Psalm 37^[a]

Of David.

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.

Life Through the Spirit

8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation^(A) for those who are in Christ Jesus,^{(B) 2} because through Christ Jesus^(C) the law of the Spirit who gives life^(D) has set you^[a] free^(E) from the law of sin^(F) and death. ³ For what the law was powerless^(G) to do because it was weakened by the flesh,^[b](H) God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh^(I) to be a sin offering.^[c](J) And so he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ in order that the righteous requirement^(K) of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.^(L)

⁵ Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires;^(M) but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.^{(N) 6} The mind governed by the flesh is death,^(O) but the mind governed by the Spirit is life^(P) and peace. ⁷ The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God;^(Q) it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. ⁸ Those who are in the realm of the flesh^(R) cannot please God.

⁹ You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh^(S) but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.^(T) And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ,^(U) they do not belong to Christ. ¹⁰ But if Christ is in you,^(V) then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life^[d] because of righteousness. ¹¹ And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead^(W) is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies^(X) because of^[e] his Spirit who lives in you.