Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

The Lord is good!^[a]

Isaac blesses Jacob

27 Isaac became old. He could not see anything because his eyes were weak. He called for his older son, Esau. Isaac said, ‘My son.’ Esau replied, ‘Yes, I am here.’ ² Isaac said, ‘I am an old man. I may die very soon. ³ Get your bow and your arrows.^[a] Go out into the country and kill some wild animals for me. ⁴ Then prepare the food that I like to eat. Bring it to me so that I can eat it. Then I will give you my blessing before I die.’^[b]

⁵ Rebekah listened to what Isaac said to Esau. She waited until Esau went out to the country to kill an animal and bring back the meat. ⁶ Then she said to Jacob, ‘I heard your father say this to Esau: ⁷ “Bring me some meat and prepare the food that I like to eat. When I have eaten it, I will give you my blessing. I will bless you in front of the Lord before I die.”  ⁸ Now my son, listen carefully and do as I tell you. ⁹ Go out to the animals and bring two goats to me. They must be very good young goats. Then I will prepare some food that your father likes to eat. I will cook the meat in the way that he likes. ¹⁰ Then take the food to your father. When he has eaten it, he will give you his blessing before he dies.’

¹¹ Jacob said to his mother Rebekah, ‘That will be difficult. Hair covers my brother's skin. But my skin does not have any hair. ¹² My father may touch me. Then he will know that I am deceiving him. He will not bless me. He will curse me instead.’ ¹³ Jacob's mother said, ‘My son, the curse will happen to me, not you. Do what I say. Go and get the things that I told you.’

¹⁴ Jacob went and he got the goats. He brought them to his mother. She prepared some food in the way that Isaac liked to eat. ¹⁵ Then Rebekah took some of Esau's best clothes that were in her house. She put them on Jacob, her younger son. ¹⁶ She covered Jacob's hands with the skin from the goats. She also covered the part of his neck that had no hair. ¹⁷ Then she gave to Jacob the food that Isaac liked to eat. And she gave him some bread that she had made.

¹⁸ Jacob went to his father. He said, ‘My father.’ Isaac replied ‘Yes, my son. Who are you, Esau or Jacob?’ ¹⁹ Jacob said, ‘I am Esau. I am your firstborn son. I have done as you told me. Please sit up. Eat some of the meat from the wild animal that I killed. Then you can bless me.’ ²⁰ Isaac asked his son, ‘My son, how did you find it so quickly?’ Jacob replied, ‘The Lord your God helped me find it.’^[c]

²¹ Isaac said to Jacob, ‘Come near to me so that I can touch you, my son. Then I will know if you really are my son Esau.’

²² Jacob went near to his father. Isaac touched him and he said, ‘The voice is Jacob's voice. But the hands are Esau's hands.’ ²³ Isaac did not know that it was Jacob because he could feel the hair on Jacob's hands. They felt like Esau's hands. So Isaac blessed Jacob.

²⁴ Isaac asked again, ‘Are you really my son Esau?’ Jacob replied, ‘I am.’ ²⁵ Isaac said, ‘My son, bring me some of your meat. I will eat it. Then I will bless you.’ So Jacob brought the food to him and Isaac ate it. Jacob also brought some wine and Isaac drank it.

²⁶ Then Isaac said, ‘Come here my son and kiss me.’ ²⁷ So Jacob went to Isaac and kissed him. Isaac smelled the clothes that Jacob wore. Then Isaac blessed him. He said,

Paul says ‘hello’

16 I want you to know that our Christian friend Phoebe is a good person. She is a servant of the church at Cenchrea. ² Please be kind to her when she comes to you, because you belong to the Lord. Help her in the way that God's people ought to help one another. Give to her the things that she needs. She has worked to help me as well as many other people.^[a]

³ Say ‘hello’ on my behalf to Priscilla and Aquila. They have worked together with me as servants of Christ Jesus. ⁴ They were even ready to die so that they could help me. So I have a good reason to thank them. All the groups of Gentile believers also have a good reason to thank them. ⁵ Also say ‘hello’ for me to the group of believers who meet in Priscilla and Aquila's house.

Say ‘hello’ to my very good friend Epenetus. He was the first person in the region of Asia who believed in Christ.

⁶ Say ‘hello’ to Mary, who has worked very much on your behalf. ⁷ Say ‘hello’ to my relatives Andronicus and Junia, who were in prison with me. The apostles know them well and respect them. They became believers in Christ before I did.

⁸ Say ‘hello’ to Ampliatus on my behalf. He is my very good friend in the Lord's family. ⁹ Say ‘hello’ to Urbanus, who works with us to serve Christ. Also say ‘hello’ to my good friend Stachys. ¹⁰ Say ‘hello’ to Apelles. He has shown that he trusts Christ very well. Say ‘hello’ to those people who belong to Aristobulus's family. ¹¹ Say ‘hello’ to my relative Herodion. Say ‘hello’ to those people in Narcissus's family who belong to the Lord.

¹² Say ‘hello’ to Tryphena and Tryphosa. They work hard to serve the Lord. Say ‘hello’ to my good friend Persis. She has worked very hard to serve the Lord. ¹³ Say ‘hello’ to Rufus. He is a special servant of the Lord. Say ‘hello’ also to his mother, who has been kind to me, like a mother.

¹⁴ Say ‘hello’ to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas and Hermas. Say ‘hello’ also to all our Christian friends who are there with them. ¹⁵ Say ‘hello’ to Philologus and Julia, to Nereus and his sister, and to Olympas. Say ‘hello’ also to all God's people who are there with them.

¹⁶ When you meet, kiss each other as Christian brothers and sisters. The people of all the Christian churches here say ‘hello’ to you.