Lectionary Theme: Christian Family Dedication Day, Family: Celebration of Relationships (23rd Sunday after Pentecost)
October 27 2024
1. Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.
2. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it.
3. Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence.
4. Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they came closer. He said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.
5. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.
6. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest.
7. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to keep alive for you many survivors.
8. So it was not you who sent me here but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
9. Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me; do not delay.
10. You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have.
11. I will provide for you there, since there are five more years of famine to come, so that you and your household and all that you have will not come to poverty.’
12. And now your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my own mouth that speaks to you.
13. You must tell my father how greatly I am honored in Egypt and all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.”
14. Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, while Benjamin wept upon his neck.
15. And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them, and after that his brothers talked with him.
19. But when her owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities.
20. When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, “These men, these Jews, are disturbing our city
21. and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us, being Romans, to adopt or observe.”
22. The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods.
23. After they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely.
24. Following these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
26. Suddenly there was an earthquake so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened.
27. When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped.
28. But Paul shouted in a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.”
29. The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.
30. Then he brought them outside and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31. They answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
32. They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
33. At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay.
34. He brought them up into the house and set food before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God.
18. Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19. Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.
20. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is your acceptable duty in the Lord.
21. Fathers, do not provoke your children, or they may lose heart.
22. Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being watched and in order to please them, but wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord.
23. Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters,
24. since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord Christ.
25. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong has been done, and there is no partiality.
41. Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover.
42. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival.
43. When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents were unaware of this.
44. Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends.
45. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him.
46. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
47. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
48. When his parents saw him they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously looking for you.”
49. He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
50. But they did not understand what he said to them.
51. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them, and his mother treasured all these things in her heart.
52. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years and in divine and human favor.