Jacob’s Dream at Bethel

¹⁰ Jacob left Beersheba^(A) and set out for Harran.^{(B) 11} When he reached a certain place,^(C) he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head^(D) and lay down to sleep. ¹² He had a dream^(E) in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.^{(F) 13} There above it^[a] stood the Lord,^(G) and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.^(H) I will give you and your descendants the land^(I) on which you are lying.^{(J) 14} Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you^(K) will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south.^(L) All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.^{[b](M) 15} I am with you^(N) and will watch over you^(O) wherever you go,^(P) and I will bring you back to this land.^(Q) I will not leave you^(R) until I have done what I have promised you.^(S)”^(T)

¹⁶ When Jacob awoke from his sleep,^(U) he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” ¹⁷ He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place!^(V) This is none other than the house of God;^(W) this is the gate of heaven.”

¹⁸ Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head^(X) and set it up as a pillar^(Y) and poured oil on top of it.^{(Z) 19} He called that place Bethel,^[c](AA) though the city used to be called Luz.^(AB)

²⁰ Then Jacob made a vow,^(AC) saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me^(AD) on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear^{(AE) 21} so that I return safely^(AF) to my father’s household,^(AG) then the Lord^[d] will be my God^{(AH) 22} and^[e] this stone that I have set up as a pillar^(AI) will be God’s house,^(AJ) and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.^(AK)”

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

⁴³ The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip,^(A) he said to him, “Follow me.”^(B)

⁴⁴ Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.^{(C) 45} Philip found Nathanael^(D) and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law,^(E) and about whom the prophets also wrote^(F)—Jesus of Nazareth,^(G) the son of Joseph.”^(H)

⁴⁶ “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”^(I) Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

⁴⁷ When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite^(J) in whom there is no deceit.”^(K)

⁴⁸ “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

⁴⁹ Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi,^(L) you are the Son of God;^(M) you are the king of Israel.”^(N)

⁵⁰ Jesus said, “You believe^[a] because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” ⁵¹ He then added, “Very truly I tell you,^[b] you^[c] will see ‘heaven open,^(O) and the angels of God ascending and descending^(P) on’^[d] the Son of Man.”^(Q)