Jacob Meets Rachel

29 Jacob resumed his journey^[a] and went to the eastern country.^{[b](A) 2} He looked and saw a well in a field. Three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it because the sheep were watered from this well. But a large stone covered the opening of the well. ³ The shepherds would roll the stone from the opening of the well and water the sheep when all the flocks^[c] were gathered there. Then they would return the stone to its place over the well’s opening.

⁴ Jacob asked the men at the well, “My brothers! Where are you from?”

“We’re from Haran,” they answered.

⁵ “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s grandson?” Jacob asked them.

They answered, “We know him.”

⁶ “Is he well?” Jacob asked.

“Yes,” they said, “and here is his daughter Rachel, coming with his sheep.”

⁷ Then Jacob said, “Look, it is still broad daylight. It’s not time for the animals to be gathered. Water the flock, then go out and let them graze.”

⁸ But they replied, “We can’t until all the flocks have been gathered and the stone is rolled from the well’s opening. Then we will water the sheep.”

⁹ While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. ¹⁰ As soon as Jacob saw his uncle Laban’s daughter Rachel with his sheep,^[d] he went up and rolled the stone from the opening and watered his uncle Laban’s sheep. ¹¹ Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept loudly.^{[e] 12} He told Rachel that he was her father’s relative, Rebekah’s son. She ran and told her father.

Jacob Deceived

¹³ When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran to meet him, hugged him, and kissed him. Then he took him to his house, and Jacob told him all that had happened.

¹⁴ Laban said to him, “Yes, you are my own flesh and blood.”^[f](B)

After Jacob had stayed with him a month, ¹⁵ Laban said to him, “Just because you’re my relative, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”

¹⁶ Now Laban had two daughters: the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel. ¹⁷ Leah had tender eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful. ¹⁸ Jacob loved Rachel, so he answered Laban, “I’ll work for you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”^(C)

¹⁹ Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay with me.” ²⁰ So Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, and they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.

²¹ Then Jacob said to Laban, “Since my time is complete, give me my wife, so I can sleep with^[g] her.” ²² So Laban invited all the men of the place and sponsored a feast. ²³ That evening, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her. ²⁴ And Laban gave his slave Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her slave.

²⁵ When morning came, there was Leah! So he said to Laban, “What have you done to me? Wasn’t it for Rachel that I worked for you? Why have you deceived me?”

²⁶ Laban answered, “It is not the custom in our country to give the younger daughter in marriage before the firstborn. ²⁷ Complete this week of wedding celebration, and we will also give you this younger one in return for working yet another seven years for me.”

²⁸ And Jacob did just that. He finished the week of celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. ²⁹ And Laban gave his slave Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her slave. ³⁰ Jacob slept with Rachel also, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.^(D)

Jacob’s Sons

³¹ When the Lord saw that Leah was neglected,^(E) he opened her womb;^(F) but Rachel was unable to conceive.^{(G) 32} Leah conceived, gave birth to a son, and named him Reuben,^[h] for she said, “The Lord has seen my affliction;^(H) surely my husband will love me now.”

³³ She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, “The Lord heard that I am neglected and has given me this son also.” So she named him Simeon.^[i]

³⁴ She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, “At last, my husband will become attached to me because I have borne three sons for him.” Therefore he was named Levi.^[j]

³⁵ And she conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she named him Judah.^[k](I) Then Leah stopped having children.

Resurrection Morning

28 After the Sabbath,^(A) as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to view the tomb. ² There was a violent earthquake, because an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and approached the tomb. He rolled back the stone and was sitting on it.^{(B) 3} His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow.^{(C) 4} The guards were so shaken by fear of him that they became like dead men.

⁵ The angel told the women, “Don’t be afraid, because I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified.^{(D) 6} He is not here. For he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.^{(E) 7} Then go quickly and tell his disciples,^(F) ‘He has risen from the dead and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see him there.’ Listen, I have told you.”^(G)

⁸ So, departing quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, they ran to tell his disciples the news. ⁹ Just then^[a] Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” They came up, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.^{(H) 10} Then Jesus told them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”^(I)

The Soldiers Bribed to Lie

¹¹ As they were on their way, some of the guards came into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. ¹² After the priests^[b] had assembled with the elders and agreed on a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money ¹³ and told them, “Say this, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him while we were sleeping.’ ¹⁴ If this reaches the governor’s ears, we will deal with^[c] him and keep you out of trouble.”^{(J) 15} They took the money and did as they were instructed, and this story has been spread among Jewish people to this day.^(K)

The Great Commission

¹⁶ The eleven disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them.^{(L) 17} When they saw him, they worshiped,^[d] but some doubted. ¹⁸ Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.^{(M) 19} Go, therefore, and make disciples^(N) of^[e] all nations,^(O) baptizing^(P) them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember,^[f] I am with you always,^[g] to the end of the age.”^(Q)

Esther Approaches the King

5 On the third day,^(A) Esther dressed in her royal clothing and stood in the inner courtyard^(B) of the palace facing it. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the royal courtroom,^[a] facing its entrance. ² As soon as the king saw Queen Esther standing in the courtyard, she gained favor with him. The king extended the gold scepter in his hand toward Esther, and she approached and touched the tip of the scepter.^(C)

³ “What is it, Queen Esther?” the king asked her. “Whatever you want, even to half the kingdom, will be given to you.”^(D)

⁴ “If it pleases the king,” Esther replied, “may the king and Haman come today to the banquet^(E) I have prepared for them.”

⁵ The king said, “Hurry, and get Haman so we can do as Esther has requested.” So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared.

⁶ While drinking the^[b] wine,^(F) the king asked Esther, “Whatever you ask will be given to you. Whatever you want, even to half the kingdom, will be done.”

⁷ Esther answered, “This is my petition and my request: ⁸ If I have found favor in the eyes of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and perform my request,^(G) may the king and Haman come to the banquet I will prepare for them.^(H) Tomorrow I will do what the king has asked.”

⁹ That day Haman left full of joy and in good spirits.^[c](I) But when Haman saw Mordecai at the King’s Gate, and Mordecai didn’t rise or tremble in fear at his presence, Haman was filled with rage toward Mordecai.^{(J) 10} Yet Haman controlled himself and went home. He sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh^(K) to join him. ¹¹ Then Haman described for them his glorious wealth and his many sons. He told them all how the king had honored him and promoted him in rank over the other officials and the royal staff.^{(L) 12} “What’s more,” Haman added, “Queen Esther invited no one but me to join the king at the banquet she had prepared. I am invited again tomorrow to join her with the king. ¹³ Still, none of this satisfies me since I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the King’s Gate all the time.”

¹⁴ His wife Zeresh and all his friends told him, “Have them build a gallows seventy-five feet^[d] tall.^(M) Ask the king in the morning to hang Mordecai on it. Then go to the banquet with the king and enjoy yourself.” The advice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows constructed.^(N)

Malta’s Hospitality

28 Once safely ashore, we^(A) then learned that the island was called Malta.^{(B) 2} The local people^(C) showed us extraordinary kindness. They lit a fire and took us all in, since it was raining and cold. ³ As Paul gathered a bundle of brushwood and put it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. ⁴ When the local people saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “This man, no doubt, is a murderer. Even though he has escaped the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.”^{(D) 5} But he shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no harm.^{(E) 6} They expected that he would begin to swell up or suddenly drop dead. After they waited a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.^(F)

Ministry in Malta

⁷ Now in the area around that place was an estate belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days. ⁸ Publius’s father was in bed suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went to him, and praying and laying his hands on him, he healed him.^{(G) 9} After this, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. ¹⁰ So they heaped many honors on us, and when we sailed, they gave us what we needed.

Rome at Last

¹¹ After three months we set sail in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island, with the Twin Gods^[a] as its figurehead. ¹² Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed three days. ¹³ From there, after making a circuit along the coast,^[b] we reached Rhegium. After one day a south wind sprang up, and the second day we came to Puteoli. ¹⁴ There we found brothers and sisters^(H) and were invited to stay a week with them. And so we came to Rome. ¹⁵ Now the brothers and sisters from there had heard the news about us and had come to meet us as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. ¹⁶ When we entered Rome,^[c] Paul was allowed to live by himself with the soldier who guarded him.^(I)

Paul’s First Interview with Roman Jews

¹⁷ After three days he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had gathered he said to them, “Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.^{(J) 18} After they examined me, they wanted to release me, since there was no reason for the death penalty in my case.^{(K) 19} Because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar;^(L) even though I had no charge to bring against my people. ²⁰ For this reason I’ve asked to see you and speak to you. In fact, it is for the hope of Israel that I’m wearing this chain.”^(M)

²¹ Then they said to him, “We haven’t received any letters about you from Judea. None of the brothers has come and reported or spoken anything evil about you. ²² But we want to hear what your views are, since we know that people everywhere are speaking against this sect.”^(N)

The Response to Paul’s Message

²³ After arranging a day with him, many came to him at his lodging. From dawn to dusk he expounded and testified about the kingdom of God. He tried to persuade them about Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets.^{(O) 24} Some were persuaded by what he said, but others did not believe.^(P)

²⁵ Disagreeing among themselves, they began to leave after Paul made one statement:^[d] “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your^[e] ancestors through the prophet Isaiah ²⁶ when he said,

²⁸ Therefore, let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”^[g]

Paul’s Ministry Unhindered

³⁰ Paul stayed two whole years in his own rented house. And he welcomed all who visited him, ³¹ proclaiming the kingdom of God^(R) and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness^(S) and without hindrance.