Jacob at Bethel

¹⁰ Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. ¹¹ He reached a certain place and spent the night there because the sun had set. He took one of the stones from the place, put it there at his head, and lay down in that place. ¹² And he dreamed:^(A) A stairway was set on the ground with its top reaching the sky, and God’s angels were going up and down on it.^{(B) 13} The Lord was standing there beside him,^[a] saying, “I am the Lord,^(C) the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your offspring the land on which you are lying. ¹⁴ Your offspring will be like the dust of the earth,^(D) and you will spread out toward the west, the east, the north, and the south. All the peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.^{(E) 15} Look, I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go. I will bring you back to this land,^(F) for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

¹⁶ When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.”^{(G) 17} He was afraid and said, “What an awesome place this is! This is none other than the house of God. This is the gate of heaven.”

¹⁸ Early in the morning Jacob took the stone that was near his head and set it up as a marker. He poured oil on top of it ¹⁹ and named the place Bethel,^[b] though previously the city was named Luz.^{(H) 20} Then Jacob made a vow:^(I) “If God will be with me and watch over me during this journey I’m making, if he provides me with food to eat and clothing to wear, ²¹ and if I return safely to my father’s family,^(J) then the Lord will be my God.^{(K) 22} This stone that I have set up as a marker will be God’s house, and I will give to you a tenth of all that you give me.”^(L)

Jacob Wrestles with God

²⁴ Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.^{(A) 25} When the man saw that he could not defeat him, he struck Jacob’s hip socket as they wrestled and dislocated his hip. ²⁶ Then he said to Jacob, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”

But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

²⁷ “What is your name?” the man asked.

“Jacob,” he replied.

²⁸ “Your name will no longer be Jacob,”^(B) he said. “It will be Israel^[a] because you have struggled with God^(C) and with men and have prevailed.”

²⁹ Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.”

But he answered, “Why do you ask my name?” ^(D) And he blessed him there.

³⁰ Jacob then named the place Peniel,^[b] “For I have seen God face to face,” he said, “yet my life has been spared.”^{(E) 31} The sun shone on him as he passed by Penuel^[c](F)—limping because of his hip. ³² That is why, still today, the Israelites don’t eat the thigh muscle that is at the hip socket: because he struck Jacob’s hip socket at the thigh muscle.^[d]

⁶ When Herod’s birthday celebration came, Herodias’s daughter danced before them^[a] and pleased Herod. ⁷ So he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. ⁸ Prompted by her mother, she answered, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.” ⁹ Although the king regretted it, he commanded that it be granted because of his oaths and his guests. ¹⁰ So he sent orders and had John beheaded in the prison. ¹¹ His head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. ¹² Then his disciples came, removed the corpse,^[b] buried it, and went and reported to Jesus.

Feeding of the Five Thousand

¹³ When Jesus heard about it,^(A) he withdrew from there by boat to a remote place to be alone. When the crowds heard this, they followed him on foot from the towns. ¹⁴ When he went ashore,^[c] he saw a large crowd, had compassion on them, and healed their sick.^(B)

Walking on the Water

²² Immediately^(A) he^[a] made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. ²³ After dismissing the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. Well into the night, he was there alone.^(B)

Preaching in Galilee

³⁵ Very^(A) early in the morning, while it was still dark, he got up, went out, and made his way to a deserted place;^(B) and there he was praying.^{(C) 36} Simon^(D) and his companions searched for him, ³⁷ and when they found him they said, “Everyone is looking for you.”

³⁸ And he said to them, “Let’s go on to the neighboring villages so that I may preach^(E) there too. This is why I have come.”

A Man Cleansed

³⁹ He went into all of Galilee,^(F) preaching in their synagogues^(G) and driving out demons.