46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, (A)“I loathe my life because of the Hittite women.[a] (B)If Jacob marries one of the Hittite women like these, one of the women of the land, what good will my life be to me?”

Jacob Sent to Laban

28 Then Isaac called Jacob (C)and blessed him and directed him, (D)“You must not take a wife from the Canaanite women. (E)Arise, go to Paddan-aram to the house of (F)Bethuel your mother's father, and take as your wife from there one of the daughters of Laban your mother's brother. (G)God Almighty[b] bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples. May he give (H)the blessing of Abraham to you and to your offspring with you, that you may take possession of (I)the land of your sojournings that God gave to Abraham!”

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 27:46 Hebrew daughters of Heth
  2. Genesis 28:3 Hebrew El Shaddai

46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I’m disgusted with living because of these Hittite(A) women. If Jacob takes a wife from among the women of this land,(B) from Hittite women like these, my life will not be worth living.”(C)

28 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed(D) him. Then he commanded him: “Do not marry a Canaanite woman.(E) Go at once to Paddan Aram,[a](F) to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel.(G) Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother.(H) May God Almighty[b](I) bless(J) you and make you fruitful(K) and increase your numbers(L) until you become a community of peoples. May he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham,(M) so that you may take possession of the land(N) where you now reside as a foreigner,(O) the land God gave to Abraham.”

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 28:2 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia; also in verses 5, 6 and 7
  2. Genesis 28:3 Hebrew El-Shaddai

Jacob's Dream

10 Jacob left (A)Beersheba and went toward (B)Haran. 11 And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. 12 And he (C)dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder[a] set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, (D)the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! 13 And behold, (E)the Lord stood above it[b] and said, (F)“I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. (G)The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. 14 Your offspring shall be like (H)the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and (I)your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 Behold, (J)I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and (K)will bring you back to this land. For I will (L)not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is (M)in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

18 So early in the morning Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up (N)for a pillar (O)and poured oil on the top of it. 19 He called the name of that place (P)Bethel,[c] but the name of the city was Luz at the first. 20 Then Jacob (Q)made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, 21 (R)so that I come again to my father's house in peace, (S)then the Lord shall be my God, 22 and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, (T)shall be God's house. And (U)of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.”

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 28:12 Or a flight of steps
  2. Genesis 28:13 Or beside him
  3. Genesis 28:19 Bethel means the house of God

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)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 28:13 Or There beside him
  2. Genesis 28:14 Or will use your name and the name of your offspring in blessings (see 48:20)
  3. Genesis 28:19 Bethel means house of God.
  4. Genesis 28:21 Or Since God … father’s household, the Lord
  5. Genesis 28:22 Or household, and the Lord will be my God, 22 then

I Cry Out Day and Night Before You

A Song. A Psalm of (A)the Sons of Korah. To the choirmaster: according to (B)Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil[a] of (C)Heman the Ezrahite.

88 O Lord, (D)God of my salvation,
    I (E)cry out day and night before you.
Let my prayer come before you;
    (F)incline your ear to my cry!

For my soul is full of troubles,
    and (G)my life draws near to (H)Sheol.
I am counted among those who (I)go down to the pit;
    I am a man who has no strength,
like one set loose among the dead,
    like the slain that lie in the grave,
like those whom (J)you remember no more,
    for they are (K)cut off from your hand.
You have put me in (L)the depths of the pit,
    in the (M)regions dark and (N)deep.
Your wrath (O)lies heavy upon me,
    and you overwhelm me with (P)all your waves. Selah

You have caused (Q)my companions to shun me;
    you have made me (R)a horror[b] to them.
I am (S)shut in so that I cannot escape;
    (T)my eye grows dim through sorrow.
Every day I call upon you, O Lord;
    I (U)spread out my hands to you.
10 Do you work wonders for the dead?
    (V)Do the departed rise up to praise you? Selah
11 Is your steadfast love declared in the grave,
    or your faithfulness in Abaddon?
12 Are your (W)wonders known in (X)the darkness,
    or your righteousness in the land of (Y)forgetfulness?

13 But I, O Lord, cry (Z)to you;
    (AA)in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 O Lord, why (AB)do you cast my soul away?
    Why (AC)do you hide your face from me?
15 Afflicted and close to death from my youth up,
    I suffer your terrors; I am helpless.[c]
16 Your wrath has swept over me;
    your (AD)dreadful assaults destroy me.
17 They (AE)surround me like a flood (AF)all day long;
    they (AG)close in on me together.
18 You have caused (AH)my beloved and my friend to shun me;
    my companions have become darkness.[d]

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 88:1 Probably musical or liturgical terms
  2. Psalm 88:8 Or an abomination
  3. Psalm 88:15 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
  4. Psalm 88:18 Or darkness has become my only companion

Psalm 88[a]

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth.[b] A maskil[c] of Heman the Ezrahite.

Lord, you are the God who saves me;(A)
    day and night I cry out(B) to you.
May my prayer come before you;
    turn your ear to my cry.

I am overwhelmed with troubles(C)
    and my life draws near to death.(D)
I am counted among those who go down to the pit;(E)
    I am like one without strength.(F)
I am set apart with the dead,
    like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
    who are cut off(G) from your care.

You have put me in the lowest pit,
    in the darkest depths.(H)
Your wrath(I) lies heavily on me;
    you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.[d](J)
You have taken from me my closest friends(K)
    and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined(L) and cannot escape;(M)
    my eyes(N) are dim with grief.

I call(O) to you, Lord, every day;
    I spread out my hands(P) to you.
10 Do you show your wonders to the dead?
    Do their spirits rise up and praise you?(Q)
11 Is your love declared in the grave,
    your faithfulness(R) in Destruction[e]?
12 Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
    or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?

13 But I cry to you for help,(S) Lord;
    in the morning(T) my prayer comes before you.(U)
14 Why, Lord, do you reject(V) me
    and hide your face(W) from me?

15 From my youth(X) I have suffered(Y) and been close to death;
    I have borne your terrors(Z) and am in despair.(AA)
16 Your wrath(AB) has swept over me;
    your terrors(AC) have destroyed me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood;(AD)
    they have completely engulfed me.
18 You have taken from me friend(AE) and neighbor—
    darkness is my closest friend.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 88:1 In Hebrew texts 88:1-18 is numbered 88:2-19.
  2. Psalm 88:1 Title: Possibly a tune, “The Suffering of Affliction”
  3. Psalm 88:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  4. Psalm 88:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 10.
  5. Psalm 88:11 Hebrew Abaddon

Submission to the Authorities

13 Let every person (A)be subject to the governing authorities. For (B)there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you (C)will receive his approval, for (D)he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, (E)an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also (F)for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. (G)Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

Fulfilling the Law Through Love

(H)Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for (I)the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, (J)“You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: (K)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore (L)love is the fulfilling of the law.

11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you (M)to wake from sleep. (N)For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 (O)The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us (P)cast off (Q)the works of darkness and (R)put on the armor of light. 13 (S)Let us walk properly as in the daytime, (T)not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, (U)not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But (V)put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, (W)to gratify its desires.

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Submission to Governing Authorities

13 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities,(A) for there is no authority except that which God has established.(B) The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted,(C) and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended.(D) For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.(E) Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.(F)

This is also why you pay taxes,(G) for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes;(H) if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Love Fulfills the Law

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.(I) The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”[a](J) and whatever other command there may be, are summed up(K) in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b](L) 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.(M)

The Day Is Near

11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come(N) for you to wake up from your slumber,(O) because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.(P) So let us put aside the deeds of darkness(Q) and put on the armor(R) of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness,(S) not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.(T) 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ,(U) and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.[c](V)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 13:9 Exodus 20:13-15,17; Deut. 5:17-19,21
  2. Romans 13:9 Lev. 19:18
  3. Romans 13:14 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.

33 They answered him, (A)“We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”

34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, (B)everyone who practices sin is a slave[a] to sin. 35 (C)The slave does not remain in the house forever; (D)the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet (E)you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. 38 (F)I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard (G)from your father.”

You Are of Your Father the Devil

39 They answered him, (H)“Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, (I)“If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now (J)you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth (K)that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41 You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, (L)“We were not born of sexual immorality. We have (M)one Father—even God.” 42 Jesus said to them, (N)“If God were your Father, you would love me, for (O)I came from God and (P)I am here. (Q)I came not of my own accord, but (R)he sent me. 43 (S)Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot (T)bear to hear my word. 44 (U)You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. (V)He was a murderer from the beginning, and (W)does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. (X)When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 (Y)Whoever is of God hears the words of God. (Z)The reason why you do not hear them is that (AA)you are not of God.”

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Footnotes

  1. John 8:34 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; also verse 35

33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants(A) and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.(B) 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.(C) 36 So if the Son sets you free,(D) you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me,(E) because you have no room for my word. 38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence,(F) and you are doing what you have heard from your father.[a](G)

39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered.

“If you were Abraham’s children,”(H) said Jesus, “then you would[b] do what Abraham did. 40 As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me,(I) a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.(J) Abraham did not do such things. 41 You are doing the works of your own father.”(K)

“We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”(L)

42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,(M) for I have come here from God.(N) I have not come on my own;(O) God sent me.(P) 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil,(Q) and you want to carry out your father’s desires.(R) He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.(S) 45 Yet because I tell the truth,(T) you do not believe me! 46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says.(U) The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

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Footnotes

  1. John 8:38 Or presence. Therefore do what you have heard from the Father.
  2. John 8:39 Some early manuscripts “If you are Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then