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The Final Test
44 He instructed the servant who was over his household, “Fill the sacks of the men with as much food as they can carry and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack. 2 Then put[a] my cup—the silver cup—in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the money for his grain.” He did as Joseph instructed.[b]
3 When morning came,[c] the men and their donkeys were sent off.[d] 4 They had not gone very far from the city[e] when Joseph said[f] to the servant who was over his household, “Pursue the men at once![g] When you overtake[h] them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil? 5 Doesn’t my master drink from this cup[i] and use it for divination?[j] You have done wrong!’”[k]
6 When the man[l] overtook them, he spoke these words to them. 7 They answered him, “Why does my lord say such things?[m] Far be it from your servants to do such a thing![n] 8 Look, the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. Why then would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? 9 If one of us has it,[o] he will die, and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves!”
10 He replied, “You have suggested your own punishment![p] The one who has it will become my slave,[q] but the rest of[r] you will go free.”[s] 11 So each man quickly lowered[t] his sack to the ground and opened it. 12 Then the man[u] searched. He began with the oldest and finished with the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack! 13 They all tore their clothes! Then each man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.
14 So Judah and his brothers[v] came back to Joseph’s house. He was still there,[w] and they threw themselves to the ground before him. 15 Joseph said to them, “What did you think you were doing?[x] Don’t you know that a man like me can find out things like this by divination?”[y]
16 Judah replied, “What can we say[z] to my lord? What can we speak? How can we clear ourselves?[aa] God has exposed the sin of your servants![ab] We are now my lord’s slaves, we and the one in whose possession the cup was found.”
17 But Joseph said, “Far be it from me to do this! The man in whose hand the cup was found will become my slave, but the rest of[ac] you may go back[ad] to your father in peace.”
18 Then Judah approached him and said, “My lord, please allow your servant to speak a word with you.[ae] Please do not get angry with your servant,[af] for you are just like Pharaoh.[ag] 19 My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ 20 We said to my lord, ‘We have an aged father, and there is a young boy who was born when our father was old.[ah] The boy’s[ai] brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left,[aj] and his father loves him.’
21 “Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so I can see[ak] him.’[al] 22 We said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he leaves his father, his father[am] will die.’[an] 23 But you said to your servants, ‘If your youngest brother does not come down with you, you will not see my face again.’ 24 When we returned to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.
25 “Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy us a little food.’ 26 But we replied, ‘We cannot go down there.[ao] If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go,[ap] for we won’t be permitted to see the man’s face if our youngest brother is not with us.’
27 “Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife gave me two sons.[aq] 28 The first disappeared[ar] and I said, “He has surely been torn to pieces.” I have not seen him since. 29 If you take[as] this one from me too and an accident happens to him, then you will bring down my gray hair[at] in tragedy[au] to the grave.’[av]
30 “So now, when I return to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us—his very life is bound up in his son’s life.[aw] 31 When he sees the boy is not with us,[ax] he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father in sorrow to the grave. 32 Indeed,[ay] your servant pledged security for the boy with my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I will bear the blame before my father all my life.’
33 “So now, please let your servant remain as my lord’s slave instead of the boy. As for the boy, let him go back with his brothers. 34 For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I couldn’t bear to see[az] my father’s pain.”[ba]
The Reconciliation of the Brothers
45 Joseph was no longer able to control himself before all his attendants,[bb] so he cried out, “Make everyone go out from my presence!” No one remained[bc] with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2 He wept loudly;[bd] the Egyptians heard it and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.[be]
3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” His brothers could not answer him because they were dumbfounded before him. 4 Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me,” so they came near. Then he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 Now, do not be upset and do not be angry with yourselves because you sold me here,[bf] for God sent me[bg] ahead of you to preserve life! 6 For these past two years there has been famine in[bh] the land and for five more years there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 God sent me[bi] ahead of you to preserve you[bj] on the earth and to save your lives[bk] by a great deliverance. 8 So now, it is not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me an adviser[bl] to Pharaoh, lord over all his household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9 Now go up to my father quickly[bm] and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not delay! 10 You will live[bn] in the land of Goshen, and you will be near me—you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and everything you have. 11 I will provide you with food[bo] there because there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise you would become poor—you, your household, and everyone who belongs to you.”’ 12 You and my brother Benjamin can certainly see with your own eyes that I really am the one who speaks to you.[bp] 13 So tell[bq] my father about all my honor in Egypt and about everything you have seen. But bring my father down here quickly!”[br]
14 Then he threw himself on the neck of his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 15 He kissed all his brothers and wept over them. After this his brothers talked with him.
16 Now it was reported[bs] in the household of Pharaoh, “Joseph’s brothers have arrived.” It pleased[bt] Pharaoh and his servants. 17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and go[bu] to the land of Canaan! 18 Get your father and your households and come to me! Then I will give you[bv] the best land in Egypt and you will eat[bw] the best[bx] of the land.’ 19 You are also commanded to say,[by] ‘Do this: Take for yourselves wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives. Bring your father and come. 20 Don’t worry[bz] about your belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt will be yours.’”
21 So the sons of Israel did as he said.[ca] Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had instructed,[cb] and he gave them provisions for the journey. 22 He gave sets of clothes to each one of them,[cc] but to Benjamin he gave 300 pieces of silver and five sets of clothes.[cd] 23 To his father he sent the following:[ce] ten donkeys loaded with the best products of Egypt and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, food, and provisions for his father’s journey. 24 Then he sent his brothers on their way and they left. He said to them, “As you travel don’t be overcome with fear.”[cf]
25 So they went up from Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.[cg] 26 They told him, “Joseph is still alive and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned,[ch] for he did not believe them. 27 But when they related to him everything Joseph had said to them,[ci] and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to transport him, their father Jacob’s spirit revived. 28 Then Israel said, “Enough! My son Joseph is still alive! I will go and see him before I die.”
The Feeding of the Five Thousand
13 Now when Jesus heard this he went away from there privately in a boat[a] to an isolated place. But when the crowd heard about it,[b] they followed him on foot from the towns.[c] 14 As he got out he saw the large crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 When evening arrived, his disciples came to him saying, “This is an isolated place[d] and the hour is already late. Send the crowds away so that they can go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 But he[e] replied, “They don’t need to go. You[f] give them something to eat.” 17 They[g] said to him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.” 18 “Bring them here to me,” he replied. 19 Then[h] he instructed the crowds to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, and looking up to heaven he gave thanks and broke the loaves. He gave them to the disciples,[i] who in turn gave them to the crowds.[j] 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the broken pieces left over, twelve baskets full. 21 Not counting women and children, there were about 5,000 men who ate.
Walking on Water
22 Immediately Jesus[k] made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dispersed the crowds. 23 And after he sent the crowds away, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone. 24 Meanwhile the boat, already far from land,[l] was taking a beating from the waves because the wind was against it. 25 As the night was ending,[m] Jesus came to them walking on the sea.[n] 26 When[o] the disciples saw him walking on the water[p] they were terrified and said, “It’s a ghost!” and cried out with fear. 27 But immediately Jesus[q] spoke to them:[r] “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” 28 Peter[s] said to him,[t] “Lord, if it is you, order me to come to you on the water.” 29 So he said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind he became afraid. And starting to sink, he cried out,[u] “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 When they went up into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
34 After they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret.[v] 35 When the people[w] there recognized him, they sent word into all the surrounding area, and they brought all their sick to him. 36 They begged him if[x] they could only touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.
37 I chase my enemies and catch[a] them;
I do not turn back until I wipe them out.
38 I beat them[b] to death;[c]
they fall at my feet.[d]
39 You give me strength[e] for battle;
you make my foes kneel before me.[f]
40 You make my enemies retreat;[g]
I destroy those who hate me.[h]
41 They cry out, but there is no one to help them;[i]
they cry out to the Lord,[j] but he does not answer them.
42 I grind them as fine windblown dust;[k]
I beat them underfoot[l] like clay[m] in the streets.
43 You rescue me from a hostile army.[n]
You make me[o] a leader of nations;
people over whom I had no authority are now my subjects.[p]
44 When they hear of my exploits, they submit to me.[q]
Foreigners are powerless[r] before me.
45 Foreigners lose their courage;[s]
they shake with fear[t] as they leave[u] their strongholds.[v]
46 The Lord is alive![w]
My Protector[x] is praiseworthy.[y]
The God who delivers me[z] is exalted as king.[aa]
47 The one true God[ab] completely vindicates me;[ac]
he makes nations submit to me.[ad]
48 He delivers me[ae] from my enemies.
You snatch me away[af] from those who attack me;[ag]
you rescue me from violent men.
49 So I will give you thanks before the nations,[ah] O Lord.
I will sing praises to you.[ai]
50 He[aj] gives his king magnificent victories;[ak]
he is faithful[al] to his chosen ruler,[am]
to David and his descendants[an] forever.”[ao]
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