²¹ Then they said to one another, ^(A)“In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.”

²³ So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, ^(A)the robe of many colors that he wore. ²⁴ And they took him and ^(B)threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.

²⁵ Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a ^(C)caravan of ^(D)Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing ^(E)gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. ²⁶ Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it ^(F)if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? ²⁷ Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and ^(G)let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. ²⁸ Then ^(H)Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and ^(I)sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels^[a] of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.

^9 (A)If we confess our sins, he is ^(B)faithful and just to forgive us our sins and ^(C)to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

¹³ For ^(A)judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

¹⁸ Also many of those who were now believers came, ^(A)confessing and divulging their practices.

²⁸ for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’

⁴⁸ ‘where ^(A)their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’