. 7. Joseph saw his brothers, and he recognized them, but acted like a stranger to them, and spoke roughly with them. He said to them, “Where did you come from?” They said, “From the land of Canaan to buy food.” 8. Joseph recognized his brothers, but they didn’t recognize him. 9. Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed about them, and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land.” 10. They said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food. 11. We are all one man’s sons; we are honest men. Your servants are not spies.” 12. He said to them, “No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land!” 13. They said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is today with our father, and one is no more.” 14. Joseph said to them, “It is like I told you, saying, ‘You are spies!’ 15. By this you shall be tested. By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go out from here, unless your youngest brother comes here. 16. Send one of you, and let him get your brother, and you shall be bound, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you, or else by the life of Pharaoh surely you are spies.” 17. He put them all together into custody for three days. 18. Joseph said to them the third day, “Do this, and live, for I fear God. 19. If you are honest men, then let one of your brothers be bound in your prison; but you go, carry grain for the famine of your houses. 20. Bring your youngest brother to me; so will your words be verified, and you won’t die.” They did so. 21. They said to one another, “We are certainly guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us, and we wouldn’t listen. Therefore this distress has come upon us.” 22. Reuben answered them, saying, “Didn’t I tell you, saying, ‘Don’t sin against the child,’ and you wouldn’t listen? Therefore also, behold, his blood is required.” 23. They didn’t know that Joseph understood them; for there was an interpreter between them. 24. He turned himself away from them, and wept. Then he returned to them, and spoke to them, and took Simeon from among them, and bound him before their eyes. 25. Then Joseph gave a command to fill their bags with grain, and to restore each man’s money into his sack, and to give them food for the way. So it was done to them. 26. They loaded their donkeys with their grain, and departed from there. 27. As one of them opened his sack to give his donkey food in the lodging place, he saw his money. Behold, it was in the mouth of his sack. 28. He said to his brothers, “My money is restored! Behold, it is in my sack!” Their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?” 29. They came to Jacob their father, to the land of Canaan, and told him all that had happened to them, saying, 30. “The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly with us, and took us for spies of the country. 31. We said to him, ‘We are honest men. We are no spies. 32. We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no more, and the youngest is today with our father in the land of Canaan.’ 33. The man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘By this I will know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for the famine of your houses, and go your way. 34. Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I will know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. So I will deliver your brother to you, and you shall trade in the land.’” 35. As they emptied their sacks, behold, each man’s bundle of money was in his sack. When they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid. 36. Jacob, their father, said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children! Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin away. All these things are against me.” 37. Reuben spoke to his father, saying, “Kill my two sons, if I don’t bring him to you. Entrust him to my care, and I will bring him to you again.” 38. He said, “My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left. If harm happens to him along the way in which you go, then you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.”

1. Again he began to teach by the seaside. A great multitude was gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat in the sea, and sat down. All the multitude were on the land by the sea. 2. He taught them many things in parables, and told them in his teaching, 3. “Listen! Behold, the farmer went out to sow, 4. and as he sowed, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and devoured it. 5. Others fell on the rocky ground, where it had little soil, and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of soil. 6. When the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. 7. Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. 8. Others fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing. Some produced thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times as much.” 9. He said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.” 10. When he was alone, those who were around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11. He said to them, “To you is given the mystery of God’s Kingdom, but to those who are outside, all things are done in parables, 12. that ‘seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest perhaps they should turn again, and their sins should be forgiven them.’” 13. He said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How will you understand all of the parables? 14. The farmer sows the word. 15. The ones by the road are the ones where the word is sown; and when they have heard, immediately Satan comes, and takes away the word which has been sown in them. 16. These in the same way are those who are sown on the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17. They have no root in themselves, but are short-lived. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they stumble. 18. Others are those who are sown among the thorns. These are those who have heard the word, 19. and the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20. Those which were sown on the good ground are those who hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, some thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times.” 21. He said to them, “Is the lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Isn’t it put on a stand? 22. For there is nothing hidden, except that it should be made known; neither was anything made secret, but that it should come to light. 23. If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24. He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you, and more will be given to you who hear. 25. For whoever has, to him will more be given, and he who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away from him.” 26. He said, “God’s Kingdom is as if a man should cast seed on the earth, 27. and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, though he doesn’t know how. 28. For the earth bears fruit: first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29. But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” 30. He said, “How will we liken God’s Kingdom? Or with what parable will we illustrate it? 31. It’s like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, though it is less than all the seeds that are on the earth, 32. yet when it is sown, grows up, and becomes greater than all the herbs, and puts out great branches, so that the birds of the sky can lodge under its shadow.” 33. With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. 34. Without a parable he didn’t speak to them; but privately to his own disciples he explained everything. 35. On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let’s go over to the other side.” 36. Leaving the multitude, they took him with them, even as he was, in the boat. Other small boats were also with him. 37. A big wind storm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so much that the boat was already filled. 38. He himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion, and they woke him up, and told him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are dying?” 39. He awoke, and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?” 41. They were greatly afraid, and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” 1. They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 2. When he had come out of the boat, immediately a man with an unclean spirit met him out of the tombs. 3. He lived in the tombs. Nobody could bind him any more, not even with chains, 4. because he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him, and the fetters broken in pieces. Nobody had the strength to tame him. 5. Always, night and day, in the tombs and in the mountains, he was crying out, and cutting himself with stones. 6. When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and bowed down to him, 7. and crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have I to do with you, Jesus, you Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, don’t torment me.” 8. For he said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9. He asked him, “What is your name?” He said to him, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10. He begged him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 11. Now on the mountainside there was a great herd of pigs feeding. 12. All the demons begged him, saying, “Send us into the pigs, that we may enter into them.” 13. At once Jesus gave them permission. The unclean spirits came out and entered into the pigs. The herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and they were drowned in the sea. 14. Those who fed them fled, and told it in the city and in the country. The people came to see what it was that had happened. 15. They came to Jesus, and saw him who had been possessed by demons sitting, clothed, and in his right mind, even him who had the legion; and they were afraid. 16. Those who saw it declared to them what happened to him who was possessed by demons, and about the pigs. 17. They began to beg him to depart from their region. 18. As he was entering into the boat, he who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. 19. He didn’t allow him, but said to him, “Go to your house, to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how he had mercy on you.” 20. He went his way, and began to proclaim in Decapolis how Jesus had done great things for him, and everyone marveled. 21. When Jesus had crossed back over in the boat to the other side, a great multitude was gathered to him; and he was by the sea. 22. Behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, came; and seeing him, he fell at his feet, 23. and begged him much, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Please come and lay your hands on her, that she may be made healthy, and live.” 24. He went with him, and a great multitude followed him, and they pressed upon him on all sides. 25. A certain woman, who had an issue of blood for twelve years, 26. and had suffered many things by many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better, but rather grew worse, 27. having heard the things concerning Jesus, came up behind him in the crowd, and touched his clothes. 28. For she said, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be made well.” 29. Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. 30. Immediately Jesus, perceiving in himself that the power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd, and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” 31. His disciples said to him, “You see the multitude pressing against you, and you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32. He looked around to see her who had done this thing. 33. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had been done to her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 34. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be cured of your disease.” 35. While he was still speaking, people came from the synagogue ruler’s house saying, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher any more?” 36. But Jesus, when he heard the message spoken, immediately said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Don’t be afraid, only believe.” 37. He allowed no one to follow him, except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. 38. He came to the synagogue ruler’s house, and he saw an uproar, weeping, and great wailing. 39. When he had entered in, he said to them, “Why do you make an uproar and weep? The child is not dead, but is asleep.” 40. They ridiculed him. But he, having put them all out, took the father of the child, her mother, and those who were with him, and went in where the child was lying. 41. Taking the child by the hand, he said to her, “Talitha cumi!” which means, being interpreted, “Girl, I tell you, get up!” 42. Immediately the girl rose up and walked, for she was twelve years old. They were amazed with great amazement. 43. He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and commanded that something should be given to her to eat. 1. He went out from there. He came into his own country, and his disciples followed him. 2. When the Sabbath had come, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many hearing him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things?” and, “What is the wisdom that is given to this man, that such mighty works come about by his hands? 3. Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judah, and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” They were offended at him. 4. Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own relatives, and in his own house.” 5. He could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people, and healed them. 6. He marveled because of their unbelief. He went around the villages teaching. 7. He called to himself the twelve, and began to send them out two by two; and he gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8. He commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a staff only: no bread, no wallet, no money in their purse, 9. but to wear sandals, and not put on two tunics. 10. He said to them, “Wherever you enter into a house, stay there until you depart from there. 11. Whoever will not receive you nor hear you, as you depart from there, shake off the dust that is under your feet for a testimony against them. Assuredly, I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!” 12. They went out and preached that people should repent. 13. They cast out many demons, and anointed many with oil who were sick, and healed them. 14. King Herod heard this, for his name had become known, and he said, “John the Baptizer has risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.” 15. But others said, “He is Elijah.” Others said, “He is a prophet, or like one of the prophets.” 16. But Herod, when he heard this, said, “This is John, whom I beheaded. He has risen from the dead.” 17. For Herod himself had sent out and arrested John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, for he had married her. 18. For John said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19. Herodias set herself against him, and desired to kill him, but she couldn’t, 20. for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. When he heard him, he did many things, and he heard him gladly. 21. Then a convenient day came, that Herod on his birthday made a supper for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. 22. When the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and those sitting with him. The king said to the young lady, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” 23. He swore to her, “Whatever you shall ask of me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.” 24. She went out, and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?” She said, “The head of John the Baptizer.” 25. She came in immediately with haste to the king, and asked, “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptizer on a platter.” 26. The king was exceedingly sorry, but for the sake of his oaths, and of his dinner guests, he didn’t wish to refuse her. 27. Immediately the king sent out a soldier of his guard, and commanded to bring John’s head, and he went and beheaded him in the prison, 28. and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the young lady; and the young lady gave it to her mother. 29. When his disciples heard this, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb. 30. The apostles gathered themselves together to Jesus, and they told him all things, whatever they had done, and whatever they had taught. 31. He said to them, “You come apart into a deserted place, and rest awhile.” For there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. 32. They went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. 33. They saw them going, and many recognized him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to him. 34. Jesus came out, saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things. 35. When it was late in the day, his disciples came to him, and said, “This place is deserted, and it is late in the day. 36. Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages, and buy themselves bread, for they have nothing to eat.” 37. But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” They asked him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give them something to eat?” 38. He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go see.” When they knew, they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39. He commanded them that everyone should sit down in groups on the green grass. 40. They sat down in ranks, by hundreds and by fifties. 41. He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke the loaves, and he gave to his disciples to set before them, and he divided the two fish among them all. 42. They all ate, and were filled. 43. They took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and also of the fish. 44. Those who ate the loaves were five thousand men. 45. Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat, and to go ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he himself sent the multitude away. 46. After he had taken leave of them, he went up the mountain to pray. 47. When evening had come, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48. Seeing them distressed in rowing, for the wind was contrary to them, about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea, and he would have passed by them, 49. but they, when they saw him walking on the sea, supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; 50. for they all saw him, and were troubled. But he immediately spoke with them, and said to them, “Cheer up! It is I! Don’t be afraid.” 51. He got into the boat with them; and the wind ceased, and they were very amazed among themselves, and marveled; 52. for they hadn’t understood about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened. 53. When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret, and moored to the shore. 54. When they had come out of the boat, immediately the people recognized him, 55. and ran around that whole region, and began to bring those who were sick, on their mats, to where they heard he was. 56. Wherever he entered, into villages, or into cities, or into the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might just touch the fringe of his garment; and as many as touched him were made well.

1. Help, Yahweh; for the godly man ceases. For the faithful fail from among the children of men. 2. Everyone lies to his neighbor. They speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart. 3. May Yahweh cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that boasts, 4. who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail. Our lips are our own. Who is lord over us?” 5. “Because of the oppression of the weak and because of the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says Yahweh; “I will set him in safety from those who malign him.” 6. Yahweh’s words are flawless words, as silver refined in a clay furnace, purified seven times. 7. You will keep them, Yahweh. You will preserve them from this generation forever. 8. The wicked walk on every side, when what is vile is exalted among the sons of men.