¹³ This is the word the Lord has already spoken concerning Moab. ¹⁴ But now the Lord says: “Within three years,^(AR) as a servant bound by contract^(AS) would count them,^(AT) Moab’s splendor and all her many people will be despised,^(AU) and her survivors will be very few and feeble.”^(AV)

A Prophecy Against Damascus

17 A prophecy^(AW) against Damascus:^(AX)

⁹ In that day their strong cities, which they left because of the Israelites, will be like places abandoned to thickets and undergrowth.^(BW) And all will be desolation.

A Prophecy Against Cush

⁷ At that time gifts^(DL) will be brought to the Lord Almighty

the gifts will be brought to Mount Zion, the place of the Name of the Lord Almighty.^(DP)

A Prophecy Against Egypt

19 A prophecy^(DQ) against Egypt:^(DR)

¹⁶ In that day^(FA) the Egyptians will become weaklings.^(FB) They will shudder with fear^(FC) at the uplifted hand^(FD) that the Lord Almighty raises against them. ¹⁷ And the land of Judah will bring terror to the Egyptians; everyone to whom Judah is mentioned will be terrified,^(FE) because of what the Lord Almighty is planning^(FF) against them.

¹⁸ In that day^(FG) five cities^(FH) in Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance^(FI) to the Lord Almighty. One of them will be called the City of the Sun.^[f](FJ)

¹⁹ In that day^(FK) there will be an altar^(FL) to the Lord in the heart of Egypt,^(FM) and a monument^(FN) to the Lord at its border. ²⁰ It will be a sign and witness^(FO) to the Lord Almighty in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the Lord because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior^(FP) and defender, and he will rescue^(FQ) them. ²¹ So the Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians, and in that day they will acknowledge^(FR) the Lord. They will worship^(FS) with sacrifices and grain offerings; they will make vows to the Lord and keep them.^{(FT) 22} The Lord will strike^(FU) Egypt with a plague;^(FV) he will strike them and heal them. They will turn^(FW) to the Lord, and he will respond to their pleas and heal^(FX) them.

²³ In that day^(FY) there will be a highway^(FZ) from Egypt to Assyria.^(GA) The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship^(GB) together. ²⁴ In that day^(GC) Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria,^(GD) a blessing^[g](GE) on the earth. ²⁵ The Lord Almighty will bless^(GF) them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people,^(GG) Assyria my handiwork,^(GH) and Israel my inheritance.^(GI)”

A Prophecy Against Egypt and Cush

20 In the year that the supreme commander,^(GJ) sent by Sargon king of Assyria, came to Ashdod^(GK) and attacked and captured it— ² at that time the Lord spoke through Isaiah son of Amoz.^(GL) He said to him, “Take off the sackcloth^(GM) from your body and the sandals^(GN) from your feet.” And he did so, going around stripped^(GO) and barefoot.^(GP)

³ Then the Lord said, “Just as my servant^(GQ) Isaiah has gone stripped and barefoot for three years,^(GR) as a sign^(GS) and portent^(GT) against Egypt^(GU) and Cush,^{[h](GV) 4} so the king^(GW) of Assyria will lead away stripped^(GX) and barefoot the Egyptian captives^(GY) and Cushite^(GZ) exiles, young and old, with buttocks bared^(HA)—to Egypt’s shame.^{(HB) 5} Those who trusted^(HC) in Cush^(HD) and boasted in Egypt^(HE) will be dismayed and put to shame.^{(HF) 6} In that day^(HG) the people who live on this coast will say, ‘See what has happened^(HH) to those we relied on,^(HI) those we fled to for help^(HJ) and deliverance from the king of Assyria! How then can we escape?^(HK)’”

The Demand for a Sign^(A)

16 The Pharisees and Sadducees^(B) came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.^(C)

² He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ ³ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.^{[a](D) 4} A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.”^(E) Jesus then left them and went away.

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees

⁵ When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. ⁶ “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”^(F)

⁷ They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.”

⁸ Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith,^(G) why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? ⁹ Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?^{(H) 10} Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?^{(I) 11} How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” ¹² Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.^(J)

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah^(K)

¹³ When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

¹⁴ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist;^(L) others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”^(M)

¹⁵ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”^(N)

¹⁷ Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood,^(O) but by my Father in heaven.^{(P) 18} And I tell you that you are Peter,^[b](Q) and on this rock I will build my church,^(R) and the gates of Hades^[c] will not overcome it. ¹⁹ I will give you the keys^(S) of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be^[d] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be^[e] loosed in heaven.”^{(T) 20} Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone^(U) that he was the Messiah.

Jesus Predicts His Death^(V)

²¹ From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem^(W) and suffer many things^(X) at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,^(Y) and that he must be killed^(Z) and on the third day^(AA) be raised to life.^(AB)

²² Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

²³ Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!^(AC) You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.^{(AD) 25} For whoever wants to save their life^[f] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.^{(AE) 26} What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man^(AF) is going to come^(AG) in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.^(AH)

²⁸ “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

The Transfiguration^(AI)(AJ)

17 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John^(AK) the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. ² There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. ³ Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

⁴ Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

⁵ While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.^(AL) Listen to him!”^(AM)

⁶ When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. ⁷ But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.”^{(AN) 8} When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

⁹ As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone^(AO) what you have seen, until the Son of Man^(AP) has been raised from the dead.”^(AQ)

¹⁰ The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

¹¹ Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things.^{(AR) 12} But I tell you, Elijah has already come,^(AS) and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished.^(AT) In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer^(AU) at their hands.” ¹³ Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.^(AV)

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy^(AW)

¹⁴ When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. ¹⁵ “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures^(AX) and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. ¹⁶ I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

¹⁷ “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” ¹⁸ Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.

¹⁹ Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

²⁰ He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith^(AY) as small as a mustard seed,^(AZ) you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.^(BA) Nothing will be impossible for you.” ^[21] [g]

Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time

²² When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of Man^(BB) is going to be delivered into the hands of men. ²³ They will kill him,^(BC) and on the third day^(BD) he will be raised to life.”^(BE) And the disciples were filled with grief.

The Temple Tax

²⁴ After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax^(BF) came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”

²⁵ “Yes, he does,” he replied.

When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes^(BG)—from their own children or from others?”

²⁶ “From others,” Peter answered.

“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. ²⁷ “But so that we may not cause offense,^(BH) go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven^(BI)

18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

² He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. ³ And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children,^(BJ) you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.^{(BK) 4} Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.^{(BL) 5} And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.^(BM)

Causing to Stumble

⁶ “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.^{(BN) 7} Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!^{(BO) 8} If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble,^(BP) cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. ⁹ And if your eye causes you to stumble,^(BQ) gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.^(BR)

The Parable of the Wandering Sheep^(BS)

¹⁰ “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels^(BT) in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. ^[11] [h]

¹² “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? ¹³ And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. ¹⁴ In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

Dealing With Sin in the Church

¹⁵ “If your brother or sister^[i] sins,^[j] go and point out their fault,^(BU) just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. ¹⁶ But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’^{[k](BV) 17} If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church;^(BW) and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.^(BX)

¹⁸ “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be^[l] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be^[m] loosed in heaven.^(BY)

¹⁹ “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them^(BZ) by my Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”^(CA)

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

²¹ Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me?^(CB) Up to seven times?”^(CC)

²² Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.^[n](CD)

²³ “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like^(CE) a king who wanted to settle accounts^(CF) with his servants. ²⁴ As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold^[o] was brought to him. ²⁵ Since he was not able to pay,^(CG) the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold^(CH) to repay the debt.

²⁶ “At this the servant fell on his knees before him.^(CI) ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ ²⁷ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

²⁸ “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.^[p] He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

²⁹ “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

³⁰ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. ³¹ When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

³² “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. ³³ Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ ³⁴ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

³⁵ “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”^(CJ)

Divorce^(CK)

19 When Jesus had finished saying these things,^(CL) he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. ² Large crowds followed him, and he healed them^(CM) there.

³ Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife^(CN) for any and every reason?”

⁴ “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’^{[q](CO) 5} and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’^[r]?^{(CP) 6} So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

⁷ “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”^(CQ)

⁸ Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. ⁹ I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”^(CR)

¹⁰ The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.”

¹¹ Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given.^{(CS) 12} For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

The Little Children and Jesus^(CT)

¹³ Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them^(CU) and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.

¹⁴ Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs^(CV) to such as these.”^{(CW) 15} When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

The Rich and the Kingdom of God^(CX)

¹⁶ Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life^(CY)?”^(CZ)

¹⁷ “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”^(DA)

¹⁸ “Which ones?” he inquired.

Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery,^(DB) you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, ¹⁹ honor your father and mother,’^[s](DC) and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’^[t]”^(DD)

²⁰ “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”

²¹ Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect,^(DE) go, sell your possessions and give to the poor,^(DF) and you will have treasure in heaven.^(DG) Then come, follow me.”

²² When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

²³ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich^(DH) to enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴ Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

²⁵ When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

²⁶ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”^(DI)

²⁷ Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you!^(DJ) What then will there be for us?”

²⁸ Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne,^(DK) you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.^{(DL) 29} And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife^[u] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.^{(DM) 30} But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.^(DN)

The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard

20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like^(DO) a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.^{(DP) 2} He agreed to pay them a denarius^[v] for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

³ “About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. ⁴ He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ ⁵ So they went.

“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. ⁶ About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’

⁷ “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.

“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’

⁸ “When evening came,^(DQ) the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’

⁹ “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. ¹⁰ So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. ¹¹ When they received it, they began to grumble^(DR) against the landowner. ¹² ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat^(DS) of the day.’

¹³ “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend.^(DT) Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? ¹⁴ Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. ¹⁵ Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’^(DU)

¹⁶ “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”^(DV)

Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time^(DW)

¹⁷ Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, ¹⁸ “We are going up to Jerusalem,^(DX) and the Son of Man^(DY) will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law.^(DZ) They will condemn him to death ¹⁹ and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged^(EA) and crucified.^(EB) On the third day^(EC) he will be raised to life!”^(ED)

A Mother’s Request^(EE)

²⁰ Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons^(EF) came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down,^(EG) asked a favor of him.

²¹ “What is it you want?” he asked.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”^(EH)

²² “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup^(EI) I am going to drink?”

“We can,” they answered.

²³ Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup,^(EJ) but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”

²⁴ When the ten heard about this, they were indignant^(EK) with the two brothers. ²⁵ Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. ²⁶ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,^{(EL) 27} and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— ²⁸ just as the Son of Man^(EM) did not come to be served, but to serve,^(EN) and to give his life as a ransom^(EO) for many.”

Two Blind Men Receive Sight^(EP)

²⁹ As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. ³⁰ Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David,^(EQ) have mercy on us!”

³¹ The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

³² Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

³³ “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”

³⁴ Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.

The Birth of Isaac

21 Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah^(A) as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised.^{(B) 2} Sarah became pregnant and bore a son^(C) to Abraham in his old age,^(D) at the very time God had promised him.^{(E) 3} Abraham gave the name Isaac^[a](F) to the son Sarah bore him. ⁴ When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him,^(G) as God commanded him. ⁵ Abraham was a hundred years old^(H) when his son Isaac was born to him.

⁶ Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter,^(I) and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” ⁷ And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”^(J)

Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away

⁸ The child grew and was weaned,^(K) and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. ⁹ But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham^(L) was mocking,^{(M) 10} and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman^(N) and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.”^(O)

¹¹ The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son.^{(P) 12} But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring^[b] will be reckoned.^{(Q) 13} I will make the son of the slave into a nation^(R) also, because he is your offspring.”

¹⁴ Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar.^(S) He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba.^(T)

¹⁵ When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. ¹⁶ Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she^[c] began to sob.^(U)

¹⁷ God heard the boy crying,^(V) and the angel of God^(W) called to Hagar from heaven^(X) and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid;^(Y) God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. ¹⁸ Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.^(Z)”

¹⁹ Then God opened her eyes^(AA) and she saw a well of water.^(AB) So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.

²⁰ God was with the boy^(AC) as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. ²¹ While he was living in the Desert of Paran,^(AD) his mother got a wife for him^(AE) from Egypt.

The Treaty at Beersheba

²² At that time Abimelek^(AF) and Phicol the commander of his forces^(AG) said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything you do.^{(AH) 23} Now swear^(AI) to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants.^(AJ) Show to me and the country where you now reside as a foreigner the same kindness I have shown to you.”^(AK)

²⁴ Abraham said, “I swear it.”

²⁵ Then Abraham complained to Abimelek about a well of water that Abimelek’s servants had seized.^{(AL) 26} But Abimelek said, “I don’t know who has done this. You did not tell me, and I heard about it only today.”

²⁷ So Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelek, and the two men made a treaty.^{(AM) 28} Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs from the flock, ²⁹ and Abimelek asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs you have set apart by themselves?”

³⁰ He replied, “Accept these seven lambs from my hand as a witness^(AN) that I dug this well.^(AO)”