Old Testament

Genesis 43-44

^43:1The famine was severe in the land. ^43:2It happened, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, "Go again, buy us a little food."

^43:3Judah spoke to him, saying, "The man solemnly warned us, saying, 'You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.' ^43:4If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food, ^43:5but if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, 'You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.'"

^43:6Israel said, "Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man that you had another brother?"

^43:7They said, "The man asked directly concerning ourselves, and concerning our relatives, saying, 'Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?' We just answered his questions. Is there any way we could know that he would say, 'Bring your brother down?'"

^43:8Judah said to Israel, his father, "Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, so that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and also our little ones. ^43:9I will be collateral for him. From my hand will you require him. If I don't bring him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever, ^43:10for unless we had lingered, surely we would have returned a second time by now."

^43:11Their father, Israel, said to them, "If it be so now, do this. Take from the choice fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down a present for the man, a little balm, a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts, and almonds; ^43:12and take double money in your hand, with the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks carry again in your hand. Perhaps it was an oversight. ^43:13Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man. ^43:14May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved."

^43:15The men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph. ^43:16When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Bring the men into the house, and butcher an animal, and make ready; for the men will dine with me at noon."

^43:17The man did as Joseph commanded, and the man brought the men to Joseph's house. ^43:18The men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph's house; and they said, "Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall on us, and take us for bondservants, along with our donkeys." ^43:19They came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house, ^43:20and said, "Oh, my lord, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food: ^43:21and it happened, when we came to the lodging-place, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. We have brought it again in our hand. ^43:22Other money have we brought down in our hand to buy food. We don't know who put our money in our sacks."

^43:23He said, "Peace be to you. Don't be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money." He brought Simeon out to them. ^43:24The man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys provender. ^43:25They made ready the present for Joseph's coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.

^43:26When Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down themselves to him to the earth. ^43:27He asked them of their welfare, and said, "Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?"

^43:28They said, "Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive." They bowed the head, and did homage. ^43:29He lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin, his brother, his mother's son, and said, "Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?" He said, "God be gracious to you, my son." ^43:30Joseph made haste; for his heart yearned over his brother: and he sought a place to weep; and he entered into his room, and wept there. ^43:31He washed his face, and came out. He controlled himself, and said, "Serve the meal."

^43:32They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians, that ate with him, by themselves, because the Egyptians don't eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. ^43:33They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marveled one with another. ^43:34He sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. They drank, and were merry with him.

^44:1He commanded the steward of his house, saying, "Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth. ^44:2Put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, with his grain money." He did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. ^44:3As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys. ^44:4When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, "Up, follow after the men. When you overtake them, tell them, 'Why have you rewarded evil for good? ^44:5Isn't this that from which my lord drinks, and by which he indeed divines? You have done evil in so doing.'" ^44:6He overtook them, and he spoke to them these words.

^44:7They said to him, "Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should do such a thing! ^44:8Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought again to you out of the land of Canaan. How then should we steal silver or gold out of your lord's house? ^44:9With whoever of your servants it be found, let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondservants."

^44:10He said, "Now also let it be according to your words: he with whom it is found will be my bondservant; and you will be blameless."

^44:11Then they hurried, and took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack. ^44:12He searched, beginning with the eldest, and ending at the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin's sack. ^44:13Then they tore their clothes, and loaded every man his donkey, and returned to the city.

^44:14Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, and he was still there. They fell on the ground before him. ^44:15Joseph said to them, "What deed is this that you have done? Don't you know that such a man as I can indeed divine?"

^44:16Judah said, "What will we tell my lord? What will we speak? Or how will we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants. Behold, we are my lord's bondservants, both we, and he also in whose hand the cup is found."

^44:17He said, "Far be it from me that I should do so. The man in whose hand the cup is found, he will be my bondservant; but as for you, go up in peace to your father."

^44:18Then 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. ^44:19My lord asked his servants, saying, 'Have you a father, or a brother?' ^44:20We 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.' ^44:21You said to your servants, 'Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.' ^44:22We said to my lord, 'The boy can't leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die.' ^44:23You said to your servants, 'Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will see my face no more.' ^44:24It happened when we came up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. ^44:25Our father said, 'Go again, buy us a little food.' ^44:26We said, 'We can't go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man's face, unless our youngest brother is with us.' ^44:27Your servant, my father, said to us, 'You know that my wife bore me two sons: ^44:28and the one went out from me, and I said, "Surely he is torn in pieces;" and I haven't seen him since. ^44:29If you take this one also from me, and harm befalls him, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.' ^44:30Now therefore when I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the boy's life; ^44:31it will happen, when he sees that the boy is no more, that he will die. Your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant, our father, with sorrow to Sheol. ^44:32For your servant became collateral for the boy to my father, saying, 'If I don't bring him to you, then I will bear the blame to my father forever.' ^44:33Now therefore, please let your servant stay instead of the boy, a bondservant to my lord; and let the boy go up with his brothers. ^44:34For how will I go up to my father, if the boy isn't with me? Lest I see the evil that will come on my father."

New Testament

Matthew 27-28

^27:1Now when morning had come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: ^27:2and they bound him, and led him away, and delivered him up to Pontius Pilate, the governor. ^27:3Then Judas, who betrayed him, when he saw that Jesus was condemned, felt remorse, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, ^27:4saying, "I have sinned in that I betrayed innocent blood."

But they said, "What is that to us? You see to it."

^27:5He threw down the pieces of silver in the sanctuary, and departed. He went away and hanged himself. ^27:6The chief priests took the pieces of silver, and said, "It's not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is the price of blood." ^27:7They took counsel, and bought the potter's field with them, to bury strangers in. ^27:8Therefore that field was called "The Field of Blood" to this day. ^27:9Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying,

 "They took the thirty pieces of silver,
      The price of him upon whom a price had been set,
      Whom some of the children of Israel priced,

 ^27:10And they gave them for the potter's field,
      As the Lord commanded me."

^27:11Now Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, "Are you the King of the Jews?"

Jesus said to him, "So you say."

^27:12When he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. ^27:13Then Pilate said to him, "Don't you hear how many things they testify against you?"

^27:14He gave him no answer, not even one word, so that the governor marveled greatly. ^27:15Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the multitude one prisoner, whom they desired. ^27:16They had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. ^27:17When therefore they were gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus, who is called Christ?" ^27:18For he knew that because of envy they had delivered him up.

^27:19While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him." ^27:20Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes to ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. ^27:21But the governor answered them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?"

They said, "Barabbas!"

^27:22Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do to Jesus, who is called Christ?"

They all said to him, "Let him be crucified!"

^27:23But the governor said, "Why? What evil has he done?"

But they cried out exceedingly, saying, "Let him be crucified!"

^27:24So when Pilate saw that nothing was being gained, but rather that a disturbance was starting, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this righteous person. You see to it."

^27:25All the people answered, "May his blood be on us, and on our children!"

^27:26Then he released to them Barabbas, but Jesus he flogged and delivered to be crucified. ^27:27Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, and gathered the whole garrison together against him. ^27:28They stripped him, and put a scarlet robe on him. ^27:29They braided a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they kneeled down before him, and mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" ^27:30They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. ^27:31When they had mocked him, they took the robe off of him, and put his clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.

^27:32As they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, and they compelled him to go with them, that he might carry his cross. ^27:33They came to a place called "Golgotha," that is to say, "The place of a skull." ^27:34They gave him sour wine to drink mixed with gall. When he had tasted it, he would not drink. ^27:35When they had crucified him, they divided his clothing among them, casting lots, ^27:36and they sat and watched him there. ^27:37They set up over his head the accusation against him written, "THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS."

^27:38Then there were two robbers crucified with him, one on his right hand and one on the left. ^27:39Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, ^27:40and saying, "You who destroy the temple, and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!"

^27:41Likewise the chief priests also mocking, with the scribes, the Pharisees, and the elders, said, ^27:42"He saved others, but he can't save himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. ^27:43He trusts in God. Let God deliver him now, if he wants him; for he said, 'I am the Son of God.'" ^27:44The robbers also who were crucified with him cast on him the same reproach.

^27:45Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. ^27:46About the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lima sabachthani?" That is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

^27:47Some of them who stood there, when they heard it, said, "This man is calling Elijah."

^27:48Immediately one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him a drink. ^27:49The rest said, "Let him be. Let's see whether Elijah comes to save him."

^27:50Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit. ^27:51Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split. ^27:52The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; ^27:53and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to many. ^27:54Now the centurion, and those who were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared exceedingly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God."

^27:55Many women were there watching from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, serving him. ^27:56Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. ^27:57When evening had come, a rich man from Arimathaea, named Joseph, who himself was also Jesus' disciple came. ^27:58This man went to Pilate, and asked for Jesus' body. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given up. ^27:59Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, ^27:60and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock, and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and departed. ^27:61Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb. ^27:62Now on the next day, which was the day after the Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees were gathered together to Pilate, ^27:63saying, "Sir, we remember what that deceiver said while he was still alive: 'After three days I will rise again.' ^27:64Command therefore that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest perhaps his disciples come at night and steal him away, and tell the people, 'He is risen from the dead;' and the last deception will be worse than the first."

^27:65Pilate said to them, "You have a guard. Go, make it as secure as you can." ^27:66So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone.

^28:1Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. ^28:2Behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from the sky, and came and rolled away the stone from the door, and sat on it. ^28:3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. ^28:4For fear of him, the guards shook, and became like dead men. ^28:5The angel answered the women, "Don't be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus, who has been crucified. ^28:6He is not here, for he has risen, just like he said. Come, see the place where the Lord was lying. ^28:7Go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has risen from the dead, and behold, he goes before you into Galilee; there you will see him.' Behold, I have told you."

^28:8They departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring his disciples word. ^28:9As they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!"

They came and took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.

^28:10Then Jesus said to them, "Don't be afraid. Go tell my brothers that they should go into Galilee, and there they will see me."

^28:11Now while they were going, behold, some of the guards came into the city, and told the chief priests all the things that had happened. ^28:12When they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave a large amount of silver to the soldiers, ^28:13saying, "Say that his disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. ^28:14If this comes to the governor's ears, we will persuade him and make you free of worry." ^28:15So they took the money and did as they were told. This saying was spread abroad among the Jews, and continues until this day.

^28:16But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had sent them. ^28:17When they saw him, they bowed down to him, but some doubted. ^28:18Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. ^28:19Go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ^28:20teaching them to observe all things which I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.