A Silver Cup in a Sack

44 Now Joseph gave these instructions to the steward of his house:^(A) “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack.^{(B) 2} Then put my cup,^(C) the silver one,^(D) in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” And he did as Joseph said.

³ As morning dawned, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys.^{(E) 4} They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to his steward,^(F) “Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?^{(G) 5} Isn’t this the cup^(H) my master drinks from and also uses for divination?^(I) This is a wicked thing you have done.’”

⁶ When he caught up with them, he repeated these words to them. ⁷ But they said to him, “Why does my lord say such things? Far be it from your servants^(J) to do anything like that!^{(K) 8} We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan^(L) the silver^(M) we found inside the mouths of our sacks.^(N) So why would we steal^(O) silver or gold from your master’s house? ⁹ If any of your servants^(P) is found to have it, he will die;^(Q) and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves.^(R)”

¹⁰ “Very well, then,” he said, “let it be as you say. Whoever is found to have it^(S) will become my slave;^(T) the rest of you will be free from blame.”^(U)

¹¹ Each of them quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it. ¹² Then the steward^(V) proceeded to search,^(W) beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest.^(X) And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.^{(Y) 13} At this, they tore their clothes.^(Z) Then they all loaded their donkeys^(AA) and returned to the city.

¹⁴ Joseph was still in the house^(AB) when Judah^(AC) and his brothers came in, and they threw themselves to the ground before him.^{(AD) 15} Joseph said to them, “What is this you have done?^(AE) Don’t you know that a man like me can find things out by divination?^(AF)”

¹⁶ “What can we say to my lord?^(AG)” Judah^(AH) replied. “What can we say? How can we prove our innocence?^(AI) God has uncovered your servants’^(AJ) guilt. We are now my lord’s slaves^(AK)—we ourselves and the one who was found to have the cup.^(AL)”

¹⁷ But Joseph said, “Far be it from me to do such a thing!^(AM) Only the man who was found to have the cup will become my slave.^(AN) The rest of you, go back to your father in peace.”^(AO)

¹⁸ Then Judah^(AP) went up to him and said: “Pardon your servant, my lord,^(AQ) let me speak a word to my lord. Do not be angry^(AR) with your servant, though you are equal to Pharaoh himself. ¹⁹ My lord asked his servants,^(AS) ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’^{(AT) 20} And we answered, ‘We have an aged father, and there is a young son born to him in his old age.^(AU) His brother is dead,^(AV) and he is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’^(AW)

²¹ “Then you said to your servants,^(AX) ‘Bring him down to me so I can see him for myself.’^{(AY) 22} And we said to my lord,^(AZ) ‘The boy cannot leave his father; if he leaves him, his father will die.’^{(BA) 23} But you told your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’^{(BB) 24} When we went back to your servant my father,^(BC) we told him what my lord^(BD) had said.^(BE)

²⁵ “Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy a little more food.’^{(BF) 26} But we said, ‘We cannot go down. Only if our youngest brother is with us will we go. We cannot see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’^(BG)

²⁷ “Your servant my father^(BH) said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.^{(BI) 28} One of them went away from me, and I said, “He has surely been torn to pieces.”^(BJ) And I have not seen him since.^{(BK) 29} If you take this one from me too and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray head down to the grave^(BL) in misery.’^(BM)

³⁰ “So now, if the boy is not with us when I go back to your servant my father,^(BN) and if my father, whose life is closely bound up with the boy’s life,^{(BO) 31} sees that the boy isn’t there, he will die.^(BP) Your servants^(BQ) will bring the gray head of our father down to the grave^(BR) in sorrow. ³² Your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father. I said, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, I will bear the blame before you, my father, all my life!’^(BS)

³³ “Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave^(BT) in place of the boy,^(BU) and let the boy return with his brothers. ³⁴ How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery^(BV) that would come on my father.”^(BW)

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial^(A)

³¹ Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me,^(B) for it is written:

³² But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”^(D)

³³ Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”

³⁴ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”^(E)

³⁵ But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you,^(F) I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

Gethsemane^(G)

³⁶ Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee^(H) along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸ Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow^(I) to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”^(J)

³⁹ Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup^(K) be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”^(L)

⁴⁰ Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me^(M) for one hour?” he asked Peter. ⁴¹ “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.^(N) The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

⁴² He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”^(O)

⁴³ When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴ So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

⁴⁵ Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour^(P) has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶ Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Jesus Arrested^(Q)

⁴⁷ While he was still speaking, Judas,^(R) one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. ⁴⁸ Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” ⁴⁹ Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!”^(S) and kissed him.

⁵⁰ Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”^[b](T)

Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. ⁵¹ With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword,^(U) drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.^(V)

⁵² “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.^{(W) 53} Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?^{(X) 54} But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled^(Y) that say it must happen in this way?”

⁵⁵ In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching,^(Z) and you did not arrest me. ⁵⁶ But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.”^(AA) Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

Joseph Makes Himself Known

45 Then Joseph could no longer control himself^(A) before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!”^(B) So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. ² And he wept^(C) so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.^(D)

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

⁴ Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.”^(H) When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!^{(I) 5} And now, do not be distressed^(J) and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here,^(K) because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.^{(L) 6} For two years now there has been famine^(M) 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^(N) on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.^[a](O)

⁸ “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.^(P) He made me father^(Q) to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.^{(R) 9} Now hurry^(S) 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.^{(T) 10} You shall live in the region of Goshen^(U) and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have.^{(V) 11} I will provide for you there,^(W) because five years of famine^(X) are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’^(Y)

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

¹⁴ Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin^(AD) embraced him,^(AE) weeping. ¹⁵ And he kissed^(AF) all his brothers and wept over them.^(AG) Afterward his brothers talked with him.^(AH)

Imitating Christ’s Humility

2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit,^(A) if any tenderness and compassion,^{(B) 2} then make my joy complete^(C) by being like-minded,^(D) having the same love, being one^(E) in spirit and of one mind. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.^(F) Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,^{(G) 4} not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.^(H)

⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:^(I)

Do Everything Without Grumbling

¹² Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,^{(V) 13} for it is God who works in you^(W) to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.^(X)

¹⁴ Do everything without grumbling^(Y) or arguing, ¹⁵ so that you may become blameless^(Z) and pure, “children of God^(AA) without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”^[c](AB) Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky ¹⁶ as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ^(AC) that I did not run^(AD) or labor in vain.^{(AE) 17} But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering^(AF) on the sacrifice^(AG) and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.^{(AH) 18} So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Timothy and Epaphroditus

¹⁹ I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy^(AI) to you soon,^(AJ) that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. ²⁰ I have no one else like him,^(AK) who will show genuine concern for your welfare. ²¹ For everyone looks out for their own interests,^(AL) not those of Jesus Christ. ²² But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father^(AM) he has served with me in the work of the gospel. ²³ I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me.^{(AN) 24} And I am confident^(AO) in the Lord that I myself will come soon.

²⁵ But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker^(AP) and fellow soldier,^(AQ) who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs.^{(AR) 26} For he longs for all of you^(AS) and is distressed because you heard he was ill. ²⁷ Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁸ Therefore I am all the more eager to send him,^(AT) so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. ²⁹ So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him,^{(AU) 30} because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me.^(AV)