⁷ As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them.^(A) “Where do you come from?”^(B) he asked.

“From the land of Canaan,” they replied, “to buy food.”

⁸ Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.^{(C) 9} Then he remembered his dreams^(D) about them and said to them, “You are spies!^(E) You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”^(F)

¹⁰ “No, my lord,^(G)” they answered. “Your servants have come to buy food.^{(H) 11} We are all the sons of one man. Your servants^(I) are honest men,^(J) not spies.^(K)”

¹² “No!” he said to them. “You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”^(L)

¹³ But they replied, “Your servants^(M) were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan.^(N) The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.”^(O)

¹⁴ Joseph said to them, “It is just as I told you: You are spies!^{(P) 15} And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives,^(Q) you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.^{(R) 16} Send one of your number to get your brother;^(S) the rest of you will be kept in prison,^(T) so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth.^(U) If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!^(V)” ¹⁷ And he put them all in custody^(W) for three days.

¹⁸ On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God:^{(X) 19} If you are honest men,^(Y) let one of your brothers stay here in prison,^(Z) while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households.^{(AA) 20} But you must bring your youngest brother to me,^(AB) so that your words may be verified and that you may not die.” This they proceeded to do.

⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me,^(A) you who are cursed, into the eternal fire^(B) prepared for the devil and his angels.^{(C) 42} For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’^(D)

⁴⁶ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.^(E)”^(F)

²¹ They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother.^(A) We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress^(B) has come on us.”

²² Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy?^(C) But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting^(D) for his blood.”^{(E) 23} They did not realize^(F) that Joseph could understand them,^(G) since he was using an interpreter.

²⁴ He turned away from them and began to weep,^(H) but then came back and spoke to them again. He had Simeon taken from them and bound before their eyes.^(I)

Joseph Makes Himself Known

45 Then Joseph could no longer control himself^(A) before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!”^(B) So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. ² And he wept^(C) so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.^(D)

³ Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?”^(E) But his brothers were not able to answer him,^(F) because they were terrified at his presence.^(G)

⁴ Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.”^(H) When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!^{(I) 5} And now, do not be distressed^(J) and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here,^(K) because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.^{(L) 6} For two years now there has been famine^(M) in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. ⁷ But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant^(N) on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.^[a](O)

⁸ “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.^(P) He made me father^(Q) to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.^{(R) 9} Now hurry^(S) back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay.^{(T) 10} You shall live in the region of Goshen^(U) and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have.^{(V) 11} I will provide for you there,^(W) because five years of famine^(X) are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’^(Y)

¹² “You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin,^(Z) that it is really I who am speaking to you.^{(AA) 13} Tell my father about all the honor accorded me in Egypt^(AB) and about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.^(AC)”

¹⁴ Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin^(AD) embraced him,^(AE) weeping. ¹⁵ And he kissed^(AF) all his brothers and wept over them.^(AG) Afterward his brothers talked with him.^(AH)

³⁴ Jesus said, “Father,^(A) forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”^[a](B) And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.^(C)

Joseph Reassures His Brothers

¹⁵ When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge^(A) against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?”^{(B) 16} So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions^(C) before he died: ¹⁷ ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins^(D) and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’^(E) Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.^(F)” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.^(G)

¹⁸ His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him.^(H) “We are your slaves,”^(I) they said.

¹⁹ But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?^{(J) 20} You intended to harm me,^(K) but God intended^(L) it for good^(M) to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.^{(N) 21} So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.^(O)” And he reassured them and spoke kindly^(P) to them.