Matthew 9:1-13 Acts 13:1-25 Psalms 21 Genesis 46-47

Matthew 9:1-13
Mat 9:1 Back in the boat, Jesus and the disciples recrossed the sea to Jesus' hometown.
Mat 9:2 They were hardly out of the boat when some men carried a paraplegic on a stretcher and set him down in front of them. Jesus, impressed by their bold belief, said to the paraplegic, "Cheer up, son. I forgive your sins."
Mat 9:3 Some religion scholars whispered, "Why, that's blasphemy!"
Mat 9:4 Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, "Why this gossipy whispering?
Mat 9:5 Which do you think is simpler: to say, 'I forgive your sins,' or, 'Get up and walk'?
Mat 9:6 Well, just so it's clear that I'm the Son of Man and authorized to do either, or both. . . ." At this he turned to the paraplegic and said, "Get up. Take your bed and go home."
Mat 9:7 And the man did it.
Mat 9:8 The crowd was awestruck, amazed and pleased that God had authorized Jesus to work among them this way.
Mat 9:9 Passing along, Jesus saw a man at his work collecting taxes. His name was Matthew. Jesus said, "Come along with me." Matthew stood up and followed him.
Mat 9:10 Later when Jesus was eating supper at Matthew's house with his close followers, a lot of disreputable characters came and joined them.
Mat 9:11 When the Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company, they had a fit, and lit into Jesus' followers. "What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cozy with crooks and riff-raff?"
Mat 9:12 Jesus, overhearing, shot back, "Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick?
Mat 9:13 Go figure out what this Scripture means: 'I'm after mercy, not religion.' I'm here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders."

Acts 13:1-25
Act 13:1 The congregation in Antioch was blessed with a number of prophet-preachers and teachers: Barnabas, Simon, nicknamed Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen, an advisor to the ruler Herod, Saul.
Act 13:2 One day as they were worshiping God--they were also fasting as they waited for guidance--the Holy Spirit spoke: "Take Barnabas and Saul and commission them for the work I have called them to do."
Act 13:3 So they commissioned them. In that circle of intensity and obedience, of fasting and praying, they laid hands on their heads and sent them off.
Act 13:4 Sent off on their new assignment by the Holy Spirit, Barnabas and Saul went down to Seleucia and caught a ship for Cyprus.
Act 13:5 The first thing they did when they put in at Salamis was preach God's Word in the Jewish meeting places. They had John along to help out as needed.
Act 13:6 They traveled the length of the island, and at Paphos came upon a Jewish wizard
Act 13:7 who had worked himself into the confidence of the governor, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man not easily taken in by charlatans. The wizard's name was Bar-Jesus. He was as crooked as a corkscrew. The governor invited Barnabas and Saul in, wanting to hear God's Word firsthand from them.
Act 13:8 But Dr. Know-It-All (that's the wizard's name in plain English) stirred up a ruckus, trying to divert the governor from becoming a believer.
Act 13:9 But Saul (or Paul), full of the Holy Spirit and looking him straight in the eye, said,
Act 13:10 "You bag of wind, you parody of a devil--why, you stay up nights inventing schemes to cheat people out of God.
Act 13:11 But now you've come up against God himself, and your game is up. You're about to go blind--no sunlight for you for a good long stretch." He was plunged immediately into a shadowy mist and stumbled around, begging people to take his hand and show him the way.
Act 13:12 When the governor saw what happened, he became a believer, full of enthusiasm over what they were saying about the Master.
Act 13:13 From Paphos, Paul and company put out to sea, sailing on to Perga in Pamphylia. That's where John called it quits and went back to Jerusalem.
Act 13:14 From Perga the rest of them traveled on to Antioch in Pisidia. On the Sabbath they went to the meeting place and took their places.
Act 13:15 After the reading of the Scriptures--God's Law and the Prophets--the president of the meeting asked them, "Friends, do you have anything you want to say? A word of encouragement, perhaps?"
Act 13:16 Paul stood up, paused and took a deep breath, then said, "Fellow Israelites and friends of God, listen.
Act 13:17 God took a special interest in our ancestors, pulled our people who were beaten down in Egyptian exile to their feet, and led them out of there in grand style.
Act 13:18 He took good care of them for nearly forty years in that godforsaken wilderness
Act 13:19 and then, having wiped out seven enemies who stood in the way, gave them the land of Canaan for their very own--
Act 13:20 a span in all of about four hundred fifty years. "Up to the time of Samuel the prophet, God provided judges to lead them.
Act 13:21 But then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul, son of Kish, out of the tribe of Benjamin. After Saul had ruled forty years,
Act 13:22 God removed him from office and put King David in his place, with this commendation: 'I've searched the land and found this David, son of Jesse. He's a man whose heart beats to my heart, a man who will do what I tell him.'
Act 13:23 "From out of David's descendants God produced a Savior for Israel, Jesus, exactly as he promised--
Act 13:24 but only after John had thoroughly alerted the people to his arrival by preparing them for a total life-change.
Act 13:25 As John was finishing up his work, he said, 'Did you think I was the One? No, I'm not the One. But the One you've been waiting for all these years is just around the corner, about to appear. And I'm about to disappear.'

Psalms 21
Psa 21:1 A David psalm. Your strength, GOD, is the king's strength. Helped, he's hollering Hosannas.
Psa 21:2 You gave him exactly what he wanted; you didn't hold back.
Psa 21:3 You filled his arms with gifts; you gave him a right royal welcome.
Psa 21:4 He wanted a good life; you gave it to him, and then made it a long life as a bonus.
Psa 21:5 You lifted him high and bright as a cumulus cloud, then dressed him in rainbow colors.
Psa 21:6 You pile blessings on him; you make him glad when you smile.
Psa 21:7 Is it any wonder the king loves GOD? that he's sticking with the Best?
Psa 21:8 With a fistful of enemies in one hand and a fistful of haters in the other,
Psa 21:9 You radiate with such brilliance that they cringe as before a furnace. Now the furnace swallows them whole, the fire eats them alive!
Psa 21:10 You purge the earth of their progeny, you wipe the slate clean.
Psa 21:11 All their evil schemes, the plots they cook up, have fizzled--every one.
Psa 21:12 You sent them packing; they couldn't face you.
Psa 21:13 Show your strength, GOD, so no one can miss it. We are out singing the good news!

Genesis 46-47
Gen 46:1 So Israel set out on the journey with everything he owned. He arrived at Beersheba and worshiped, offering sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
Gen 46:2 God spoke to Israel in a vision that night: "Jacob! Jacob!" "Yes?" he said. "I'm listening."
Gen 46:3 God said, "I am the God of your father. Don't be afraid of going down to Egypt. I'm going to make you a great nation there.
Gen 46:4 I'll go with you down to Egypt; I'll also bring you back here. And when you die, Joseph will be with you; with his own hand he'll close your eyes."
Gen 46:5 Then Jacob left Beersheba. Israel's sons loaded their father and their little ones and their wives on the wagons Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
Gen 46:6 They arrived in Egypt with the livestock and the wealth they had accumulated in Canaan. Jacob brought everyone in his family with him--
Gen 46:7 sons and grandsons, daughters and granddaughters. Everyone.
Gen 46:8 These are the names of the Israelites, Jacob and his descendants, who went to Egypt: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn.
Gen 46:9 Reuben's sons: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
Gen 46:10 Simeon's sons: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.
Gen 46:11 Levi's sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
Gen 46:12 Judah's sons: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (Er and Onan had already died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.
Gen 46:13 Issachar's sons: Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron.
Gen 46:14 Zebulun's sons: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.
Gen 46:15 These are the sons that Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram. There was also his daughter Dinah. Altogether, sons and daughters, they numbered thirty-three.
Gen 46:16 Gad's sons: Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.
Gen 46:17 Asher's sons: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah. Also their sister Serah, and Beriah's sons, Heber and Malkiel.
Gen 46:18 These are the children that Zilpah, the maid that Laban gave to his daughter Leah, bore to Jacob--sixteen of them.
Gen 46:19 The sons of Jacob's wife Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.
Gen 46:20 Joseph was the father of two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, from his marriage to Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. They were born to him in Egypt.
Gen 46:21 Benjamin's sons were Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.
Gen 46:22 These are the children born to Jacob through Rachel--fourteen.
Gen 46:23 Dan's son: Hushim.
Gen 46:24 Naphtali's sons: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.
Gen 46:25 These are the children born to Jacob through Bilhah, the maid Laban had given to his daughter Rachel--seven.
Gen 46:26 Summing up, all those who went down to Egypt with Jacob--his own children, not counting his sons' wives--numbered sixty-six.
Gen 46:27 Counting in the two sons born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob's family who ended up in Egypt numbered seventy.
Gen 46:28 Jacob sent Judah on ahead to get directions to Goshen from Joseph. When they got to Goshen,
Gen 46:29 Joseph gave orders for his chariot and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel. The moment Joseph saw him, he threw himself on his neck and wept. He wept a long time.
Gen 46:30 Israel said to Joseph, "I'm ready to die. I've looked into your face--you are indeed alive."
Gen 46:31 Joseph then spoke to his brothers and his father's family. "I'll go and tell Pharaoh, 'My brothers and my father's family, all of whom lived in Canaan, have come to me.
Gen 46:32 The men are shepherds; they've always made their living by raising livestock. And they've brought their flocks and herds with them, along with everything else they own.'
Gen 46:33 When Pharaoh calls you in and asks what kind of work you do,
Gen 46:34 tell him, 'Your servants have always kept livestock for as long as we can remember--we and our parents also.' That way he'll let you stay apart in the area of Goshen--for Egyptians look down on anyone who is a shepherd."
Gen 47:1 Joseph went to Pharaoh and told him, "My father and brothers with their flocks and herds and everything they own have come from Canaan. Right now they are in Goshen."
Gen 47:2 He had taken five of his brothers with him and introduced them to Pharaoh.
Gen 47:3 Pharaoh asked them, "What kind of work do you do?" "Your servants are shepherds, the same as our fathers were.
Gen 47:4 We have come to this country to find a new place to live. There is no pasture for our flocks in Canaan. The famine has been very bad there. Please, would you let your servants settle in the region of Goshen?"
Gen 47:5 Pharaoh looked at Joseph. "So, your father and brothers have arrived--a reunion!
Gen 47:6 Egypt welcomes them. Settle your father and brothers on the choicest land--yes, give them Goshen. And if you know any among them that are especially good at their work, put them in charge of my own livestock."
Gen 47:7 Next Joseph brought his father Jacob in and introduced him to Pharaoh. Jacob blessed Pharaoh.
Gen 47:8 Pharaoh asked Jacob, "How old are you?"
Gen 47:9 Jacob answered Pharaoh, "The years of my sojourning are 130--a short and hard life and not nearly as long as my ancestors were given."
Gen 47:10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and left.
Gen 47:11 Joseph settled his father and brothers in Egypt, made them proud owners of choice land--it was the region of Rameses (that is, Goshen)--just as Pharaoh had ordered.
Gen 47:12 Joseph took good care of them--his father and brothers and all his father's family, right down to the smallest baby. He made sure they had plenty of everything.
Gen 47:13 The time eventually came when there was no food anywhere. The famine was very bad. Egypt and Canaan alike were devastated by the famine.
Gen 47:14 Joseph collected all the money that was to be found in Egypt and Canaan to pay for the distribution of food. He banked the money in Pharaoh's palace.
Gen 47:15 When the money from Egypt and Canaan had run out, the Egyptians came to Joseph. "Food! Give us food! Are you going to watch us die right in front of you? The money is all gone."
Gen 47:16 Joseph said, "Bring your livestock. I'll trade you food for livestock since your money's run out."
Gen 47:17 So they brought Joseph their livestock. He traded them food for their horses, sheep, cattle, and donkeys. He got them through that year in exchange for all their livestock.
Gen 47:18 When that year was over, the next year rolled around and they were back, saying, "Master, it's no secret to you that we're broke: our money's gone and we've traded you all our livestock. We've nothing left to barter with but our bodies and our farms.
Gen 47:19 What use are our bodies and our land if we stand here and starve to death right in front of you? Trade us food for our bodies and our land. We'll be slaves to Pharaoh and give up our land--all we ask is seed for survival, just enough to live on and keep the farms alive."
Gen 47:20 So Joseph bought up all the farms in Egypt for Pharaoh. Every Egyptian sold his land--the famine was that bad. That's how Pharaoh ended up owning all the land
Gen 47:21 and the people ended up slaves; Joseph reduced the people to slavery from one end of Egypt to the other.
Gen 47:22 Joseph made an exception for the priests. He didn't buy their land because they received a fixed salary from Pharaoh and were able to live off of that salary. So they didn't need to sell their land.
Gen 47:23 Joseph then announced to the people: "Here's how things stand: I've bought you and your land for Pharaoh. In exchange I'm giving you seed so you can plant the ground.
Gen 47:24 When the crops are harvested, you must give a fifth to Pharaoh and keep four-fifths for yourselves, for seed for yourselves and your families--you're going to be able to feed your children!"
Gen 47:25 They said, "You've saved our lives! Master, we're grateful and glad to be slaves to Pharaoh."
Gen 47:26 Joseph decreed a land law in Egypt that is still in effect, A Fifth Goes to Pharaoh. Only the priests' lands were not owned by Pharaoh.
Gen 47:27 And so Israel settled down in Egypt in the region of Goshen. They acquired property and flourished. They became a large company of people.
Gen 47:28 Jacob lived in Egypt for seventeen years. In all, he lived 147 years.
Gen 47:29 When the time came for Israel to die, he called his son Joseph and said, "Do me this favor. Put your hand under my thigh, a sign that you're loyal and true to me to the end. Don't bury me in Egypt.
Gen 47:30 When I lie down with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me alongside them." "I will," he said. "I'll do what you've asked."
Gen 47:31 Israel said, "Promise me." Joseph promised. Israel bowed his head in submission and gratitude from his bed.