Reading: Genesis 38, Mark 8

¹ And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.² And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her.³ And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er.⁴ And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan.⁵ And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him.⁶ And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.⁷ And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.⁸ And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.⁹ And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.¹⁰ And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.¹¹ Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.¹² And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.¹³ And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep.¹⁴ And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife.¹⁵ When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face.¹⁶ And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me?¹⁷ And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?¹⁸ And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.¹⁹ And she arose, and went away, and laid by her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.²⁰ And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman's hand: but he found her not.²¹ Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side? And they said, There was no harlot in this place.²² And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, that there was no harlot in this place.²³ And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.²⁴ And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.²⁵ When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.²⁶ And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.²⁷ And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.²⁸ And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.²⁹ And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.³⁰ And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.

¹ In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them,² I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat:³ And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.⁴ And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?⁵ And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.⁶ And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people.⁷ And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them.⁸ So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets.⁹ And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.¹⁰ And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.¹¹ And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.¹² And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.¹³ And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side.¹⁴ Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf.¹⁵ And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.¹⁶ And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread.¹⁷ And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened?¹⁸ Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?¹⁹ When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.²⁰ And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven.²¹ And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?²² And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.²³ And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.²⁴ And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.²⁵ After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.²⁶ And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.²⁷ And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am?²⁸ And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets.²⁹ And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.³⁰ And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.³¹ And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.³² And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.³³ But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.³⁴ And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.³⁵ For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.³⁶ For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?³⁷ Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?³⁸ Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.