2.07.2012

Today's Bible story

February 7, 2012

We hope that today is a good day.

Today's Bible story based on the calendar of the Catholic Church.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/calendar.php

Most of these contents are things of The World English Bible.
http://ebible.org/web/

We hope that everyone in the peace of the Lord.

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+ First Reading: 1 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30

22 Solomon stood before the altar of Yahweh in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven;

23 and he said, "Yahweh, the God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above, or on earth beneath; who keep covenant and loving kindness with your servants, who walk before you with all their heart;

27 But will God in very deed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens can't contain you; how much less this house that I have built!

28 Yet have respect for the prayer of your servant, and for his supplication, Yahweh my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which your servant prays before you this day;

29 that your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which you have said, 'My name shall be there;' to listen to the prayer which your servant shall pray toward this place.

30 Listen to the supplication of your servant, and of your people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place. Yes, hear in heaven, your dwelling place; and when you hear, forgive.

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+ Psalm: Psalms 85:2.3,4,9,10

2 You have forgiven the iniquity of your people.
You have covered all their sin.
Selah.

3 You have taken away all your wrath.
You have turned from the fierceness of your anger.

4 Turn us, God of our salvation,
and cause your indignation toward us to cease.

9 Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,
that glory may dwell in our land.

10 Mercy and truth meet together.
Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

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+ Gospel: Mark 7:1-13

1 Then the Pharisees, and some of the scribes gathered together to him, having come from Jerusalem.

2 Now when they saw some of his disciples eating bread with defiled, that is, unwashed, hands, they found fault.

3 (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, don't eat unless they wash their hands and forearms, holding to the tradition of the elders.

4 They don't eat when they come from the marketplace, unless they bathe themselves, and there are many other things, which they have received to hold to: washings of cups, pitchers, bronze vessels, and couches.)

5 The Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why don't your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands?"

6 He answered them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,
'This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me.

7 But in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'☆

8 "For you set aside the commandment of God, and hold tightly to the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and you do many other such things."

9 He said to them, "Full well do you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.

10 For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother;'☆ and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.'☆

11 But you say, 'If a man tells his father or his mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban*, that is to say, given to God";'

12 then you no longer allow him to do anything for his father or his mother,

13 making void the word of God by your tradition, which you have handed down. You do many things like this."


☆ 7:7: Isaiah 29:13

☆ 7:10: Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16

☆ 7:10: Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9

* 7:11: Corban is a Hebrew word for an offering devoted to God.

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+ Today's Reading: Genesis 41:56-42:26

56 The famine was over all the surface of the earth. Joseph opened all the store houses, and sold to the Egyptians. The famine was severe in the land of Egypt.

57 All countries came into Egypt, to Joseph, to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all the earth.

42:1 Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, "Why do you look at one another?"

2 He said, "Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there, and buy for us from there, so that we may live, and not die."

3 Joseph's ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.

4 But Jacob didn't send Benjamin, Joseph's brother, with his brothers; for he said, "Lest perhaps harm happen to him."

5 The sons of Israel came to buy among those who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

6 Joseph was the governor over the land. It was he who sold to all the people of the land. Joseph's brothers came, and bowed themselves down to him with their faces to the earth.

7 Joseph saw his brothers, and he recognized them, but acted like a stranger to them, and spoke roughly with them. He said to them, "Where did you come from?"
They said, "From the land of Canaan to buy food."

8 Joseph recognized his brothers, but they didn't recognize him.

9 Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed about them, and said to them, "You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land."

10 They said to him, "No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.

11 We are all one man's sons; we are honest men. Your servants are not spies."

12 He said to them, "No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land!"

13 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 is no more."

14 Joseph said to them, "It is like I told you, saying, 'You are spies!'

15 By this you shall be tested. By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go out from here, unless your youngest brother comes here.

16 Send one of you, and let him get your brother, and you shall be bound, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you, or else by the life of Pharaoh surely you are spies."

17 He put them all together into custody for three days.

18 Joseph said to them the third day, "Do this, and live, for I fear God.

19 If you are honest men, then let one of your brothers be bound in your prison; but you go, carry grain for the famine of your houses.

20 Bring your youngest brother to me; so will your words be verified, and you won't die."
They did so.

21 They said one to another, "We are certainly guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us, and we wouldn't listen. Therefore this distress has come upon us."

22 Reuben answered them, saying, "Didn't I tell you, saying, 'Don't sin against the child,' and you wouldn't listen? Therefore also, behold, his blood is required."

23 They didn't know that Joseph understood them; for there was an interpreter between them.

24 He turned himself away from them, and wept. Then he returned to them, and spoke to them, and took Simeon from among them, and bound him before their eyes.

25 Then Joseph gave a command to fill their bags with grain, and to restore each man's money into his sack, and to give them food for the way. So it was done to them.

26 They loaded their donkeys with their grain, and departed from there.

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