Old/New Testament
The Second Journey to Egypt
43 Now the famine was severe in the land.[a] 2 When they finished eating the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Return, buy us a little more food.”
3 But Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned[b] us, ‘You will not see my face[c] unless your brother is with you.’ 4 If you send[d] our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy food for you. 5 But if you will not send him, we won’t go down there because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’”
6 Israel said, “Why did you bring this trouble[e] on me by telling[f] the man you had one more brother?”
7 They replied, “The man questioned us[g] thoroughly[h] about ourselves and our family, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’[i] So we answered him in this way.[j] How could we possibly know[k] that he would say,[l] ‘Bring your brother down’?”
8 Then Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me and we will go immediately.[m] Then we will live[n] and not die—we and you and our little ones. 9 I myself pledge security[o] for him; you may hold me liable. If I do not bring him back to you and place him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life.[p] 10 But if we had not delayed, we could have traveled there and back[q] twice by now!”
11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and take a gift down to the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds. 12 Take double the money with you;[r] you must take back[s] the money that was returned in the mouths of your sacks—perhaps it was an oversight. 13 Take your brother too, and go right away[t] to the man.[u] 14 May the Sovereign God[v] grant you mercy before the man so that he may release[w] your other brother[x] and Benjamin! As for me, if I lose my children I lose them.”[y]
15 So the men took these gifts, and they took double the money with them, along with Benjamin. Then they hurried down to Egypt[z] and stood before Joseph. 16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the servant who was over his household, “Bring the men to the house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for the men will eat with me at noon.” 17 The man did just as Joseph said; he[aa] brought the men into Joseph’s house.[ab]
18 But the men were afraid when they were brought to Joseph’s house. They said, “We are being brought in because of[ac] the money that was returned in our sacks last time.[ad] He wants to capture us,[ae] make us slaves, and take[af] our donkeys!” 19 So they approached the man who was in charge of Joseph’s household and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. 20 They said, “My lord, we did indeed come down[ag] the first time[ah] to buy food. 21 But when we came to the place where we spent the night, we opened our sacks and each of us found his money—the full amount[ai]—in the mouth of his sack. So we have returned it.[aj] 22 We have brought additional money with us to buy food. We do not know who put the money in our sacks!”
23 “Everything is fine,”[ak] the man in charge of Joseph’s household told them. “Don’t be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks.[al] I had your money.”[am] Then he brought Simeon out to them.
24 The servant in charge[an] brought the men into Joseph’s house. He gave them water, and they washed their feet. Then he gave food to their donkeys. 25 They got their gifts ready for Joseph’s arrival[ao] at noon, for they had heard[ap] that they were to have a meal[aq] there.
26 When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought inside,[ar] and they bowed down to the ground before him. 27 He asked them how they were doing.[as] Then he said, “Is your aging father well, the one you spoke about? Is he still alive?” 28 “Your servant our father is well,” they replied. “He is still alive.” They bowed down in humility.[at]
29 When Joseph looked up[au] and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, he said, “Is this your youngest brother, whom you told me about?” Then he said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.”[av] 30 Joseph hurried out, for he was overcome by affection for his brother[aw] and was at the point of tears.[ax] So he went to his room and wept there.
31 Then he washed his face and came out. With composure he said,[ay] “Set out the food.” 32 They set a place for him, a separate place for his brothers,[az] and another for the Egyptians who were eating with him. (The Egyptians are not able to eat with Hebrews, for the Egyptians think it is disgusting[ba] to do so.)[bb] 33 They sat before him, arranged by order of birth, beginning with the firstborn and ending with the youngest.[bc] The men looked at each other in astonishment.[bd] 34 He gave them portions of the food set before him,[be] but the portion for Benjamin was five times greater than the portions for any of the others. They drank with Joseph until they all became drunk.[bf]
The Final Test
44 He instructed the servant who was over his household, “Fill the sacks of the men with as much food as they can carry and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack. 2 Then put[bg] my cup—the silver cup—in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the money for his grain.” He did as Joseph instructed.[bh]
3 When morning came,[bi] the men and their donkeys were sent off.[bj] 4 They had not gone very far from the city[bk] when Joseph said[bl] to the servant who was over his household, “Pursue the men at once![bm] When you overtake[bn] them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil? 5 Doesn’t my master drink from this cup[bo] and use it for divination?[bp] You have done wrong!’”[bq]
6 When the man[br] overtook them, he spoke these words to them. 7 They answered him, “Why does my lord say such things?[bs] Far be it from your servants to do such a thing![bt] 8 Look, the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. Why then would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? 9 If one of us has it,[bu] he will die, and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves!”
10 He replied, “You have suggested your own punishment![bv] The one who has it will become my slave,[bw] but the rest of[bx] you will go free.”[by] 11 So each man quickly lowered[bz] his sack to the ground and opened it. 12 Then the man[ca] searched. He began with the oldest and finished with the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack! 13 They all tore their clothes! Then each man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.
14 So Judah and his brothers[cb] came back to Joseph’s house. He was still there,[cc] and they threw themselves to the ground before him. 15 Joseph said to them, “What did you think you were doing?[cd] Don’t you know that a man like me can find out things like this by divination?”[ce]
16 Judah replied, “What can we say[cf] to my lord? What can we speak? How can we clear ourselves?[cg] God has exposed the sin of your servants![ch] We are now my lord’s slaves, we and the one in whose possession the cup was found.”
17 But Joseph said, “Far be it from me to do this! The man in whose hand the cup was found will become my slave, but the rest of[ci] you may go back[cj] to your father in peace.”
18 Then Judah approached him and said, “My lord, please allow your servant to speak a word with you.[ck] Please do not get angry with your servant,[cl] for you are just like Pharaoh.[cm] 19 My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ 20 We said to my lord, ‘We have an aged father, and there is a young boy who was born when our father was old.[cn] The boy’s[co] brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left,[cp] and his father loves him.’
21 “Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so I can see[cq] him.’[cr] 22 We said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he leaves his father, his father[cs] will die.’[ct] 23 But you said to your servants, ‘If your youngest brother does not come down with you, you will not see my face again.’ 24 When we returned to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.
25 “Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy us a little food.’ 26 But we replied, ‘We cannot go down there.[cu] If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go,[cv] for we won’t be permitted to see the man’s face if our youngest brother is not with us.’
27 “Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife gave me two sons.[cw] 28 The first disappeared[cx] and I said, “He has surely been torn to pieces.” I have not seen him since. 29 If you take[cy] this one from me too and an accident happens to him, then you will bring down my gray hair[cz] in tragedy[da] to the grave.’[db]
30 “So now, when I return to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us—his very life is bound up in his son’s life.[dc] 31 When he sees the boy is not with us,[dd] he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father in sorrow to the grave. 32 Indeed,[de] your servant pledged security for the boy with my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I will bear the blame before my father all my life.’
33 “So now, please let your servant remain as my lord’s slave instead of the boy. As for the boy, let him go back with his brothers. 34 For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I couldn’t bear to see[df] my father’s pain.”[dg]
The Reconciliation of the Brothers
45 Joseph was no longer able to control himself before all his attendants,[dh] so he cried out, “Make everyone go out from my presence!” No one remained[di] with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2 He wept loudly;[dj] the Egyptians heard it and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.[dk]
3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” His brothers could not answer him because they were dumbfounded before him. 4 Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me,” so they came near. Then he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 Now, do not be upset and do not be angry with yourselves because you sold me here,[dl] for God sent me[dm] ahead of you to preserve life! 6 For these past two years there has been famine in[dn] the land and for five more years there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 God sent me[do] ahead of you to preserve you[dp] on the earth and to save your lives[dq] by a great deliverance. 8 So now, it is not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me an adviser[dr] to Pharaoh, lord over all his household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9 Now go up to my father quickly[ds] and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not delay! 10 You will live[dt] in the land of Goshen, and you will be near me—you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and everything you have. 11 I will provide you with food[du] there because there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise you would become poor—you, your household, and everyone who belongs to you.”’ 12 You and my brother Benjamin can certainly see with your own eyes that I really am the one who speaks to you.[dv] 13 So tell[dw] my father about all my honor in Egypt and about everything you have seen. But bring my father down here quickly!”[dx]
14 Then he threw himself on the neck of his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 15 He kissed all his brothers and wept over them. After this his brothers talked with him.
16 Now it was reported[dy] in the household of Pharaoh, “Joseph’s brothers have arrived.” It pleased[dz] Pharaoh and his servants. 17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and go[ea] to the land of Canaan! 18 Get your father and your households and come to me! Then I will give you[eb] the best land in Egypt and you will eat[ec] the best[ed] of the land.’ 19 You are also commanded to say,[ee] ‘Do this: Take for yourselves wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives. Bring your father and come. 20 Don’t worry[ef] about your belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt will be yours.’”
21 So the sons of Israel did as he said.[eg] Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had instructed,[eh] and he gave them provisions for the journey. 22 He gave sets of clothes to each one of them,[ei] but to Benjamin he gave 300 pieces of silver and five sets of clothes.[ej] 23 To his father he sent the following:[ek] ten donkeys loaded with the best products of Egypt and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, food, and provisions for his father’s journey. 24 Then he sent his brothers on their way and they left. He said to them, “As you travel don’t be overcome with fear.”[el]
25 So they went up from Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.[em] 26 They told him, “Joseph is still alive and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned,[en] for he did not believe them. 27 But when they related to him everything Joseph had said to them,[eo] and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to transport him, their father Jacob’s spirit revived. 28 Then Israel said, “Enough! My son Joseph is still alive! I will go and see him before I die.”
24 But when the Pharisees[a] heard this they said, “He does not cast out demons except by the power of Beelzebul,[b] the ruler[c] of demons!” 25 Now when Jesus[d] realized what they were thinking, he said to them,[e] “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed,[f] and no town or house divided against itself will stand. 26 So if[g] Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons[h] cast them[i] out? For this reason they will be your judges. 28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God[j] has already overtaken[k] you. 29 How[l] else can someone enter a strong man’s[m] house and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can thoroughly plunder the house.[n] 30 Whoever is not with me is against me,[o] and whoever does not gather with me scatters.[p] 31 For this reason I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy,[q] but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven.[r] But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven,[s] either in this age or in the age to come.
Trees and Their Fruit
33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad[t] and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say anything good, since you are evil? For the mouth speaks from what fills the heart. 35 The good person[u] brings good things out of his[v] good treasury,[w] and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury. 36 I[x] tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
The Sign of Jonah
38 Then some of the experts in the law[y] along with some Pharisees[z] answered him,[aa] “Teacher, we want to see a sign[ab] from you.” 39 But he answered them,[ac] “An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish[ad] for three days and three nights,[ae] so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. 41 The people[af] of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them[ag]—and now,[ah] something greater than Jonah is here! 42 The queen of the South[ai] will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon—and now,[aj] something greater than Solomon is here!
The Return of the Unclean Spirit
43 “When[ak] an unclean spirit[al] goes out of a person,[am] it passes through waterless places[an] looking for rest but[ao] does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’[ap] When it returns,[aq] it finds the house[ar] empty, swept clean, and put in order.[as] 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, so[at] the last state of that person is worse than the first. It will be that way for this evil generation as well!”
Jesus’ True Family
46 While Jesus[au] was still speaking to the crowds,[av] his mother and brothers[aw] came and stood outside, asking[ax] to speak to him. 47 [ay] Someone[az] told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside wanting[ba] to speak to you.” 48 To the one who had said this, Jesus[bb] replied,[bc] “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?” 49 And pointing[bd] toward his disciples he said, “Here[be] are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is[bf] my brother and sister and mother.”
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