Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
13 You created the deepest parts of my being.
You put me together inside my mother’s body.
14 How you made me is amazing and wonderful.
I praise you for that.
What you have done is wonderful.
I know that very well.
15 None of my bones was hidden from you
when you made me inside my mother’s body.
That place was as dark as the deepest parts of the earth.
When you were putting me together there,
16 your eyes saw my body even before it was formed.
You planned how many days I would live.
You wrote down the number of them in your book
before I had lived through even one of them.
17 God, your thoughts about me are priceless.
No one can possibly add them all up.
18 If I could count them,
they would be more than the grains of sand.
If I were to fall asleep counting and then wake up,
you would still be there with me.
Jacob Meets Esau
33 Jacob looked and saw Esau coming with his 400 men! So Jacob separated the children. He put them with Leah, Rachel and the two female servants. 2 He put the servants and their children in front. He put Leah and her children next. And he put Rachel and Joseph last. 3 He himself went on ahead. As he came near his brother, he bowed down to the ground seven times.
4 But Esau ran to meet Jacob. He hugged him and threw his arms around his neck. He kissed him, and they cried for joy. 5 Then Esau looked around and saw the women and children. “Who are these people with you?” he asked.
Jacob answered, “They are the children God has so kindly given to me.”
6 Then the female servants and their children came near and bowed down. 7 Next, Leah and her children came and bowed down. Last of all came Joseph and Rachel. They bowed down too.
8 Esau asked, “Why did you send all those herds I saw?”
“I hoped I could do something to please you,” Jacob replied.
9 But Esau said, “I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.”
10 “No, please!” said Jacob. “If I’ve pleased you, accept this gift from me. Seeing your face is like seeing the face of God. You have welcomed me so kindly. 11 Please accept the present that was brought to you. God has given me so much. I have everything I need.” Jacob wouldn’t give in. So Esau accepted it.
12 Then Esau said, “Let’s be on our way. I’ll go with you.”
13 But Jacob said to him, “You know that the children are young. You also know that I have to take care of the cows and female sheep that are feeding their little ones. If the animals are driven hard for just one day, all of them will die. 14 So you go on ahead of me. I’ll move along only as fast as the flocks and herds and the children can go. I’ll go slowly until I come to you in Seir.”
15 Esau said, “Then let me leave some of my men with you.”
“Why do that?” Jacob asked. “I just hope I’ve pleased you.”
16 So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir. 17 But Jacob went to Sukkoth. There he built a place for himself. He also made shelters for his livestock. That’s why the place is named Sukkoth.
Hagar and Sarah
21 You who want to be under the authority of the law, tell me something. Don’t you know what the law says? 22 It is written that Abraham had two sons. The slave woman gave birth to one of them. The free woman gave birth to the other one. 23 Abraham’s son by the slave woman was born in the usual way. But his son by the free woman was born because of God’s promise.
24 These things are examples. The two women stand for two covenants. One covenant comes from Mount Sinai. It gives birth to children who are going to be slaves. It is Hagar. 25 Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia. She stands for the present city of Jerusalem. That’s because she and her children are slaves. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free. She is our mother. 27 It is written,
“Be glad, woman,
you who have never had children.
Shout for joy and cry out loud,
you who have never had labor pains.
The woman who is all alone has more children
than the woman who has a husband.” (Isaiah 54:1)
28 Brothers and sisters, you are children because of God’s promise just as Isaac was. 29 At that time, the son born in the usual way tried to hurt the other son. The other son was born by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the same now. 30 But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman. Get rid of her son. The slave woman’s son will never have a share of the family’s property. He’ll never share it with the free woman’s son.” (Genesis 21:10) 31 Brothers and sisters, we are not the slave woman’s children. We are the free woman’s children.
Christ Sets Us Free
5 Christ has set us free to enjoy our freedom. So remain strong in the faith. Don’t let the chains of slavery hold you again.
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