The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Monday January 20, 2020 (NIV)

Genesis 41:17-42

17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Behold, (A)in my dream I was standing on the banks of the Nile. 18 Seven cows, plump and attractive, came up out of the Nile and fed in the reed grass. 19 Seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and thin, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt. 20 And the thin, ugly cows ate up the first seven plump cows, 21 but when they had eaten them no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as ugly as at the beginning. Then I awoke. 22 I also saw in my dream seven ears growing on one stalk, full and good. 23 Seven ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them, 24 and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. And (B)I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”

25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; (C)God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one. 27 The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also (D)seven years of famine. 28 It is as I told Pharaoh; (E)God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 There will come (F)seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt, 30 but after them there will arise (G)seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. (H)The famine will consume the land, 31 and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe. 32 And the doubling of Pharaoh's dream means that the (I)thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about. 33 Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land[a] of Egypt during the seven plentiful years. 35 And (J)let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. 36 That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.”

Joseph Rises to Power

37 This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. 38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, (K)in whom is the Spirit of God?”[b] 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. 40 (L)You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command.[c] Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, (M)I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh (N)took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, and (O)clothed him in garments of fine linen (P)and put a gold chain about his neck. 43 And he made him ride in his second chariot. (Q)And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!”[d] Thus he set him (R)over all the land of Egypt. 44 Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and (S)without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” 45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphenath-paneah. And he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On. So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.

46 Joseph was thirty years old when he (T)entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt. 47 During the seven plentiful years the earth produced abundantly, 48 and he gathered up all the food of these seven years, which occurred in the land of Egypt, and put the food in the cities. He put in every city the food from the fields around it. 49 And Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, (U)like the sand of the sea, until he ceased to measure it, for it could not be measured.

50 Before the year of famine came, (V)two sons were born to Joseph. Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore them to him. 51 Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father's house.”[e] 52 The name of the second he called Ephraim, “For God has (W)made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”[f]

53 The seven years of plenty that occurred in the land of Egypt came to an end, 54 and (X)the seven years of famine began to come, (Y)as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55 When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do.”

56 So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses[g] and (Z)sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57 Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe (AA)over all the earth.

Joseph's Brothers Go to Egypt

42 When (AB)Jacob learned that there was grain for sale in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?” And he said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down and buy grain for us there, that we may (AC)live and not die.” So ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. But Jacob did not send Benjamin, (AD)Joseph's brother, with his brothers, for (AE)he feared that harm might happen to him. Thus the sons of Israel came to buy among the others who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

Now Joseph was governor (AF)over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came and (AG)bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground. Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and (AH)spoke roughly to them. “Where do you come from?” he said. They said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.” And Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. And Joseph (AI)remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them. (AJ)And he said to them, “You are spies; you have come to see the nakedness of the land.” 10 They said to him, “No, my lord, your servants have come to buy food. 11 We are all sons of one man. We are honest men. Your servants have never been spies.”

12 He said to them, “No, it is the nakedness of the land that you have come to see.” 13 And they said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one (AK)is no more.” 14 But Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you. You are spies. 15 By this you shall be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 16 Send one of you, and let him bring your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. Or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies.” 17 And he put them all together in custody for three days.

Footnotes:

  1. Genesis 41:34 Or over the land and organize the land
  2. Genesis 41:38 Or of the gods
  3. Genesis 41:40 Hebrew and according to your command all my people shall kiss the ground
  4. Genesis 41:43 Abrek, probably an Egyptian word, similar in sound to the Hebrew word meaning to kneel
  5. Genesis 41:51 Manasseh sounds like the Hebrew for making to forget
  6. Genesis 41:52 Ephraim sounds like the Hebrew for making fruitful
  7. Genesis 41:56 Hebrew all that was in them
English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Matthew 13:24-46

The Parable of the Weeds

24 He put another parable before them, saying, (A)“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds[a] among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants[b] of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, (B)‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, (C)“Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

The Mustard Seed and the Leaven

31 He put another parable before them, saying, (D)“The kingdom of heaven is like (E)a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

33 He told them another parable. (F)“The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in (G)three measures of flour, till it was (H)all leavened.”

Prophecy and Parables

34 (I)All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. 35 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:[c]

(J)“I will open my mouth in parables;
(K)I will utter what has been hidden (L)since the foundation of the world.”

The Parable of the Weeds Explained

36 Then he left the crowds and went into (M)the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, (N)“Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed is (O)the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are (P)the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. (Q)The harvest is (R)the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds (S)are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at (T)the end of the age. 41 (U)The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all (V)causes of sin and (W)all law-breakers, 42 (X)and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place (Y)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then (Z)the righteous will shine like the sun (AA)in the kingdom of their Father. (AB)He who has ears, let him hear.

The Parable of the Hidden Treasure

44 “The kingdom of heaven (AC)is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy (AD)he goes and sells all that he has and (AE)buys that field.

The Parable of the Pearl of Great Value

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding (AF)one pearl of great value, (AG)went and sold all that he had and (AH)bought it.

Footnotes:

  1. Matthew 13:25 Probably darnel, a wheat-like weed
  2. Matthew 13:27 Or bondservants; also verse 28
  3. Matthew 13:35 Some manuscripts Isaiah the prophet

Cross references:

  1. Matthew 13:24 : ver. 37-42; [Mark 4:26-29]
  2. Matthew 13:29 : [1 Cor. 4:5]
  3. Matthew 13:30 : ch. 3:12
  4. Matthew 13:31 : For ver. 31, 32, see Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18, 19
  5. Matthew 13:31 : ch. 17:20; Luke 17:6
  6. Matthew 13:33 : Luke 13:20, 21
  7. Matthew 13:33 : Gen. 18:6
  8. Matthew 13:33 : 1 Cor. 5:6; Gal. 5:9
  9. Matthew 13:34 : ver. 3; Mark 4:33, 34; [John 16:25, 29]
  10. Matthew 13:35 : Cited from Ps. 78:2
  11. Matthew 13:35 : [ver. 11; Rom. 16:25, 26; 1 Cor. 2:7]
  12. Matthew 13:35 : ch. 25:34; Luke 11:50; [John 17:24; Eph. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:20]
  13. Matthew 13:36 : ver. 1
  14. Matthew 13:36 : ver. 24-30; [ch. 15:15]
  15. Matthew 13:38 : [ver. 43]
  16. Matthew 13:38 : John 8:44; Acts 13:10; 1 John 3:10; [ch. 23:15]; See ver. 19
  17. Matthew 13:39 : Joel 3:13; Rev. 14:15
  18. Matthew 13:39 : ver. 49; ch. 24:3; 28:20; [Dan. 12:13; Heb. 9:26]
  19. Matthew 13:40 : John 15:6; [ch. 3:12]
  20. Matthew 13:40 : [See ver. 39 above]; ver. 49; ch. 24:3; 28:20; [Dan. 12:13; Heb. 9:26]
  21. Matthew 13:41 : ch. 24:31
  22. Matthew 13:41 : ch. 18:7; [Zeph. 1:3]
  23. Matthew 13:41 : ch. 7:23
  24. Matthew 13:42 : ver. 50; Rev. 9:2; [Rev. 19:20; 20:10]
  25. Matthew 13:42 : See ch. 8:12
  26. Matthew 13:43 : Prov. 4:18; Dan. 12:3; [1 Cor. 15:41, 42]
  27. Matthew 13:43 : [ver. 38; ch. 25:34; 26:29; Luke 12:32]
  28. Matthew 13:43 : See ch. 11:15
  29. Matthew 13:44 : Prov. 2:4
  30. Matthew 13:44 : [ch. 25:9; Prov. 23:23; Phil. 3:7, 8]
  31. Matthew 13:44 : [Isa. 55:1; Rev. 3:18]
  32. Matthew 13:46 : ch. 7:6
  33. Matthew 13:46 : [See ver. 44 above]; [ch. 25:9; Prov. 23:23; Phil. 3:7, 8]
  34. Matthew 13:46 : [See ver. 44 above]; [Isa. 55:1; Rev. 3:18]
English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Psalm 18:1-15

The Lord Is My Rock and My Fortress

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, (A)the servant of the Lord, (B)who addressed the words of this (C)song to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said:

18 I love you, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my (D)rock and my (E)fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my (F)rock, in (G)whom I take refuge,
my (H)shield, and (I)the horn of my salvation, my (J)stronghold.
I call upon the Lord, who is (K)worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.

(L)The cords of death encompassed me;
(M)the torrents of destruction assailed me;[a]
(N)the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.

(O)In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I cried for help.
From his (P)temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.

Then the earth (Q)reeled and rocked;
the foundations also of the mountains trembled
and quaked, because he was angry.
Smoke went up from his nostrils,[b]
and devouring (R)fire from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
He (S)bowed the heavens and (T)came down;
(U)thick darkness was under his feet.
10 He rode on a cherub and flew;
he came swiftly on (V)the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his covering, his (W)canopy around him,
thick clouds (X)dark with water.
12 Out of the brightness before him
(Y)hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.

13 The Lord also (Z)thundered in the heavens,
and the Most High uttered his (AA)voice,
hailstones and coals of fire.
14 And he sent out his (AB)arrows and scattered them;
he flashed forth lightnings and (AC)routed them.
15 Then (AD)the channels of the sea were seen,
and the foundations of the world were laid bare
at your (AE)rebuke, O Lord,
at the blast of (AF)the breath of your nostrils.

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 18:4 Or terrified me
  2. Psalm 18:8 Or in his wrath
English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Proverbs 4:1-6

A Father's Wise Instruction

(A)Hear, O sons, a father's instruction,
and be attentive, that you may (B)gain[a] insight,
for I give you good (C)precepts;
do not forsake my teaching.
When I was a son with my father,
(D)tender, (E)the only one in the sight of my mother,
he (F)taught me and said to me,
(G)“Let your heart hold fast my words;
(H)keep my commandments, and live.
(I)Get wisdom; get (J)insight;
do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
(K)love her, and she will guard you.

Footnotes:

  1. Proverbs 4:1 Hebrew know
English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.