²⁸ I am the more eager to send him, therefore, in order that you may rejoice at seeing him again and that I may be less anxious.

⁴ Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy.

²² So you have pain now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.^(A)

³ what we have seen and heard we also declare to you so that you also may have fellowship with us, and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.^{(A) 4} We are writing these things so that our^[a] joy may be complete.

²⁶ for he has been longing for^[a] all of you and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. ²⁷ He was indeed so ill that he nearly died. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, so that I would not have one sorrow after another.

³ And I wrote as I did, so that when I came, I might not suffer grief from those who should have made me rejoice, for I am confident about all of you, that my joy would be the joy of all of you.^(A)

³⁸ grieving especially because of what he had said, that they would not see him again. Then they brought him to the ship.^(A)

¹¹ Israel said to Joseph, “I did not expect to see your face, and here God has let me see your children also.”^(A)

²⁹ Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to meet his father Israel in Goshen. He presented himself to him, fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.^{(A) 30} Israel said to Joseph, “I can die now, having seen for myself that you are still alive.”

²⁷ But when they told him all the words of Joseph that he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. ²⁸ Israel said, “Enough! My son Joseph is still alive. I must go and see him before I die.”