Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Praise for God’s Love

103 Praise the Lord, O my soul. And all that is within me, praise His holy name. ² Praise the Lord, O my soul. And forget none of His acts of kindness. ³ He forgives all my sins. He heals all my diseases. ⁴ He saves my life from the grave. He crowns me with loving-kindness and pity. ⁵ He fills my years with good things and I am made young again like the eagle.

⁶ The Lord does what is right and fair for all who suffer under a bad power. ⁷ He made His ways known to Moses and His acts to the people of Israel.

⁸ The Lord is full of loving-pity and kindness. He is slow to anger and has much loving-kindness. ⁹ He will not always keep after us. And He will not keep His anger back forever. ¹⁰ He has not punished us enough for all our sins. He has not paid us back for all our wrong-doings. ¹¹ For His loving-kindness for those who fear Him is as great as the heavens are high above the earth. ¹² He has taken our sins from us as far as the east is from the west. ¹³ The Lord has loving-pity on those who fear Him, as a father has loving-pity on his children.

Joseph Tells His Brothers Who He Is

45 Then Joseph could not hide his feelings in front of all who stood by him. He cried, “Send all the people away from me.” So no one was with him when Joseph told his brothers who he was. ² He cried so loud that the Egyptians heard it, and those of Pharaoh’s house heard of it. ³ Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were afraid in front of him.

⁴ Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me.” So they came near. He said, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. ⁵ But do not be troubled or angry with yourselves because you sold me here. For God sent me before you to save your life. ⁶ For the land has been without food these two years. And there are five more years without plowing or gathering. ⁷ God sent me before you to make sure that your people will keep living on the earth. Now many of you will be saved. ⁸ So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and ruler of all his house, and of all the land of Egypt. ⁹ Hurry and go to my father. Say to him, ‘Your son Joseph says to you, “God has made me ruler of all Egypt. Come to me, and do not wait. ¹⁰ You will live in the land of Goshen, you and your children and grandchildren, your flocks and cattle, and all you have. And you will be near me. ¹¹ There I will take care of you, so that you and your family will not be in need. For there are still five years coming without food. By then you would have nothing.”’

¹² “Now your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth which is speaking to you. ¹³ You must tell my father of all my greatness in Egypt, and of all you have seen. You must hurry and bring my father here.” ¹⁴ Then he put his arms around his brother Benjamin and cried. And Benjamin cried on his neck. ¹⁵ Joseph kissed all his brothers and cried over them. After that his brothers talked with him.

¹⁶ When the news was heard in Pharaoh’s house that Joseph’s brothers had come, Pharaoh and his servants were pleased. ¹⁷ Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers this: ‘Load your animals and go to the land of Canaan. ¹⁸ Take your father and your families and come to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt. And you will live on the fat of the land.’ ¹⁹ Also say to them, ‘Take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and your wives. Bring your father and come. ²⁰ Do not worry about the things that belong to you. For the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”

⁷ When you pray, do not say the same thing over and over again making long prayers like the people who do not know God. They think they are heard because their prayers are long. ⁸ Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

⁹ “Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, Your name is holy. ¹⁰ May Your holy nation come. What You want done, may it be done on earth as it is in heaven. ¹¹ Give us the bread we need today. ¹² Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.

¹³ ‘Do not let us be tempted, but keep us from sin. *Your nation is holy. You have power and shining-greatness forever. Let it be so.’

Jesus Teaches about Forgiveness

¹⁴ “If you forgive people their sins, your Father in heaven will forgive your sins also. ¹⁵ If you do not forgive people their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.