Luke 23:26-56; Genesis 42; Psalms 33

Luke 23:26-56

26 As they led Him away, they seized Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country, and laid the cross on him to carry behind Jesus.

27 A great multitude of the people followed Him, including women who were mourning and lamenting Him.

28 But turning to them, Jesus said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and your children.

29 Look, the days are coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed!'

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 will happen when it is dry?"

32 Two others-criminals-were also led away to be executed with Him.

33 When they arrived at the place called The Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. [

34 Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing." ] And they divided His clothes and cast lots.

35 The people stood watching, and even the leaders kept scoffing: "He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is God's Messiah, the Chosen One!"

36 The soldiers also mocked Him. They came offering Him sour wine

37 and said, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!"

38 An inscription was above Him: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS

39 Then one of the criminals hanging there began to yell insults at Him: "Aren't You the Messiah? Save Yourself and us!"

40 But the other answered, rebuking him: "Don't you even fear God, since you are undergoing the same punishment?

41 We are punished justly, because we're getting back what we deserve for the things we did, but this man has done nothing wrong."

42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!"

43 And He said to him, "I assure you: Today you will be with Me in paradise."

44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three,

45 because the sun's light failed. The curtain of the sanctuary was split down the middle.

46 And Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into Your hands I entrust My spirit. " Saying this, He breathed His last.

47 When the centurion saw what happened, he began to glorify God, saying, "This man really was righteous!"

48 All the crowds that had gathered for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, went home, striking their chests.

49 But all who knew Him, including the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

50 There was a good and righteous man named Joseph, a member of the Sanhedrin,

51 who had not agreed with their plan and action. He was from Arimathea, a Judean town, and was looking forward to the kingdom of God.

52 He approached Pilate and asked for Jesus' body.

53 Taking it down, he wrapped it in fine linen and placed it in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever been placed.

54 It was preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

55 The women who had come with Him from Galilee followed along and observed the tomb and how His body was placed.

56 Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.

Genesis 42

1 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why do you keep looking at each other?

2 Listen," he went on, "I have heard there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us so that we will live and not die."

3 So 10 of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.

4 But Jacob did not send Joseph's brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he thought, "Something might happen to him."

5 The sons of Israel were among those who came to buy grain, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

6 Joseph was in charge of the country; he sold grain to all its people. His brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground.

7 When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke harshly to them. "Where do you come from?" he asked. "From the land of Canaan to buy food," they replied.

8 Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.

9 Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said to them, "You are spies. You have come to see the weakness of the land."

10 "No, my lord. Your servants have come to buy food," they said.

11 "We are all sons of one man. We are honest; your servants are not spies."

12 "No," he said to them. "You have come to see the weakness of the land."

13 But they replied, "We, your servants, were 12 brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no longer living."

14 Then Joseph said to them, "I have spoken: 'You are spies!'

15 This is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.

16 Send one of your number to get your brother. The rest of you will be imprisoned so that your words can be tested to see if they are true. If they are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!"

17 So Joseph imprisoned them together for three days.

18 On the third day Joseph said to them, "I fear God-do this and you will live.

19 If you are honest men, let one of you be confined to the guardhouse, while the rest of you go and take grain [to relieve] the hunger of your households.

20 Bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be confirmed; then you won't die." And they consented to this.

21 Then they said to each other, "It is plain that we are being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw his deep distress when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this trouble has come to us."

22 But Reuben replied: "Didn't I tell you not to harm the boy? But you wouldn't listen. Now we must account for his blood!"

23 They did not realize that Joseph understood them, since there was an interpreter between them.

24 He turned away from them and wept. Then he turned back and spoke to them. He took Simeon from them and had him bound before their eyes.

25 Joseph then gave orders to fill their containers with grain, return each man's money to his sack, and give them provisions for their journey. This order was carried out.

26 They loaded the grain on their donkeys and left there.

27 At the place where they lodged for the night, one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his money there at the top of the bag.

28 He said to his brothers, "My money has been returned! It's here in my bag." Their hearts sank. Trembling, they turned to one another and said, "What is this that God has done to us?"

29 When they reached their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them:

30 "The man who is the lord of the country spoke harshly to us and accused us of spying on the country.

31 But we told him: We are honest men and not spies.

32 We were 12 brothers, sons of the same father. One is no longer living, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan.

33 The man who is the lord of the country said to us, 'This is how I will know if you are honest men: Leave one brother with me, take [food to relieve] the hunger of your households, and go.

34 Bring back your youngest brother to me, and I will know that you are not spies but honest men. I will then give your brother back to you, and you can trade in the country.' "

35 As they began emptying their sacks, there in each man's sack was his bag of money! When they and their father saw their bags of money, they were afraid.

36 Their father Jacob said to them, "You have deprived me of my sons. Joseph is gone and Simeon is gone. Now you want to take Benjamin. Everything happens to me!"

37 Then Reuben said to his father, "You can kill my two sons if I don't bring him back to you. Put him in my care, and I will return him to you."

38 But Jacob answered, "My son will not go down with you, for his brother is dead and he alone is left. If anything happens to him on your journey, you will bring my gray hairs down to Sheol in sorrow."

Psalms 33

1 Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous ones; praise from the upright is beautiful.

2 Praise the Lord with the lyre; make music to Him with a ten-stringed harp.

3 Sing a new song to Him; play skillfully on the strings, with a joyful shout.

4 For the word of the Lord is right, and all His work is trustworthy.

5 He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the Lord's unfailing love.

6 The heavens were made by the word of the Lord, and all the stars, by the breath of His mouth.

7 He gathers the waters of the sea into a heap; He puts the depths into storehouses.

8 Let the whole earth tremble before the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.

9 For He spoke, and it came into being; He commanded, and it came into existence.

10 The Lord frustrates the counsel of the nations; He thwarts the plans of the peoples.

11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation.

12 Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord- the people He has chosen to be His own possession!

13 The Lord looks down from heaven; He observes everyone.

14 He gazes on all the inhabitants of the earth from His dwelling place.

15 He alone crafts their hearts; He considers all their works.

16 A king is not saved by a large army; a warrior will not be delivered by great strength.

17 The horse is a false hope for safety; it provides no escape by its great power.

18 Now the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him- those who depend on His faithful love

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

20 We wait for the Lord; He is our help and shield.

21 For our hearts rejoice in Him, because we trust in His holy name.

22 May Your faithful love rest on us, Lord, for we put our hope in You.