The Tower of Babel

11 Now the whole world had one language(A) and a common speech. As people moved eastward,[a] they found a plain in Shinar[b](B) and settled there.

They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks(C) and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone,(D) and tar(E) for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens,(F) so that we may make a name(G) for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered(H) over the face of the whole earth.”(I)

But the Lord came down(J) to see the city and the tower the people were building. The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language(K) they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us(L) go down(M) and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”(N)

So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth,(O) and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel[c](P)—because there the Lord confused the language(Q) of the whole world.(R) From there the Lord scattered(S) them over the face of the whole earth.

From Shem to Abram(T)

10 This is the account(U) of Shem’s family line.

Two years after the flood, when Shem was 100 years old, he became the father[d] of Arphaxad.(V) 11 And after he became the father of Arphaxad, Shem lived 500 years and had other sons and daughters.

12 When Arphaxad had lived 35 years, he became the father of Shelah.(W) 13 And after he became the father of Shelah, Arphaxad lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters.[e]

14 When Shelah had lived 30 years, he became the father of Eber.(X) 15 And after he became the father of Eber, Shelah lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters.

16 When Eber had lived 34 years, he became the father of Peleg.(Y) 17 And after he became the father of Peleg, Eber lived 430 years and had other sons and daughters.

18 When Peleg had lived 30 years, he became the father of Reu.(Z) 19 And after he became the father of Reu, Peleg lived 209 years and had other sons and daughters.

20 When Reu had lived 32 years, he became the father of Serug.(AA) 21 And after he became the father of Serug, Reu lived 207 years and had other sons and daughters.

22 When Serug had lived 30 years, he became the father of Nahor.(AB) 23 And after he became the father of Nahor, Serug lived 200 years and had other sons and daughters.

24 When Nahor had lived 29 years, he became the father of Terah.(AC) 25 And after he became the father of Terah, Nahor lived 119 years and had other sons and daughters.

26 After Terah had lived 70 years, he became the father of Abram,(AD) Nahor(AE) and Haran.(AF)

Abram’s Family

27 This is the account(AG) of Terah’s family line.

Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor(AH) and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot.(AI) 28 While his father Terah was still alive, Haran died in Ur of the Chaldeans,(AJ) in the land of his birth. 29 Abram and Nahor(AK) both married. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai,(AL) and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milkah;(AM) she was the daughter of Haran, the father of both Milkah and Iskah. 30 Now Sarai was childless because she was not able to conceive.(AN)

31 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot(AO) son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law(AP) Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans(AQ) to go to Canaan.(AR) But when they came to Harran,(AS) they settled there.

32 Terah(AT) lived 205 years, and he died in Harran.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 11:2 Or from the east; or in the east
  2. Genesis 11:2 That is, Babylonia
  3. Genesis 11:9 That is, Babylon; Babel sounds like the Hebrew for confused.
  4. Genesis 11:10 Father may mean ancestor; also in verses 11-25.
  5. Genesis 11:13 Hebrew; Septuagint (see also Luke 3:35, 36 and note at Gen. 10:24) 35 years, he became the father of Cainan. 13 And after he became the father of Cainan, Arphaxad lived 430 years and had other sons and daughters, and then he died. When Cainan had lived 130 years, he became the father of Shelah. And after he became the father of Shelah, Cainan lived 330 years and had other sons and daughters

Psalm 11

For the director of music. Of David.

In the Lord I take refuge.(A)
    How then can you say to me:
    “Flee(B) like a bird to your mountain.(C)
For look, the wicked bend their bows;(D)
    they set their arrows(E) against the strings
to shoot from the shadows(F)
    at the upright in heart.(G)
When the foundations(H) are being destroyed,
    what can the righteous do?”

The Lord is in his holy temple;(I)
    the Lord is on his heavenly throne.(J)
He observes everyone on earth;(K)
    his eyes examine(L) them.
The Lord examines the righteous,(M)
    but the wicked, those who love violence,
    he hates with a passion.(N)
On the wicked he will rain
    fiery coals and burning sulfur;(O)
    a scorching wind(P) will be their lot.

For the Lord is righteous,(Q)
    he loves justice;(R)
    the upright(S) will see his face.(T)

Jesus and John the Baptist(A)

11 After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples,(B) he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.[a]

When John,(C) who was in prison,(D) heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come,(E) or should we expect someone else?”

Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy[b] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.(F) Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”(G)

As John’s(H) disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness(I) to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet?(J) Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written:

“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,(K)
    who will prepare your way before you.’[c](L)

11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence,[d] and violent people have been raiding it. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.(M) 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.(N) 15 Whoever has ears, let them hear.(O)

16 “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:

17 “‘We played the pipe for you,
    and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
    and you did not mourn.’

18 For John came neither eating(P) nor drinking,(Q) and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’(R) But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”

Woe on Unrepentant Towns(S)

20 Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!(T) For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon,(U) they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.(V) 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.(W) 23 And you, Capernaum,(X) will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades.[e](Y) For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”(Z)

The Father Revealed in the Son(AA)

25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father,(AB) Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.(AC) 26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

27 “All things have been committed to me(AD) by my Father.(AE) No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.(AF)

28 “Come to me,(AG) all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.(AH) 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,(AI) for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.(AJ) 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”(AK)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 11:1 Greek in their towns
  2. Matthew 11:5 The Greek word traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin.
  3. Matthew 11:10 Mal. 3:1
  4. Matthew 11:12 Or been forcefully advancing
  5. Matthew 11:23 That is, the realm of the dead

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