Monday, 12 February

1.   Then Joseph fell on his father’s face, and wept over him, and kissed him. 2.   And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel. 3.   Forty days were required for him, for such are the days required for those who are embalmed; and the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days. 4.   And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the hearing of Pharaoh, saying, 5.   ‘My father made me swear, saying, "Behold, I am dying; in my grave which I dug for myself in the land of Canaan, there you shall bury me." Now therefore, please let me go up and bury my father, and I will come back.’" 6.   And Pharaoh said, "Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear." 7.   So Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, 8.   as well as all the house of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s house. Only their little ones, their flocks, and their herds they left in the land of Goshen. 9.   And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen, and it was a very great gathering. 10.   Then they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and they mourned there with a great and very solemn lamentation. He observed seven days of mourning for his father. 11.   And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, "This is a deep mourning of the Egyptians." Therefore its name was called Abel Mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan. 12.   So his sons did for him just as he had commanded them. 13.   For his sons carried him to the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite as property for a burial place. 14.   And after he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers and all who went up with him to bury his father. 15.   When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him." 16.   So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, "Before your father died he commanded, saying, 17.   ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph: "I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you."’ Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father." And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18.   Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, "Behold, we are your servants." 19.   Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20.   "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. 21.   "Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones." And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. 22.   So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father’s household. And Joseph lived one hundred and ten years. 23.   Joseph saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation . The children of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were also brought up on Joseph’s knees. 24.   And Joseph said to his brethren, "I am dying; but God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob." 25.   Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here." 26.   So Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

1.   Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: 2.   "Dominion and fear belong to Him; He makes peace in His high places. 3.   Is there any number to His armies? Upon whom does His light not rise? 4.   How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman? 5.   If even the moon does not shine, And the stars are not pure in His sight, 6.   How much less man, who is a maggot, And a son of man, who is a worm?"

1.   But Job answered and said: 2.   "How have you helped him who is without power? How have you saved the arm that has no strength? 3.   How have you counseled one who has no wisdom? And how have you declared sound advice to many? 4.   To whom have you uttered words? And whose spirit came from you? 5.   "The dead tremble, Those under the waters and those inhabiting them. 6.   Sheol is naked before Him, And Destruction has no covering. 7.   He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth on nothing. 8.   He binds up the water in His thick clouds, Yet the clouds are not broken under it. 9.   He covers the face of His throne, And spreads His cloud over it. 10.   He drew a circular horizon on the face of the waters, At the boundary of light and darkness. 11.   The pillars of heaven tremble, And are astonished at His rebuke. 12.   He stirs up the sea with His power, And by His understanding He breaks up the storm. 13.   By His Spirit He adorned the heavens; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent. 14.   Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, And how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?"

1.   Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said: 2.   " As God lives, who has taken away my justice, And the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter, 3.   As long as my breath is in me, And the breath of God in my nostrils, 4.   My lips will not speak wickedness, Nor my tongue utter deceit. 5.   Far be it from me That I should say you are right; Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me. 6.   My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; My heart shall not reproach me as long as I live. 7.   "May my enemy be like the wicked, And he who rises up against me like the unrighteous. 8.   For what is the hope of the hypocrite, Though he may gain much , If God takes away his life? 9.   Will God hear his cry When trouble comes upon him? 10.   Will he delight himself in the Almighty? Will he always call on God? 11.   "I will teach you about the hand of God; What is with the Almighty I will not conceal. 12.   Surely all of you have seen it ; Why then do you behave with complete nonsense? 13.   "This is the portion of a wicked man with God, And the heritage of oppressors, received from the Almighty: 14.   If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword; And his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread. 15.   Those who survive him shall be buried in death, And their widows shall not weep, 16.   Though he heaps up silver like dust, And piles up clothing like clay–– 17.   He may pile it up, but the just will wear it , And the innocent will divide the silver. 18.   He builds his house like a moth, Like a booth which a watchman makes. 19.   The rich man will lie down, But not be gathered up ; He opens his eyes, And he is no more. 20.   Terrors overtake him like a flood; A tempest steals him away in the night. 21.   The east wind carries him away, and he is gone; It sweeps him out of his place. 22.   It hurls against him and does not spare; He flees desperately from its power. 23.   Men shall clap their hands at him, And shall hiss him out of his place.

26.   And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it , and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." 27.   Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. 28.   "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 29.   "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom." 30.   And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 31.   Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32.   "But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee." 33.   Peter answered and said to Him, "Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble." 34.   Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." 35.   Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" And so said all the disciples. 36.   Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, "Sit here while I go and pray over there." 37.   And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 38.   Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me." 39.   He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will ." 40.   Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, "What? Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41.   "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." 42.   Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done." 43.   And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. 44.   So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 45.   Then He came to His disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46.   "Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand." 47.   And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48.   Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him." 49.   Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed Him. 50.   But Jesus said to him, "Friend, why have you come?" Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. 51.   And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. 52.   But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53.   "Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? 54.   "How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?" 55.   In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me. 56.   "But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.