¹⁶ When Joseph saw Benjamin^(A) with them, he said to the steward of his house,^(B) “Take these men to my house, slaughter an animal and prepare a meal;^(C) they are to eat with me at noon.”

¹⁷ The man did as Joseph told him and took the men to Joseph’s house.^{(D) 18} Now the men were frightened^(E) when they were taken to his house.^(F) They thought, “We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks^(G) the first time. He wants to attack us^(H) and overpower us and seize us as slaves^(I) and take our donkeys.^(J)”

¹⁹ So they went up to Joseph’s steward^(K) and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. ²⁰ “We beg your pardon, our lord,” they said, “we came down here the first time to buy food.^{(L) 21} But at the place where we stopped for the night we opened our sacks and each of us found his silver—the exact weight—in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought it back with us.^{(M) 22} We have also brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don’t know who put our silver in our sacks.”

²³ “It’s all right,” he said. “Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father,^(N) has given you treasure in your sacks;^(O) I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.^(P)

²⁴ The steward took the men into Joseph’s house,^(Q) gave them water to wash their feet^(R) and provided fodder for their donkeys. ²⁵ They prepared their gifts^(S) for Joseph’s arrival at noon,^(T) because they had heard that they were to eat there.

²⁶ When Joseph came home,^(U) they presented to him the gifts^(V) they had brought into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground.^{(W) 27} He asked them how they were, and then he said, “How is your aged father^(X) you told me about? Is he still living?”^(Y)

²⁸ They replied, “Your servant our father^(Z) is still alive and well.” And they bowed down,^(AA) prostrating themselves before him.^(AB)

²⁹ As he looked about and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son,^(AC) he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?”^(AD) And he said, “God be gracious to you,^(AE) my son.” ³⁰ Deeply moved^(AF) at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept^(AG) there.

³¹ After he had washed his face, he came out and, controlling himself,^(AH) said, “Serve the food.”^(AI)

³² They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews,^(AJ) for that is detestable to Egyptians.^{(AK) 33} The men had been seated before him in the order of their ages, from the firstborn^(AL) to the youngest;^(AM) and they looked at each other in astonishment. ³⁴ When portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as anyone else’s.^(AN) So they feasted^(AO) and drank freely with him.

¹⁰ To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband.^{(A) 11} But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband.^(B) And a husband must not divorce his wife.

¹² To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord):^(C) If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. ¹³ And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. ¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.^(D)

¹⁵ But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.^{(E) 16} How do you know, wife, whether you will save^(F) your husband?^(G) Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

Concerning Change of Status

¹⁷ Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them.^(H) This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.^{(I) 18} Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised.^{(J) 19} Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing.^(K) Keeping God’s commands is what counts. ²⁰ Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.^(L)

²¹ Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. ²² For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person;^(M) similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave.^{(N) 23} You were bought at a price;^(O) do not become slaves of human beings. ²⁴ Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.^(P)

Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man^(A)(B)

5 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.^{[a] 2} When Jesus got out of the boat,^(C) a man with an impure spirit^(D) came from the tombs to meet him. ³ This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. ⁴ For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. ⁵ Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

⁶ When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. ⁷ He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me,^(E) Jesus, Son of the Most High God?^(F) In God’s name don’t torture me!” ⁸ For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”

⁹ Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

“My name is Legion,”^(G) he replied, “for we are many.” ¹⁰ And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

¹¹ A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. ¹² The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” ¹³ He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

¹⁴ Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. ¹⁵ When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion^(H) of demons,^(I) sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. ¹⁶ Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. ¹⁷ Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

¹⁸ As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. ¹⁹ Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them^(J) how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” ²⁰ So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis^[b](K) how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.