Genesis 50:15-21

New International Version

Joseph Reassures His Brothers

¹⁵When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge^(A) against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?”^(B) ¹⁶So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions^(C) before he died: ¹⁷‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins^(D) and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’^(E) Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.^(F)” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.^(G)

¹⁸His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him.^(H) “We are your slaves,”^(I) they said.

¹⁹But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?^(J) ²⁰You intended to harm me,^(K) but God intended^(L) it for good^(M) to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.^(N) ²¹So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.^(O)” And he reassured them and spoke kindly^(P) to them.

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1 Kings 8:47-52

New International Version

⁴⁷and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead^(A) with you in the land of their captors and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly’;^(B) ⁴⁸and if they turn back^(C) to you with all their heart^(D) and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray^(E) to you toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and the temple^(F) I have built for your Name;^(G) ⁴⁹then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause. ⁵⁰And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; forgive all the offenses they have committed against you, and cause their captors to show them mercy;^(H) ⁵¹for they are your people and your inheritance,^(I) whom you brought out of Egypt, out of that iron-smelting furnace.^(J)

⁵²“May your eyes be open^(K) to your servant’s plea and to the plea of your people Israel, and may you listen to them whenever they cry out to you.^(L)

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Matthew 18:23-35

New International Version

²³“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like^(A) a king who wanted to settle accounts^(B) with his servants. ²⁴As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold^[a] was brought to him. ²⁵Since he was not able to pay,^(C) the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold^(D) to repay the debt.

²⁶“At this the servant fell on his knees before him.^(E) ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ ²⁷The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

²⁸“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.^[b] He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

²⁹“His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

³⁰“But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. ³¹When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

³²“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. ³³Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ ³⁴In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

³⁵“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”^(F)

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Footnotes

Matthew 18:24 Greek ten thousand talents; a talent was worth about 20 years of a day laborer’s wages.
Matthew 18:28 Greek a hundred denarii; a denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer (see 20:2).