Joseph forgives his brothers (Sunday school lesson)
Week 4 of a free 4-week Joseph unit: god can bring good out of bad, and he helps us forgive. One story for everyone, then activities for ages 4–6, 7–10 and 11–14.
Updated 3 November 2026 · How we pick resources
Week 4 of 4 · Joseph: From the Pit to the Palace · Get the printable PDF and Google Doc free
Bible passage: Genesis 42–45; 50:15–21
Big idea: God can bring good out of bad, and he helps us forgive.
Memory verse (ages 4–6): "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other." (Ephesians 4:32)
Memory verse (ages 7–14): "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." (Genesis 50:20)
Prep: about 10 minutes: read the story aloud once and print the activity page.
You need:
- Paper, scissors and tape
- The printable verse puzzle (one per child or pair)
- A small sack or bag and a cup (optional, for the story)
- Crayons
Timing (45 min): Welcome 5 min · Story together 10 min · Activities by age 15 min · Review game 10 min · Memory verse and prayer 5 min
1. Welcome (5 minutes)
Ask: "What's the hardest thing about saying 'I forgive you'?" Say: "Today Joseph comes face to face with the brothers who sold him. What will he do?"
2. Story together (10 minutes)
Read aloud to everyone together. Words in [brackets] are actions for the children. Retold from Genesis 42:1–45:15; 50:15–21; words in quotation marks are from the NIV.
The famine reached Canaan, where Jacob and his sons lived. Jacob sent ten of the brothers to Egypt to buy grain. They came before the ruler of Egypt and bowed down to him, just like the bundles in Joseph's dream long ago. They did not recognize him, but Joseph knew them at once.
Joseph wanted to see whether his brothers had changed. He spoke roughly to them and kept Simeon in Egypt until they came back with their youngest brother, Benjamin. When they returned with Benjamin, Joseph had his silver cup hidden in Benjamin's sack. [Hide a cup in a bag.] Then he sent his servant after them, saying that whoever had the cup would become his slave.
The cup was found in Benjamin's sack. Years before, the brothers had sold Joseph without a second thought. Now Judah stepped forward and begged to be made a slave instead, so the boy could go home to their father. The brothers had changed.
Joseph could not hold back any longer. He sent everyone else out and wept so loudly that people heard it outside. "I am Joseph!" he said. His brothers were terrified. But Joseph told them not to be upset or angry with themselves for selling him, because God had sent him ahead of them to save lives. He hugged Benjamin and kissed all his brothers. [Everyone gives the person next to them a high five.]
Joseph brought his father Jacob and the whole family to live in Egypt, where there was food. Years later, after Jacob died, the brothers were afraid Joseph would finally pay them back. But Joseph said, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good." He forgave them and took care of them and their children.
3. Activities by age (15 minutes)
Split into age groups, or run all three at separate tables. One teacher can move between them; older children can help the youngest.
Ages 4–6: Forgiveness hugs
- Act out the story's ending: one child is Joseph and the others are the brothers.
- "Joseph" says "I forgive you!" and everyone hugs or high-fives.
- Take turns being Joseph, and practice the short memory verse with a hand motion for each phrase.
Ages 7–10: Build the verse
- Pairs cut out the printable verse puzzle pieces.
- They race to put Genesis 50:20 in the right order and tape it down.
- Ask: "What bad thing did God turn into something good?"
Ages 11–14: What forgiveness is (and isn't)
- Read Genesis 45:4–8 and 50:15–21.
- Ask: "Joseph tested his brothers before he told them who he was. Why? Is forgiving the same as trusting again straight away?"
- Ask: "What did Joseph believe about God that made forgiving possible?" (50:20)
- Each person thinks of someone they need to forgive and writes one step they could take this week, keeping it private.
4. Review game (10 minutes)
Play in two or three teams: 100 points a question. Give the "All ages" questions to the youngest player on each team and the "Ages 11+" ones to the oldest.
All ages Why did Joseph's brothers go to Egypt?
Show answer
To buy grain during the famine (42:1–3)
All ages What did the brothers do when they met Joseph, like in his dream?
Show answer
They bowed down to him (42:6)
Ages 11+ Which brother did Joseph keep in Egypt?
Show answer
Simeon (42:24)
Ages 7+ Who was Joseph's youngest brother?
Show answer
Benjamin (42:13; 43:29)
Ages 7+ What was hidden in Benjamin's sack?
Show answer
Joseph's silver cup (44:2)
Ages 11+ Which brother offered to be a slave instead of Benjamin?
Show answer
Judah (44:33)
All ages What did Joseph say when he told them who he was?
Show answer
"I am Joseph!" (45:3)
Ages 7+ Who did Joseph say had sent him to Egypt?
Show answer
God, to save lives (45:5)
Ages 11+ Where did Jacob's family go to live?
Show answer
In Egypt, in the land of Goshen (45:10; 47:6)
All ages What did Joseph do instead of paying his brothers back?
Show answer
He forgave them and took care of them (50:19–21)
5. Memory verse and prayer (5 minutes)
Say the memory verse together three times: loud, whispered, then with actions.
Prayer: Dear God, thank you for forgiving us. Help us to forgive people who hurt us, and to trust that you can bring good out of bad things. Amen.
Take-home sheet
Take home · Joseph: From the Pit to the Palace, week 4: Joseph forgives his brothers
Today we learned how Joseph forgave his brothers and said, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good."
Ask your child:
- How did Joseph's brothers show they had changed?
- What did Joseph do instead of getting even?
- Is there someone you need to forgive?
Memory verse: "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." (Genesis 50:20)
Try this: Look back at all four weeks of Joseph's story together: the pit, prison, the palace and his family together again.
Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Bible Showdown: Joseph
A click-to-play Bible game show built from Genesis 37–50: the coat, the pit, Potiphar's house, Pharaoh's dreams and Joseph forgiving his brothers. Kids, preteens and teens each get their own 25 questions plus a Final Round, with automatic scoring, a PowerPoint version and printable cards.