Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Prayer for Help in Time of Trouble
17 Hear what is right, O Lord. Listen to my cry. Hear my prayer, for it does not come from lying lips. 2 May You decide in my favor. May Your eyes see what is right. 3 You have tested my heart. You have visited me during the night. You have tested me and have found nothing wrong. I have decided that my mouth will not sin. 4 As for the actions of men, by the word of Your lips, I have kept myself from the paths of those who want to hurt others. 5 My steps have followed Your paths. My feet have not turned from them.
6 I have called to You, O God, for You will answer me. Listen to me and hear my words. 7 Show Your great loving-kindness. You save by Your right hand the people that come to You for help from those who hate them.
15 As for me, I will see Your face in what is right and good. I will be happy to see You when I awake.
Laban Follows after Jacob
22 But Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had gone. 23 So he took the men of his family with him, and followed Jacob for seven days. He found him in the hill country of Gilead. 24 But God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night. He said to him, “Be careful that you do not speak good or bad to Jacob.”
25 Then Laban came to Jacob. Now Jacob had put up his tent in the hill country. Laban and the men of his family put up their tents in the hill country of Gilead. 26 Laban said to Jacob, “What do you mean by fooling me and carrying away my daughters as if they were taken by the sword? 27 Why did you leave in secret and fool me? Why did you not tell me, so I would have sent you away with joy and with songs and with sounds of joy on the timbrel and harp. 28 Why did you not let me kiss my grandchildren and daughters good-bye? Now you have been foolish. 29 I have the power to hurt you. But the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful not to speak good or bad to Jacob.’ 30 Now you have gone away because you had a desire for your father’s house. But why did you steal my gods?”
31 Jacob answered Laban, “Because I was afraid you might take your daughters from me and make them stay. 32 The one with whom you find your gods will not live. In front of those of our family, look for what I have that is yours, and take it.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and into Leah’s tent, and into the tent of the two women who served Rachel and Leah. But he did not find his gods. Then he went from Leah’s tent into Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the gods of Laban’s house and put them in the seat that was used on the camel’s back. And she sat upon them. Laban looked through the whole tent, but did not find them. 35 She said to her father, “My lord, do not be angry that I cannot rise in front of you. For the way of women is upon me.” So he looked, but could not find the gods.
36 Then Jacob became angry and argued with Laban. Jacob said to Laban, “What have I done wrong? What is my sin that made you run after me? 37 What things of your house have you found by looking through all that belongs to me? Set it here in front of my brothers and your brothers, so they may judge between us. 38 During these twenty years I have been with you, your female goats and sheep have not lost a young one. And I have not eaten the sheep of your flocks. 39 I did not bring to you those that were torn by wild animals. I took the loss upon myself. You had me pay for what was carried away during the day or during the night. 40 This is the way it was for me. I suffered from heat during the day, and from cold during the night. And I could not sleep. 41 I have been in your house twenty years. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock. And you changed my pay ten times. 42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the fear of Isaac, had not been with me, for sure you would have sent me away with nothing. God has seen my suffering and the work of my hands. So He spoke sharp words to you last night.”
8 First of all, I keep thanking my God, through Jesus Christ, for all of you. This is because the whole world knows of your faith in Christ. 9 God knows how I work for Him. He knows how I preach with all my heart the Good News about His Son. He knows how I always pray for you. 10 I pray that I might be able to visit you, if God wants me to. 11 I want to see you so I can share some special gift of the Holy Spirit with you. It will make you strong. 12 Both of us need help. I can help make your faith strong and you can do the same for me. We need each other.
13 Christian brothers, many times I have wanted to visit you. Something has kept me from going until now. I have wanted to lead some of you to Christ also, as I have done in other places where they did not know God. 14 I must help the people who have had a chance to hear the Good News and those who have not. I must help those with much learning and those who have never learned from books. 15 So I want to preach the Good News to you who live in Rome also.
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