The Death of Sarah

23 Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old. ² She died at Kiriath Arba^(A) (that is, Hebron)^(B) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her.^(C)

³ Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites.^[a](D) He said, ⁴ “I am a foreigner and stranger^(E) among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.^(F)”

⁵ The Hittites replied to Abraham, ⁶ “Sir, listen to us. You are a mighty prince^(G) among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb for burying your dead.”

⁷ Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites. ⁸ He said to them, “If you are willing to let me bury my dead, then listen to me and intercede with Ephron son of Zohar^(H) on my behalf ⁹ so he will sell me the cave of Machpelah,^(I) which belongs to him and is at the end of his field. Ask him to sell it to me for the full price as a burial site among you.”

¹⁰ Ephron the Hittite was sitting among his people and he replied to Abraham in the hearing of all the Hittites^(J) who had come to the gate^(K) of his city. ¹¹ “No, my lord,” he said. “Listen to me; I give^[b](L) you the field, and I give^[c] you the cave that is in it. I give^[d] it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead.”

¹² Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land ¹³ and he said to Ephron in their hearing, “Listen to me, if you will. I will pay the price of the field. Accept it from me so I can bury my dead there.”

¹⁴ Ephron answered Abraham, ¹⁵ “Listen to me, my lord; the land is worth four hundred shekels^[e] of silver,^(M) but what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.”

¹⁶ Abraham agreed to Ephron’s terms and weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver,^(N) according to the weight current among the merchants.^(O)

¹⁷ So Ephron’s field in Machpelah^(P) near Mamre^(Q)—both the field and the cave in it, and all the trees within the borders of the field—was deeded ¹⁸ to Abraham as his property^(R) in the presence of all the Hittites^(S) who had come to the gate^(T) of the city. ¹⁹ Afterward Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah^(U) near Mamre (which is at Hebron^(V)) in the land of Canaan.^{(W) 20} So the field and the cave in it were deeded^(X) to Abraham by the Hittites as a burial site.^(Y)

Isaac and Rebekah

24 Abraham was now very old,^(Z) and the Lord had blessed^(AA) him in every way.^{(AB) 2} He said to the senior servant^(AC) in his household, the one in charge of all that he had,^(AD) “Put your hand under my thigh.^{(AE) 3} I want you to swear^(AF) by the Lord, the God of heaven^(AG) and the God of earth,^(AH) that you will not get a wife for my son^(AI) from the daughters of the Canaanites,^(AJ) among whom I am living,^{(AK) 4} but will go to my country and my own relatives^(AL) and get a wife for my son Isaac.^(AM)”

⁵ The servant asked him, “What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land?^(AN) Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?^(AO)”

⁶ “Make sure that you do not take my son back there,”^(AP) Abraham said. ⁷ “The Lord, the God of heaven,^(AQ) who brought me out of my father’s household and my native land^(AR) and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring^[f](AS) I will give this land’^(AT)—he will send his angel before you^(AU) so that you can get a wife for my son from there. ⁸ If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath^(AV) of mine. Only do not take my son back there.”^{(AW) 9} So the servant put his hand under the thigh^(AX) of his master^(AY) Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.

¹⁰ Then the servant left, taking with him ten of his master’s camels^(AZ) loaded with all kinds of good things^(BA) from his master. He set out for Aram Naharaim^[g](BB) and made his way to the town of Nahor.^{(BC) 11} He had the camels kneel down near the well^(BD) outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water.^(BE)

¹² Then he prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham,^(BF) make me successful^(BG) today, and show kindness^(BH) to my master Abraham. ¹³ See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water.^{(BI) 14} May it be that when I say to a young woman, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink,^(BJ) and I’ll water your camels too’^(BK)—let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac.^(BL) By this I will know^(BM) that you have shown kindness to my master.”

¹⁵ Before he had finished praying,^(BN) Rebekah^(BO) came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel^(BP) son of Milkah,^(BQ) who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor.^{(BR) 16} The woman was very beautiful,^(BS) a virgin;^(BT) no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.

¹⁷ The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”^(BU)

¹⁸ “Drink,^(BV) my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.

¹⁹ After she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels^(BW) too,^(BX) until they have had enough to drink.” ²⁰ So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels.^{(BY) 21} Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful.^(BZ)

²² When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring^(CA) weighing a beka^[h] and two gold bracelets^(CB) weighing ten shekels.^{[i] 23} Then he asked, “Whose daughter are you?^(CC) Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?^(CD)”

²⁴ She answered him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milkah bore to Nahor.^(CE)” ²⁵ And she added, “We have plenty of straw and fodder,^(CF) as well as room for you to spend the night.”

²⁶ Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord,^{(CG) 27} saying, “Praise be to the Lord,^(CH) the God of my master Abraham,^(CI) who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness^(CJ) to my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey^(CK) to the house of my master’s relatives.”^(CL)

²⁸ The young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things.^{(CM) 29} Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban,^(CN) and he hurried out to the man at the spring. ³⁰ As soon as he had seen the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s arms,^(CO) and had heard Rebekah tell what the man said to her, he went out to the man and found him standing by the camels near the spring. ³¹ “Come, you who are blessed by the Lord,”^(CP) he said. “Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.”

³² So the man went to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and fodder^(CQ) were brought for the camels, and water for him and his men to wash their feet.^{(CR) 33} Then food was set before him, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I have to say.”

“Then tell us,” Laban said.

³⁴ So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant.^{(CS) 35} The Lord has blessed^(CT) my master abundantly,^(CU) and he has become wealthy.^(CV) He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.^{(CW) 36} My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age,^(CX) and he has given him everything he owns.^{(CY) 37} And my master made me swear an oath,^(CZ) and said, ‘You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,^{(DA) 38} but go to my father’s family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.’^(DB)

³⁹ “Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’^(DC)

⁴⁰ “He replied, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked faithfully,^(DD) will send his angel with you^(DE) and make your journey a success,^(DF) so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father’s family.^{(DG) 41} You will be released from my oath if, when you go to my clan, they refuse to give her to you—then you will be released from my oath.’^(DH)

⁴² “When I came to the spring today, I said, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success^(DI) to the journey on which I have come. ⁴³ See, I am standing beside this spring.^(DJ) If a young woman^(DK) comes out to draw water and I say to her, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar,”^{(DL) 44} and if she says to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too,” let her be the one the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’^(DM)

⁴⁵ “Before I finished praying in my heart,^(DN) Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder.^(DO) She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’^(DP)

⁴⁶ “She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too.’^(DQ) So I drank, and she watered the camels also.^(DR)

⁴⁷ “I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’^(DS)

“She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel^(DT) son of Nahor, whom Milkah bore to him.’^(DU)

“Then I put the ring in her nose^(DV) and the bracelets on her arms,^{(DW) 48} and I bowed down and worshiped the Lord.^(DX) I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham,^(DY) who had led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son.^{(DZ) 49} Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness^(EA) to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so I may know which way to turn.”

⁵⁰ Laban and Bethuel^(EB) answered, “This is from the Lord;^(EC) we can say nothing to you one way or the other.^{(ED) 51} Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed.^(EE)”

⁵² When Abraham’s servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord.^{(EF) 53} Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing^(EG) and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts^(EH) to her brother and to her mother. ⁵⁴ Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there.

When they got up the next morning, he said, “Send me on my way^(EI) to my master.”

⁵⁵ But her brother and her mother replied, “Let the young woman remain with us ten days or so;^(EJ) then you^[j] may go.”

⁵⁶ But he said to them, “Do not detain me, now that the Lord has granted success^(EK) to my journey. Send me on my way^(EL) so I may go to my master.”

⁵⁷ Then they said, “Let’s call the young woman and ask her about it.”^{(EM) 58} So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?”

“I will go,”^(EN) she said.

⁵⁹ So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way,^(EO) along with her nurse^(EP) and Abraham’s servant and his men. ⁶⁰ And they blessed^(EQ) Rebekah and said to her,

⁶¹ Then Rebekah and her attendants^(ET) got ready and mounted the camels and went back with the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.

⁶² Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi,^(EU) for he was living in the Negev.^{(EV) 63} He went out to the field one evening to meditate,^[k](EW) and as he looked up,^(EX) he saw camels approaching. ⁶⁴ Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel^{(EY) 65} and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?”

“He is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil^(EZ) and covered herself.

⁶⁶ Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. ⁶⁷ Isaac brought her into the tent^(FA) of his mother Sarah,^(FB) and he married Rebekah.^(FC) So she became his wife, and he loved her;^(FD) and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.^(FE)

Judging Others^(A)

7 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.^{(B) 2} For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.^(C)

³ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

⁶ “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Ask, Seek, Knock^(D)

⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you;^(E) seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds;^(F) and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

⁹ “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹ If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts^(G) to those who ask him! ¹² So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you,^(H) for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.^(I)

The Narrow and Wide Gates

¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate.^(J) For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

True and False Prophets

¹⁵ “Watch out for false prophets.^(K) They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.^{(L) 16} By their fruit you will recognize them.^(M) Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?^{(N) 17} Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.^{(O) 19} Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.^{(P) 20} Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

True and False Disciples

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’^(Q) will enter the kingdom of heaven,^(R) but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.^{(S) 22} Many will say to me on that day,^(T) ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’^{(U) 23} Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’^(V)

The Wise and Foolish Builders^(W)

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice^(X) is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

²⁸ When Jesus had finished saying these things,^(Y) the crowds were amazed at his teaching,^{(Z) 29} because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.