Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Jacob and Esau

¹⁹ Here is the story of the family line of Abraham’s son Isaac.

Abraham was the father of Isaac. ²⁰ Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebekah. She was the daughter of Bethuel, the Aramean from Paddan Aram. She was also the sister of Laban, the Aramean.

²¹ Rebekah couldn’t have children. So Isaac prayed to the Lord for her. And the Lord answered his prayer. His wife Rebekah became pregnant. ²² The babies struggled with each other inside her. She said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to ask the Lord what she should do.

²³ The Lord said to her,

²⁴ The time came for Rebekah to have her babies. There were twin boys in her body. ²⁵ The first one to come out was red. His whole body was covered with hair. So they named him Esau. ²⁶ Then his brother came out. His hand was holding onto Esau’s heel. So he was named Jacob. Isaac was 60 years old when Rebekah had them.

²⁷ The boys grew up. Esau became a skillful hunter. He liked the open country. But Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents. ²⁸ Isaac liked the meat of wild animals. So Esau was his favorite son. But Rebekah’s favorite was Jacob.

²⁹ One day Jacob was cooking some stew. Esau came in from the open country. He was very hungry. ³⁰ He said to Jacob, “Quick! I’m very hungry! Let me have some of that red stew!” That’s why he was also named Edom.

³¹ Jacob replied, “First sell me the rights that belong to you as the oldest son in the family.”

³² “Look, I’m dying of hunger,” Esau said. “What good are those rights to me?”

³³ But Jacob said, “First promise to sell me your rights.” So Esau promised to do it. He sold Jacob all the rights that belonged to him as the oldest son.

³⁴ Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. Esau ate and drank. Then he got up and left.

So Esau didn’t value the rights that belonged to him as the oldest son.

נ Nun

The Holy Spirit Gives Life

8 Those who belong to Christ Jesus are no longer under God’s judgment. ² Because of what Christ Jesus has done, you are free. You are now controlled by the law of the Holy Spirit who gives you life. The law of the Spirit frees you from the law of sin that brings death. ³ The written law was made weak by the power of sin. But God did what the written law could not do. He made his Son to be like those who live under the power of sin. God sent him to be an offering for sin. Jesus suffered God’s judgment against our sin. ⁴ Jesus does for us everything the holy law requires. The power of sin should no longer control the way we live. The Holy Spirit should control the way we live.

⁵ So don’t live under the control of sin. If you do, you will think about what sin wants. Live under the control of the Holy Spirit. If you do, you will think about what the Spirit wants. ⁶ The thoughts of a person ruled by sin bring death. But the mind ruled by the Spirit brings life and peace. ⁷ The mind ruled by the power of sin is at war with God. It does not obey God’s law. It can’t. ⁸ Those who are under the power of sin can’t please God.

⁹ But you are not ruled by the power of sin. Instead, the Holy Spirit rules over you. This is true if the Spirit of God lives in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Christ. ¹⁰ If Christ lives in you, you will live. Though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life. The Spirit does this because you have been made right with God. ¹¹ The Spirit of the God who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you. So the God who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your bodies. He will do this because of his Spirit who lives in you.

The Story of the Farmer

13 That same day Jesus left the house and sat by the Sea of Galilee. ² Large crowds gathered around him. So he got into a boat and sat down. All the people stood on the shore. ³ Then he told them many things using stories. He said, “A farmer went out to plant his seed. ⁴ He scattered the seed on the ground. Some fell on a path. Birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Some seed fell on rocky places, where there wasn’t much soil. The plants came up quickly, because the soil wasn’t deep. ⁶ When the sun came up, it burned the plants. They dried up because they had no roots. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and crowded out the plants. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil. It produced a crop 100, 60 or 30 times more than what was planted. ⁹ Whoever has ears should listen.”

¹⁸ “Listen! Here is the meaning of the story of the farmer. ¹⁹ People hear the message about the kingdom but do not understand it. Then the evil one comes. He steals what was planted in their hearts. Those people are like the seed planted on a path. ²⁰ The seed that fell on rocky places is like other people. They hear the message and at once receive it with joy. ²¹ But they have no roots. So they last only a short time. They quickly fall away from the faith when trouble or suffering comes because of the message. ²² The seed that fell among the thorns is like others who hear the message. But then the worries of this life and the false promises of wealth crowd it out. They keep the message from producing fruit. ²³ But the seed that fell on good soil is like those who hear the message and understand it. They produce a crop 100, 60 or 30 times more than the farmer planted.”