Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

⁴³ Laban answered Jacob, “The women are my daughters, the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks.^(A) All you see is mine. Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or about the children they have borne? ⁴⁴ Come now, let’s make a covenant,^(B) you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us.”^(C)

⁴⁵ So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.^{(D) 46} He said to his relatives, “Gather some stones.” So they took stones and piled them in a heap,^(E) and they ate there by the heap. ⁴⁷ Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.^[a](F)

⁴⁸ Laban said, “This heap^(G) is a witness between you and me today.”^(H) That is why it was called Galeed. ⁴⁹ It was also called Mizpah,^[b](I) because he said, “May the Lord keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. ⁵⁰ If you mistreat^(J) my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness^(K) between you and me.”^(L)

⁵¹ Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is this heap,^(M) and here is this pillar^(N) I have set up between you and me. ⁵² This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness,^(O) that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap^(P) and pillar to my side to harm me.^{(Q) 53} May the God of Abraham^(R) and the God of Nahor,^(S) the God of their father, judge between us.”^(T)

So Jacob took an oath^(U) in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac.^{(V) 54} He offered a sacrifice^(W) there in the hill country and invited his relatives to a meal.^(X) After they had eaten, they spent the night there.

⁵⁵ Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters^(Y) and blessed^(Z) them. Then he left and returned home.^[c](AA)

Jacob Prepares to Meet Esau

32 ^[d]Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God^(AB) met him. ² When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!”^(AC) So he named that place Mahanaim.^[e](AD)

Dealing With False Teachers

¹⁴ Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words;^(A) it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. ¹⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.^{(B) 16} Avoid godless chatter,^(C) because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. ¹⁷ Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus^(D) and Philetus, ¹⁸ who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place,^(E) and they destroy the faith of some.^{(F) 19} Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm,^(G) sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,”^(H) and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord^(I) must turn away from wickedness.”

²⁰ In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use.^{(J) 21} Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.^(K)

²² Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love^(L) and peace, along with those who call on the Lord^(M) out of a pure heart.^{(N) 23} Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.^{(O) 24} And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.^{(P) 25} Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,^{(Q) 26} and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil,^(R) who has taken them captive to do his will.