Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

(A song for worship.)

The Lord Will Protect His People

Jacob and Laban Make an Agreement

⁴³ Laban said to Jacob, “Leah and Rachel are my daughters, and their children belong to me. All these sheep you are taking are really mine too. In fact, everything you have belongs to me. But there is nothing I can do to keep my daughters and their children. ⁴⁴ So I am ready to make an agreement with you, and we will pile up some large rocks here to remind us of the agreement.”

⁴⁵ After Jacob had set up a large rock, ⁴⁶ he told his men to get some more rocks and pile them up next to it. Then Jacob and Laban ate a meal together beside the rocks. ⁴⁷ Laban named the pile of rocks Jegar Sahadutha.^[a] But Jacob named it Galeed.^{[b] 48} Laban said to Jacob, “This pile of rocks will remind us of our agreement.” That's why the place was named Galeed. ⁴⁹ Laban also said, “This pile of rocks means that the Lord will watch us both while we are apart from each other.” So the place was also named Mizpah.^[c]

⁵⁰ Then Laban said:

If you mistreat my daughters or marry other women, I may not know about it, but remember, God is watching us! ^51-52 Both this pile of rocks and this large rock have been set up between us as a reminder. I must never go past them to attack you, and you must never come past them to attack me. ⁵³ My father Nahor, your grandfather Abraham, and their ancestors all worshiped the same God, and he will make sure that we each keep the agreement.

Then Jacob made a promise in the name of the fearsome God^[d] his father Isaac had worshiped. ⁵⁴ Jacob killed an animal and offered it as a sacrifice there on the mountain, and he invited his men to eat with him. After the meal they spent the night on the mountain. ⁵⁵ Early the next morning, Laban kissed his daughters and his grandchildren goodbye, then he left to go back home.

Jacob Gets Ready To Meet Esau

32 As Jacob was on his way back home, some of God's angels came and met him. ² When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is God's camp.” So he named the place Mahanaim.^[e]

An Approved Worker

¹⁴ Don't let anyone forget these things. And with God^[a] as your witness, you must warn them not to argue about words. These arguments don't help anyone. In fact, they ruin everyone who listens to them. ¹⁵ Do your best to win God's approval as a worker who doesn't need to be ashamed and who teaches only the true message.

¹⁶ Keep away from worthless and useless talk. It only leads people farther away from God. ¹⁷ That sort of talk is like a sore that won't heal. And Hymenaeus and Philetus have been talking this way ¹⁸ by teaching that the dead have already been raised to life. This is far from the truth, and it is destroying the faith of some people.

¹⁹ But the foundation God has laid is solid. On it is written, “The Lord knows who his people are. So everyone who worships the Lord must turn away from evil.”

²⁰ In a large house some dishes are made of gold or silver, while others are made of wood or clay. Some of these are special, and others are not. ²¹ This is also how it is with people. The ones who stop doing evil and make themselves pure will become special. Their lives will be holy and pleasing to their Master, and they will be able to do all kinds of good deeds.

²² Run from temptations that capture young people. Always do the right thing. Be faithful, loving, and easy to get along with. Worship with people whose hearts are pure. ²³ Stay away from stupid and senseless arguments. These only lead to trouble, ²⁴ and God's servants must not be troublemakers. They must be kind to everyone, and they must be good teachers and very patient.

²⁵ Be humble when you correct people who oppose you. Maybe God will lead them to turn to him and learn the truth. ²⁶ They have been trapped by the devil, and he makes them obey him, but God may help them escape.