Abram and Lot Separate

13 So Abram went up from Egypt^(A) to the Negev,^(B) with his wife and everything he had, and Lot^(C) went with him. ² Abram had become very wealthy^(D) in livestock^(E) and in silver and gold.

³ From the Negev^(F) he went from place to place until he came to Bethel,^(G) to the place between Bethel and Ai^(H) where his tent had been earlier ⁴ and where he had first built an altar.^(I) There Abram called on the name of the Lord.^(J)

⁵ Now Lot,^(K) who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. ⁶ But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together.^{(L) 7} And quarreling^(M) arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites^(N) and Perizzites^(O) were also living in the land^(P) at that time.

⁸ So Abram said to Lot,^(Q) “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me,^(R) or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives.^{(S) 9} Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.”^(T)

¹⁰ Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain^(U) of the Jordan toward Zoar^(V) was well watered, like the garden of the Lord,^(W) like the land of Egypt.^(X) (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom^(Y) and Gomorrah.)^{(Z) 11} So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: ¹² Abram lived in the land of Canaan,^(AA) while Lot^(AB) lived among the cities of the plain^(AC) and pitched his tents near Sodom.^{(AD) 13} Now the people of Sodom^(AE) were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord.^(AF)

¹⁴ The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west.^{(AG) 15} All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring^[a] forever.^{(AH) 16} I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.^{(AI) 17} Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land,^(AJ) for I am giving it to you.”^(AK)

¹⁸ So Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre^(AL) at Hebron,^(AM) where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the Lord.^(AN)

Jacob Arrives in Paddan Aram

29 Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples.^{(A) 2} There he saw a well in the open country, with three flocks of sheep lying near it because the flocks were watered from that well.^(B) The stone^(C) over the mouth of the well was large. ³ When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone^(D) away from the well’s mouth and water the sheep.^(E) Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.

⁴ Jacob asked the shepherds, “My brothers, where are you from?”^(F)

“We’re from Harran,^(G)” they replied.

⁵ He said to them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s grandson?”^(H)

“Yes, we know him,” they answered.

⁶ Then Jacob asked them, “Is he well?”

“Yes, he is,” they said, “and here comes his daughter Rachel^(I) with the sheep.^(J)”

⁷ “Look,” he said, “the sun is still high; it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.”

⁸ “We can’t,” they replied, “until all the flocks are gathered and the stone^(K) has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water^(L) the sheep.”

⁹ While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep,^(M) for she was a shepherd. ¹⁰ When Jacob saw Rachel^(N) daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban’s sheep, he went over and rolled the stone^(O) away from the mouth of the well and watered^(P) his uncle’s sheep.^{(Q) 11} Then Jacob kissed^(R) Rachel and began to weep aloud.^{(S) 12} He had told Rachel that he was a relative^(T) of her father and a son of Rebekah.^(U) So she ran and told her father.^(V)

¹³ As soon as Laban^(W) heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him^(X) and kissed him and brought him to his home, and there Jacob told him all these things. ¹⁴ Then Laban said to him, “You are my own flesh and blood.”^(Y)

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, ¹⁵ Laban said to him, “Just because you are a relative^(Z) of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages^(AA) should be.”

¹⁶ Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah,^(AB) and the name of the younger was Rachel.^{(AC) 17} Leah had weak^[a] eyes, but Rachel^(AD) had a lovely figure and was beautiful.^{(AE) 18} Jacob was in love with Rachel^(AF) and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”^(AG)

¹⁹ Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.” ²⁰ So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel,^(AH) but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.^(AI)

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man^(A)

9 Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town.^{(B) 2} Some men brought to him a paralyzed man,^(C) lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith,^(D) he said to the man, “Take heart,^(E) son; your sins are forgiven.”^(F)

³ At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”^(G)

⁴ Knowing their thoughts,^(H) Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? ⁵ Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? ⁶ But I want you to know that the Son of Man^(I) has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” ⁷ Then the man got up and went home. ⁸ When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God,^(J) who had given such authority to man.

The Calling of Matthew^(K)

⁹ As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,”^(L) he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

¹⁰ While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. ¹¹ When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”^(M)

¹² On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ¹³ But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’^[a](N) For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”^(O)

Jesus Questioned About Fasting^(P)

¹⁴ Then John’s^(Q) disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often,^(R) but your disciples do not fast?”

¹⁵ Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them?^(S) The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.^(T)

¹⁶ “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. ¹⁷ Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

Jesus the Great High Priest

¹⁴ Therefore, since we have a great high priest^(A) who has ascended into heaven,^[a](B) Jesus the Son of God,^(C) let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.^{(D) 15} For we do not have a high priest^(E) who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are^(F)—yet he did not sin.^{(G) 16} Let us then approach^(H) God’s throne of grace with confidence,^(I) so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

5 Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God,^(J) to offer gifts and sacrifices^(K) for sins.^{(L) 2} He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray,^(M) since he himself is subject to weakness.^{(N) 3} This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.^{(O) 4} And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.^(P)

⁵ In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory^(Q) of becoming a high priest.^(R) But God said^(S) to him,

⁶ And he says in another place,

⁷ During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions^(W) with fervent cries and tears^(X) to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard^(Y) because of his reverent submission.^{(Z) 8} Son^(AA) though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered^{(AB) 9} and, once made perfect,^(AC) he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him ¹⁰ and was designated by God to be high priest^(AD) in the order of Melchizedek.^(AE)