³ Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?”^(A) But his brothers were not able to answer him,^(B) because they were terrified at his presence.^(C)

⁴ Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.”^(D) When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!^{(E) 5} And now, do not be distressed^(F) and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here,^(G) because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.^{(H) 6} For two years now there has been famine^(I) in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. ⁷ But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant^(J) on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.^[a](K)

⁸ “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.^(L) He made me father^(M) to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.^{(N) 9} Now hurry^(O) back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay.^{(P) 10} You shall live in the region of Goshen^(Q) and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have.^{(R) 11} I will provide for you there,^(S) because five years of famine^(T) are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’^(U)

¹² “You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin,^(V) that it is really I who am speaking to you.^{(W) 13} Tell my father about all the honor accorded me in Egypt^(X) and about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.^(Y)”

¹⁴ Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin^(Z) embraced him,^(AA) weeping. ¹⁵ And he kissed^(AB) all his brothers and wept over them.^(AC) Afterward his brothers talked with him.^(AD)

Psalm 103

Of David.

²¹ For since death came through a man,^(A) the resurrection of the dead^(B) comes also through a man. ²² For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.^{(C) 23} But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits;^(D) then, when he comes,^(E) those who belong to him.^{(F) 24} Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom^(G) to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.^{(H) 25} For he must reign^(I) until he has put all his enemies under his feet.^{(J) 26} The last enemy to be destroyed is death.^(K)

³⁰ And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour?^{(A) 31} I face death every day^(B)—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. ³² If I fought wild beasts^(C) in Ephesus^(D) with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised,

³³ Do not be misled:^(F) “Bad company corrupts good character.”^{[b](G) 34} Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God^(H)—I say this to your shame.^(I)

The Resurrection Body

³⁵ But someone will ask,^(J) “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?”^{(K) 36} How foolish!^(L) What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.^{(M) 37} When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. ³⁸ But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.^{(N) 39} Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. ⁴⁰ There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. ⁴¹ The sun has one kind of splendor,^(O) the moon another and the stars another;^(P) and star differs from star in splendor.

⁴² So will it be^(Q) with the resurrection of the dead.^(R) The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;^(S)

Love for Enemies^(A)

²⁷ “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,^{(B) 28} bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.^{(C) 29} If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. ³⁰ Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.^{(D) 31} Do to others as you would have them do to you.^(E)

³² “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?^(F) Even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. ³⁴ And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you?^(G) Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. ³⁵ But love your enemies, do good to them,^(H) and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children^(I) of the Most High,^(J) because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. ³⁶ Be merciful,^(K) just as your Father^(L) is merciful.

Judging Others^(M)

³⁷ “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.^(N) Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.^{(O) 38} Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.^(P) For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”^(Q)