Saturday 2 March 2024 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Saturday 2 March 2024 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Genesis 43:16-34

When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his
house, ‘Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and
make ready, for the men are to dine with me at noon.’ The man did as
Joseph said, and brought the men to Joseph’s house. Now the men were
afraid because they were brought to Joseph’s house, and they said,
‘It is because of the money, replaced in our sacks the first time,
that we have been brought in, so that he may have an opportunity to
fall upon us, to make slaves of us and take our donkeys.’ So they
went up to the steward of Joseph’s house and spoke with him at the
entrance to the house. They said, ‘Oh, my lord, we came down the
first time to buy food; and when we came to the lodging-place we
opened our sacks, and there was each one’s money in the top of his
sack, our money in full weight. So we have brought it back with us.
Moreover, we have brought down with us additional money to buy food.
We do not know who put our money in our sacks.’ He replied, ‘Rest
assured, do not be afraid; your God and the God of your father must
have put treasure in your sacks for you; I received your money.’
Then he brought Simeon out to them. When the steward* had brought the
men into Joseph’s house, and given them water, and they had washed
their feet, and when he had given their donkeys fodder, they made the
present ready for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they had heard that
they would dine there.

 When Joseph came home, they brought him the present that they had
carried into the house, and bowed to the ground before him. He
inquired about their welfare, and said, ‘Is your father well, the
old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?’ They said, ‘Your
servant our father is well; he is still alive.’ And they bowed their
heads and did obeisance. Then he looked up and saw his brother
Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, ‘Is this your youngest
brother, of whom you spoke to me? God be gracious to you, my son!’
With that, Joseph hurried out, because he was overcome with affection
for his brother, and he was about to weep. So he went into a private
room and wept there. Then he washed his face and came out; and
controlling himself he said, ‘Serve the meal.’ They served him by
himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by
themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, for
that is an abomination to the Egyptians. When they were seated before
him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest
according to his youth, the men looked at one another in amazement.
Portions were taken to them from Joseph’s table, but Benjamin’s
portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and
were merry with him.
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1 Corinthians 7:10-24

To the married I give this command—not I but the Lord—that the
wife should not separate from her husband (but if she does separate,
let her remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and
that the husband should not divorce his wife.

 To the rest I say—I and not the Lord—that if any believer* has a
wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he
should not divorce her. And if any woman has a husband who is an
unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce
him. For the unbelieving husband is made holy through his wife, and
the unbelieving wife is made holy through her husband. Otherwise, your
children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. But if the
unbelieving partner separates, let it be so; in such a case the
brother or sister is not bound. It is to peace that God has called
you.* Wife, for all you know, you might save your husband. Husband,
for all you know, you might save your wife.
 However that may be, let each of you lead the life that the Lord has
assigned, to which God called you. This is my rule in all the
churches. Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let
him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the
time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision.
Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing; but obeying
the commandments of God is everything. Let each of you remain in the
condition in which you were called.

 Were you a slave when called? Do not be concerned about it. Even if
you can gain your freedom, make use of your present condition now more
than ever.* For whoever was called in the Lord as a slave is a freed
person belonging to the Lord, just as whoever was free when called is
a slave of Christ. You were bought with a price; do not become slaves
of human masters. In whatever condition you were called, brothers and
sisters,* there remain with God.
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Mark 5:1-20

They came to the other side of the lake, to the country of the
Gerasenes.* And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man
out of the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. He lived among the
tombs; and no one could restrain him any more, even with a chain; for
he had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but the chains
he wrenched apart, and the shackles he broke in pieces; and no one had
the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the
mountains he was always howling and bruising himself with stones. When
he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down before him; and he
shouted at the top of his voice, ‘What have you to do with me,
Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment
me.’ For he had said to him, ‘Come out of the man, you unclean
spirit!’ Then Jesus* asked him, ‘What is your name?’ He replied,
‘My name is Legion; for we are many.’ He begged him earnestly not
to send them out of the country. Now there on the hillside a great
herd of swine was feeding; and the unclean spirits* begged him,
‘Send us into the swine; let us enter them.’ So he gave them
permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine;
and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank
into the lake, and were drowned in the lake.

 The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country.
Then people came to see what it was that had happened. They came to
Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right
mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. Those
who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine
reported it. Then they began to beg Jesus* to leave their
neighbourhood. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been
possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. But Jesus*
refused, and said to him, ‘Go home to your friends, and tell them
how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown
you.’ And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how
much Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.
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Morning Psalms: Psalm 75, 76

Psalm 75

We give thanks to you, O God;
   we give thanks; your name is near.
People tell of your wondrous deeds. 

At the set time that I appoint
   I will judge with equity. 
When the earth totters, with all its inhabitants,
   it is I who keep its pillars steady.
          Selah 
I say to the boastful, ‘Do not boast’,
   and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn; 
do not lift up your horn on high,
   or speak with insolent neck.’ 

For not from the east or from the west
   and not from the wilderness comes lifting up; 
but it is God who executes judgement,
   putting down one and lifting up another. 
For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup
   with foaming wine, well mixed;
he will pour a draught from it,
   and all the wicked of the earth
   shall drain it down to the dregs. 
But I will rejoice* for ever;
   I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. 

All the horns of the wicked I will cut off,
   but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.

Psalm 76

In Judah God is known,
   his name is great in Israel. 
His abode has been established in Salem,
   his dwelling-place in Zion. 
There he broke the flashing arrows,
   the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war.
          Selah 

Glorious are you, more majestic
   than the everlasting mountains.* 
The stout-hearted were stripped of their spoil;
   they sank into sleep;
none of the troops
   was able to lift a hand. 
At your rebuke, O God of Jacob,
   both rider and horse lay stunned. 

But you indeed are awesome!
   Who can stand before you
   when once your anger is roused? 
>From the heavens you uttered judgement;
   the earth feared and was still 
when God rose up to establish judgement,
   to save all the oppressed of the earth.
          Selah 

Human wrath serves only to praise you,
   when you bind the last bit of your* wrath around you. 
Make vows to the Lord your God, and perform them;
   let all who are around him bring gifts
   to the one who is awesome, 
who cuts off the spirit of princes,
   who inspires fear in the kings of the earth.
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 23, 27

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 
   He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;* 
   he restores my soul.*
He leads me in right paths*
   for his name’s sake. 

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,*
   I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
   your rod and your staff—
   they comfort me. 

You prepare a table before me
   in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
   my cup overflows. 
Surely* goodness and mercy* shall follow me
   all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
   my whole life long.

Psalm 27

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
   whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold* of my life;
   of whom shall I be afraid? 

When evildoers assail me
   to devour my flesh—
my adversaries and foes—
   they shall stumble and fall. 

Though an army encamp against me,
   my heart shall not fear;
though war rise up against me,
   yet I will be confident. 

One thing I asked of the Lord,
   that will I seek after:
to live in the house of the Lord
   all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the Lord,
   and to inquire in his temple. 

For he will hide me in his shelter
   in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
   he will set me high on a rock. 

Now my head is lifted up
   above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
   sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord. 

Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud,
   be gracious to me and answer me! 
‘Come,’ my heart says, ‘seek his face!’
   Your face, Lord, do I seek. 
   Do not hide your face from me. 

Do not turn your servant away in anger,
   you who have been my help.
Do not cast me off, do not forsake me,
   O God of my salvation! 
If my father and mother forsake me,
   the Lord will take me up. 

Teach me your way, O Lord,
   and lead me on a level path
   because of my enemies. 
Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries,
   for false witnesses have risen against me,
   and they are breathing out violence. 

I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord
   in the land of the living. 
Wait for the Lord;
   be strong, and let your heart take courage;
   wait for the Lord!
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