Abraham's Death and His Descendants

25 Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. (A)She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. (B)Abraham gave all he had to Isaac. But to the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts, and while he was still living he (C)sent them away from his son Isaac, eastward (D)to the east country.

These are the days of the years of Abraham's life, 175 years. Abraham (E)breathed his last and (F)died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. Isaac and Ishmael (G)his sons buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre, 10 the field (H)that Abraham purchased from the Hittites. (I)There Abraham was buried, with Sarah his wife. 11 After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son. And Isaac settled at (J)Beer-lahai-roi.

12 These are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, (K)whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's servant, bore to Abraham. 13 (L)These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth: (M)Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael; and (N)Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15 Hadad, (O)Tema, (P)Jetur, (Q)Naphish, and Kedemah. 16 These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages and by their encampments, (R)twelve princes according to their tribes. 17 (These are the years of the life of Ishmael: 137 years. He (S)breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.) 18 (T)They settled from Havilah to (U)Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. He settled[a] over against all his kinsmen.

The Birth of Esau and Jacob

19 These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: (V)Abraham fathered Isaac, 20 and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, (W)the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of (X)Paddan-aram, (Y)the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. 21 And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And (Z)the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?”[b] So she went (AA)to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her,

(AB)“Two nations are in your womb,
    and two peoples from within you[c] shall be divided;
(AC)the one shall be stronger than the other,
    (AD)the older shall serve the younger.”

24 When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 The first came out red, (AE)all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. 26 Afterward his brother came out with (AF)his hand holding Esau's heel, so (AG)his name was called Jacob.[d] Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

27 When the boys grew up, Esau was (AH)a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, (AI)dwelling in tents. 28 Isaac loved Esau because (AJ)he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Esau Sells His Birthright

29 Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.[e]) 31 Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” 32 Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” 33 Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and (AK)sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

God's Promise to Isaac

26 Now there was a famine in the land, besides (AL)the former famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar to (AM)Abimelech king of the (AN)Philistines. And the Lord appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell (AO)in the land of which I shall tell you. (AP)Sojourn in this land, and (AQ)I will be with you and will bless you, for (AR)to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish (AS)the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. (AT)I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And (AU)in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because (AV)Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”

Isaac and Abimelech

So Isaac settled in Gerar. When the men of the place asked him about his wife, (AW)he said, “She is my sister,” for (AX)he feared to say, “My wife,” thinking, “lest the men of the place should kill me because of Rebekah,” because (AY)she was attractive in appearance. When he had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out of a window and saw Isaac laughing with[f] Rebekah his wife. So Abimelech called Isaac and said, “Behold, she is your wife. How then could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac said to him, “Because I thought, ‘Lest I die because of her.’” 10 Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and (AZ)you would have brought guilt upon us.” 11 So Abimelech warned all the people, saying, “Whoever touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”

12 And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The Lord (BA)blessed him, 13 and the man became rich, and gained more and more until he became very wealthy. 14 He had possessions of flocks and herds and many servants, so that the Philistines (BB)envied him. 15 (Now the Philistines had stopped and filled with earth all the wells (BC)that his father's servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father.) 16 And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.”

17 So Isaac departed from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar and settled there. 18 And Isaac dug again the wells of water that had been dug in the days of Abraham his father, which the Philistines had stopped after the death of Abraham. And (BD)he gave them the names that his father had given them. 19 But when Isaac's servants dug in the valley and found there a well of spring water, 20 the herdsmen of Gerar (BE)quarreled with Isaac's herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek,[g] because they contended with him. 21 Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that also, so he called its name Sitnah.[h] 22 And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth,[i] saying, “For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”

23 From there he went up to Beersheba. 24 And the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, (BF)“I am the God of Abraham your father. (BG)Fear not, for (BH)I am with you and will bless you and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham's sake.” 25 So he (BI)built an altar there and called upon the name of the Lord and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac's servants dug a well.

26 When Abimelech went to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath his adviser and (BJ)Phicol the commander of his army, 27 Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, seeing that you hate me and (BK)have sent me away from you?” 28 They said, “We see plainly that the Lord has been with you. So we said, let there be a sworn pact between us, between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you, 29 that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you and have done to you nothing but good and have sent you away in peace. (BL)You are now the blessed of the Lord.” 30 So he made them a feast, and they ate and drank. 31 In the morning they rose early and (BM)exchanged oaths. And Isaac sent them on their way, and they departed from him in peace. 32 That same day Isaac's servants came and told him about the well that they had dug and said to him, “We have found water.” 33 He called it Shibah;[j] therefore the name of the city is (BN)Beersheba to this day.

34 When Esau was forty years old, he took (BO)Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite to be his wife, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite, 35 and (BP)they made life bitter[k] for Isaac and Rebekah.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 25:18 Hebrew fell
  2. Genesis 25:22 Or why do I live?
  3. Genesis 25:23 Or from birth
  4. Genesis 25:26 Jacob means He takes by the heel, or He cheats
  5. Genesis 25:30 Edom sounds like the Hebrew for red
  6. Genesis 26:8 Hebrew may suggest an intimate relationship
  7. Genesis 26:20 Esek means contention
  8. Genesis 26:21 Sitnah means enmity
  9. Genesis 26:22 Rehoboth means broad places, or room
  10. Genesis 26:33 Shibah sounds like the Hebrew for oath
  11. Genesis 26:35 Hebrew they were bitterness of spirit

And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not (A)taste death (B)until they see the kingdom of God after it has come (C)with power.”

The Transfiguration

(D)And after six days Jesus took with him (E)Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was (F)transfigured before them, and (G)his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one[a] on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter said to Jesus, (H)“Rabbi,[b] it is good that we are here. Let us make three (I)tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” For (J)he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. And (K)a cloud overshadowed them, and (L)a voice came out of the cloud, (M)“This is my beloved Son;[c] (N)listen to him.” And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.

(O)And as they were coming down the mountain, (P)he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, (Q)until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 (R)So they kept the matter to themselves, (S)questioning what this rising from the dead might mean. 11 And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say (T)that first Elijah must come?” 12 And he said to them, “Elijah does come first (U)to restore all things. And (V)how is it written of the Son of Man that he should (W)suffer many things and (X)be treated with contempt? 13 But I tell you that Elijah has come, and (Y)they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.”

Jesus Heals a Boy with an Unclean Spirit

14 (Z)And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, (AA)were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. 16 And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17 And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has (AB)a spirit that makes him mute. 18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and (AC)they were not able.” 19 And he answered them, “O (AD)faithless generation, (AE)how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” 20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it (AF)convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But (AG)if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 And Jesus said to him, (AH)“‘If you can’! (AI)All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out[d] and said, “I believe; (AJ)help my unbelief!” 25 And when Jesus saw that (AK)a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, (AL)“You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 And after crying out and (AM)convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus (AN)took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when he had (AO)entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”[e]

Jesus Again Foretells Death, Resurrection

30 (AP)They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, 31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, (AQ)after three days he will rise.” 32 (AR)But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.

Who Is the Greatest?

33 And (AS)they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house (AT)he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way (AU)they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, (AV)“If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” 36 And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and (AW)taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 (AX)“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and (AY)whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

Anyone Not Against Us Is for Us

38 (AZ)John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone (BA)casting out demons in your name,[f] and (BB)we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 (BC)For the one who is not against us is for us. 41 For truly, I say to you, (BD)whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.

Temptations to Sin

42 (BE)“Whoever causes one of (BF)these little ones who believe in me to sin,[g] (BG)it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 (BH)And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to (BI)hell,[h] to (BJ)the unquenchable fire.[i] 45 (BK)And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into (BL)hell. 47 (BM)And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into (BN)hell, 48 ‘where (BO)their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ 49 For everyone will be salted with fire.[j] 50 (BP)Salt is good, (BQ)but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? (BR)Have salt in yourselves, and (BS)be at peace with one another.”

Footnotes

  1. Mark 9:3 Greek launderer (gnapheus)
  2. Mark 9:5 Rabbi means my teacher, or my master
  3. Mark 9:7 Or my Son, my (or the) Beloved
  4. Mark 9:24 Some manuscripts add with tears
  5. Mark 9:29 Some manuscripts add and fasting
  6. Mark 9:38 Some manuscripts add who does not follow us
  7. Mark 9:42 Greek to stumble; also verses 43, 45, 47
  8. Mark 9:43 Greek Gehenna; also verse 47
  9. Mark 9:43 Some manuscripts add verses 44 and 46 (which are identical with verse 48)
  10. Mark 9:49 Some manuscripts add and every sacrifice will be salted with salt

Bible Gateway Recommends

ESV Study Bible, Large Print, Genuine Leather, Black
ESV Study Bible, Large Print, Genuine Leather, Black
Retail: $129.99
Our Price: $75.99
Save: $54.00 (42%)
4.5 of 5.0 stars
ESV Student Study Bible (TruTone, Gray), Leather, imitation, Grey
ESV Student Study Bible (TruTone, Gray), Leather, imitation, Grey
Retail: $44.99
Our Price: $28.99
Save: $16.00 (36%)
4.5 of 5.0 stars
ESV Systematic Theology Study Bible, Hardcover
ESV Systematic Theology Study Bible, Hardcover
Retail: $39.99
Our Price: $15.99
Save: $24.00 (60%)
4.5 of 5.0 stars
ESV Student Study Bible, Trutone, Turquoise
ESV Student Study Bible, Trutone, Turquoise
Retail: $44.99
Our Price: $26.99
Save: $18.00 (40%)
4.5 of 5.0 stars