AME Zion Universal Reading December 12th 2021

Sunday School Zoom Link

First Portion

Genesis Chapter 44

18Then Judah approached him and said, "Please, my lord, let now your servant speak something into my lord's ears, and let not your wrath be kindled against your servant, for you are like Pharaoh.19My lord asked his servants, saying, 'Have you a father or a brother?'20And we said to my lord, 'We have an old father and a young child of his old age, and his brother is dead, and he is left alone of his mother, and his father loves him.'21And you said to your servants, 'Bring him down to me, and I will set my eye[s] upon him.'22And we said to my lord, 'The boy cannot leave his father, for if he leaves his father, he will die.'23And you said to your servants, 'If your youngest brother does not come down with you, you will not see my face again.'24And it came to pass when we went up to your servant, my father, and we told him the words of my lord,25that our father said, 'Go back, buy us a little food.'26But we said, 'We cannot go down; [only] if our youngest brother is with us will we go down, for we cannot see the man's face if our youngest brother is not with us.'27And your servant, my father, said to us, 'You know that my wife bore me two [children].28The one went away from me, and I said, "He has surely been torn to pieces, and I have not seen him since."29Now if you take this one too away from me, and misfortune befalls him, you will bring down my hoary head in misery to the grave.'30And now, when I come to your servant, my father, and the boy is not with us [since] his soul is attached to his (the boy's) soul,

2 Samuel 9:1–13 (NLT): David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth

One day David asked, “Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 He summoned a man named Ziba, who had been one of Saul’s servants. “Are you Ziba?” the king asked.

“Yes sir, I am,” Ziba replied.

3 The king then asked him, “Is anyone still alive from Saul’s family? If so, I want to show God’s kindness to them.”

Ziba replied, “Yes, one of Jonathan’s sons is still alive. He is crippled in both feet.”

4 “Where is he?” the king asked.

“In Lo-debar,” Ziba told him, “at the home of Makir son of Ammiel.”

5 So David sent for him and brought him from Makir’s home. 6 His name was Mephibosheth; he was Jonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson. When he came to David, he bowed low to the ground in deep respect. David said, “Greetings, Mephibosheth.”

Mephibosheth replied, “I am your servant.”

7 “Don’t be afraid!” David said. “I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king’s table!”

8 Mephibosheth bowed respectfully and exclaimed, “Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?”

9 Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba and said, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You and your sons and servants are to farm the land for him to produce food for your master’s household. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will eat here at my table.” (Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

11 Ziba replied, “Yes, my lord the king; I am your servant, and I will do all that you have commanded.” And from that time on, Mephibosheth ate regularly at David’s table, like one of the king’s own sons.

12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. From then on, all the members of Ziba’s household were Mephibosheth’s servants. 13 And Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet, lived in Jerusalem and ate regularly at the king’s table.

Second Portion

Genesis Chapter 44

31it will come to pass, when he sees that the boy is gone, he will die, and your servants will have brought down the hoary head of your servant, our father, in grief to the grave.32For your servant assumed responsibility for the boy from my father, saying, 'If I do not bring him to you, I will have sinned against my father forever.'33So now, please let your servant stay instead of the boy as a slave to my lord, and may the boy go up with his brothers.34For how will I go up to my father if the boy is not with me? Let me not see the misery that will befall my father!"

Genesis Chapter 45

1Now Joseph could not bear all those standing beside him, and he called out, "Take everyone away from me!" So no one stood with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.2And he wept out loud, so the Egyptians heard, and the house of Pharaoh heard.3And Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?" but his brothers could not answer him because they were startled by his presence.4Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come closer to me," and they drew closer. And he said, "I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.5But now do not be sad, and let it not trouble you that you sold me here, for it was to preserve life that God sent me before you.6For already two years of famine [have passed] in the midst of the land, and [for] another five years, there will be neither plowing nor harvest.7And God sent me before you to make for you a remnant in the land, and to preserve [it] for you for a great deliverance.

Monday

2 Samuel 1:1–12 (NLT): David Learns of Saul’s Death

After the death of Saul, David returned from his victory over the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag. 2 On the third day a man arrived from Saul’s army camp. He had torn his clothes and put dirt on his head to show that he was in mourning. He fell to the ground before David in deep respect.

3 “Where have you come from?” David asked.

“I escaped from the Israelite camp,” the man replied.

4 “What happened?” David demanded. “Tell me how the battle went.”

The man replied, “Our entire army fled from the battle. Many of the men are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.”

5 “How do you know Saul and Jonathan are dead?” David demanded of the young man.

6 The man answered, “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear with the enemy chariots and charioteers closing in on him. 7 When he turned and saw me, he cried out for me to come to him. ‘How can I help?’ I asked him.

8 “He responded, ‘Who are you?’

“ ‘I am an Amalekite,’ I told him.

9 “Then he begged me, ‘Come over here and put me out of my misery, for I am in terrible pain and want to die.’

10 “So I killed him,” the Amalekite told David, “for I knew he couldn’t live. Then I took his crown and his armband, and I have brought them here to you, my lord.”

11 David and his men tore their clothes in sorrow when they heard the news. 12 They mourned and wept and fasted all day for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the Lord’s army and the nation of Israel, because they had died by the sword that day.

Third Portion

Genesis Chapter 45

8And now, you did not send me here, but God, and He made me a father to Pharaoh, a lord over all his household, and a ruler over the entire land of Egypt.9Hasten and go up to my father, and say to him, 'So said your son, Joseph: "God has made me a lord over all the Egyptians. Come down to me, do not tarry.10And you shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near to me, you and your children and your grandchildren, and your flocks and your cattle and all that is yours.11And I will sustain you there for there are still five years of famine lest you become impoverished, you and your household and all that is yours." '12And behold, your eyes see, as well as the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth speaking to you.13And you shall tell my father [of] all my honor in Egypt and all that you have seen, and you shall hasten and bring my father down here."14And he fell on his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck.15And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and afterwards his brothers spoke with him.16And the voice was heard [in] Pharaoh's house, saying, "Joseph's brothers have come!" And it pleased Pharaoh and his servants.17And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Tell your brothers, 'Do this load up your beasts and go, enter the land of Canaan.18And take your father and your households and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and [you will] eat the fat of the land.'19And you [Joseph] have been commanded [to tell them], 'Do this: take yourselves wagons from the land of Egypt for your young children and for your wives, and you shall carry your father and come.20And let your eye not be concerned about your utensils, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.' "21And the sons of Israel did so, and Joseph gave them wagons by Pharaoh's orders, and he gave them provisions for the way.22He gave them all, to each one [several] changes of clothes, and to Benjamin he gave three hundred [pieces of] silver and five changes of clothes.23And to his father he sent the following: ten he donkeys carrying of the best of Egypt, and ten she donkeys carrying grain, bread, and [other] food, for his father for the way.24And he sent off his brothers, and they went, and he said to them, "Do not quarrel on the way."25So they went up from Egypt, and they came to the land of Canaan, to their father, Jacob.26And they told him, saying, "Joseph is still alive," and [they told him] that he ruled over the entire land of Egypt, and his heart changed, for he did not believe them.27And they told him all of Joseph's words that he had said to them, and he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, and the spirit of their father Jacob was revived.

Tuesday

2 Samuel 1:17–27 (NLT): David’s Song for Saul and Jonathan

17 Then David composed a funeral song for Saul and Jonathan, 18 and he commanded that it be taught to the people of Judah. It is known as the Song of the Bow, and it is recorded in The Book of Jashar.

19 Your pride and joy, O Israel, lies dead on the hills!

Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen!

20 Don’t announce the news in Gath,

don’t proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon,

or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice

and the pagans will laugh in triumph.

21 O mountains of Gilboa,

let there be no dew or rain upon you,

nor fruitful fields producing offerings of grain.

For there the shield of the mighty heroes was defiled;

the shield of Saul will no longer be anointed with oil.

22 The bow of Jonathan was powerful,

and the sword of Saul did its mighty work.

They shed the blood of their enemies

and pierced the bodies of mighty heroes.

23 How beloved and gracious were Saul and Jonathan!

They were together in life and in death.

They were swifter than eagles,

stronger than lions.

24 O women of Israel, weep for Saul,

for he dressed you in luxurious scarlet clothing,

in garments decorated with gold.

25 Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen in battle!

Jonathan lies dead on the hills.

26 How I weep for you, my brother Jonathan!

Oh, how much I loved you!

And your love for me was deep,

deeper than the love of women!

27 Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen!

Stripped of their weapons, they lie dead.

Fourth Portion

Genesis Chapter 45

28And Israel said, "Enough! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die."

Genesis Chapter 46

1And Israel and all that was his set out and came to Beer sheba, and he slaughtered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.2And God said to Israel in visions of the night, and He said, "Jacob, Jacob!" And he said, "Here I am."3And He said, "I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid of going down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation.4I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up, and Joseph will place his hand on your eyes.5And Jacob arose from Beer sheba, and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob and their young children and their wives, in the wagons Pharaoh had sent to carry him.6And they took their livestock and their possessions that they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and they came to Egypt, Jacob and all his descendants with him.7His sons and his sons' sons with him, his daughters and his sons' daughters and all his descendants he brought with him to Egypt.

Wednesday

Luke 18:1–8 (NLT): Parable of the Persistent Widow

One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. 2 “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. 3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ 4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, 5 but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’ ”

6 Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. 7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

Fifth Portion

Genesis Chapter 46

8And these are the names of the children of Israel who were coming to Egypt: Jacob and his sons Jacob's firstborn was Reuben.9And the sons of Reuben were Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi.10And the sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, and Zohar, and Saul the son of the Canaanitess.11And the sons of Levi were Gershon, Kehath, and Merari.12And the sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah. Now Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan; and the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.13And the sons of Issachar were Tola, Puvvah, Iob, and Shimron.14And the sons of Zebulun were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.15These are the sons of Leah, that she bore to Jacob in Padan Aram, and Dinah his daughter. All the souls of his sons and daughters were thirty three.16And the sons of Gad were Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.17And the sons of Asher were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Briah, and Serah, their sister; and the sons of Briah were Heber and Malkiel.18These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah, and she bore these to Jacob, sixteen souls.19The sons of Rachel, Jacob's wife, were Joseph and Benjamin.20And to Joseph were born in the land of Egypt, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, the governor of On, bore to him: Manasseh and Ephraim.21And the sons of Benjamin were Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Na'aman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.22These are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob: all the souls were fourteen.23And the sons of Dan: Hushim.24And the sons of Naphtali were Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.25These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachel, and she bore these to Jacob, all the souls were seven.26All the souls coming to Egypt with Jacob, those descended from him, excluding the wives of Jacob's sons, all the souls were sixty six.27And Joseph's sons, who were born to him in Egypt, two souls; all the souls of the house of Jacob who came to Egypt were seventy.

Thursday

Matthew 20:29–34 (NLT): Jesus Heals Two Blind Men

29 As Jesus and the disciples left the town of Jericho, a large crowd followed behind. 30 Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

31 “Be quiet!” the crowd yelled at them.

But they only shouted louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

32 When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?”

33 “Lord,” they said, “we want to see!” 34 Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him.

Sixth Portion

Genesis Chapter 46

28He sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph, to direct him to Goshen, and they came to the land of Goshen.29And Joseph harnessed his chariot, and he went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and he appeared to him, and he fell on his neck, and he wept on his neck for a long time.30And Israel said to Joseph, "I will die this time, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive."31Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's household, "I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and I will say to him, 'My brothers and my father's household who were in the land of Canaan have come to me.32The men are shepherds, for they were [always] owners of livestock, and their flocks and their cattle and all they have they have brought.'33And if it comes to pass that Pharaoh calls you and asks, 'What is your occupation?'34You shall say, 'Your servants have been owners of livestock from our youth until now, both we and our ancestors,' so that you may dwell in the land of Goshen, because all shepherds are abhorrent to the Egyptians."

Genesis Chapter 47

1Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and he said, "My father and my brothers and their flocks and their cattle and all that is theirs, have come from the land of Canaan, and behold, they are in the land of Goshen."2And from among his brothers he took five men, and he presented them before Pharaoh.3And Pharaoh said to his brothers, "What is your occupation?" And they said to Pharaoh, "Your servants are shepherds, both we and our forefathers."4And they said to Pharaoh, "We have come to sojourn in the land, for your servants' flocks have no pasture, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen."5And Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, "Your father and your brothers have come to you.6The land of Egypt is [open] before you; in the best of the land settle your father and your brothers. Let them dwell in the land of Goshen, and if you know that there are capable men among them, make them livestock officers over what is mine."7So Joseph brought his father Jacob and stood him before Pharaoh, and Jacob greeted Pharaoh.8And Pharaoh said to Jacob, "How many are the days of the years of your life?"9And Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The days of the years of my sojournings are one hundred thirty years. The days of the years of my life have been few and miserable, and they have not reached the days of the years of the lives of my forefathers in the days of their sojournings."10So Jacob blessed Pharaoh and left Pharaoh's presence.

Friday

2 Samuel 3:1–5 (NLT):

That was the beginning of a long war between those who were loyal to Saul and those loyal to David. As time passed David became stronger and stronger, while Saul’s dynasty became weaker and weaker.

David’s Sons Born in Hebron

2 These are the sons who were born to David in Hebron:

The oldest was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel.

3 The second was Daniel, whose mother was Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel.

The third was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur.

4 The fourth was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith.

The fifth was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital.

5 The sixth was Ithream, whose mother was Eglah, David’s wife.

Seventh Portion

Genesis Chapter 47

11Joseph settled his father and his brothers, and he gave them property in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had mandated.12And Joseph sustained his father and his brothers and his father's entire household [with] bread according to the young children.13Now there was no food in the entire land, for the famine had grown exceedingly severe, and the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan were exhausted because of the famine.14And Joseph collected all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan with the grain that they were buying, and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house.15Now the money was depleted from the land of Egypt and from the land of Canaan, and all the Egyptians came to Joseph, saying, "Give us food; why should we die in your presence, since the money has been used up?"16And Joseph said, "Give [me] your livestock, and I will give you [food in return] for your livestock, if the money has been used up."17So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food [in return] for the horses and for the livestock in flocks and in cattle and in donkeys, and he provided them with food [in return] for all their livestock in that year.18That year ended, and they came to him in the second year, and they said to him, "We will not hide from my lord, for insofar as the money and the property in animals have been forfeited to my lord, nothing remains before my lord, except our bodies and our farmland.19Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our farmland? Buy us and our farmland for food, so that we and our farmland will be slaves to Pharaoh, and give [us] seed, so that we live and not die, and the soil will not lie fallow."20So Joseph bought all the farmland of the Egyptians for Pharaoh, for the Egyptians sold, each one his field, for the famine had become too strong for them, and the land became Pharaoh's.21And he transferred the populace to the cities, from [one] end of the boundary of Egypt to its [other] end.22Only the farmland of the priests he did not buy, for the priests had an allotment from Pharaoh, and they ate their allotment that Pharaoh had given them; therefore, they did not sell their farmland.23Joseph said to the people, "Behold, I have bought you and your farmland today for Pharaoh. Behold, you have seed, so sow the soil.24And it shall be concerning the crops, that you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and the [remaining] four parts shall be yours: for seed for [your] field[s], for your food, for those in your houses, and for your young children to eat."25They replied, "You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in my lord's eyes, and we will be slaves to Pharaoh."26So Joseph made it a statute to this day concerning the farmland of Egypt for the one fifth. Only the farmland of the priests alone did not become Pharaoh's.27And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt in the land of Goshen, and they acquired property in it, and they were prolific and multiplied greatly.

Saturday

Psalm 21:1–13 (NLT):

1 How the king rejoices in your strength, O Lord!

He shouts with joy because you give him victory.

2 For you have given him his heart’s desire;

you have withheld nothing he requested.

Interlude

3 You welcomed him back with success and prosperity.

You placed a crown of finest gold on his head.

4 He asked you to preserve his life,

and you granted his request.

The days of his life stretch on forever.

5 Your victory brings him great honor,

and you have clothed him with splendor and majesty.

6 You have endowed him with eternal blessings

and given him the joy of your presence.

7 For the king trusts in the Lord.

The unfailing love of the Most High will keep him from stumbling.

8 You will capture all your enemies.

Your strong right hand will seize all who hate you.

9 You will throw them in a flaming furnace

when you appear.

The Lord will consume them in his anger;

fire will devour them.

10 You will wipe their children from the face of the earth;

they will never have descendants.

11 Although they plot against you,

their evil schemes will never succeed.

12 For they will turn and run

when they see your arrows aimed at them.

13 Rise up, O Lord, in all your power.

With music and singing we celebrate your mighty acts.

Maftir Portion

Genesis Chapter 47

25They replied, "You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in my lord's eyes, and we will be slaves to Pharaoh."26So Joseph made it a statute to this day concerning the farmland of Egypt for the one fifth. Only the farmland of the priests alone did not become Pharaoh's.27And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt in the land of Goshen, and they acquired property in it, and they were prolific and multiplied greatly.

Haftarah

Ezekiel Chapter 37

15And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:16"And you, son of man, take for yourself one stick and write upon it, 'For Judah and for the children of Israel his companions'; and take one stick and write upon it, 'For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and all the house of Israel, his companions.'17And bring them close, one to the other into one stick, and they shall be one in your hand.18And when the children of your people say to you, saying, 'Will you not tell us what these are to you?'19Say to them, So says the Lord God: Behold I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim and the tribes of Israel his companions, and I will place them with him with the stick of Judah, and I will make them into one stick, and they shall become one in My hand.20And the sticks upon which you shall write shall be in your hand before their eyes.21And say to them, So says the Lord God: Behold I will take the children of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side, and I will bring them to their land.22And I will make them into one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel, and one king shall be to them all as a king; and they shall no longer be two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms anymore.23And they shall no longer defile themselves with their idols, with their detestable things, or with all their transgressions, and I will save them from all their habitations in which they have sinned, and I will purify them, and they shall be to Me as a people, and I will be to them as a God.24And My servant David shall be king over them, and one shepherd shall be for them all, and they shall walk in My ordinances and observe My statutes and perform them.25And they shall dwell on the land that I have given to My servant, to Jacob, wherein your forefathers lived; and they shall dwell upon it, they and their children and their children's children, forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever.26And I will form a covenant of peace for them, an everlasting covenant shall be with them; and I will establish them and I will multiply them, and I will place My Sanctuary in their midst forever.27And My dwelling place shall be over them, and I will be to them for a God, and they shall be to Me as a people.28And the nations shall know that I am the Lord, Who sanctifies Israel, when My Sanctuary is in their midst forever."

AME Zion Universal Reading December 5th 2021

First Portion

Genesis Chapter 41

1It came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh was dreaming, and behold, he was standing by the Nile.2And behold, from the Nile were coming up seven cows, of handsome appearance and robust flesh, and they pastured in the marshland.3And behold, seven other cows were coming up after them from the Nile, of ugly appearance and lean of flesh, and they stood beside the cows [which were] on the Nile bank.4And the cows of ugly appearance and lean of flesh devoured the seven cows that were of handsome appearance and healthy; then Pharaoh awoke.5And he fell asleep and dreamed again, and behold, seven ears of grain were growing on one stalk, healthy and good.6And behold, seven ears of grain, thin and beaten by the east wind, were growing up after them.7And the thin ears of grain swallowed up the seven healthy and full ears of grain; then Pharaoh awoke, and behold, a dream.8Now it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; so he sent and called all the necromancers of Egypt and all its sages, and Pharaoh related to them his dream, but no one interpreted them for Pharaoh.9Now the chief cupbearer spoke with Pharaoh, saying, "I call to mind my faults today.10Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and he put me in prison, in the house of the chief slaughterer, me and the chief baker.11And we dreamed a dream on the same night, I and he; each one according to the interpretation of his dream, we dreamed.12And there with us was a Hebrew lad, a slave of the chief slaughterer, and we told him, and he interpreted our dreams for us; [for] each [of us], he interpreted according to his dream.13And it came to pass that just as he had interpreted, so it was; me he restored to my position, and him he hanged."14So Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they rushed him from the dungeon, and he shaved and changed his clothes, and he [then] came to Pharaoh.

Sunday

Deuteronomy 5:1–33 (NLT): Ten Commandments for the Covenant Community

Moses called all the people of Israel together and said, “Listen carefully, Israel. Hear the decrees and regulations I am giving you today, so you may learn them and obey them!

2 “The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Mount Sinai. 3 The Lord did not make this covenant with our ancestors, but with all of us who are alive today. 4 At the mountain the Lord spoke to you face to face from the heart of the fire. 5 I stood as an intermediary between you and the Lord, for you were afraid of the fire and did not want to approach the mountain. He spoke to me, and I passed his words on to you. This is what he said:

6 “I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery.

7 “You must not have any other god but me.

8 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind, or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. 9 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. 10 But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.

11 “You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.

12 “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. 13 You have six days each week for your ordinary work, 14 but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your oxen and donkeys and other livestock, and any foreigners living among you. All your male and female servants must rest as you do. 15 Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, but the Lord your God brought you out with his strong hand and powerful arm. That is why the Lord your God has commanded you to rest on the Sabbath day.

16 “Honor your father and mother, as the Lord your God commanded you. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

17 “You must not murder.

18 “You must not commit adultery.

19 “You must not steal.

20 “You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.

21 “You must not covet your neighbor’s wife. You must not covet your neighbor’s house or land, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.

22 “The Lord spoke these words to all of you assembled there at the foot of the mountain. He spoke with a loud voice from the heart of the fire, surrounded by clouds and deep darkness. This was all he said at that time, and he wrote his words on two stone tablets and gave them to me.

23 “But when you heard the voice from the heart of the darkness, while the mountain was blazing with fire, all your tribal leaders and elders came to me. 24 They said, ‘Look, the Lord our God has shown us his glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice from the heart of the fire. Today we have seen that God can speak to us humans, and yet we live! 25 But now, why should we risk death again? If the Lord our God speaks to us again, we will certainly die and be consumed by this awesome fire. 26 Can any living thing hear the voice of the living God from the heart of the fire as we did and yet survive? 27 Go yourself and listen to what the Lord our God says. Then come and tell us everything he tells you, and we will listen and obey.’

28 “The Lord heard the request you made to me. And he said, ‘I have heard what the people said to you, and they are right. 29 Oh, that they would always have hearts like this, that they might fear me and obey all my commands! If they did, they and their descendants would prosper forever. 30 Go and tell them, “Return to your tents.” 31 But you stand here with me so I can give you all my commands, decrees, and regulations. You must teach them to the people so they can obey them in the land I am giving them as their possession.’ ”

32 So Moses told the people, “You must be careful to obey all the commands of the Lord your God, following his instructions in every detail. 33 Stay on the path that the Lord your God has commanded you to follow. Then you will live long and prosperous lives in the land you are about to enter and occupy.

Second Portion

Genesis Chapter 44

31it will come to pass, when he sees that the boy is gone, he will die, and your servants will have brought down the hoary head of your servant, our father, in grief to the grave.32For your servant assumed responsibility for the boy from my father, saying, 'If I do not bring him to you, I will have sinned against my father forever.'33So now, please let your servant stay instead of the boy as a slave to my lord, and may the boy go up with his brothers.34For how will I go up to my father if the boy is not with me? Let me not see the misery that will befall my father!"

Genesis Chapter 45

1Now Joseph could not bear all those standing beside him, and he called out, "Take everyone away from me!" So no one stood with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.2And he wept out loud, so the Egyptians heard, and the house of Pharaoh heard.3And Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?" but his brothers could not answer him because they were startled by his presence.4Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come closer to me," and they drew closer. And he said, "I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.5But now do not be sad, and let it not trouble you that you sold me here, for it was to preserve life that God sent me before you.6For already two years of famine [have passed] in the midst of the land, and [for] another five years, there will be neither plowing nor harvest.7And God sent me before you to make for you a remnant in the land, and to preserve [it] for you for a great deliverance.

Monday

Deuteronomy 5:6–21 (NLT):

6 “I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery.

7 “You must not have any other god but me.

8 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind, or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. 9 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. 10 But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.

11 “You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.

12 “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. 13 You have six days each week for your ordinary work, 14 but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your oxen and donkeys and other livestock, and any foreigners living among you. All your male and female servants must rest as you do. 15 Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, but the Lord your God brought you out with his strong hand and powerful arm. That is why the Lord your God has commanded you to rest on the Sabbath day.

16 “Honor your father and mother, as the Lord your God commanded you. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

17 “You must not murder.

18 “You must not commit adultery.

19 “You must not steal.

20 “You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.

21 “You must not covet your neighbor’s wife. You must not covet your neighbor’s house or land, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.

Third Portion

Genesis Chapter 45

8And now, you did not send me here, but God, and He made me a father to Pharaoh, a lord over all his household, and a ruler over the entire land of Egypt.9Hasten and go up to my father, and say to him, 'So said your son, Joseph: "God has made me a lord over all the Egyptians. Come down to me, do not tarry.10And you shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near to me, you and your children and your grandchildren, and your flocks and your cattle and all that is yours.11And I will sustain you there for there are still five years of famine lest you become impoverished, you and your household and all that is yours." '12And behold, your eyes see, as well as the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth speaking to you.13And you shall tell my father [of] all my honor in Egypt and all that you have seen, and you shall hasten and bring my father down here."14And he fell on his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck.15And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and afterwards his brothers spoke with him.16And the voice was heard [in] Pharaoh's house, saying, "Joseph's brothers have come!" And it pleased Pharaoh and his servants.17And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Tell your brothers, 'Do this load up your beasts and go, enter the land of Canaan.18And take your father and your households and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and [you will] eat the fat of the land.'19And you [Joseph] have been commanded [to tell them], 'Do this: take yourselves wagons from the land of Egypt for your young children and for your wives, and you shall carry your father and come.20And let your eye not be concerned about your utensils, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.' "21And the sons of Israel did so, and Joseph gave them wagons by Pharaoh's orders, and he gave them provisions for the way.22He gave them all, to each one [several] changes of clothes, and to Benjamin he gave three hundred [pieces of] silver and five changes of clothes.23And to his father he sent the following: ten he donkeys carrying of the best of Egypt, and ten she donkeys carrying grain, bread, and [other] food, for his father for the way.24And he sent off his brothers, and they went, and he said to them, "Do not quarrel on the way."25So they went up from Egypt, and they came to the land of Canaan, to their father, Jacob.26And they told him, saying, "Joseph is still alive," and [they told him] that he ruled over the entire land of Egypt, and his heart changed, for he did not believe them.27And they told him all of Joseph's words that he had said to them, and he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, and the spirit of their father Jacob was revived.

Tuesday

Deuteronomy 5:23–33 (NLT):

23 “But when you heard the voice from the heart of the darkness, while the mountain was blazing with fire, all your tribal leaders and elders came to me. 24 They said, ‘Look, the Lord our God has shown us his glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice from the heart of the fire. Today we have seen that God can speak to us humans, and yet we live! 25 But now, why should we risk death again? If the Lord our God speaks to us again, we will certainly die and be consumed by this awesome fire. 26 Can any living thing hear the voice of the living God from the heart of the fire as we did and yet survive? 27 Go yourself and listen to what the Lord our God says. Then come and tell us everything he tells you, and we will listen and obey.’

28 “The Lord heard the request you made to me. And he said, ‘I have heard what the people said to you, and they are right. 29 Oh, that they would always have hearts like this, that they might fear me and obey all my commands! If they did, they and their descendants would prosper forever. 30 Go and tell them, “Return to your tents.” 31 But you stand here with me so I can give you all my commands, decrees, and regulations. You must teach them to the people so they can obey them in the land I am giving them as their possession.’ ”

32 So Moses told the people, “You must be careful to obey all the commands of the Lord your God, following his instructions in every detail. 33 Stay on the path that the Lord your God has commanded you to follow. Then you will live long and prosperous lives in the land you are about to enter and occupy.

Fourth Portion

Genesis Chapter 45

28And Israel said, "Enough! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die."

Genesis Chapter 46

1And Israel and all that was his set out and came to Beer sheba, and he slaughtered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.2And God said to Israel in visions of the night, and He said, "Jacob, Jacob!" And he said, "Here I am."3And He said, "I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid of going down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation.4I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up, and Joseph will place his hand on your eyes.5And Jacob arose from Beer sheba, and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob and their young children and their wives, in the wagons Pharaoh had sent to carry him.6And they took their livestock and their possessions that they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and they came to Egypt, Jacob and all his descendants with him.7His sons and his sons' sons with him, his daughters and his sons' daughters and all his descendants he brought with him to Egypt.

Wednesday

Romans 12:1–2 (NLT): A Living Sacrifice to God

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Romans 12:9–21 (NLT):

9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,

“I will take revenge;

I will pay them back,”

says the Lord.

20 Instead,

“If your enemies are hungry, feed them.

If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap

burning coals of shame on their heads.”

21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

Fifth Portion

Genesis Chapter 46

8And these are the names of the children of Israel who were coming to Egypt: Jacob and his sons Jacob's firstborn was Reuben.9And the sons of Reuben were Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi.10And the sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, and Zohar, and Saul the son of the Canaanitess.11And the sons of Levi were Gershon, Kehath, and Merari.12And the sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah. Now Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan; and the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.13And the sons of Issachar were Tola, Puvvah, Iob, and Shimron.14And the sons of Zebulun were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.15These are the sons of Leah, that she bore to Jacob in Padan Aram, and Dinah his daughter. All the souls of his sons and daughters were thirty three.16And the sons of Gad were Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.17And the sons of Asher were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Briah, and Serah, their sister; and the sons of Briah were Heber and Malkiel.18These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah, and she bore these to Jacob, sixteen souls.19The sons of Rachel, Jacob's wife, were Joseph and Benjamin.20And to Joseph were born in the land of Egypt, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, the governor of On, bore to him: Manasseh and Ephraim.21And the sons of Benjamin were Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Na'aman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.22These are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob: all the souls were fourteen.23And the sons of Dan: Hushim.24And the sons of Naphtali were Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.25These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachel, and she bore these to Jacob, all the souls were seven.26All the souls coming to Egypt with Jacob, those descended from him, excluding the wives of Jacob's sons, all the souls were sixty six.27And Joseph's sons, who were born to him in Egypt, two souls; all the souls of the house of Jacob who came to Egypt were seventy.

Thursday

Deuteronomy 10:1–11 (NLT): A New Copy of the Covenant

“At that time the Lord said to me, ‘Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones. Also make a wooden Ark—a sacred chest to store them in. Come up to me on the mountain, 2 and I will write on the tablets the same words that were on the ones you smashed. Then place the tablets in the Ark.’

3 “So I made an Ark of acacia wood and cut two stone tablets like the first two. Then I went up the mountain with the tablets in my hand. 4 Once again the Lord wrote the Ten Commandments on the tablets and gave them to me. They were the same words the Lord had spoken to you from the heart of the fire on the day you were assembled at the foot of the mountain. 5 Then I turned and came down the mountain and placed the tablets in the Ark of the Covenant, which I had made, just as the Lord commanded me. And the tablets are still there in the Ark.”

6 (The people of Israel set out from the wells of the people of Jaakan and traveled to Moserah, where Aaron died and was buried. His son Eleazar ministered as high priest in his place. 7 Then they journeyed to Gudgodah, and from there to Jotbathah, a land with many brooks and streams. 8 At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant, and to stand before the Lord as his ministers, and to pronounce blessings in his name. These are their duties to this day. 9 That is why the Levites have no share of property or possession of land among the other Israelite tribes. The Lord himself is their special possession, as the Lord your God told them.)

10 “As for me, I stayed on the mountain in the Lord’s presence for forty days and nights, as I had done the first time. And once again the Lord listened to my pleas and agreed not to destroy you. 11 Then the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and resume the journey, and lead the people to the land I swore to give to their ancestors, so they may take possession of it.’

Sixth Portion

Genesis Chapter 46

28He sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph, to direct him to Goshen, and they came to the land of Goshen.29And Joseph harnessed his chariot, and he went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and he appeared to him, and he fell on his neck, and he wept on his neck for a long time.30And Israel said to Joseph, "I will die this time, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive."31Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's household, "I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and I will say to him, 'My brothers and my father's household who were in the land of Canaan have come to me.32The men are shepherds, for they were [always] owners of livestock, and their flocks and their cattle and all they have they have brought.'33And if it comes to pass that Pharaoh calls you and asks, 'What is your occupation?'34You shall say, 'Your servants have been owners of livestock from our youth until now, both we and our ancestors,' so that you may dwell in the land of Goshen, because all shepherds are abhorrent to the Egyptians."

Genesis Chapter 47

1Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and he said, "My father and my brothers and their flocks and their cattle and all that is theirs, have come from the land of Canaan, and behold, they are in the land of Goshen."2And from among his brothers he took five men, and he presented them before Pharaoh.3And Pharaoh said to his brothers, "What is your occupation?" And they said to Pharaoh, "Your servants are shepherds, both we and our forefathers."4And they said to Pharaoh, "We have come to sojourn in the land, for your servants' flocks have no pasture, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen."5And Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, "Your father and your brothers have come to you.6The land of Egypt is [open] before you; in the best of the land settle your father and your brothers. Let them dwell in the land of Goshen, and if you know that there are capable men among them, make them livestock officers over what is mine."7So Joseph brought his father Jacob and stood him before Pharaoh, and Jacob greeted Pharaoh.8And Pharaoh said to Jacob, "How many are the days of the years of your life?"9And Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The days of the years of my sojournings are one hundred thirty years. The days of the years of my life have been few and miserable, and they have not reached the days of the years of the lives of my forefathers in the days of their sojournings."10So Jacob blessed Pharaoh and left Pharaoh's presence.

Friday

Matthew 5:17–20 (NLT): Teaching about the Law

17 “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. 19 So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

20 “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!

Seventh Portion

Genesis Chapter 47

11Joseph settled his father and his brothers, and he gave them property in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had mandated.12And Joseph sustained his father and his brothers and his father's entire household [with] bread according to the young children.13Now there was no food in the entire land, for the famine had grown exceedingly severe, and the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan were exhausted because of the famine.14And Joseph collected all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan with the grain that they were buying, and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house.15Now the money was depleted from the land of Egypt and from the land of Canaan, and all the Egyptians came to Joseph, saying, "Give us food; why should we die in your presence, since the money has been used up?"16And Joseph said, "Give [me] your livestock, and I will give you [food in return] for your livestock, if the money has been used up."17So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food [in return] for the horses and for the livestock in flocks and in cattle and in donkeys, and he provided them with food [in return] for all their livestock in that year.18That year ended, and they came to him in the second year, and they said to him, "We will not hide from my lord, for insofar as the money and the property in animals have been forfeited to my lord, nothing remains before my lord, except our bodies and our farmland.19Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our farmland? Buy us and our farmland for food, so that we and our farmland will be slaves to Pharaoh, and give [us] seed, so that we live and not die, and the soil will not lie fallow."20So Joseph bought all the farmland of the Egyptians for Pharaoh, for the Egyptians sold, each one his field, for the famine had become too strong for them, and the land became Pharaoh's.21And he transferred the populace to the cities, from [one] end of the boundary of Egypt to its [other] end.22Only the farmland of the priests he did not buy, for the priests had an allotment from Pharaoh, and they ate their allotment that Pharaoh had given them; therefore, they did not sell their farmland.23Joseph said to the people, "Behold, I have bought you and your farmland today for Pharaoh. Behold, you have seed, so sow the soil.24And it shall be concerning the crops, that you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and the [remaining] four parts shall be yours: for seed for [your] field[s], for your food, for those in your houses, and for your young children to eat."25They replied, "You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in my lord's eyes, and we will be slaves to Pharaoh."26So Joseph made it a statute to this day concerning the farmland of Egypt for the one fifth. Only the farmland of the priests alone did not become Pharaoh's.27And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt in the land of Goshen, and they acquired property in it, and they were prolific and multiplied greatly.

Saturday

Deuteronomy 27:14–26 (NLT):

14 “Then the Levites will shout to all the people of Israel:

15 ‘Cursed is anyone who carves or casts an idol and secretly sets it up. These idols, the work of craftsmen, are detestable to the Lord.’

And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’

16 ‘Cursed is anyone who dishonors father or mother.’

And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’

17 ‘Cursed is anyone who steals property from a neighbor by moving a boundary marker.’

And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’

18 ‘Cursed is anyone who leads a blind person astray on the road.’

And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’

19 ‘Cursed is anyone who denies justice to foreigners, orphans, or widows.’

And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’

20 ‘Cursed is anyone who has sexual intercourse with one of his father’s wives, for he has violated his father.’

And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’

21 ‘Cursed is anyone who has sexual intercourse with an animal.’

And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’

22 ‘Cursed is anyone who has sexual intercourse with his sister, whether she is the daughter of his father or his mother.’

And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’

23 ‘Cursed is anyone who has sexual intercourse with his mother-in-law.’

And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’

24 ‘Cursed is anyone who attacks a neighbor in secret.’

And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’

25 ‘Cursed is anyone who accepts payment to kill an innocent person.’

And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’

26 ‘Cursed is anyone who does not affirm and obey the terms of these instructions.’

And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’

Maftir Portion

Genesis Chapter 47

25They replied, "You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in my lord's eyes, and we will be slaves to Pharaoh."26So Joseph made it a statute to this day concerning the farmland of Egypt for the one fifth. Only the farmland of the priests alone did not become Pharaoh's.27And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt in the land of Goshen, and they acquired property in it, and they were prolific and multiplied greatly.

Haftarah

Ezekiel Chapter 37

15And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:16"And you, son of man, take for yourself one stick and write upon it, 'For Judah and for the children of Israel his companions'; and take one stick and write upon it, 'For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and all the house of Israel, his companions.'17And bring them close, one to the other into one stick, and they shall be one in your hand.18And when the children of your people say to you, saying, 'Will you not tell us what these are to you?'19Say to them, So says the Lord God: Behold I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim and the tribes of Israel his companions, and I will place them with him with the stick of Judah, and I will make them into one stick, and they shall become one in My hand.20And the sticks upon which you shall write shall be in your hand before their eyes.21And say to them, So says the Lord God: Behold I will take the children of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side, and I will bring them to their land.22And I will make them into one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel, and one king shall be to them all as a king; and they shall no longer be two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms anymore.23And they shall no longer defile themselves with their idols, with their detestable things, or with all their transgressions, and I will save them from all their habitations in which they have sinned, and I will purify them, and they shall be to Me as a people, and I will be to them as a God.24And My servant David shall be king over them, and one shepherd shall be for them all, and they shall walk in My ordinances and observe My statutes and perform them.25And they shall dwell on the land that I have given to My servant, to Jacob, wherein your forefathers lived; and they shall dwell upon it, they and their children and their children's children, forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever.26And I will form a covenant of peace for them, an everlasting covenant shall be with them; and I will establish them and I will multiply them, and I will place My Sanctuary in their midst forever.27And My dwelling place shall be over them, and I will be to them for a God, and they shall be to Me as a people.28And the nations shall know that I am the Lord, Who sanctifies Israel, when My Sanctuary is in their midst forever."

AME Zion Universal Reading November 28th 2021

Sunday School Zoom Link

Acts 10:34–48 (NLT): The Gentiles Hear the Good News

34 Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. 35 In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right. 36 This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee, after John began preaching his message of baptism. 38 And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

39 “And we apostles are witnesses of all he did throughout Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a cross, 40 but God raised him to life on the third day. Then God allowed him to appear, 41 not to the general public, but to us whom God had chosen in advance to be his witnesses. We were those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead. 43 He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.”

The Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit

44 Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. 45 The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too. 46 For they heard them speaking in other tongues and praising God.

Then Peter asked, 47 “Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” 48 So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterward Cornelius asked him to stay with them for several days.

First Portion

Genesis Chapter 37

1Jacob dwelt in the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan.2These are the generations of Jacob: when Joseph was seventeen years old, being a shepherd, he was with his brothers with the flocks, and he was a lad, [and was] with the sons of Bilhah and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph brought evil tales about them to their father.3And Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was a son of his old age; and he made him a fine woolen coat.4And his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, so they hated him, and they could not speak with him peacefully.5And Joseph dreamed a dream and told his brothers, and they continued to hate him.6And he said to them, "Listen now to this dream, which I have dreamed:7Behold, we were binding sheaves in the midst of the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright, and behold, your sheaves encircled [it] and prostrated themselves to my sheaf."8So his brothers said to him, "Will you reign over us, or will you govern us?" And they continued further to hate him on account of his dreams and on account of his words.9And he again dreamed another dream, and he related it to his brothers, and he said, "Behold, I have dreamed another dream, and behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were prostrating themselves to me."10And he told [it] to his father and to his brothers, and his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Will we come I, your mother, and your brothers to prostrate ourselves to you to the ground?"11So his brothers envied him, but his father awaited the matter.

Second Portion

Genesis Chapter 37

12And his brothers went to pasture their father's flocks in Shechem.13And Israel said to Joseph, "Are your brothers not pasturing in Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them." And he said to him, "Here I am."14So he said to him, "Go now and see to your brothers' welfare and the welfare of the flocks, and bring me back word." So he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.15Then a man found him, and behold, he was straying in the field, and the man asked him, saying, "What are you looking for?"16And he said, "I am looking for my brothers. Tell me now, where are they pasturing?"17And the man said, "They have traveled away from here, for I overheard them say, 'Let us go to Dothan.' " So Joseph went after his brothers, and he found them in Dothan.18And they saw him from afar, and when he had not yet drawn near to them, they plotted against him to put him to death.19So they said one to the other, "Behold, that dreamer is coming.20So now, let us kill him, and we will cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, 'A wild beast devoured him,' and we will see what will become of his dreams."21But Reuben heard, and he saved him from their hand[s], and he said, "Let us not deal him a deadly blow."22And Reuben said to them, "Do not shed blood! Cast him into this pit, which is in the desert, but do not lay a hand upon him," in order to save him from their hand[s], to return him to his father.

Monday

Genesis 20:1–16 (NLT):

Abraham moved south to the Negev and lived for a while between Kadesh and Shur, and then he moved on to Gerar. While living there as a foreigner, 2 Abraham introduced his wife, Sarah, by saying, “She is my sister.” So King Abimelech of Gerar sent for Sarah and had her brought to him at his palace.

3 But that night God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are a dead man, for that woman you have taken is already married!”

4 But Abimelech had not slept with her yet, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? 5 Didn’t Abraham tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘Yes, he is my brother.’ I acted in complete innocence! My hands are clean.”

6 In the dream God responded, “Yes, I know you are innocent. That’s why I kept you from sinning against me, and why I did not let you touch her. 7 Now return the woman to her husband, and he will pray for you, for he is a prophet. Then you will live. But if you don’t return her to him, you can be sure that you and all your people will die.”

8 Abimelech got up early the next morning and quickly called all his servants together. When he told them what had happened, his men were terrified. 9 Then Abimelech called for Abraham. “What have you done to us?” he demanded. “What crime have I committed that deserves treatment like this, making me and my kingdom guilty of this great sin? No one should ever do what you have done! 10 Whatever possessed you to do such a thing?”

11 Abraham replied, “I thought, ‘This is a godless place. They will want my wife and will kill me to get her.’ 12 And she really is my sister, for we both have the same father, but different mothers. And I married her. 13 When God called me to leave my father’s home and to travel from place to place, I told her, ‘Do me a favor. Wherever we go, tell the people that I am your brother.’ ”

14 Then Abimelech took some of his sheep and goats, cattle, and male and female servants, and he presented them to Abraham. He also returned his wife, Sarah, to him. 15 Then Abimelech said, “Look over my land and choose any place where you would like to live.” 16 And he said to Sarah, “Look, I am giving your ‘brother’ 1,000 pieces of silver in the presence of all these witnesses. This is to compensate you for any wrong I may have done to you. This will settle any claim against me, and your reputation is cleared.”

Third Portion

Genesis Chapter 37

23Now it came to pass when Joseph came to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his shirt, of the fine woolen coat which was upon him.24And they took him and cast him into the pit; now the pit was empty there was no water in it.25And they sat down to eat a meal, and they lifted their eyes and saw, and behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, and their camels were carrying spices, balm, and lotus, going to take [it] down to Egypt.26And Judah said to his brothers, "What is the gain if we slay our brother and cover up his blood?27Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, but our hand shall not be upon him, for he is our brother, our flesh." And his brothers hearkened.28Then Midianite men, merchants, passed by, and they pulled and lifted Joseph from the pit, and they sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty silver [pieces], and they brought Joseph to Egypt.29And Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; so he rent his garments.30And he returned to his brothers and said, "The boy is gone! And I where will I go?"31And they took Joseph's coat, and they slaughtered a kid, and they dipped the coat in the blood.32And they sent the fine woolen coat, and they brought [it] to their father, and they said, "We have found this; now recognize whether it is your son's coat or not."33He recognized it, and he said, "[It is] my son's coat; a wild beast has devoured him; Joseph has surely been torn up."34And Jacob rent his garments, and he put sackcloth on his loins, and he mourned for his son many days.35And all his sons and all his daughters arose to console him, but he refused to be consoled, for he said, "Because I will descend on account of my son as a mourner to the grave"; and his father wept for him.36And the Midianites sold him to Egypt, to Potiphar, Pharaoh's chamberlain, chief of the slaughterers.

Tuesday

Acts 10:1–8 (NLT): Cornelius Calls for Peter

In Caesarea there lived a Roman army officer named Cornelius, who was a captain of the Italian Regiment. 2 He was a devout, God-fearing man, as was everyone in his household. He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God. 3 One afternoon about three o’clock, he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. “Cornelius!” the angel said.

4 Cornelius stared at him in terror. “What is it, sir?” he asked the angel.

And the angel replied, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received by God as an offering! 5 Now send some men to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.”

7 As soon as the angel was gone, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier, one of his personal attendants. 8 He told them what had happened and sent them off to Joppa.

Fourth Portion

Genesis Chapter 38

1Now it came about at that time that Judah was demoted by his brothers, and he turned away until [he came] to an Adullamite man, named Hirah.2And there Judah saw the daughter of a merchant named Shua, and he took her and came to her.3And she conceived and bore a son, and he named him Er.4And she conceived again and bore a son, and she named him Onan.5Once again she bore a son, and she named him Shelah, and he (Judah) was in Chezib when she gave birth to him.6And Judah took a wife for Er, his firstborn, named Tamar.7Now Er, Judah's firstborn, was evil in the eyes of the Lord, and the Lord put him to death.8So Judah said to Onan, "Come to your brother's wife and perform the rite of the levirate, and raise up progeny for your brother."9Now Onan knew that the progeny would not be his, and it came about, when he came to his brother's wife, he wasted [his semen] on the ground, in order not to give seed to his brother.10Now what he did was evil in the eyes of the Lord, and He put him to death also.11Then Judah said to his daughter in law Tamar, "Remain as a widow in your father's house until my son Shelah grows up," for he said, "Lest he too die, like his brothers." So Tamar went, and she remained in her father's house.12Many days passed, and Shua's daughter, Judah's wife, died; and Judah was consoled, and he went up [to watch] over his sheepshearers he and Hirah, his Adullamite friend to Timnah.13And it was told to Tamar, saying, "Behold, your father in law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep."14So she took off her widow's garb, covered [her head] with a veil and covered her face, and she sat down at the crossroads that were on the way to Timnah, for she saw that Shelah had grown up, but as for her she was not given to him for a wife.15When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, because she covered her face.16So he turned aside toward her to the road, and he said, "Get ready now, I will come to you," for he did not know that she was his daughter in law, and she said, "What will you give me that you should come to me?"17And he said, "I will send a kid from the herd," and she said, "[Only] if you give me a pledge until you send [it]."18So he said, "What is the pledge that I should give you?" And she said, "Your signet, your cloak, and the staff that is in your hand." So he gave them to her, and he came to her, and she conceived his likeness.19Then she arose and went away, and she took off her veil, and she donned her widow's garb.20And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his Adullamite friend to take the pledge from the woman's hand, but he did not find her.21So he asked the people of the place, saying, "Where is the harlot who was at the crossroads on the way?" and they said, "No harlot was here."22So he returned to Judah, and he said, "I have not found her, and the people of the place also said, 'No harlot was here.' "23So Judah said, "Let her take [them] for herself, lest we become a laughingstock. Behold, I sent this kid, but you did not find her."24Now it came about after nearly three months, that it was told to Judah, saying, "Your daughter in law Tamar has played the harlot, and behold, she is pregnant from harlotry." So Judah said, "Bring her out, and let her be burned."25She was taken out, and she sent to her father in law, saying, "From the man to whom these belong I am pregnant," and she said, "Please recognize whose signet ring, cloak, and staff are these?"26Then Judah recognized [them], and he said, "She is right, [it is] from me, because I did not give her to my son Shelah." But he no longer continued to be intimate with her.27And it came about at the time she was giving birth, that behold, there were twins in her womb.28And it came about when she gave birth, that he (the infant) stretched out his hand. So the midwife took and bound a crimson thread on his hand, saying, "This one came out first."29And it came about, as he was drawing back his hand, behold, his brother emerged, and she said, "With what strength you have strengthened yourself!" And he (Judah) named him Perez.30Afterwards, his brother emerged, the one upon whose hand was the crimson thread, and he named him Zerah.

Wednesday

Acts 10:9–22 (NLT): Peter Visits Cornelius

9 The next day as Cornelius’s messengers were nearing the town, Peter went up on the flat roof to pray. It was about noon, 10 and he was hungry. But while a meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners. 12 In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. 13 Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.”

14 “No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean.”

15 But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” 16 The same vision was repeated three times. Then the sheet was suddenly pulled up to heaven.

17 Peter was very perplexed. What could the vision mean? Just then the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house. Standing outside the gate, 18 they asked if a man named Simon Peter was staying there.

19 Meanwhile, as Peter was puzzling over the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, “Three men have come looking for you. 20 Get up, go downstairs, and go with them without hesitation. Don’t worry, for I have sent them.”

21 So Peter went down and said, “I’m the man you are looking for. Why have you come?”

22 They said, “We were sent by Cornelius, a Roman officer. He is a devout and God-fearing man, well respected by all the Jews. A holy angel instructed him to summon you to his house so that he can hear your message.”

Fifth Portion

Genesis Chapter 39

1Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, Pharaoh's chamberlain, chief of the slaughterers, an Egyptian man, purchased him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there.2The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master.3And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and whatever he (Joseph) did the Lord made prosper in his hand.4And Joseph found favor in his eyes, and he (Joseph) served him, and he (Potiphar) appointed him over his house, and all he had he gave into his hand.5Now it came to pass that since he had appointed him over his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the house of the Egyptian for Joseph's sake, and the blessing of the Lord was in all that he had, in the house and in the field.6So he left all that he had in Joseph's hand, and he knew nothing about what was with him except the bread that he ate; and Joseph had handsome features and a beautiful complexion.

Thursday

1 Kings 10:1–9 (NLT): Visit of the Queen of Sheba

When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, which brought honor to the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. 2 She arrived in Jerusalem with a large group of attendants and a great caravan of camels loaded with spices, large quantities of gold, and precious jewels. When she met with Solomon, she talked with him about everything she had on her mind. 3 Solomon had answers for all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. 4 When the queen of Sheba realized how very wise Solomon was, and when she saw the palace he had built, 5 she was overwhelmed. She was also amazed at the food on his tables, the organization of his officials and their splendid clothing, the cup-bearers, and the burnt offerings Solomon made at the Temple of the Lord.

6 She exclaimed to the king, “Everything I heard in my country about your achievements and wisdom is true! 7 I didn’t believe what was said until I arrived here and saw it with my own eyes. In fact, I had not heard the half of it! Your wisdom and prosperity are far beyond what I was told. 8 How happy your people must be! What a privilege for your officials to stand here day after day, listening to your wisdom! 9 Praise the Lord your God, who delights in you and has placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king so you can rule with justice and righteousness.”

Sixth Portion

Genesis Chapter 39

7Now it came to pass after these events that his master's wife lifted up her eyes to Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me."8But he refused, and he said to his master's wife, "Behold, with me my master knows nothing about anything in the house, and all he has he has given into my hand.9In this house, there is no one greater than I, and he has not withheld anything from me except you, insofar as you are his wife. Now how can I commit this great evil, and sin against God?"10Now it came about when she spoke to Joseph day in and day out, that he did not obey her, to lie beside her [and] to be with her.11And it came about on a certain day, that he came to the house to do his work, and none of the people of the house were there in the house.12So she grabbed him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me!" But he left his garment in her hand and fled and went outside.13Now it happened, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled outside,14that she called to the people of her house, and she spoke to them, saying, "Look! He brought us a Hebrew man to mock us. He came to me to lie with me, but I called loudly.15And it happened that when he heard that I raised my voice and called out, he left his garment beside me, and he fled and went outside."16So she left his garment beside her, until his master came home.17And she told him the same thing, saying, "The Hebrew slave that you brought to us came to me to mock me.18And it happened when I raised my voice and called out, that he left his garment beside me and fled outside."19Now it came about when his master heard his wife's report that she spoke to him, saying, "Your slave did such things to me," that his wrath burned.20So Joseph's master took him and put him into prison, the place where the king's prisoners were imprisoned, and he was there in the prison.21The Lord was with Joseph, and He extended charisma to him, and He gave him favor in the eyes of the warden of the prison.22So the warden of the prison delivered all the prisoners who were in the prison into Joseph's hand, and whatever they did there, he [was the one who] did it.23The warden of the prison did not inspect anything [that was] in his (Joseph's) hand, for the Lord was with him, and whatever he did the Lord made prosper.

Friday

Luke 7:1–10 (NLT): The Faith of a Roman Officer

When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people, he returned to Capernaum. 2 At that time the highly valued slave of a Roman officer was sick and near death. 3 When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some respected Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his slave. 4 So they earnestly begged Jesus to help the man. “If anyone deserves your help, he does,” they said, 5 “for he loves the Jewish people and even built a synagogue for us.”

6 So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. 7 I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. 8 I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”

9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!” 10 And when the officer’s friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed.

Seventh Portion

Genesis Chapter 40

1Now it came about after these events that the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and the baker sinned against their master, against the king of Egypt.2And Pharaoh became incensed at his two chamberlains, at the chief cupbearer and at the chief baker.3And he placed them in the prison of the house of the chief of the slaughterers, into the prison, the place where Joseph was imprisoned.4And the chief of the slaughterers appointed Joseph [to be] with them, and he served them, and they were a year in prison.5Now both of them dreamed a dream, each one his dream on the same night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison.6And Joseph came to them in the morning, and he saw them and behold, they were troubled.7And he asked Pharaoh's chamberlains who were with him in the prison of his master's house, saying, "Why are your faces sad today?"8And they said to him, "We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter for it." Joseph said to them, "Don't interpretations belong to God? Tell [them] to me now."9So the chief cupbearer related his dream to Joseph, and he said to him, "In my dream, behold, a vine is before me.10And on the vine are three tendrils, and it seemed to be blossoming, and its buds came out; [then] its clusters ripened into grapes.11And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and squeezed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I placed the cup on Pharaoh's palm."12And Joseph said to him, "This is its meaning: the three tendrils are three days.13In another three days, Pharaoh will number you [with the other officers], and he will restore you to your position, and you will place Pharaoh's cup into his hand, according to [your] previous custom, when you were his cupbearer.14But remember me when things go well with you, and please do me a favor and mention me to Pharaoh, and you will get me out of this house.15For I was stolen from the land of the Hebrews, and here too, I have done nothing, for which they have put me into the dungeon."16Now the chief baker saw that he had interpreted well. So he said to Joseph, "Me too! In my dream, behold, there were three wicker baskets on my head.17And in the topmost basket were all kinds of Pharaoh's food, the work of a baker, and the birds were eating them from the basket atop my head."18And Joseph replied and said, "This is its meaning: the three baskets represent three days.19In another three days, Pharaoh will remove your head from you and hang you on a gallows, and the birds will eat your flesh off you."20Now it came about on the third day, Pharaoh's birthday, that Pharaoh made a feast for all his servants, and he counted the chief cupbearer and chief baker among his servants.21And he restored the chief cupbearer to his [position as] cupbearer, and he placed the cup on Pharaoh's palm.22And the chief baker he hanged, as Joseph had interpreted to them.23But the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, and he forgot him.

Saturday

Acts 10:23–33 (NLT):

23 So Peter invited the men to stay for the night. The next day he went with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Joppa.

24 They arrived in Caesarea the following day. Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter entered his home, Cornelius fell at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter pulled him up and said, “Stand up! I’m a human being just like you!” 27 So they talked together and went inside, where many others were assembled.

28 Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean. 29 So I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. Now tell me why you sent for me.”

30 Cornelius replied, “Four days ago I was praying in my house about this same time, three o’clock in the afternoon. Suddenly, a man in dazzling clothes was standing in front of me. 31 He told me, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been noticed by God! 32 Now send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. He is staying in the home of Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.’ 33 So I sent for you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here, waiting before God to hear the message the Lord has given you.”

Maftir Portion

Genesis Chapter 40

20Now it came about on the third day, Pharaoh's birthday, that Pharaoh made a feast for all his servants, and he counted the chief cupbearer and chief baker among his servants.21And he restored the chief cupbearer to his [position as] cupbearer, and he placed the cup on Pharaoh's palm.22And the chief baker he hanged, as Joseph had interpreted to them.23But the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, and he forgot him.

Haftarah

Amos Chapter 2

6So said the Lord: For three transgressions of Israel, yea for four, I will not return them; For selling an innocent man for money, and a poor man in order to lock [the fields].7Who aspire on the dust of the earth concerning the head of the poor, and they pervert the way of the humble, and a man and his father go to the maid, in order to profane My Holy Name.8And they recline on pledged garments beside every altar, and the wine of the fined ones they drink in the house of their gods.9And I destroyed the Amorites from before them, whose height is as the height of the cedar trees, and they are as strong as oaks, and I destroyed his fruit from above and his roots from below.10And I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and I led you in the desert for forty years, to inherit the land of the Amorites.11And I raised up some of your sons as prophets and some of your young men as Nazirites; is this not so, O children of Israel? says the Lord.12And you gave the Nazirites to drink wine, and you commanded the prophets saying, "Do not prophesy."13Behold, I will oppress your dwelling place, as a wagon full of sheaves is oppressed.14And escape shall be lost to the swift, and the strong shall not gain strength, nor shall the mighty man deliver himself.15And he who holds the bow shall not stand, and the fleetfooted shall not deliver, and the rider of the horse shall not deliver himself.16And the stout-hearted among the mighty shall flee naked on that day, says the Lord.Amos Chapter 3 1Hearken to this word which the Lord spoke about you, O children of Israel, about the entire family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying:2Only you did I love above all the families of the earth; therefore, I will visit upon you all your iniquities.3Will two walk together unless they agreed?4Will a lion roar in the forest if he has no prey? Will a young lion let out a cry from his den unless he has taken something?5Will a bird fall on a net upon the ground unless it has a snare? Will a net ascend from the ground and have taken nothing?6Will a shophar be sounded in the city and the people not quake? Will there be evil in the city if the Lord has not done it?7For the Lord God does nothing unless He has revealed His secret to His servants, the prophets.8A lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken; who will not prophesy?