Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Praise for the Lord’s Mercies.

A Psalm of David.

Joseph Deals Kindly with His Brothers

45 Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried, “Have everyone go out from me.” So there ^[a]was no man with him ^(A)when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. ^2 (B)He ^[b]wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard of it. ³ Then Joseph said to his brothers, “^(C)I am Joseph! ^(D)Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for ^(E)they were dismayed at his presence.

⁴ Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come ^[c]closer to me.” And they came ^[d]closer. And he said, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you ^(F)sold into Egypt. ⁵ Now do not be grieved or angry ^[e]with yourselves, because ^(G)you sold me here, for ^(H)God sent me before you to preserve life. ⁶ For the famine has been in the land ^(I)these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. ^7 (J)God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great ^[f]deliverance. ⁸ Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a ^(K)father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt. ⁹ Hurry and go up to my father, and ^(L)say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, “God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. ¹⁰ You shall ^[g]live in the land of ^(M)Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children and your flocks and your herds and all that you have. ¹¹ There I will also ^(N)provide for you, for there are still five years of famine to come, and you and your household and all that you have would be impoverished.”’ ¹² Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth which is speaking to you. ¹³ Now you must tell my father of all my splendor in Egypt, and all that you have seen; and you must hurry and ^(O)bring my father down here.” ¹⁴ Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and ^(P)wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. ¹⁵ He kissed all his brothers and wept on them, and afterward his brothers talked with him.

¹⁶ Now when ^(Q)the ^[h]news was heard in Pharaoh’s house ^[i]that Joseph’s brothers had come, it ^[j]pleased Pharaoh and his servants. ¹⁷ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: load your beasts and ^[k]go to the land of Canaan, ¹⁸ and take your father and your households and come to me, and ^(R)I will give you the ^[l]best of the land of Egypt and you will eat the fat of the land.’ ¹⁹ Now you are ordered, ‘Do this: ^[m]take ^(S)wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father and come. ²⁰ Do not ^[n]concern yourselves with your goods, for the ^[o]best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”

⁷ “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their ^(A)many words. ⁸ So do not be like them; for ^(B)your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

⁹ “^(C)Pray, then, in this way:

^14 (J)For if you forgive ^[d]others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But ^(K)if you do not forgive ^[e]others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.