The Daily Audio Bible
Today's audio is from the NLT. Switch to the NLT to read along with the audio.
Joseph Is Sold to Potiphar
39 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. An Egyptian named Potiphar was an officer to the king of Egypt. He was the captain of the palace guard. He bought Joseph from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. 2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man. He lived in the house of his master, Potiphar the Egyptian.
3 Potiphar saw that the Lord was with Joseph. He saw that the Lord made Joseph successful in everything he did. 4 So Potiphar was very happy with Joseph. He allowed Joseph to be his personal servant. He put Joseph in charge of the house. Joseph was trusted with everything Potiphar owned. 5 So Joseph was put in charge of the house. He was put in charge of everything Potiphar owned. Then the Lord blessed the people in Potiphar’s house because of Joseph. And the Lord blessed everything that belonged to Potiphar, both in the house and in the field. 6 So Potiphar put Joseph in charge of everything he owned. Potiphar was not concerned about anything, except the food he ate.
Joseph Is Put into Prison
Now Joseph was well built and handsome. 7 After some time the wife of Joseph’s master began to desire Joseph. One day she said to him, “Have physical relations with me.”
8 But Joseph refused. He said to her, “My master trusts me with everything in his house. He has put me in charge of everything he owns. 9 There is no one in his house greater than I. He has not kept anything from me, except you. And that is because you are his wife. How can I do such an evil thing? It is a sin against God.”
10 The woman talked to Joseph every day, but he refused to have physical relations with her or even spend time with her.
11 One day Joseph went into the house to do his work as usual. He was the only man in the house at that time. 12 His master’s wife grabbed his coat. She said to him, “Come and have physical relations with me.” But Joseph left his coat in her hand and ran out of the house.
13 She saw what Joseph had done. He had left his coat in her hands and had run outside. 14 So she called to the servants in her house. She said, “Look! This Hebrew slave was brought here to shame us. He came in and tried to have physical relations with me. But I screamed. 15 My scream scared him, and he ran away. But he left his coat with me.” 16 She kept his coat until her husband came home. 17 And she told her husband the same story. She said, “This Hebrew slave you brought here came in to shame me! 18 When he came near me, I screamed. He ran away, but he left his coat.”
19 When Joseph’s master heard what his wife said Joseph had done, he became very angry. 20 So Potiphar arrested Joseph and put him into prison. This prison was where the king’s prisoners were put. And Joseph stayed there in the prison.
21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him kindness. The Lord caused the prison warden to like Joseph. 22 The prison warden chose Joseph to take care of all the prisoners. He was responsible for whatever was done in the prison. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s care. This was because the Lord was with Joseph. The Lord made Joseph successful in everything he did.
Joseph Interprets Two Dreams
40 After these things happened, two of the king’s officers displeased the king. These officers were the man who served wine to the king and the king’s baker. 2 The king became angry with his officer who served him wine and his baker. 3 So he put them in the prison of the captain of the guard. This was the same prison where Joseph was kept. 4 The captain of the guard put the two prisoners in Joseph’s care. They stayed in prison for some time.
5 One night both the king’s officer who served him wine and the baker had a dream. Each had his own dream with its own meaning. 6 When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw they were worried. 7 Joseph asked the king’s officers who were with him, “Why do you look so unhappy today?”
8 The two men answered, “We both had dreams last night. But no one can explain the meaning of them to us.”
Joseph said to them, “God is the only One who can explain the meaning of dreams. So tell me your dreams.”
9 So the man who served wine to the king told Joseph his dream. He said, “I dreamed I saw a vine. 10 On the vine there were three branches. I watched the branches bud and blossom, and then the grapes ripened. 11 I was holding the king’s cup. So I took the grapes and squeezed the juice into the cup. Then I gave it to the king.”
12 Then Joseph said, “I will explain the dream to you. The three branches stand for three days. 13 Before the end of three days the king will free you. He will allow you to return to your work. You will serve the king his wine just as you did before. 14 But when you are free, remember me. Be kind to me. Tell the king about me so that I can get out of this prison. 15 I was taken by force from the land of the Hebrews. And I have done nothing here to deserve being put in prison.”
16 The baker saw that Joseph’s explanation of the dream was good. So he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream. I dreamed there were three bread baskets on my head. 17 In the top basket there were all kinds of baked food for the king. But the birds were eating this food out of the basket on my head.”
18 Joseph answered, “I will tell you what the dream means. The three baskets stand for three days. 19 Before the end of three days, the king will cut off your head! He will hang your body on a pole. And the birds will eat your flesh.”
20 Three days later it was the king’s birthday. So he gave a feast for all his officers. In front of his officers, he let the chief officer who served his wine and the chief baker out of prison. 21 The king gave his chief officer who served wine his old position. Once again he put the king’s cup of wine into the king’s hand. 22 But the king hanged the baker on a pole. Everything happened just as Joseph had said it would. 23 But the officer who served wine did not remember Joseph. He forgot all about him.
The King’s Dreams
41 Two years later the king had a dream. He dreamed he was standing on the bank of the Nile River. 2 He saw seven fat and beautiful cows come up out of the river. They stood there, eating the grass. 3 Then seven more cows came up out of the river. But they were thin and ugly. They stood beside the seven beautiful cows on the bank of the Nile. 4 The seven thin and ugly cows ate the seven beautiful fat cows. Then the king woke up. 5 The king slept again and dreamed a second time. In his dream he saw seven full and good heads of grain growing on one stalk. 6 After that, seven more heads of grain sprang up. But they were thin and burned by the hot east wind. 7 The thin heads of grain ate the seven full and good heads. Then the king woke up again. And he realized it was only a dream. 8 The next morning the king was troubled about these dreams. So he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. The king told them his dreams. But no one could explain their meaning to him.
9 Then the chief officer who served wine to the king said to him, “I remember something I promised to do. But I had forgotten about it. 10 There was a time when you were angry with me and the baker. You put us in prison in the house of the captain of the guard. 11 In prison we each had a dream on the same night. Each dream had a different meaning. 12 A young Hebrew man was in the prison with us. He was a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he explained their meanings to us. He told each man the meaning of his dream. 13 Things happened exactly as he said they would: I was given back my old position, and the baker was hanged.”
14 So the king called for Joseph. The guards quickly brought him out of the prison. He shaved, put on clean clothes and went before the king.
15 The king said to Joseph, “I have had a dream. But no one can explain its meaning to me. I have heard that you can explain a dream when someone tells it to you.”
16 Joseph answered the king, “I am not able to explain the meaning of dreams. God will do this for the king.”
Jesus’ True Family
46 While Jesus was talking to the people, his mother and brothers stood outside. They wanted to talk to him. 47 Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and brothers are waiting for you outside. They want to talk to you.”[a]
48 He answered, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 49 Then he pointed to his followers and said, “See! These people are my mother and my brothers. 50 My true brothers and sisters and mother are those who do the things that my Father in heaven wants.”
A Story About Planting Seed
13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Large crowds gathered around him. So Jesus got into a boat and sat, while the people stayed on the shore. 3 Then Jesus used stories to teach them many things. He said: “A farmer went out to plant his seed. 4 While he was planting, some seed fell by the road. The birds came and ate all that seed. 5 Some seed fell on rocky ground, where there wasn’t enough dirt. That seed grew very fast, because the ground was not deep. 6 But when the sun rose, the plants dried up because they did not have deep roots. 7 Some other seed fell among thorny weeds. The weeds grew and choked the good plants. 8 Some other seed fell on good ground where it grew and became grain. Some plants made 100 times more grain. Other plants made 60 times more grain, and some made 30 times more grain. 9 Let those with ears use them and listen!”
Why Jesus Used Stories to Teach
10 The followers came to Jesus and asked, “Why do you use stories to teach the people?”
11 Jesus answered, “Only you can know the secret truths about the kingdom of heaven. Other people cannot know these secret truths. 12 The person who has something will be given more. And he will have all he needs. But the person who does not have much, even what he has will be taken from him. 13 This is why I use stories to teach the people: They see, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really understand. 14 So they show that the things Isaiah said about them are true:
‘You will listen and listen, but you will not understand.
You will look and look, but you will not learn.
15 For these people have become stubborn.
They do not hear with their ears.
And they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might really understand
what they see with their eyes
and hear with their ears.
They might really understand in their minds.
If they did this, they would come back to me and be forgiven.’ Isaiah 6:9-10
16 But you are blessed. You understand the things you see with your eyes. And you understand the things you hear with your ears. 17 I tell you the truth. Many prophets and good people wanted to see the things that you now see. But they did not see them. And many prophets and good people wanted to hear the things that you now hear. But they did not hear them.
Jesus Explains the Seed Story
18 “So listen to the meaning of that story about the farmer. 19 What is the seed that fell by the road? That seed is like the person who hears the teaching about the kingdom but does not understand it. The Evil One comes and takes away the things that were planted in that person’s heart. 20 And what is the seed that fell on rocky ground? That seed is like the person who hears the teaching and quickly accepts it with joy. 21 But he does not let the teaching go deep into his life. He keeps it only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the teaching he accepted, then he quickly gives up. 22 And what is the seed that fell among the thorny weeds? That seed is like the person who hears the teaching but lets worries about this life and love of money stop that teaching from growing. So the teaching does not produce fruit[b] in that person’s life. 23 But what is the seed that fell on the good ground? That seed is like the person who hears the teaching and understands it. That person grows and produces fruit, sometimes 100 times more, sometimes 60 times more, and sometimes 30 times more.”
A Prayer for Protection
A prayer of David.
17 Lord, hear me begging for fairness.
Listen to my cry for help.
Pay attention to my prayer.
I speak the truth.
2 You will judge that I am right.
Your eyes can see what is true.
3 You have examined my heart.
You have tested me all night.
You questioned me without finding anything wrong.
I did not plan any evil.
4 I have obeyed your commands.
I have not done what evil people do.
5 I have done what you told me to do.
I have not failed.
6 I call to you, God,
and you answer me.
Listen to me now.
Hear what I say.
7 Your love is wonderful.
By your power you save
from their enemies those who trust you.
8 Protect me as you would protect your own eye.
Protect me as a bird hides her young under her wings.
9 Keep me from the wicked who attack me.
Protect me from my enemies who surround me.
10 They are selfish.
They brag about themselves.
11 They have chased me.
Now they surround me.
They plan to throw me to the ground.
12 They are like lions ready to kill.
Like lions, they sit in hiding.
13 Lord, rise up and face the enemy.
Throw them down.
Save me from the wicked
with your sword.
14 Lord, save me from them by your power.
Their reward is in this life.
They have plenty of food.
They have many sons.
They leave money to their children.
15 Because I have lived right, I will see your face.
When I wake up, I will see your likeness and be satisfied.
33 The Lord will put a curse on the evil person’s house.
But he will bless the home of people who do what is right.
34 The Lord laughs at those who laugh at him.
But he is kind to those who are not proud.
35 Wise people will receive honor.
But foolish people will be disgraced.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.