¹⁷ ‘Say to Joseph: I beg you, forgive the crime of your brothers and the wrong they did in harming you.’ Now therefore please forgive the crime of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.^(A)

Paul’s Plea for Onesimus

⁸ For this reason, though I am more than bold enough in Christ to command you to do the right thing, ⁹ yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love—and I, Paul, do this as an old man and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus.^{[a] 10} I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment.^{(A) 11} Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful^[b] to^[c] you and to me. ¹² I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you.^{[d] 13} I wanted to keep him with me so that he might minister to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel,^{(B) 14} but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced.^{(C) 15} Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for the long term, ¹⁶ no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.^(D)

¹⁷ So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.^{(E) 18} If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to me. ¹⁹ I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self. ²⁰ Yes, brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ.^[e]

¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.^{(A) 13} Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord^[a] has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

³² Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.^[a](A)

¹⁶ As for those who will follow this rule—peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

¹⁰ So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all and especially for those of the family of faith.^(A)

³ Be on your guard! If a brother or sister sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive.^{(A) 4} And if the same person sins against you seven times a day and turns back to you seven times and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive.”^(B)

⁴¹ When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John.

⁴⁰ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.’^(A)