37This advice pleased Pharaoh and all his servants.^d 38“Could we find another like him,” Pharaoh asked his servants, “a man so endowed with the spirit of God?” 39So Pharaoh said to Joseph: “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you are. 40You shall be in charge of my household, and all my people will obey your command. Only in respect to the throne will I outrank you.”^e 41Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Look, I put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” 42With that, Pharaoh took off his signet ring^* and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43He then had him ride in his second chariot, and they shouted “Abrek!”^* before him.

Thus was Joseph installed over the whole land of Egypt. 44“I am Pharaoh,” he told Joseph, “but without your approval no one shall lift hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” 45Pharaoh also bestowed the name of Zaphenath-paneah^* on Joseph, and he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis. And Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.

1The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God,^a

and no torment shall touch them.

2They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead;

and their passing away was thought an affliction

3and their going forth from us, utter destruction.

But they are in peace.^b

4For if to others, indeed, they seem punished,

yet is their hope full of immortality;

5Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed,

because God tried them

and found them worthy of himself.^c

6As gold in the furnace, he proved them,

and as sacrificial offerings^* he took them to himself.^d

7In the time of their judgment^* they shall shine

and dart about as sparks through stubble;^e

8They shall judge nations and rule over peoples,

and the LORD shall be their King forever.^f

9Those who trust in him shall understand truth,

and the faithful shall abide with him in love:

Because grace and mercy are with his holy ones,^g

and his care is with the elect.

Blessing. 3^* Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,^c 4to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you^d 5who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith, to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time. 6^* In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials,^e 7so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.^f 8Although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now yet believe in him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,^g 9as you attain the goal of [your] faith, the salvation of your souls.

10^* Concerning this salvation, prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and investigated it, 11investigating the time and circumstances that the Spirit of Christ within them indicated when it testified in advance to the sufferings destined for Christ and the glories to follow them.^h 12It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you with regard to the things that have now been announced to you by those who preached the good news to you [through] the holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels longed to look.

Appearance to the Disciples.^* 19On the evening of that first day of the week,^j when the doors were locked, where the disciples^* were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.^* The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.^k 21^* [Jesus] said to them again,^l “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22^* And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,^m “Receive the holy Spirit. 23^{* n} Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

Thomas. 24Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”^o 26Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”^p 27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” 28^{* q} Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29^* Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me?^r Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”