Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Davidic

Praise God, who Forgives

Joseph Reveals Himself

45 At this point, Joseph could not control his emotions any longer, so he cried out to everyone who was standing nearby, “Everybody! Leave me!” As a result, none of his staff^[a] was anywhere near^[b] him when he revealed himself to his brothers. ² He cried so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, including Pharaoh’s household.

³ Joseph blurted out, “I’m Joseph! Is my father really alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, because they had become terrified^[c] to be in his presence.

⁴ Joseph implored his brothers, “Please come close to me.” So they did.

“I’m your brother Joseph, whom you sold into slavery in^[d] Egypt!” he told them. ⁵ “But^[e] don’t be distressed or angry at yourselves because you sold me here, because God sent me ahead of you all in order to deliver us.^{[f] 6} That’s because this famine has been going on for two years now in this region, and there are still five years left, during which there won’t be any plowing or harvesting. ⁷ God sent me ahead of you to keep you alive on the earth, and to save you all in a magnificent way. ⁸ As a result, it wasn’t you who sent me here, but God himself! He established me as a father-figure to Pharaoh himself! I’m in charge of his entire palace and ruler over the entire land of Egypt. ⁹ So hurry up, go back to my father, and tell him that his son Joseph tells him, ‘God has made me master of all of Egypt. Hurry up! Come live with me!’ ¹⁰ You are to live in the land of Goshen, near where I am—you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and everything that you own. ¹¹ I’ll provide for you there, since there are still five years of famine left to go, and you, your households, and everything you own would have otherwise become impoverished.

¹² “Look, now! All of you can see me! And my own brother Benjamin can tell that it’s really me^[g] speaking to you! ¹³ So go tell my father about all of my splendor in Egypt. Tell him about everything that you’ve seen. Be quick about it, and bring my father down here!”

¹⁴ Then he threw his arms around Benjamin^[h] and wept as they embraced.^{[i] 15} He kissed all of his brothers and wept with them, too, and then his brothers were able to talk with him.

Pharaoh is Pleased

¹⁶ As soon as the news reached Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers had arrived, Pharaoh and his servants were ecstatic. ¹⁷ Pharaoh told Joseph, “Be sure to tell your brothers, ‘Do this: load up your livestock, go back to the land of Canaan, ¹⁸ get your father and your households, and come back to me. I’ll give you the best of the land of Egypt and you can live off the abundance of the land.’ ¹⁹ In addition,” Pharaoh ordered, “Do this: take some transport wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones to ride in, along with your wives, and bring your father and come! ²⁰ Don’t worry about your household goods, because the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.”

⁷ “When you are praying, don’t say meaningless things^[a] like the unbelievers^[b] do, because they think they will be heard by being so wordy. ⁸ Don’t be like them, because your Father knows what you need before you ask him. ⁹ Therefore, this is how you should pray:

¹⁴ Because if you forgive people their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive people their offenses,^[f] your Father will not forgive your offenses.”