Daily Readings

¹ And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.² And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.³ And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.⁴ And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.⁵ And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.⁶ And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.⁷ And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.⁸ But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;⁹ There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?¹⁰ And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.¹¹ And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.¹² And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.¹³ And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth,¹⁴ That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice:¹⁵ And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out.¹⁶ And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home.¹⁷ And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me:¹⁸ And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out.¹⁹ And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled.²⁰ And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.²¹ But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.²² And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.²³ The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.

¹ And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt.² And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers.³ And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.⁴ And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward.⁵ And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison.⁶ And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad.⁷ And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in the ward of his lord's house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to day?⁸ And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.⁹ And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me;¹⁰ And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes:¹¹ And 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 And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days:¹³ Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler.¹⁴ But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto 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 have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.¹⁶ When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head:¹⁷ And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head.¹⁸ And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days:¹⁹ Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee.²⁰ And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.²¹ And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership 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 did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.

¹ We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.² How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.³ For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.⁴ Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.⁵ Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.⁶ For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.⁷ But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.⁸ In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.⁹ But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies.¹⁰ Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves.¹¹ Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen.¹² Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.¹³ Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.¹⁴ Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people.¹⁵ My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me,¹⁶ For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger.¹⁷ All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.¹⁸ Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way;¹⁹ Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.²⁰ If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;²¹ Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.²² Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.²³ Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.²⁴ Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?²⁵ For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth.²⁶ Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies' sake.

¹ And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples,² Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.³ Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,⁴ And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.⁵ But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.⁶ Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,⁷ There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.⁸ But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?⁹ For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.¹⁰ When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.¹¹ For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.¹² For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.¹³ Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.¹⁴ Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,¹⁵ And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.¹⁶ And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.¹⁷ Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?¹⁸ And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.¹⁹ And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.²⁰ Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.²¹ And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.²² And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?²³ And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.²⁴ The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.²⁵ Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.²⁶ And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.²⁷ And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;²⁸ For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.²⁹ But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.³⁰ And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.³¹ Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.³² But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.³³ Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.³⁴ Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.³⁵ Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.³⁶ Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.³⁷ And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.³⁸ Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.³⁹ And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.⁴⁰ And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?⁴¹ Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.⁴² He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.⁴³ And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.⁴⁴ And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.⁴⁵ Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.⁴⁶ Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.⁴⁷ And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.⁴⁸ Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.⁴⁹ And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.⁵⁰ And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus and took him.⁵¹ And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear.⁵² Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.⁵³ Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?⁵⁴ But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?⁵⁵ In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.⁵⁶ But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.⁵⁷ And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.⁵⁸ But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.⁵⁹ Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;⁶⁰ But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,⁶¹ And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.⁶² And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?⁶³ But Jesus held his peace, And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.⁶⁴ Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.⁶⁵ Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.⁶⁶ What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.⁶⁷ Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,⁶⁸ Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?⁶⁹ Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.⁷⁰ But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.⁷¹ And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.⁷² And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.⁷³ And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.⁷⁴ Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.⁷⁵ And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.