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)

The Lord, Not Idols

¹² Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it.^{(A) 13} For if you live according to the flesh, you will die;^(B) but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body,^(C) you will live.^(D)

¹⁴ For those who are led by the Spirit of God^(E) are the children of God.^{(F) 15} The Spirit^(G) you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again;^(H) rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.^[a] And by him we cry, “Abba,^[b] Father.”^{(I) 16} The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit^(J) that we are God’s children.^{(K) 17} Now if we are children, then we are heirs^(L)—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings^(M) in order that we may also share in his glory.^(N)

Present Suffering and Future Glory

¹⁸ I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.^{(O) 19} For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God^(P) to be revealed. ²⁰ For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it,^(Q) in hope ²¹ that^[c] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay^(R) and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.^(S)

²² We know that the whole creation has been groaning^(T) as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. ²³ Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,^(U) groan^(V) inwardly as we wait eagerly^(W) for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.^{(X) 24} For in this hope we were saved.^(Y) But hope that is seen is no hope at all.^(Z) Who hopes for what they already have? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.^(AA)

The Parable of the Weeds

²⁴ Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like^(A) a man who sowed good seed in his field. ²⁵ But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. ²⁶ When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

²⁷ “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

²⁸ “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

²⁹ “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”^(B)

The Parable of the Weeds Explained

³⁶ Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable^(A) of the weeds in the field.”

³⁷ He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.^{(B) 38} The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one,^{(C) 39} and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest^(D) is the end of the age,^(E) and the harvesters are angels.^(F)

⁴⁰ “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. ⁴¹ The Son of Man^(G) will send out his angels,^(H) and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. ⁴² They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.^{(I) 43} Then the righteous will shine like the sun^(J) in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.^(K)