Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit them together in my mother’s womb. 14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! It is amazing to think about. Your workmanship is marvelous—and how well I know it. 15 You were there while I was being formed in utter seclusion! 16 You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book!
17-18 How precious it is, Lord, to realize that you are thinking about me constantly! I can’t even count how many times a day your thoughts turn toward me.[a] And when I waken in the morning, you are still thinking of me!
16 Leaving Bethel, he and his household traveled on toward Ephrath (Bethlehem). But Rachel’s pains of childbirth began while they were still a long way away. 17 After a very hard delivery, the midwife finally exclaimed, “Wonderful—another boy!” 18 And with Rachel’s last breath (for she died) she named him “Ben-oni” (“Son of my sorrow”); but his father called him “Benjamin” (“Son of my right hand”).
19 So Rachel died, and was buried near the road to Ephrath (also called Bethlehem). 20 And Jacob set up a monument of stones upon her grave, and it is there to this day.
21 Then Israel journeyed on and camped beyond the Tower of Eder. 22 It was while he was there that Reuben slept with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and someone told Israel about it.
Here are the names of the twelve sons of Jacob:
23 The sons of Leah: Reuben, Jacob’s oldest child, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun.
24 The sons of Rachel: Joseph, Benjamin.
25 The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant girl: Dan, Naphtali.
26 The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s servant girl: Gad, Asher.
All these were born to him at Paddan-aram.
27 So Jacob came at last to Isaac his father at Mamre in Kiriath-arba (now called Hebron), where Abraham too had lived. 28-29 Isaac died soon afterwards, at the ripe old age of 180. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
15 But he knew what they were planning and left the synagogue, with many following him. He healed all the sick among them, 16 but he cautioned them against spreading the news about his miracles. 17 This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him:
18 “Look at my Servant.
See my Chosen One.
He is my Beloved, in whom my soul delights.
I will put my Spirit upon him,
And he will judge the nations.
19 He does not fight nor shout;
He does not raise his voice!
20 He does not crush the weak,
Or quench the smallest hope;
He will end all conflict with his final victory,
21 And his name shall be the hope
Of all the world.”[a]
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.