Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today our passages are Genesis 26:17–27:46; Matthew 9:1-17; Psalm 10:16-18; and Proverbs 3:9-10. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.
Genesis 26:17-27:46 (Contemporary English Version)
17Isaac left and settled in Gerar Valley, 18where he cleaned out those wells that the Philistines had stopped up. Isaac also gave each of the wells the same name a<="" value="[a]" >[] that Abraham had given to them. 19While his servants were digging in the valley, they found a spring-fed well. 20But the shepherds of Gerar Valley quarreled with Isaac's shepherds and claimed the water belonged to them. So the well was named "Quarrel," because they had quarreled with Isaac. 21Isaac's servants dug another well, and the shepherds also quarreled about it. So that well was named "Jealous." 22Finally, they dug one more well. There was no quarreling this time, and the well was named "Lots of Room," because the LORD had given them room and would make them very successful.
23Isaac went on to Beersheba, 24where the LORD appeared to him that night and told him, "Don't be afraid! I am the God who was worshiped by your father Abraham, my servant. I will be with you and bless you, and because of Abraham I will give you many descendants." 25Isaac built an altar there and worshiped the LORD. Then he set up camp, and his servants started digging a well.
26Meanwhile, Abimelech had left Gerar and was taking his advisor Ahuzzath and his army commander Phicol to see Isaac. 27When they arrived, Isaac asked, "Why are you here? Didn't you send me away because you hated me?"
28They answered, "We now know for certain that the LORD is with you, and we have decided there needs to be a peace treaty between you and us. So let's make a solemn agreement 29not to harm each other. Remember, we have never hurt you, and when we sent you away, we let you go in peace. The LORD has truly blessed you."
30Isaac gave a big feast for them, and everyone ate and drank. 31Early the next morning Isaac and the others made a solemn agreement, then he let them go in peace.
32Later that same day Isaac's servants came and said, "We've struck water!" 33So Isaac named the well Shibah, [b<="">] and the town is still called Beersheba. [c<="">]
23Isaac went on to Beersheba, 24where the LORD appeared to him that night and told him, "Don't be afraid! I am the God who was worshiped by your father Abraham, my servant. I will be with you and bless you, and because of Abraham I will give you many descendants." 25Isaac built an altar there and worshiped the LORD. Then he set up camp, and his servants started digging a well.
26Meanwhile, Abimelech had left Gerar and was taking his advisor Ahuzzath and his army commander Phicol to see Isaac. 27When they arrived, Isaac asked, "Why are you here? Didn't you send me away because you hated me?"
28They answered, "We now know for certain that the LORD is with you, and we have decided there needs to be a peace treaty between you and us. So let's make a solemn agreement 29not to harm each other. Remember, we have never hurt you, and when we sent you away, we let you go in peace. The LORD has truly blessed you."
30Isaac gave a big feast for them, and everyone ate and drank. 31Early the next morning Isaac and the others made a solemn agreement, then he let them go in peace.
32Later that same day Isaac's servants came and said, "We've struck water!" 33So Isaac named the well Shibah, [b<="">] and the town is still called Beersheba. [c<="">]
Esau's Foreign Wives
34When Esau was forty, he married Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. 35But these two women brought a lot of grief to his parents Isaac and Rebekah.
Genesis 27
Isaac Blesses Jacob
1After Isaac had become old and almost blind, he called in his first-born son Esau, who asked him, "Father, what can I do for you?" 2Isaac replied, "I am old and might die at any time. 3So take your bow and arrows, then go out in the fields, and kill a wild animal. 4Cook some of that tasty food that I love so much and bring it to me. I want to eat it once more and give you my blessing before I die."
5Rebekah had been listening, and as soon as Esau left to go hunting, 6she said to Jacob, "I heard your father tell Esau 7to kill a wild animal and cook some tasty food for your father before he dies. Your father said this because he wants to bless your brother with the LORD as his witness. 8Now, my son, listen carefully to what I want you to do. 9Go and kill two of your best young goats and bring them to me. I'll cook the tasty food that your father loves so much. 10Then you can take it to him, so he can eat it and give you his blessing before he dies."
11"My brother Esau is a hairy man," Jacob reminded her. "And I am not. 12If my father touches me and realizes I am trying to trick him, he will put a curse on me instead of giving me a blessing."
13Rebekah insisted, "Let his curse fall on me! Just do what I say and bring me the meat." 14So Jacob brought the meat to his mother, and she cooked the tasty food that his father liked. 15Then she took Esau's best clothes and put them on Jacob. 16She also covered the smooth part of his hands and neck with goatskins 17and gave him some bread and the tasty food she had cooked.
18Jacob went to his father and said, "Father, here I am."
"Which one of my sons are you?" his father asked.
19Jacob replied, "I am Esau, your first-born, and I have done what you told me. Please sit up and eat the meat I have brought. Then you can give me your blessing."
20Isaac asked, "My son, how did you find an animal so quickly?"
"The LORD your God was kind to me," Jacob answered.
21"My son," Isaac said, "come closer, where I can touch you and find out if you really are Esau." 22Jacob went closer. His father touched him and said, "You sound like Jacob, but your hands feel hairy like Esau's." 23And so Isaac blessed Jacob, thinking he was Esau.
24Isaac asked, "Are you really my son Esau?"
"Yes, I am," Jacob answered.
25So Isaac told him, "Serve me the wild meat, and I can give you my blessing."
Jacob gave him some meat, and he ate it. He also gave him some wine, and he drank it. 26Then Isaac said, "Son, come over here and kiss me." 27While Jacob was kissing him, Isaac caught the smell of his clothes and said:
"The smell of my son
is like a field
the LORD has blessed.
28God will bless you, my son,
with dew from heaven
and with fertile fields,
rich with grain and grapes.
29Nations will be your servants
and bow down to you.
You will rule over your brothers,
and they will kneel
at your feet.
Anyone who curses you
will be cursed;
anyone who blesses you
will be blessed."
30Right after Isaac had given Jacob his blessing and Jacob had gone, Esau came back from hunting. 31He cooked the tasty food, brought it to his father, and said, "Father, please sit up and eat the meat I have brought you, so you can give me your blessing."
32"Who are you?" Isaac asked.
"I am Esau, your first-born son."
33Isaac started trembling and said, "Then who brought me some wild meat right before you came in? I ate it and gave him a blessing that cannot be taken back."
34Esau cried loudly and begged, "Father, give me a blessing too!"
35Isaac answered, "Your brother tricked me and stole your blessing."
36Esau replied, "My brother deserves the name Jacob, [d<="">] because he has already cheated me twice. The first time he cheated me out of my rights as the first-born son, and now he has cheated me out of my blessing." Then Esau asked his father, "Don't you still have any blessing left for me?" 37"My son," Isaac answered, "I have made Jacob the ruler over you and your brothers, and all of you will be his servants. I have also promised him all the grain and grapes that he needs. There's nothing left that I can do for you."
38"Father," Esau asked, "don't you have more than one blessing? You can surely give me a blessing too!" Then Esau started crying again.
39So his father said:
"Your home will be far
from that fertile land,
where dew comes down
from the heavens.
40You will live by the power
of your sword
and be your brother's slave.
But when you decide to be free,
you will break loose."
41Esau hated his brother Jacob because he had stolen the blessing that was supposed to be his. So he said to himself, "Just as soon as my father dies, I'll kill Jacob."
42When Rebekah found out what Esau planned to do, she sent for Jacob and told him, "Son, your brother Esau is just waiting for the time when he can kill you. 43Now listen carefully and do what I say. Go to the home of my brother Laban in Haran 44and stay with him for a while. When Esau stops being angry 45and forgets what you have done to him, I'll send for you to come home. Why should I lose both of my sons on the same day?" [e<="">] 46Rebekah later told Isaac, "Those Hittite wives of Esau are making my life miserable! If Jacob marries a Hittite woman, I'd be better off dead."
Footnotes:- Genesis 26:18 gave. . . same name: By doing this Isaac claimed ownership of the wells.
- Genesis 26:33 Shibah: In Hebrew "Shibah" sounds something like "good luck" and "promise."
- Genesis 26:33 Beersheba: Meaning "Well of Good Fortune" or "Peace Treaty Well."
- Genesis 27:36 Jacob: In Hebrew "Jacob" sounds like "cheat."
- Genesis 27:45 lose. . . day: Esau would be hunted down as a murderer if he killed Jacob, and so Rebekah would lose both of her sons.
5Rebekah had been listening, and as soon as Esau left to go hunting, 6she said to Jacob, "I heard your father tell Esau 7to kill a wild animal and cook some tasty food for your father before he dies. Your father said this because he wants to bless your brother with the LORD as his witness. 8Now, my son, listen carefully to what I want you to do. 9Go and kill two of your best young goats and bring them to me. I'll cook the tasty food that your father loves so much. 10Then you can take it to him, so he can eat it and give you his blessing before he dies."
11"My brother Esau is a hairy man," Jacob reminded her. "And I am not. 12If my father touches me and realizes I am trying to trick him, he will put a curse on me instead of giving me a blessing."
13Rebekah insisted, "Let his curse fall on me! Just do what I say and bring me the meat." 14So Jacob brought the meat to his mother, and she cooked the tasty food that his father liked. 15Then she took Esau's best clothes and put them on Jacob. 16She also covered the smooth part of his hands and neck with goatskins 17and gave him some bread and the tasty food she had cooked.
18Jacob went to his father and said, "Father, here I am."
"Which one of my sons are you?" his father asked.
19Jacob replied, "I am Esau, your first-born, and I have done what you told me. Please sit up and eat the meat I have brought. Then you can give me your blessing."
20Isaac asked, "My son, how did you find an animal so quickly?"
"The LORD your God was kind to me," Jacob answered.
21"My son," Isaac said, "come closer, where I can touch you and find out if you really are Esau." 22Jacob went closer. His father touched him and said, "You sound like Jacob, but your hands feel hairy like Esau's." 23And so Isaac blessed Jacob, thinking he was Esau.
24Isaac asked, "Are you really my son Esau?"
"Yes, I am," Jacob answered.
25So Isaac told him, "Serve me the wild meat, and I can give you my blessing."
Jacob gave him some meat, and he ate it. He also gave him some wine, and he drank it. 26Then Isaac said, "Son, come over here and kiss me." 27While Jacob was kissing him, Isaac caught the smell of his clothes and said:
"The smell of my son
is like a field
the LORD has blessed.
28God will bless you, my son,
with dew from heaven
and with fertile fields,
rich with grain and grapes.
29Nations will be your servants
and bow down to you.
You will rule over your brothers,
and they will kneel
at your feet.
Anyone who curses you
will be cursed;
anyone who blesses you
will be blessed."
30Right after Isaac had given Jacob his blessing and Jacob had gone, Esau came back from hunting. 31He cooked the tasty food, brought it to his father, and said, "Father, please sit up and eat the meat I have brought you, so you can give me your blessing."
32"Who are you?" Isaac asked.
"I am Esau, your first-born son."
33Isaac started trembling and said, "Then who brought me some wild meat right before you came in? I ate it and gave him a blessing that cannot be taken back."
34Esau cried loudly and begged, "Father, give me a blessing too!"
35Isaac answered, "Your brother tricked me and stole your blessing."
36Esau replied, "My brother deserves the name Jacob, [d<="">] because he has already cheated me twice. The first time he cheated me out of my rights as the first-born son, and now he has cheated me out of my blessing." Then Esau asked his father, "Don't you still have any blessing left for me?" 37"My son," Isaac answered, "I have made Jacob the ruler over you and your brothers, and all of you will be his servants. I have also promised him all the grain and grapes that he needs. There's nothing left that I can do for you."
38"Father," Esau asked, "don't you have more than one blessing? You can surely give me a blessing too!" Then Esau started crying again.
39So his father said:
"Your home will be far
from that fertile land,
where dew comes down
from the heavens.
40You will live by the power
of your sword
and be your brother's slave.
But when you decide to be free,
you will break loose."
41Esau hated his brother Jacob because he had stolen the blessing that was supposed to be his. So he said to himself, "Just as soon as my father dies, I'll kill Jacob."
42When Rebekah found out what Esau planned to do, she sent for Jacob and told him, "Son, your brother Esau is just waiting for the time when he can kill you. 43Now listen carefully and do what I say. Go to the home of my brother Laban in Haran 44and stay with him for a while. When Esau stops being angry 45and forgets what you have done to him, I'll send for you to come home. Why should I lose both of my sons on the same day?" [e<="">] 46Rebekah later told Isaac, "Those Hittite wives of Esau are making my life miserable! If Jacob marries a Hittite woman, I'd be better off dead."
Footnotes:
- Genesis 26:18 gave. . . same name: By doing this Isaac claimed ownership of the wells.
- Genesis 26:33 Shibah: In Hebrew "Shibah" sounds something like "good luck" and "promise."
- Genesis 26:33 Beersheba: Meaning "Well of Good Fortune" or "Peace Treaty Well."
- Genesis 27:36 Jacob: In Hebrew "Jacob" sounds like "cheat."
- Genesis 27:45 lose. . . day: Esau would be hunted down as a murderer if he killed Jacob, and so Rebekah would lose both of her sons.
Matthew 9:1-17 (Contemporary English Version)
Matthew 9
Jesus Heals a Crippled Man
(Mark 2.1-12; Luke 5.17-26)
1Jesus got into a boat and crossed back over to the town where he lived. a<="" value="[a]" >[] 2Some people soon brought to him a crippled man lying on a mat. When Jesus saw how much faith they had, he said to the crippled man, "My friend, don't worry! Your sins are forgiven." 3Some teachers of the Law of Moses said to themselves, "Jesus must think he is God!" 4But Jesus knew what was in their minds, and he said, "Why are you thinking such evil things? 5Is it easier for me to tell this crippled man that his sins are forgiven or to tell him to get up and walk? 6But I will show you that the Son of Man has the right to forgive sins here on earth." So Jesus said to the man, "Get up! Pick up your mat and go on home." 7The man got up and went home. 8When the crowds saw this, they were afraid [b<="">] and praised God for giving such authority to people.
Jesus Chooses Matthew
(Mark 2.13-17; Luke 5.27-32)
9As Jesus was leaving, he saw a tax collector [c<="">] named Matthew sitting at the place for paying taxes. Jesus said to him, "Come with me." Matthew got up and went with him. 10Later, Jesus and his disciples were having dinner at Matthew's house. [d<="">] Many tax collectors and other sinners were also there. 11Some Pharisees asked Jesus' disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and other sinners?" 12Jesus heard them and answered, "Healthy people don't need a doctor, but sick people do. 13Go and learn what the Scriptures mean when they say, `Instead of offering sacrifices to me, I want you to be merciful to others.' I didn't come to invite good people to be my followers. I came to invite sinners."
People Ask about Going without Eating
(Mark 2.18-22; Luke 5.33-39)
14One day some followers of John the Baptist came and asked Jesus, "Why do we and the Pharisees often go without eating, [e<="">] while your disciples never do?" 15Jesus answered: The friends of a bridegroom don't go without eating while he is still with them. But the time will come when he will be taken from them. Then they will go without eating.
16No one uses a new piece of cloth to patch old clothes. The patch would shrink and tear a bigger hole.
17No one pours new wine into old wineskins. The wine would swell and burst the old skins. [f<="">] Then the wine would be lost, and the skins would be ruined. New wine must be put into new wineskins. Both the skins and the wine will then be safe. Footnotes:- Matthew 9:1 where he lived: Capernaum (see 4.13).
- Matthew 9:8 afraid: Some manuscripts have "amazed."
- Matthew 9:9 tax collector: See the note at 5.46.
- Matthew 9:10 Matthew's house: Or "Jesus' house."
- Matthew 9:14 without eating: See the note at 4.2.
- Matthew 9:17 swell and burst the old skins: While the juice from grapes was becoming wine, it would swell and stretch the skins in which it had been stored. If the skins were old and stiff, they would burst.
16No one uses a new piece of cloth to patch old clothes. The patch would shrink and tear a bigger hole.
17No one pours new wine into old wineskins. The wine would swell and burst the old skins. [f<="">] Then the wine would be lost, and the skins would be ruined. New wine must be put into new wineskins. Both the skins and the wine will then be safe.
Footnotes:
- Matthew 9:1 where he lived: Capernaum (see 4.13).
- Matthew 9:8 afraid: Some manuscripts have "amazed."
- Matthew 9:9 tax collector: See the note at 5.46.
- Matthew 9:10 Matthew's house: Or "Jesus' house."
- Matthew 9:14 without eating: See the note at 4.2.
- Matthew 9:17 swell and burst the old skins: While the juice from grapes was becoming wine, it would swell and stretch the skins in which it had been stored. If the skins were old and stiff, they would burst.
Psalm 10:16-18 (Contemporary English Version)
16Our LORD, you will always rule,
but nations will vanish
from the earth.
17You listen to the longings
of those who suffer.
You offer them hope,
and you pay attention
to their cries for help.
18You defend orphans
and everyone else in need,
so that no one on earth
can terrify others again.
but nations will vanish
from the earth.
17You listen to the longings
of those who suffer.
You offer them hope,
and you pay attention
to their cries for help.
18You defend orphans
and everyone else in need,
so that no one on earth
can terrify others again.
Proverbs 3:9-10 (Contemporary English Version)
9Honor the LORD by giving him
your money
and the first part
of all your crops.
10Then you will have
more grain and grapes
than you will ever need.
your money
and the first part
of all your crops.
10Then you will have
more grain and grapes
than you will ever need.
Thought for the Day
“All of you are God's children because of your faith in Christ Jesus. And when you were baptized, it was as though you had put on Christ in the same way you put on new clothes. Faith in Christ Jesus is what makes each of you equal with each other, whether you are a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a free person, a man or a woman.” (Galatians 3:26-28 - Contemporary English Version) As the children of God, not only are we equal in his sight, we must be equal in our sight as well. In other words, whether it's grounded in or based on race, gender or economic status, intolerance and discrimination is always contrary to the will of God and to the values commanded by Jesus Christ.
Quote for the Day
Indian Hindu monk, Swami Vivekananda wrote, “We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live; they travel far.”
A Joke for Today
Interviewer: "Your resume says you take things too literally."
Me: “When the heck did my resume learn to talk?”
A Prayer Request
As Christians, we can offer specific daily prayers for our community, nation and world. Below is the need that we're laying before God today.
That workers be provided a safe workplace and paid a living wage.
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