Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Bless Yahweh, O My Soul

Of David.

Joseph Sends for Jacob

45 Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he called out, “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)Then he ^[b]wept loudly. And the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard 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 terrified at his presence.

⁴ Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” And they came near. And he said, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you ^(F)sold into Egypt. ⁵ So now do not be grieved or angry ^[c]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)So God sent me before you to establish for you a remnant in the earth and to keep you alive for a great remnant of survivors. ⁸ So now, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has set me as 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 set me as lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. ¹⁰ And you shall ^[d]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, lest you and your household and all that you have be impoverished.”’ ¹² And behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth which is speaking to you. ¹³ So you must tell my father of all my glory 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 ^(Q)the ^[e]news was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, “Joseph’s brothers have come.” And it was good in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants. ¹⁷ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: load your beasts and ^[f]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 ^[g]best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.’ ¹⁹ Now you are commanded, ‘Do this: ^[h]take ^(S)wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father and come. ²⁰ Now do not ^[i]concern yourselves with your goods, for the ^[j]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 Therefore, 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.