Daily Bible Reading from BibleStudyTools.com

January 28, 2016

Today's Bible Reading

January 28

Luke 20:27-47; Genesis 37; Psalm 28 CJB

Luke 20:27-47

27 Some Tz'dukim, who say there is no resurrection, came to Yeshua

28 and put to him a sh'eilah: "Rabbi, Moshe wrote for us that if a man dies leaving a wife but no children, his brother must take the wife and have children to preserve the man's family line.

29 Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife and died child less,

30 then the second

31 and third took her, and likewise all seven, but they all died without leaving children.

32 Lastly, the woman also died.

33 In the Resurrection, which one's wife will she be? For all seven were married to her."

34 Yeshua said to them, "In this age, men and women marry;

35 but those judged worthy of the age to come, and of resurrection from the dead, do not get married,

36 because they can no longer die. Being children of the Resurrection, they are like angels; indeed, they are children of God.

37 "But even Moshe showed that the dead are raised; for in the passage about the bush, he calls ADONAI `the God of Avraham, the God of Yitz'chak and the God of Ya`akov.'

38 Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living -- to him all are alive."

39 Some of the Torah-teachers answered, "Well spoken, Rabbi."

40 For they no longer dared put to him a sh'eilah.

41 But he said to them, "How is it that people say the Messiah is David's son?"

42 For David himself says in the book of Psalms,

43 `ADONAI said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool." '

44 David thus calls him `Lord.' So how can he be David's son?"

45 Within the hearing of all the people, Yeshua said to his talmidim,

46 "Watch out for the kind of Torah-teachers that like to walk around in robes and be greeted deferentially in the marketplaces, the kind that like to have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets,

47 the kind that swallow up widows' houses while making a show of davvening at great length. Their punishment will be all the worse!"

Genesis 37

1 Ya'akov continued living in the land where his father had lived as a foreigner, the land of Kena'an.

2 Here is the history of Ya'akov. When Yosef was seventeen years old he used to pasture the flock with his brothers, even though he was still a boy. Once when he was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives, he brought a bad report about them to their father.

3 Now Isra'el loved Yosef the most of all his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a long-sleeved robe.

4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they began to hate him and reached the point where they couldn't even talk with him in a civil manner.

5 Yosef had a dream which he told his brothers, and that made them hate him all the more.

6 He said to them, "Listen while I tell you about this dream of mine.

7 We were tying up bundles of wheat in the field when suddenly my bundle got up by itself and stood upright; then your bundles came, gathered around mine and prostrated themselves before it."

8 His brothers retorted, "Yes, you will certainly be our king. You'll do a great job of bossing us around!"And they hated him still more for his dreams and for what he said.

9 He had another dream which he told his brothers: "Here, I had another dream, and there were the sun, the moon and eleven stars prostrating themselves before me."

10 He told his father too, as well as his brothers, but his father rebuked him: "What is this dream you have had? Do you really expect me, your mother and your brothers to come and prostrate ourselves before you on the ground?"

11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

12 After this, when his brothers had gone to pasture their father's sheep in Sh'khem,

13 Isra'el asked Yosef, "Aren't your brothers pasturing the sheep in Sh'khem? Come, I will send you to them." He answered, "Here I am."

14 He said to him, "Go now, see whether things are going well with your brothers and with the sheep, and bring word back to me." So he sent him away from the Hevron Valley, and he went to Sh'khem,

15 where a man found him wandering around in the countryside. The man asked him, "What are you looking for?"

16 "I'm looking for my brothers," he answered. "Tell me, please, where are they pasturing the sheep?"

17 The man said, "They've left here; because I heard them say, 'Let's go to Dotan.'"Yosef went after his brothers and found them in Dotan.

18 They spotted him in the distance, and before he had arrived where they were, they had already plotted to kill him.

19 They said to each other, "Look, this dreamer is coming!

20 So come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these water cisterns here. Then we'll say some wild animal devoured him. We'll see then what becomes of his dreams!"

21 But when Re'uven heard this, he saved him from being destroyed by them. He said, "We shouldn't take his life.

22 Don't shed blood," Re'uven added. "Throw him into this cistern here in the wilds, but don't lay hands on him yourselves." He intended to rescue him from them later and restore him to his father.

23 So it was that when Yosef arrived to be with his brothers, they stripped off his robe, the long-sleeved robe he was wearing,

24 and took him and threw him into the cistern (the cistern was empty; without any water in it).

25 Then they sat down to eat their meal; but as they looked up, they saw in front of them a caravan of Yishma'elim coming from Gil'ad, their camels loaded with aromatic gum, healing resin and opium, on their way down to Egypt.

26 Y'hudah said to his brothers, "What advantage is it to us if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?

27 Come, let's sell him to the Yishma'elim, instead of putting him to death with our own hands. After all, he is our brother, our own flesh." His brothers paid attention to him.

28 So when the Midyanim, merchants, passed by, they drew and lifted Yosef up out of the cistern and sold him for half a pound of silver shekels to the Yishma'elim, who took Yosef on to Egypt.

29 Re'uven returned to the cistern, and, upon seeing that Yosef wasn't in it, tore his clothes in mourning.

30 He returned to his brothers and said, "The boy isn't there! Where can I go now?"

31 They took Yosef's robe, killed a male goat and dipped the robe in the blood.

32 Then they sent the long-sleeved robe and brought it to their father, saying, "We found this. Do you know if it's your son's robe or not?"

33 He recognized it and cried, "It's my son's robe! Some wild animal has torn Yosef in pieces and eaten him!"

34 Ya'akov tore his clothes and, putting sackcloth around his waist, mourned his son for many days.

35 Though all his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, he refused all consolation, saying, "No, I will go down to the grave, to my son, mourning." And his father wept for him.

36 In Egypt the Midyanim sold Yosef to Potifar, one of Pharaoh's officials, a captain of the guard.

Psalm 28

1 By David: ADONAI, I am calling to you; my Rock, don't be deaf to my cry. For if you answer me with silence, I will be like those who fall in a pit.

2 Hear the sound of my prayers when I cry to you, when I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary.

3 Don't drag me off with the wicked, with those whose deeds are evil; they speak words of peace to their fellowmen, but evil is in their hearts.

4 Pay them back for their deeds, as befits their evil acts; repay them for what they have done, give them what they deserve.

5 For they don't understand the deeds of ADONAI or what he has done. He will break them down; he will not build them up.

6 Blessed be ADONAI, for he heard my voice as I prayed for mercy.

7 ADONAI is my strength and shield; in him my heart trusted, and I have been helped. Therefore my heart is filled with joy, and I will sing praises to him.

8 ADONAI is strength for [his people], a stronghold of salvation to his anointed.

9 Save your people! Bless your heritage! Shepherd them, and carry them forever!

January 29, 2016

Today's Bible Reading

January 29

Luke 21; Genesis 38; Psalm 29 CJB

Luke 21

1 Then Yeshua looked up, and as he watched the rich placing their gifts into the Temple offering-boxes,

2 he also saw a poor widow put in two small coins.

3 He said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put in more than all the others.

4 For they, out of their wealth, have contributed money they could easily spare; but she, out of her poverty, has given all she had to live on."

5 As some people were remarking about the Temple, how beautiful its stone work and memorial decorations were, he said,

6 "The time is coming when what you see here will be totally destroyed -- not a single stone will be left standing!"

7 They asked him, "Rabbi, if this is so, when will these events take place? And what sign will show that they are about to happen?"

8 He answered, "Watch out! Don't be fooled! For many will come in my name, saying, `I am he!' and, `The time has come!' Don't go after them.

9 And when you hear of wars and revolutions, don't panic. For these things must happen first, but the end will not follow immediately."

10 Then he told them, "Peoples will fight each other, nations will fight each other,

11 there will be great earthquakes, there will be epidemics and famines in various places, and there will be fearful sights and great signs from Heaven.

12 But before all this, they will arrest you and persecute you, handing you over to the synagogues and prisons; and you will be brought before kings and governors. This will all be on account of me,

13 but it will prove an opportunity for you to bear witness.

14 So make up your minds not to worry, rehearsing your defense beforehand;

15 for I myself will give you an eloquence and a wisdom that no adversary will be able to resist or refute.

16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends; some of you they will have put to death;

17 and every one will hate you because of me.

18 But not a hair of your head will be lost.

19 By standing firm you will save your lives.

20 "However, when you see Yerushalayim surrounded by armies, then you are to understand that she is about to be destroyed.

21 Those in Y'hudah must escape to the hills, those inside the city must get out, and those in the country must not enter it.

22 For these are the days of vengeance, when everything that has been written in the Tanakh will come true.

23 What a terrible time it will be for pregnant women and nursing mothers! For there will be great distress in the Land and judgment on the people.

24 Some will fall by the edge of the sword, others will be carried into all the countries of the Goyim, and Yerushalayim will be trampled down by the Goyim until the age of the Goyim has run its course.

25 "There will appear signs in the sun, moon and stars; and on earth, nations will be in anxiety and bewilderment at the sound and surge of the sea,

26 as people faint with fear at the prospect of what is overtaking the world; for the powers in heaven will be shaken.

27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with tremendous power and glory.

28 When these things start to happen, stand up and hold your heads high; because you are about to be liberated!"

29 Then he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree, Indeed, all the trees.

30 As soon as they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves that summer is near.

31 In the same way, when you see these things taking place, you are to know that the Kingdom of God is near!

32 Yes! I tell you that this people will certainly not pass away before it has all happened.

33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will certainly not pass away.

34 "But keep watch on yourselves, or your hearts will become dulled by carousing, drunkenness and the worries of everyday living, and that Day will be sprung upon you suddenly like a trap!

35 For it will close in on everyone, no matter where they live, throughout the whole world.

36 Stay alert, always praying that you will have the strength to escape all the things that will happen and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man."

37 Yeshua spent his days at the Temple, teaching; while at night he went out and stayed on the hill called the Mount of Olives.

38 All the people would rise with the dawn to come and hear him at the Temple courts.

Genesis 38

1 It was at this time that Y'hudah went off from his brothers and settled near a man named Hirah who was an 'Adulami.

2 There Y'hudah saw one of the daughters of a certain Kena'ani whose name was Shua, and he took her and slept with her.

3 She conceived and had a son, whom he named 'Er.

4 She conceived again and had a son, and she called him Onan.

5 Then she conceived yet again and had a son whom she called Shelah; he was in K'ziv when she gave birth to him.

6 Y'hudah took a wife for 'Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.

7 But 'Er, Y'hudah's firstborn, was evil from ADONAI's perspective, so ADONAI killed him.

8 Y'hudah said to Onan, "Go and sleep with your brother's wife - perform the duty of a husband's brother to her, and preserve your brother's line of descent."

9 However, Onan knew that the child would not count as his; so whenever he had intercourse with his brother's wife, he spilled the semen on the ground, so as not to give his brother offspring.

10 What he did was evil from ADONAI's perspective, so he killed him too.

11 Then Y'hudah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, "Stay a widow in your father's house until my son Shelah grows up"; for he thought, "I don't want him to die too, like his brothers." So Tamar went and lived at home with her father.

12 In due time, Shua's daughter, the wife of Y'hudah, died. After Y'hudah had been comforted, he went up to be with his sheep-shearers in Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the 'Adulami.

13 Tamar was told, "Your father-in-law has gone up to Timnah to shear his sheep."

14 So she took off her widow's clothes, completely covered her face with her veil, and sat at the entrance to 'Einayim, which is on the way to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah had grown up, but she still was not being given to him as his wife.

15 When Y'hudah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, because she had covered her face.

16 So he went over to her where she was sitting and said, not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, "Come, let me sleep with you." She answered, "What will you pay to sleep with me?"

17 He said, "I will send you a kid from the flock of goats." She said, "Will you also give me something as a guarantee until you send it"

18 He answered, "What should I give you as a guarantee?" She said, "Your seal, with its cord, and the staff you're carrying in your hand." So he gave them to her, then went and slept with her; and she conceived by him.

19 She got up and went away, took off her veil and put on her widow's clothes.

20 Y'hudah sent the kid with his friend the 'Adulami to receive the guarantee items back from the woman, but he couldn't find her.

21 He asked the people near where she had been, "Where is the prostitute who was on the road at 'Einayim?" But they answered,"There hasn't been any prostitute here."

22 So he returned to Y'hudah and said, "I couldn't find her; also the people there said, 'There hasn't been any prostitute here.'"

23 Y'hudah said, "All right, let her keep the things, so that we won't be publicly shamed. I sent the kid, but you didn't find her."

24 About three months later Y'hudah was told, "Tamar your daughter-in-law has been acting like a whore; moreover, she is pregnant as a result of her prostitution."Y'hudah said, "Bring her out, and let her be burned alive!"

25 When she was brought out, she sent this message to her father-in-law: "I am pregnant by the man to whom these things belong. Determine, I beg you, whose these are - the signet, the cords and the staff."

26 Then Y'hudah acknowledged owning them. He said, "She is more righteous than I, because I didn't let her become the wife of my son Shelah." And he never slept with her again.

27 When she went into labor, it became evident that she was going to have twins.

28 As she was in labor, one of them put out his hand; and the midwife took his hand and tied a scarlet thread on it, saying, "This one came out first."

29 But then he withdrew his hand, and his brother came out; so she said, "How did you manage to break out first?"Therefore he was named Peretz [breaking out].

30 Then out came his brother, with the scarlet thread on his hand, and he was given the name Zerach [scarlet].

Psalm 29

1 A psalm of David: Give ADONAI his due, you who are godly; give ADONAI his due of glory and strength;

2 give ADONAI the glory due his name; worship ADONAI in holy splendor.

3 The voice of ADONAI is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, ADONAI over rushing waters,

4 the voice of ADONAI in power, the voice of ADONAI in splendor.

5 The voice of ADONAI cracks the cedars; ADONAI splinters the cedars of the L'vanon

6 and makes the L'vanon skip like a calf, Siryon like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of ADONAI flashes fiery flames;

8 the voice of ADONAI rocks the desert, ADONAI convulses the Kadesh Desert.

9 The voice of ADONAI causes deer to give birth and strips the forests bare -while in his temple, all cry, "Glory!"

10 ADONAI sits enthroned above the flood! ADONAI sits enthroned as king forever!

11 May ADONAI give strength to his people! May ADONAI bless his people with shalom!

January 31, 2016

Today's Bible Reading

January 30

Luke 22:1-38; Genesis 39; Psalm 30 CJB

Luke 22:1-38

1 But the festival of Matzah, known as Pesach, was approaching;

2 and the head cohanim and the Torah-teachers began trying to find some way to get rid of Yeshua, because they were afraid of the people.

3 At this point the Adversary went into Y'hudah from K'riot, who was one of the Twelve.

4 He approached the head cohanim and the Temple guard and discussed with them how he might turn Yeshua over to them.

5 They were pleased and offered to pay him money.

6 He agreed and began looking for a good opportunity to betray Yeshua without the people's knowledge.

7 Then came the day of matzah, on which the Passover lamb had to be killed.

8 Yeshua sent Kefa and Yochanan, instructing them, "Go and prepare our Seder, so we can eat."

9 They asked him, "Where do you want us to prepare it?"

10 He told them, "As you're going into the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house he enters,

11 and say to its owner, `The Rabbi says to you, "Where is the guest room, where I am to eat the Pesach meal with my talmidim?" '

12 He will show you a large room upstairs already furnished; make the preparations there."

13 They went and found things just as Yeshua had told them they would be, and they prepared for the Seder.

14 When the time came, Yeshua and the emissaries reclined at the table, and he

15 said to them, "I have really wanted so much to celebrate this Seder with you before I die!

16 For I tell you, it is certain that I will not celebrate it again until it is given its full meaning in the Kingdom of God."

17 Then, taking a cup of wine, he made the b'rakhah and said, "Take this and share it among yourselves.

18 For I tell you that from now on, I will not drink the `fruit of the vine' until the Kingdom of God comes."

19 Also, taking a piece of matzah, he made the b'rakhah, broke it, gave it to them and said, "This is my body, which is being given for you; do this in memory of me."

20 He did the same with the cup after the meal, saying, "This cup is the New Covenant, ratified by my blood, which is being poured out for you.

21 "But look! The person who is betraying me is here at the table with me!

22 The Son of Man is going to his death according to God's plan, but woe to that man by whom he is being betrayed!"

23 They began asking each other which of them could be about to do such a thing.

24 An argument arose among them as to which of them should be considered the greatest.

25 But Yeshua said to them, "The kings of the Goyim lord it over them; and those in authority over them are given the title, `Benefactor.'

26 But not so with you! On the contrary, let the greater among you become like the younger, and one who rules like one who serves.

27 For who is greater? The one reclining at the table? or the one who serves? It's the one reclining at the table, isn't it? But I myself am among you like one who serves.

28 "You are the ones who have stayed with me throughout my trials.

29 Just as my Father gave me the right to rule, so I give you an appointment,

30 namely, to eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom and to sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Isra'el.

31 "Shim`on, Shim`on, listen! The Adversary demanded to have you people for himself, to sift you like wheat!

32 But I prayed for you, Shim`on, that your trust might not fail. And you, once you have turned back in repentance, strengthen your brothers!"

33 Shim`on said to him, "Lord, I am prepared to go with you both to prison and to death!"

34 Yeshua replied, "I tell you, Kefa, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know me."

35 He said to them, "When I sent you out without wallet, pack or shoes, were you ever short of anything?" "Not a thing," they answered.

36 "But now," he said, if you have a wallet or a pack, take it; and if you don't have a sword, sell your robe to buy one.

37 For I tell you this: the passage from the Tanakh that says, `He was counted with transgressors,'i has to be fulfilled in me; since what is happening to me has a purpose."

38 They said, "Look, Lord, there are two swords right here!" "Enough!" he replied.

Genesis 39

1 Yosef was brought down to Egypt, and Potifar, an officer of Pharaoh's and captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Yishma'elim who had brought him there.

2 ADONAI was with Yosef, and he became wealthy while he was in the household of his master the Egyptian.

3 His master saw how ADONAI was with him, that ADONAI prospered everything he did.

4 Yosef pleased him as he served him, and his master appointed him manager of his household; he entrusted all his possessions to Yosef.

5 From the time he appointed him manager of his household and all his possessions, ADONAI blessed the Egyptian's household for Yosef's sake; ADONAI's blessing was on all he owned, whether in the house or in the field.

6 So he left all his possessions in Yosef's care; and because he had him, he paid no attention to his affairs, except for the food he ate. Now Yosef was well-built and handsome as well.

7 In time, the day came when his master's wife took a look at Yosef and said, "Sleep with me!"

8 But he refused, saying to his master's wife, "Look, because my master has me, he doesn't know what's going on in this house. He has put all his possessions in my charge.

9 In this house I am his equal; he hasn't withheld anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?"

10 But she kept pressing him, day after day. Nevertheless, he didn't listen to her; he refused to sleep with her or even be with her.

11 However, one day, when he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men living in the house was there indoors,

12 she grabbed him by his robe and said, "Sleep with me!" But he fled, leaving his robe in her hand, and got himself outside.

13 When she saw that he had left his robe in her hand and had escaped,

14 she called the men of her house and said to them, "Look at this! My husband brought in a Hebrew to make fools of us. He came in and wanted to sleep with me, but I yelled out loudly.

15 When he heard me yelling like that, he left his robe with me and ran out."

16 She put the robe aside until his master came home.

17 Then she said to him, "This Hebrew slave you brought us came in to make a fool of me.

18 But when I yelled out, he left his robe with me and fled outside."

19 When his master heard what his wife said as she showed him, "Here's what your slave did to me," he became furious.

20 Yosef's master took him and put him in prison, in the place where the king's prisoners were kept; and there he was in the prison.

21 But ADONAI was with Yosef, showing him grace and giving him favor in the sight of the prison warden.

22 The prison warden made Yosef supervisor of all the prisoners in the prison; so that whatever they did there, he was in charge of it.

23 The prison warden paid no attention to anything Yosef did, because ADONAI was with him; and whatever he did, ADONAI prospered.

Psalm 30

1 A psalm. A song for the dedication of the house. By David: I will exalt you, ADONAI, because you drew me up; you didn't let my enemies rejoice over me.

2 ADONAI my God, I cried out to you, and you provided healing for me.

3 ADONAI, you lifted me up from Sh'ol; you kept me alive when I was sinking into a pit.

4 Sing praise to ADONAI, you faithful of his; and give thanks on recalling his holiness.

5 For his anger is momentary, but his favor lasts a lifetime. Tears may linger for the night, but with dawn come cries of joy.

6 Once I was prosperous and used to say, that nothing could ever shake me

7 when you showed me favor, ADONAI, I was firm as a mighty mountain. But when you hid your face, I was struck with terror.

8 I called to you, ADONAI; to ADONAI I pleaded for mercy:

9 "What advantage is there in my death, in my going down to the pit? Can the dust praise you? Can it proclaim your truth?

10 Hear me, ADONAI, and show me your favor! ADONAI, be my helper!"

11 You turned my mourning into dancing! You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

12 so that my well-being can praise you and not be silent; ADONAI my God, I will thank you forever!

January 31, 2016

Today's Bible Reading

January 31

Luke 22:39-71; Genesis 40; Psalm 31

Luke 22

39 On leaving, Yeshua went as usual to the Mount of Olives; and the talmidim followed him.

40 When he arrived, he said to them, "Pray that you won't be put to the test."

41 He went about a stone's throw away from them, kneeled down and prayed,

42 "Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, let not my will but yours be done."

43 There appeared to him an angel from heaven giving him strength,

44 and in great anguish he prayed more intensely, so that his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.

45 On rising from prayer and coming to the talmidim, he found them sleeping because of their grief.

46 He said to them, "Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you won't be put to the test!"

47 While he was still speaking, a crowd of people arrived, with the man called Y'hudah (one of the Twelve!) leading them. He came up to Yeshua to kiss him,

48 but Yeshua said to him, "Y'hudah, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"

49 When his followers saw what was going to happen, they said, "Lord, should we use our swords?"

50 One of them struck at the slave of the cohen hagadol and cut off his right ear.

51 But Yeshua answered, "Just let me do this," and, touching the man's ear, he healed him.

52 Then Yeshua said to the head cohanim, the officers of the Temple guard and the elders who had come to seize him, "So you came out just as you would to the leader of a rebellion, with swords and clubs?

53 Every day I was there with you in the Temple court, yet you didn't arrest me. But this is your hour -- the hour when darkness rules."

54 Having seized him, they led him away and brought him into the house of the cohen hagadol. Kefa followed at a distance;

55 but when they had lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Kefa joined them.

56 One of the servant girls saw him sitting in the light of the fire, stared at him and said, "This man also was with him."

57 But he denied it: "Lady, I don't even know him."

58 A little later, someone else saw him and said, "You're one of them too"; but Kefa said, "Man, I am not!"

59 About an hour later, another man asserted emphatically, "There can be no doubt that this fellow was with him, because he too is from the Galil!"

60 But Kefa said, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" And instantly, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed.

61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Kefa; and Kefa remembered what the Lord had said, "Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times."

62 And he went outside and cried bitterly.

63 Meanwhile, the men who were holding Yeshua made fun of him. They beat him,

64 blindfolded him, and kept asking him, "Now, `prophesy'! Who hit you that time?"

65 And they said many other insulting things to him.

66 At daybreak, the people's council of elders, including both head cohanim and Torah-teachers, met and led him off to their Sanhedrin,

67 where they said, "If you are the Mashiach, tell us." He answered, "If I tell you, you won't believe me;

68 and if I ask you, you won't answer.

69 But from now on, the Son of Man will be sitting at the right hand of HaG'vurah,"

70 They all said, "Does this mean, then, that you are the Son of God?" And he answered them, "You say I am."

71 They said, "Why do we need additional testimony? We have heard it ourselves from his own mouth!"

Genesis 40

1 Some time later it came about that the Egyptian king's cupbearer and baker gave offense to their lord the king of Egypt.

2 Pharaoh became angry with his two officers the chief cupbearer and the chief baker.

3 So he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison, in the same place where Yosef was kept.

4 The captain of the guard charged Yosef to be with them, and he became their attendant while they remained in prison.

5 One night the two of them, the king of Egypt's cupbearer and his baker, there in prison, both had dreams, each dream with its own meaning.

6 Yosef came in to them in the morning and saw that they looked sad.

7 He asked Pharaoh's officers there with him in the prison of his master's house, "Why are you looking so sad today?"

8 They said to him, "We each had a dream, and there's no one around who can interpret it."Yosef said to them, "Don't interpretations belong to God? Tell it to me, please."

9 Then the chief cupbearer told Yosef his dream: "In my dream, there in front of me was a vine,

10 and the vine had three branches. The branches budded, then it suddenly began to blossom, and finally clusters of ripe grapes appeared.

11 Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, so I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and gave the cup to Pharaoh."

12 Yosef said to him, "Here is its interpretation: the three branches are three days.

13 Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office: you will be giving Pharaoh his cup as you used to when you were his cupbearer.

14 But remember me when it goes well with you; and show me kindness, please; and mention me to Pharaoh, so that he will release me from this prison.

15 For the truth is that I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and here too I have done nothing wrong that would justify putting me in this dungeon."

16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Yosef, "I too saw in my dream: there were three baskets of white bread on my head.

17 In the uppermost basket there were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds ate them out of the basket on my head."

18 Yosef answered, "Here is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days.

19 Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head from off of you -he will hang you on a tree, and the birds will eat your flesh off you."

20 On the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, he gave a party for all his officials, and he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his officials.

21 He restored the chief cupbearer back to his position, so that he again gave Pharaoh his cup.

22 But he hanged the chief baker, as Yosef had interpreted to them.

23 Nevertheless, the chief cupbearer didn't remember Yosef, but forgot him.

Psalm 31

1 For the leader. A psalm of David: In you, ADONAI, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your justice, save me!

2 Turn your ear toward me, come quickly to my rescue, be for me a rock of strength, a fortress to keep me safe.

3 Since you are my rock and fortress, lead me and guide me for your name's sake.

4 Free me from the net they have hidden to catch me, because you are my strength.

5 Into your hand I commit my spirit; you will redeem me, ADONAI, God of truth.

6 I hate those who serve worthless idols; as for me, I trust in ADONAI.

7 I will rejoice and be glad in your grace, for you see my affliction, you know how distressed I am.

8 You did not hand me over to the enemy; you set my feet where I can move freely.

9 Show me favor, ADONAI, for I am in trouble. My eyes grow dim with anger, my soul and body as well.

10 For my life is worn out with sorrow and my years with sighing; my strength gives out under my guilt, and my bones are wasting away.

11 I am scorned by all my adversaries, and even more by my neighbors; even to acquaintances I am an object of fear when they see me in the street, they turn away from me.

12 Like a dead man, I have passed from their minds; I have become like a broken pot.

13 All I hear is whispering, terror is all around me; they plot together against me, scheming to take my life.

14 But I, I trust in you, ADONAI; I say, "You are my God."

15 My times are in your hand; rescue me from my enemies' power, from those who persecute me.

16 Make your face shine on your servant; in your grace, save me.

17 ADONAI, don't let me be put to shame, for I have called on you; let the wicked be put to shame, let them be silenced in Sh'ol.

18 May lying lips be struck dumb, that speak insolently against the righteous with such pride and contempt.

19 But oh, how great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you do for those who take refuge in you, before people's very eyes!

20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them from human plots, you conceal them in your shelter, safe from contentious tongues.

21 Blessed be ADONAI! For he has shown me his amazing grace when I was in a city under siege.

22 As for me, in my alarm I said, "I have been cut off from your sight!"Nevertheless, you heard my pleas when I cried out to you.

23 Love ADONAI, you faithful of his. ADONAI preserves the loyal, but the proud he repays in full.

24 Be strong, and fill your hearts with courage, all of you who hope in ADONAI.

February 2, 2016

Today's Bible Reading

February 1

Luke 23:1-25; Genesis 41; Psalm 32 CJB

Luke 23:1-25

1 With that, the whole Sanhedrin got up and brought Yeshua before Pilate,

2 where they started accusing him. "We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes to the Emperor and claiming that he himself is the Messiah -- a king!"

3 Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" And he answered him, "The words are yours." P

4 ilate said to the head cohanim and the crowds, "I find no ground for a charge against this man.

5 But they persisted. "He is inciting the people with his teaching throughout all Y'hudah -- he started in the Galil, and now he's here!"

6 On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was from the Galil;

7 and when he learned that he was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who at that time happened to be in Yerushalayim too.

8 Herod was delighted to see Yeshua, because he had heard about him and for a long time had been wanting to meet him; indeed, he hoped to see him perform some miracle.

9 He questioned him at great length,

10 but Yeshua made no reply. However, the head cohanim and the Torah-teachers stood there, vehemently pressing their case against him.

11 Herod and his soldiers treated Yeshua with contempt and made fun of him. Then, dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate.

12 That day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other; previously they had been enemies.

13 Pilate summoned the head cohanim, the leaders and the people,

14 and said to them, "You brought this man before me on a charge of subverting the people. I examined him in your presence and did not find the man guilty of the crime you are accusing him of

15 And neither did Herod, because he sent him back to us. Clearly, he has not done anything that merits the death penalty.

16 Therefore, what I will do is have him flogged and release him."

17 Some manuscripts have verse 17: For he was required to release one man to them at the festival.

18 But with one voice they shouted, "Away with this man! Give us Bar-Abba!"

19 (He was a man who had been thrown in prison for causing a riot in the city and for murder.) Pilat

20 appealed to them again, because he wanted to release Yeshua.

21 But they yelled, "Put him to death on the stake! Put him to death on the stake!

22 A third time he asked them, "But what has this man done wrong? I haven't found any reason to put him to death. So I'm going to have him flogged and set free."

23 But they went on yelling insistently, demanding that he be executed on the stake; and their shouting prevailed.

24 Pilate decided to grant their demand;

25 he released the man who had been thrown in prison for insurrection and murder, the one they had asked for; and Yeshua he surrendered to their will.

Genesis 41

1 At the end of two years, Pharaoh had a dream: he was standing beside the Nile River;

2 and there came up out of the river seven cows, sleek and fat; and they began feeding in swamp grass.

3 After them, there came up out of the river seven more cows, miserable-looking and lean; and they stood by the other cows at the edge of the river.

4 Then the miserable-looking and lean cows ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. At this point Pharaoh woke up.

5 But he went to sleep again and dreamt a second time: seven full, ripe ears of grain grew out of a single stalk.

6 After them, seven ears, thin and blasted by the east wind, sprang up.

7 And the thin ears swallowed up the seven full, ripe ears. Then Pharaoh woke up and realized it had been a dream.

8 In the morning he found himself so upset that he summoned all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one there could interpret them for him.

9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, "Today reminds me of something wherein I am at fault:

10 Pharaoh was angry with his officials and put me in the prison of the house of the captain of the guard, me and the chief baker.

11 One night both I and he had dreams, and each man's dream had its own meaning.

12 There was with us a young man, a Hebrew, a servant of the captain of the guard; and we told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us -he interpreted each man's dream individually.

13 And it came about as he interpreted to us-I was restored to my office, and he was hanged."

14 Then Pharaoh summoned Yosef, and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon. He shaved himself, changed his clothes, and came in to Pharaoh.

15 Pharaoh said to Yosef, "I had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it; but I've heard it said about you that when you hear a dream, you can interpret it."

16 Yosef answered Pharaoh, "It isn't in me. God will give Pharaoh an answer that will set his mind at peace."

17 Pharaoh said to Yosef, "In my dream, I stood at the edge of the river;

18 and there came up out of the river seven cows, fat and sleek; and they began feeding in the swamp grass.

19 After them, there came up out of the river seven more cows, poor, miserable-looking and lean -I've never seen such bad-looking cows in all the land of Egypt!

20 Then the lean and miserablelooking cows ate up the first seven fat cows.

21 But after they had eaten them up, one couldn't tell that they had eaten them; because they were as miserable-looking as before. At this point I woke up.

22 But I dreamed again and saw seven full, ripe ears of grain growing out of a single stalk.

23 After them, seven ears, thin and blasted by the east wind, sprang up.

24 And the thin ears swallowed up the seven ripe ears. I told this to the magicians, but none of them could explain it to me."

25 Yosef said to Pharaoh, "The dreams of Pharaoh are the same: God has told Pharaoh what he is about to do.

26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears of grain are seven years - the dreams are the same.

27 Likewise the seven lean and miserable-looking cows that came up after them are seven years, and also the seven empty ears blasted by the east wind - there will be seven years of famine.

28 This is what I told Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.

29 Here it is: there will be seven years of abundance throughout the whole land of Egypt;

30 but afterwards, there will come seven years of famine; and Egypt will forget all the abundance. The famine will consume the land,

31 and the abundance will not be known in the land because of the famine that will follow, because it will be truly terrible.

32 Why was the dream doubled for Pharaoh? Because the matter has been fixed by God, and God will shortly cause it to happen.

33 "Therefore, Pharaoh should look for a man both discreet and wise to put in charge of the land of Egypt.

34 Pharaoh should do this, and he should appoint supervisors over the land to receive a twenty percent tax on the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven years of abundance.

35 They should gather all the food produced during these good years coming up and set aside grain under the supervision of Pharaoh to be used for food in the cities, and they should store it.

36 This will be the land's food supply for the seven years of famine that will come over the land of Egypt, so that the land will not perish as a result of the famine."

37 The proposal seemed good both to Pharaoh and to all his officials.

38 Pharaoh said to his officials, "Can we find anyone else like him? The Spirit of God lives in him!"

39 So Pharaoh said to Yosef, "Since God has shown you all this - there is no one as discerning and wise as you -

40 you will be in charge of my household; all my people will be ruled by what you say. Only when I rule from my throne will I be greater than you."

41 Pharaoh said to Yosef, "Here, I place you in charge of the whole land of Egypt."

42 Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Yosef's hand, had him clothed in fine linen with a gold chain around his neck

43 and had him ride in his second best chariot; and they cried before him, "Bow down!" Thus he placed him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.

44 Pharaoh said to Yosef, "I, Pharaoh, decree that without your approval no one is to raise his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt."

45 Pharaoh called Yosef by the name Tzafnat-Pa'neach and gave him as his wife Osnat the daughter of Poti-Fera priest of On. Then Yosef went out through all the land of Egypt.

46 Yosef was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt; then he left Pharaoh's presence and traveled through all the land of Egypt.

47 During the seven years of abundance, the earth brought forth heaps of produce.

48 He collected all the food of these seven years in the land of Egypt and stored it in the cities - the food grown in the fields outside each city he stored in that city.

49 Yosef stored grain in quantities like the sand on the seashore, so much that they stopped counting, because it was beyond measure.

50 Two sons were born to Yosef before the year of famine came; Osnat the daughter of Poti-Fera priest of On bore them to him.

51 Yosef called the firstborn M'nasheh [causing to forget], "Because God has caused me to forget all the troubles I suffered at the hands of my family."

52 The second he called Efrayim [fruit], "For God has made me fruitful in the land of my misfortune."

53 The seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt ended;

54 and the seven years of famine began to come, just as Yosef had said. There was famine in all lands, but throughout the land of Egypt there was food.

55 When the whole land of Egypt started feeling the famine, the people cried to Pharaoh for food, and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Yosef, and do what he tells you to do."

56 The famine was over all the earth, but then Yosef opened all the storehouses and sold food to the Egyptians, since the famine was severe in the land of Egypt.

57 Moreover all countries came to Egypt to Yosef to buy grain, because the famine was severe throughout the earth.

Psalm 32

1 By David. A maskil: How blessed are those whose offense is forgiven, those whose sin is covered!

2 How blessed those to whom ADONAI imputes no guilt, in whose spirit is no deceit!

3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away because of my groaning all day long;

4 day and night your hand was heavy on me; the sap in me dried up as in a summer drought. (Selah)

5 When I acknowledged my sin to you, when I stopped concealing my guilt, and said, "I will confess my offenses to ADONAI"; then you, you forgave the guilt of my sin. (Selah)

6 This is what everyone faithful should pray at a time when you can be found. Then, when the floodwaters are raging, they will not reach to him.

7 You are a hiding-place for me, you will keep me from distress; you will surround me with songs of deliverance. (Selah)

8 "I will instruct and teach you in this way that you are to go; I will give you counsel; my eyes will be watching you."

9 Don't be like a horse or mule that has no understanding, that has to be curbed with bit and bridle, or else it won't come near you.

10 Many are the torments of the wicked, but grace surrounds those who trust in ADONAI.

11 Be glad in ADONAI; rejoice, you righteous! Shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

February 2, 2016

Today's Bible Reading

February 2

Luke 23:26-56; Genesis 42; Psalm 33 CJB

Luke 23:26-56

26 As the Roman soldiers led Yeshua away, they grabbed hold of a man from Cyrene named Shim`on, who was on his way in from the country. They put the execution-stake on his back and made him carry it behind Yeshua.

27 Large numbers of people followed, including women crying and wailing over him.

28 Yeshua turned to them and said, "Daughters of Yerushalayim, don't cry for me; cry for yourselves and your children!

29 For the time is coming when people will say, `The childless women are the lucky ones -- those whose wombs have never borne a child, whose breasts have never nursed a baby!

30 Then They will begin to say to the mountains, `Fall on us!' and to the hills, `Cover us!'

31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what is going to happen when it's dry?"

32 Two other men, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him.

33 When they came to the place called The Skull, they nailed him to a stake; and they nailed the criminals to stakes, one on the right and one on the left.

34 Yeshua said, "Father, forgive them; they don't understand what they are doing." They divided up his clothes by throwing dice.

35 The people stood watching, and the rulers sneered at him.m "He saved others," they said, "so if he really is the Messiah, the one chosen by God, let him save himself!"

36 The soldiers too ridiculed him; they came up, offered him vinegar

37 and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!"

38 And there was a notice over him which read, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEW

39 One of the criminals hanging there hurled insults at him. "Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!"

40 But the other one spoke up and rebuked the first, saying, "Have you no fear of God? You're getting the same punishment as he is.

41 Ours is only fair; we're getting what we deserve for what we did. But this man did nothing wrong."

42 Then he said, "Yeshua, remember me when you come as King."

43 Yeshua said to him, "Yes! I promise that you will be with me today in Gan-`Eden."

44 It was now about noon, and darkness covered the whole Land until three o'clock in the afternoon;

45 the sun did not shine. Also the parokhet in the Temple was split down the middle.

46 Crying out with a loud voice, Yeshua said, "Father! Into your hands I commit my spirit." With these words he gave up his spirit.

47 When the Roman officer saw what had happened, he began to praise God and said, "Surely this man was innocent!"

48 And when all the crowds that had gathered to watch the spectacle saw the things that had occurred, they returned home beating their breasts.

49 All his friends, including the women who had accompanied him from the Galil, had been standing at a distance; they saw it all.

50 There was a man named Yosef, a member of the Sanhedrin. He was a good man, a tzaddik;

51 and he had not been in agreement with either the Sanhedrin's motivation or their action. He came from the town of Ramatayim, a town of the Judeans; and he looked forward to the Kingdom of God.

52 This man approached Pilate and asked for Yeshua's body.

53 He took it down, wrapped it in a linen sheet, and placed it in a tomb cut into the rock, that had never been used.

54 It was Preparation Day, and a Shabbat was about to begin.

55 The women who had come with Yeshua from the Galil followed; they saw the tomb and how his body was placed in it.

56 Then they went back home to prepare spices and ointments. On Shabbat the women rested, in obedience to the commandment;

Genesis 42

1 Now Ya'akov saw that there was grain in Egypt; so Ya'akov said to his sons, "Why are you staring at each other?

2 Look," he said, "I've heard that there's grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us from there, so that we can stay alive and not die!"

3 Thus Yosef's ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt,

4 except for Binyamin, Yosef's brother. Ya'akov did not send him with his brothers, because he was afraid something might happen to him.

5 The sons of Isra'el came to buy along with the others that came, since the famine extended to the land of Kena'an.

6 Yosef was governor over the land; it was he who sold to all the people of the land. Now when Yosef's brothers came and prostrated themselves before him on the ground,

7 Yosef saw his brothers and recognized them; but he acted toward them as if he were a stranger and spoke harshly with them. He asked them, "Where are you from?" They answered, "From the land of Kena'an to buy food."

8 So Yosef recognized his brothers, but they didn't recognize him.

9 Remembering the dreams he had had about them, Yosef said to them, "You are spies! You've come to spot our country's weaknesses!"

10 "No, my lord,"they replied, "your servants have come to buy food.

11 We're all the sons of one man, we're upright men; your servants aren't spies."

12 "No," he said to them, "you've come to spy out our country's weaknesses."

13 They said, "We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Kena'an; the youngest stayed with our father, and another one is gone."

14 "Just as I said,"replied Yosef, "you're spies!

15 Here's how you can prove you're not lying: as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave here unless your youngest brother comes here.

16 Send one of you, and let him bring your brother. Meanwhile, you will be kept in custody. This will prove whether there is any truth in what you say. Otherwise, as Pharaoh lives, you are certainly spies."

17 Then he put all of them together in prison for three days.

18 On the third day, Yosef said to them, "Do what I say, and stay alive, for I fear God.

19 If you are upright men, let one of your brothers remain incarcerated in the prison you're being kept in, while you go and carry grain back to relieve the famine in your homes.

20 But bring your youngest brother to me. In this way your statements will be verified, and you won't die." So they did it.

21 They said to each other, "We are in fact guilty concerning our brother. He was in distress and pleaded with us; we saw it and wouldn't listen. That's why this distress has come upon us now."

22 Re'uven answered them, "Didn't I tell you, 'Don't wrong the boy'? But you wouldn't hear of it. Now comes the reckoning for his blood!"

23 They had no idea that Yosef understood them, since an interpreter was translating for them.

24 Yosef turned away from them and wept; then he returned and spoke to them. He took Shim'on from among them and put him in prison before their eyes.

25 Next he ordered that their containers be filled with grain, that every man's money be put back in his pack and that they be given provisions for the journey. When these things had been done for them,

26 they loaded their grain on their donkeys and departed.

27 But at camp that night, as one of them opened his pack to give fodder to his donkey, he noticed his money - there it was, just inside his pack.

28 He said to his brothers, "My money has been restored - there it is, right in my pack!"At that, their hearts sank; they turned, trembling, to one another and said, "What is this that God has done to us?"

29 They returned to Ya'akov their father in the land of Kena'an and told him all that had happened to them.

30 "The man, the lord of the land, spoke harshly with us. He took us for spies in his country.

31 We said to him, 'We are upright men, we're not spies;

32 we are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is gone, and the youngest stayed with our father in the land of Kena'an.'

33 But the man, the lord of the land, said to us, 'Here is how I will know that you are upright men: leave one of your brothers with me, take grain to relieve the famine in your homes, and go on your way;

34 but bring your youngest brother to me. By this I will know that you aren't spies, but are upright men; then I will return your brother to you; and you will do business in the land.'"

35 Next, as they emptied their packs, there was each man's bag of money in his pack; and when they and their father saw their bags of money, they became afraid.

36 Ya'akov their father said to them, "You have robbed me of my children! Yosef is gone, Shim'on is gone, now you're taking Binyamin away - it all falls on me!"

37 Re'uven said to his father, "If I don't bring him back to you, you can kill my own two sons! Put him in my care; I will return him to you."

38 But he replied, "My son will not go down with you. His brother is dead, and he alone is left. If anything were to happen to him while traveling with you, you would bring my gray hair down to Sh'ol with grief."

Psalm 33

1 ejoice in ADONAI, you righteous! Praise is well-suited to the upright.

2 Give thanks to ADONAI with the lyre, sing praises to him with a ten-stringed harp.

3 Sing to him a new song, make music at your best among shouts of joy.

4 For the word of ADONAI is true, and all his work is trustworthy.

5 He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the grace of ADONAI.

6 By the word of ADONAI the heavens were made, and their whole host by a breath from his mouth.

7 He collects the sea waters together in a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses.

8 Let all the earth fear ADONAI! Let all living in the world stand in awe of him.

9 For he spoke, and there it was; he commanded, and there it stood.

10 ADONAI brings to nothing the plans of nations, he foils the plans of the peoples.

11 But the counsel of ADONAI stands forever, his heart's plans are for all generations.

12 How blessed is the nation whose God is ADONAI, the people he chose as his heritage!

13 ADONAI looks out from heaven; he sees every human being;

14 from the place where he lives he watches everyone living on earth,

15 he who fashioned the hearts of them all and understands all they do.

16 A king is not saved by the size of his army, a strong man not delivered by his great strength.

17 To rely on a horse for safety is vain, nor does its great power assure escape.

18 But ADONAI's eyes watch over those who fear him, over those who wait for his grace

19 to rescue them from death and keep them alive in famine.

20 We are waiting for ADONAI; he is our help and shield.

21 For in him our hearts rejoice, because we trust in his holy name.

22 May your mercy, ADONAI, be over us, because we put our hope in you.

February 2, 2016