Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

The Lord Can Be Trusted

Jacob Arrives at Laban's Home

29 As Jacob continued on his way to the east, ² he looked out in a field and saw a well where shepherds took their sheep for water. Three flocks of sheep were lying around the well, which was covered with a large rock. ³ Shepherds would roll the rock away when all their sheep had gathered there. Then after the sheep had been watered, the shepherds would roll the rock back over the mouth of the well.

⁴ Jacob asked the shepherds, “Where are you from?”

“We're from Haran,” they answered.

⁵ Then he asked, “Do you know Nahor's grandson Laban?”

“Yes we do,” they replied.

⁶ “How is he?” Jacob asked.

“He's fine,” they answered. “And here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.”

⁷ Jacob told them, “Look, the sun is still high up in the sky, and it's too early to bring in the rest of the flocks. Water your sheep and take them back to the pasture.”

⁸ But they replied, “We can't do that until they all get here, and the rock has been rolled away from the well.”

¹⁴ I am not writing to embarrass you. I want to help you, just as parents help their own dear children. ¹⁵ Ten thousand people may teach you about Christ, but I am your only father. You became my children when I told you about Christ Jesus, ^16 (A) and I want you to be like me. ¹⁷ This is why I sent Timothy to you. I love him like a son, and he is a faithful servant of the Lord. Timothy will tell you what I do to follow Christ and how it agrees with what I always teach about Christ in every church.

¹⁸ Some of you think I am not coming for a visit, and so you are bragging. ¹⁹ But if the Lord lets me come, I will soon be there. Then I will find out if the ones who are doing all this bragging really have any power. ²⁰ God's kingdom isn't just a lot of words. It is power.