Reconciliation, Revelation, and the Cost of Discipleship

1. The famine was severe in the land. 2. When they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little more food.” 3. Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’ 4. If you’ll send our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy you food, 5. but if you’ll not send him, we’ll not go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’” 6. Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man that you had another brother?” 7. They said, “The man asked directly concerning ourselves, and concerning our relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ We just answered his questions. Is there any way we could know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down?’” 8. Judah said to Israel, his father, “Send the boy with me, and we’ll get up and go, so that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and also our little ones. 9. I’ll be collateral for him. From my hand will you require him. If I don’t bring him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever, 10. for if we hadn’t delayed, surely we would have returned a second time by now.” 11. Their father, Israel, said to them, “If it must be so, then do this. Take from the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry down a present for the man, a little balm, a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts, and almonds; 12. and take double money in your hand, and take back the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight. 13. Take your brother also, get up, and return to the man. 14. May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.” 15. The men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and got up, went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph. 16. When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and butcher an animal, and prepare; for the men will dine with me at noon.” 17. The man did as Joseph commanded, and the man brought the men to Joseph’s house. 18. The men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, “Because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time, we’re brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, attack us, and seize us as slaves, along with our donkeys.” 19. They came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house, 20. and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food. 21. When we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks, and behold, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. We have brought it back in our hand. 22. We have brought down other money in our hand to buy food. We don’t know who put our money in our sacks.” 23. He said, “Peace be to you. Don’t be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money.” He brought Simeon out to them. 24. The man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys fodder. 25. They prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there. 26. When Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves down to the earth before him. 27. He asked them of their welfare, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?” 28. They said, “Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive.” They bowed down humbly. 29. He lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin, his brother, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” He said, “God be gracious to you, my son.” 30. Joseph hurried, for his heart yearned over his brother; and he sought a place to weep. He entered into his room, and wept there. 31. He washed his face, and came out. He controlled himself, and said, “Serve the meal.” 32. They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians, that ate with him, by themselves, because the Egyptians don’t eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. 33. They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marveled one with another. 34. He sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. They drank, and were merry with him. 1. He commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in his sack’s mouth. 2. Put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, with his grain money.” He did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. 3. As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys. 4. When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men. When you overtake them, ask them, ‘Why have you rewarded evil for good? 5. Isn’t this that from which my lord drinks, and by which he indeed divines? You have done evil in so doing.’” 6. He overtook them, and he spoke these words to them. 7. They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should do such a thing! 8. Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again to you out of the land of Canaan. How then should we steal silver or gold out of your lord’s house? 9. With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.” 10. He said, “Now also let it be according to your words: he with whom it is found will be my slave; and you will be blameless.” 11. Then they hurried, and each man took his sack down to the ground, and each man opened his sack. 12. He searched, beginning with the oldest, and ending at the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13. Then they tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey, and returned to the city. 14. Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, and he was still there. They fell on the ground before him. 15. Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Don’t you know that such a man as I can indeed divine?” 16. Judah said, “What will we tell my lord? What will we speak? Or how will we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants. Behold, we are my lord’s slaves, both we, and he also in whose hand the cup is found.” 17. He said, “Far be it from me that I should do so. The man in whose hand the cup is found, he will be my slave; but as for you, go up in peace to your father.” 18. Then Judah came near to him, and said, “Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and don’t let your anger burn against your servant; for you are even as Pharaoh. 19. My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’ 20. We said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother; and his father loves him.’ 21. You said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.’ 22. We said to my lord, ‘The boy can’t leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’ 23. You said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will see my face no more.’ 24. When we came up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. 25. Our father said, ‘Go again and buy us a little food.’ 26. We said, ‘We can’t go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down: for we may not see the man’s face, unless our youngest brother is with us.’ 27. Your servant, my father, said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons: 28. and the one went out from me, and I said, “Surely he is torn in pieces”; and I haven’t seen him since. 29. If you take this one also from me, and harm happens to him, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.’ 30. Now therefore when I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us; since his life is bound up in the boy’s life; 31. it will happen, when he sees that the boy is no more, that he will die. Your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant, our father, with sorrow to Sheol. 32. For your servant became collateral for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I don’t bring him to you, then I will bear the blame to my father forever.’ 33. Now therefore, please let your servant stay instead of the boy, my lord’s slave; and let the boy go up with his brothers. 34. For how will I go up to my father, if the boy isn’t with me?—lest I see the evil that will come on my father.” 1. Then Joseph couldn’t control himself before all those who stood before him, and he cried, “Cause everyone to go out from me!” No one else stood with him, while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2. He wept aloud. The Egyptians heard, and the house of Pharaoh heard. 3. Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Does my father still live?” His brothers couldn’t answer him; for they were terrified at his presence. 4. Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” They came near. “He said, I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5. Now don’t be grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6. For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are yet five years, in which there will be no plowing and no harvest. 7. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to save you alive by a great deliverance. 8. So now it wasn’t you who sent me here, but God, and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9. Hurry, and go up to my father, and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says, “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me. Don’t wait. 10. You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you will be near to me, you, your children, your children’s children, your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. 11. There I will nourish you; for there are yet five years of famine; lest you come to poverty, you, and your household, and all that you have.”’ 12. Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaks to you. 13. You shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. You shall hurry and bring my father down here.” 14. He fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck, and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 15. He kissed all his brothers, and wept on them. After that his brothers talked with him. 16. The report of it was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, “Joseph’s brothers have come.” It pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants. 17. Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this. Load your animals, and go, travel to the land of Canaan. 18. Take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.’ 19. Now you are commanded: do this. Take wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. 20. Also, don’t concern yourselves about your belongings, for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours.” 21. The sons of Israel did so. Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way. 22. He gave each one of them changes of clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothing. 23. He sent the following to his father: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and provision for his father by the way. 24. So he sent his brothers away, and they departed. He said to them, “See that you don’t quarrel on the way.” 25. They went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan, to Jacob their father. 26. They told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” His heart fainted, for he didn’t believe them. 27. They told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them. When he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob, their father, revived. 28. Israel said, “It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.” 1. Israel traveled with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father, Isaac. 2. God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” He said, “Here I am.” 3. He said, “I am God, the God of your father. Don’t be afraid to go down into Egypt, for there I will make of you a great nation. 4. I will go down with you into Egypt. I will also surely bring you up again. Joseph will close your eyes.” 5. Jacob rose up from Beersheba, and the sons of Israel carried Jacob, their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6. They took their livestock, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt—Jacob, and all his offspring with him, 7. his sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters, and he brought all his offspring with him into Egypt. 8. These are the names of the children of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn. 9. The sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 10. The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. 11. The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 12. The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. 13. The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Iob, and Shimron. 14. The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. 15. These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, with his daughter Dinah. All the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty-three. 16. The sons of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. 17. The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and Serah their sister. The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel. 18. These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah, his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob, even sixteen souls. 19. The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife: Joseph and Benjamin. 20. To Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, bore to him. 21. The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. 22. These are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob: all the souls were fourteen. 23. The son of Dan: Hushim. 24. The sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. 25. These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel, his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob: all the souls were seven. 26. All the souls who came with Jacob into Egypt, who were his direct offspring, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, all the souls were sixty-six. 27. The sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two souls. All the souls of the house of Jacob, who came into Egypt, were seventy. 28. He sent Judah before him to Joseph, to show the way before him to Goshen, and they came into the land of Goshen. 29. Joseph prepared his chariot, and went up to meet Israel, his father, in Goshen. He presented himself to him, and fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. 30. Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive.” 31. Joseph said to his brothers, and to his father’s house, “I will go up, and speak with Pharaoh, and will tell him, ‘My brothers, and my father’s house, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me. 32. These men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of livestock, and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.’ 33. It will happen, when Pharaoh summons you, and will say, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34. that you shall say, ‘Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we, and our fathers:’ that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.”

1. Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered together to him, having come from Jerusalem. 2. Now when they saw some of his disciples eating bread with defiled, that is unwashed, hands, they found fault. 3. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews, don’t eat unless they wash their hands and forearms, holding to the tradition of the elders. 4. They don’t eat when they come from the marketplace unless they bathe themselves, and there are many other things, which they have received to hold to: washings of cups, pitchers, bronze vessels, and couches.) 5. The Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why don’t your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands?” 6. He answered them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 7. But they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ 8. “For you set aside the commandment of God, and hold tightly to the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and you do many other such things.” 9. He said to them, “Full well do you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. 10. For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother;’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 11. But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban, that is to say, given to God”;’ 12. then you no longer allow him to do anything for his father or his mother, 13. making void the word of God by your tradition, which you have handed down. You do many things like this.” 14. He called all the multitude to himself, and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. 15. There is nothing from outside of the man, that going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of the man are those that defile the man. 16. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!” 17. When he had entered into a house away from the multitude, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18. He said to them, “Are you also without understanding? Don’t you perceive that whatever goes into the man from outside can’t defile him, 19. because it doesn’t go into his heart, but into his stomach, then into the latrine, thus purifying all foods?” 20. He said, “That which proceeds out of the man, that defiles the man. 21. For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts, 22. covetings, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. 23. All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.” 24. From there he arose, and went away into the borders of Tyre and Sidon. He entered into a house, and didn’t want anyone to know it, but he couldn’t escape notice. 25. For a woman, whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, having heard of him, came and fell down at his feet. 26. Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race. She begged him that he would cast the demon out of her daughter. 27. But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not appropriate to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 28. But she answered him, “Yes, Lord. Yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29. He said to her, “For this saying, go your way. The demon has gone out of your daughter.” 30. She went away to her house, and found the child having been laid on the bed, with the demon gone out. 31. Again he departed from the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and came to the sea of Galilee, through the middle of the region of Decapolis. 32. They brought to him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech. They begged him to lay his hand on him. 33. He took him aside from the multitude, privately, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat, and touched his tongue. 34. Looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!” 35. Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was released, and he spoke clearly. 36. He commanded them that they should tell no one, but the more he commanded them, so much the more widely they proclaimed it. 37. They were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes even the deaf hear, and the mute speak!” 1. In those days, when there was a very great multitude, and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to himself, and said to them, 2. “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have stayed with me now three days, and have nothing to eat. 3. If I send them away fasting to their home, they will faint on the way, for some of them have come a long way.” 4. His disciples answered him, “From where could one satisfy these people with bread here in a deserted place?” 5. He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” 6. He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground, and he took the seven loaves. Having given thanks, he broke them, and gave them to his disciples to serve, and they served the multitude. 7. They had a few small fish. Having blessed them, he said to serve these also. 8. They ate, and were filled. They took up seven baskets of broken pieces that were left over. 9. Those who had eaten were about four thousand. Then he sent them away. 10. Immediately he entered into the boat with his disciples, and came into the region of Dalmanutha. 11. The Pharisees came out and began to question him, seeking from him a sign from heaven, and testing him. 12. He sighed deeply in his spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Most certainly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13. He left them, and again entering into the boat, departed to the other side. 14. They forgot to take bread; and they didn’t have more than one loaf in the boat with them. 15. He warned them, saying, “Take heed: beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.” 16. They reasoned with one another, saying, “It’s because we have no bread.” 17. Jesus, perceiving it, said to them, “Why do you reason that it’s because you have no bread? Don’t you perceive yet, neither understand? Is your heart still hardened? 18. Having eyes, don’t you see? Having ears, don’t you hear? Don’t you remember? 19. When I broke the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They told him, “Twelve.” 20. “When the seven loaves fed the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They told him, “Seven.” 21. He asked them, “Don’t you understand yet?” 22. He came to Bethsaida. They brought a blind man to him, and begged him to touch him. 23. He took hold of the blind man by the hand, and brought him out of the village. When he had spat on his eyes, and laid his hands on him, he asked him if he saw anything. 24. He looked up, and said, “I see men; for I see them like trees walking.” 25. Then again he laid his hands on his eyes. He looked intently, and was restored, and saw everyone clearly. 26. He sent him away to his house, saying, “Don’t enter into the village, nor tell anyone in the village.” 27. Jesus went out, with his disciples, into the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” 28. They told him, “John the Baptizer, and others say Elijah, but others: one of the prophets.” 29. He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.” 30. He commanded them that they should tell no one about him. 31. He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32. He spoke to them openly. Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. 33. But he, turning around, and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you have in mind not the things of God, but the things of men.” 34. He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it. 36. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? 37. For what will a man give in exchange for his life? 38. For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of him, when he comes in his Father’s glory, with the holy angels.” 1. He said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste death until they see God’s Kingdom come with power.” 2. After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John, and brought them up onto a high mountain privately by themselves, and he was changed into another form in front of them. 3. His clothing became glistening, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4. Elijah and Moses appeared to them, and they were talking with Jesus. 5. Peter answered Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let’s make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6. For he didn’t know what to say, for they were very afraid. 7. A cloud came, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” 8. Suddenly looking around, they saw no one with them any more, except Jesus only. 9. As they were coming down from the mountain, he commanded them that they should tell no one what things they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10. They kept this saying to themselves, questioning what the “rising from the dead” meant. 11. They asked him, saying, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 12. He said to them, “Elijah indeed comes first, and restores all things. How is it written about the Son of Man, that he should suffer many things and be despised? 13. But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they have also done to him whatever they wanted to, even as it is written about him.” 14. Coming to the disciples, he saw a great multitude around them, and scribes questioning them. 15. Immediately all the multitude, when they saw him, were greatly amazed, and running to him, greeted him. 16. He asked the scribes, “What are you asking them?” 17. One of the multitude answered, “Teacher, I brought to you my son, who has a mute spirit; 18. and wherever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth, and wastes away. I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they weren’t able.” 19. He answered him, “Unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to me.” 20. They brought him to him, and when he saw him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground, wallowing and foaming at the mouth. 21. He asked his father, “How long has it been since this has come to him?” He said, “From childhood. 22. Often it has cast him both into the fire and into the water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us, and help us.” 23. Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” 24. Immediately the father of the child cried out with tears, “I believe. Help my unbelief!” 25. When Jesus saw that a multitude came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to him, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!” 26. After crying out and convulsing him greatly, it came out of him. The boy became like one dead; so much that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27. But Jesus took him by the hand, and raised him up; and he arose. 28. When he had come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we cast it out?” 29. He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing, except by prayer and fasting.” 30. They went out from there, and passed through Galilee. He didn’t want anyone to know it. 31. For he was teaching his disciples, and said to them, “The Son of Man is being handed over to the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, on the third day he will rise again.” 32. But they didn’t understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him. 33. He came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing among yourselves on the way?” 34. But they were silent, for they had disputed one with another on the way about who was the greatest. 35. He sat down, and called the twelve; and he said to them, “If any man wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all.” 36. He took a little child, and set him in the middle of them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37. “Whoever receives one such little child in my name, receives me, and whoever receives me, doesn’t receive me, but him who sent me.” 38. John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone who doesn’t follow us casting out demons in your name; and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow us.” 39. But Jesus said, “Don’t forbid him, for there is no one who will do a mighty work in my name, and be able quickly to speak evil of me. 40. For whoever is not against us is on our side. 41. For whoever will give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you are Christ’s, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward. 42. Whoever will cause one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if he were thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around his neck. 43. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having your two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire, 44. ‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’ 45. If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life lame, rather than having your two feet to be cast into Gehenna, into the fire that will never be quenched— 46. ‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’ 47. If your eye causes you to stumble, cast it out. It is better for you to enter into God’s Kingdom with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna of fire, 48. ‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’ 49. For everyone will be salted with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. 50. Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

1. How long, Yahweh? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2. How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart every day? How long shall my enemy triumph over me? 3. Behold, and answer me, Yahweh, my God. Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death; 4. Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed against him”; Lest my adversaries rejoice when I fall. 5. But I trust in your loving kindness. My heart rejoices in your salvation. 6. I will sing to Yahweh, because he has been good to me.