²¹ Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.^(A)”

²² So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast.^{(B) 23} But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah^(C) and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. ²⁴ And Laban gave his servant Zilpah^(D) to his daughter as her attendant.^(E)

²⁵ When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me?^(F) I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?^(G)”

²⁶ Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one.^{(H) 27} Finish this daughter’s bridal week;^(I) then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.^(J)”

²⁸ And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.^{(K) 29} Laban gave his servant Bilhah^(L) to his daughter Rachel as her attendant.^{(M) 30} Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah.^(N) And he worked for Laban another seven years.^(O)

Jacob’s Children

³¹ When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved,^(P) he enabled her to conceive,^(Q) but Rachel remained childless. ³² Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.^(R) She named him Reuben,^[a](S) for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery.^(T) Surely my husband will love me now.”

³³ She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved,^(U) he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.^[b](V)

³⁴ Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me,^(W) because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.^[c](X)

³⁵ She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah.^[d](Y) Then she stopped having children.^(Z)

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

¹⁶ As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” ¹⁸ At once they left their nets and followed him.^(A)

¹⁹ When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. ²⁰ Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Jesus Drives Out an Impure Spirit^(B)

²¹ They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach.^{(C) 22} The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.^{(D) 23} Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, ²⁴ “What do you want with us,^(E) Jesus of Nazareth?^(F) Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”^(G)

²⁵ “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!”^{(H) 26} The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.^(I)

²⁷ The people were all so amazed^(J) that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” ²⁸ News about him spread quickly over the whole region^(K) of Galilee.

Jesus Heals Many^(L)(M)

²⁹ As soon as they left the synagogue,^(N) they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. ³⁰ Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. ³¹ So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up.^(O) The fever left her and she began to wait on them.