First ReadingGenesis 44:18-21, 23b-29; 45:1-5
From the Book of Genesis
18Then Judah came near to him,and said, “Oh, my lord,please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears,and don’t let your anger burn against your servant;for you are even as Pharaoh.19My lord asked his servants,saying, ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’20We said to my lord,‘We have a father,an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one;and his brother is dead,and he alone is left of his mother;and his father loves him.’21You said to your servants,‘Bring him down to me,that I may set my eyes on him.’ verse 22 is not read23You said to your servants,‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you,you will see my face no more.’24When we came up to your servant my father,we told him the words of my lord.25Our father said, ‘Go again and buy us a little food.’26We said, ‘We can’t go down.If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down:for we may not see the man’s face,unless our youngest brother is with us.’27Your servant, my father,said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.28One went out from me,and I said, “Surely he is torn in pieces;”and I haven’t seen him since.29If you take this one also from me,and harm happens to him,you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.’
some verses are not read1Then Joseph couldn’t control himself before all thosewho stood before him,and he called out,“Cause everyone to go out from me!”No one else stood with him,while Joseph made himself known to his brothers.2He wept aloud.The Egyptians heard, and the house of Pharaoh heard.3Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph!Does my father still live?”
His brothers couldn’t answer him;for they were terrified at his presence.4Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.”
They came near.He said, “I am Joseph,your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.5Now don’t be grieved,nor angry with yourselves,that you sold me here,for God sent me before you to preserve life.