Exodus 1 - 2 - Legacy Standard Bible

Exodus 1 - 2

Israel Multiplies in Egypt

Now these are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob; they came each one with his household: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5 And all the persons who came from the loins of Jacob were seventy in number, but Joseph was already in Egypt. 6 Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. 7 But the sons of Israel were fruitful and increased and multiplied and became exceedingly mighty, so that the land was filled with them. 8 And a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9 And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are more and mightier than we. 10 Come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply and it be in the event of war, that they also join themselves to those who hate us and fight against us and go up from the land.” 11 So they appointed taskmasters over them to afflict them with hard labors. And they built for Pharaoh storage cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out, so that they were in dread of the sons of Israel. 13 So the Egyptians brutally compelled the sons of Israel to slave labor; 14 and they made their lives bitter with hard slave labor in mortar and bricks and in all kinds of slave labor in the field, all their slave labor which they brutally compelled them to do. 15 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other was named Puah; 16 and he said, “When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth and see them upon the birthstool, if it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” 17 But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had spoken to them, but let the boys live. 18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and let the boys live?” 19 Then the midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife can come to them.” 20 So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became very mighty. 21 Now it happened that because the midwives feared God, He made households for them. 22 And Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Every son who is born you are to cast into the Nile, and every daughter you are to keep alive.”

The Birth of Moses

And a man from the house of Levi went and took a daughter of Levi as a wife. 2 And the woman conceived and bore a son; and she saw that he was beautiful, so she hid him for three months. 3 But she could not hide him any longer. So she took for him an ark of papyrus reeds and covered it over with tar and pitch. Then she put the child into it and put it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile. 4 And his sister stood at a distance to know what would be done to him. 5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the Nile, with her young women walking alongside the Nile; and she saw the ark among the reeds and sent her maidservant, and she took it to her. 6 Then she opened it and saw the child. And behold, the boy was crying. And she had pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” 7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women that she may nurse the child for you?” 8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. 9 Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. 10 And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she named him Moses and said, “Because I drew him out of the water.”

Moses Flees to Midian

11 Now it happened in those days, that Moses had grown up. And he went out to his brothers and looked on their hard labors. And he saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his brothers. 12 So he turned this way and that, and he saw that there was no one around. So he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 Then he went out the next day, and behold, two Hebrews were struggling with each other; and he said to the wicked one, “Why are you striking your companion?” 14 But he said, “Who made you a ruler or a judge over us? Are you intending to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and said, “Surely the matter has become known.” 15 And Pharaoh heard of this matter, so he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the presence of Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well. 16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to give water to their father’s flock to drink. 17 Then the shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses rose up and saved them and gave water to their flock to drink. 18 Then they came to Reuel their father, and he said, “Why have you come back so soon today?” 19 So they said, “An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and he actually even drew the water for us and gave water to the flock to drink.” 20 And he said to his daughters, “Where is he then? Why is it that you have left the man behind? Call him so that he may eat bread.” 21 And Moses was willing to settle down with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses. 22 Then she gave birth to a son, and he named him Gershom, for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.”

God Hears Israel’s Groaning

23 Now it happened in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died. And the sons of Israel sighed because of the slavery, and they cried out; and their cry for help because of their slavery rose up to God. 24 So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 25 And God saw the sons of Israel, and God knew them.

Luke 18

Parables on Prayer

Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, 2 saying, “In a certain city there was a certain judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. 3 Now there was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice from my opponent.’ 4 And for a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow is bothering me, I will give her justice, lest by continually coming she wears me out.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge *said. 7 Now, will God not bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? 8 I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find that faith on the earth?” 9 And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and was praying these things to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his chest, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other, for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” 15 And they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they were rebuking them. 16 But Jesus called for them, saying, “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”

The Rich Young Ruler

18 And a ruler questioned Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments, ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” 21 And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.” 22 And when Jesus heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack: sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven. And come, follow Me.” 23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24 And Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 And those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 But He said, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.” 28 And Peter said, “Behold, we have left all that is our own and followed You.” 29 And He said to them, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more at this time and in the age to come, eternal life.” 31 But when He took the twelve aside, He said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things which are written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be completed. 32 For He will be delivered over to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and mistreated and spit upon, 33 and after they have flogged Him, they will kill Him, and the third day He will rise again.” 34 But the disciples understood none of these things, and this statement was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend the things that were said.

Bartimaeus Regains His Sight

35 Now it happened that as Jesus was approaching Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. 36 Now hearing a crowd going by, he began to inquire what this was. 37 They reported to him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 And he called out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 And those who went ahead were rebuking him so that he would be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 And Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him, and when he came near, He questioned him, 41 “What do you want Me to do for you?” And he said, “Lord, I want to regain my sight!” 42 And Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has saved you.” 43 Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him, glorifying God. And when all the people saw it, they gave praise to God.

Psalm 50

God Himself Is Judge

A Psalm of Asaph.

The Mighty One, God, Yahweh, has spoken,

And called the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.

Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,

God has shone forth.

May our God come and not be silent;

Fire devours before Him,

And a storm whirls around Him.

He calls the heavens above,

And the earth, to render justice to His people:

“Gather My holy ones to Me,

Those who have cut a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”

And the heavens declare His righteousness,

For God Himself is judge. Selah.

“Hear, O My people, and I will speak;

O Israel, I will testify against you;

I am God, your God.

I do not reprove you for your sacrifices,

And your burnt offerings are continually before Me.

I shall take no young bull out of your house

Nor male goats out of your folds.

For every beast of the forest is Mine,

The cattle on a thousand hills.

I know every bird of the mountains,

And everything that moves in the field is Mine.

If I were hungry I would not tell you,

For the world is Mine, as well as its fullness.

Shall I eat the flesh of bulls

Or drink the blood of male goats?

Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving

And pay your vows to the Most High;

Call upon Me in the day of distress;

I shall rescue you, and you will glorify Me.”

But to the wicked God says,

“What right have you to recount My statutes

And to take My covenant in your mouth?

For you hate discipline,

And you cast My words behind you.

When you see a thief, you are pleased with him,

And you associate with adulterers.

You let your mouth loose in evil

And you harness your tongue for deceit.

You sit and speak against your brother;

You slander your own mother’s son.

These things you have done and I kept silent;

You thought that I was just like you;

I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes.

“Now consider this, you who forget God,

Lest I tear you in pieces, and there will be none to deliver.

He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies Me;

And he who orders his way,

I shall show the salvation of God.”