Deception, Flight, and Divine Encounters

1. When Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his elder son, and said to him, “My son?” He said to him, “Here I am.” 2. He said, “See now, I am old. I don’t know the day of my death. 3. Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and take me venison. 4. Make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat, and that my soul may bless you before I die.” 5. Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it. 6. Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, “Behold, I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying, 7. ‘Bring me venison, and make me savory food, that I may eat, and bless you before Yahweh before my death.’ 8. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command you. 9. Go now to the flock and get me two good young goats from there. I will make them savory food for your father, such as he loves. 10. You shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, so that he may bless you before his death.” 11. Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. 12. What if my father touches me? I will seem to him as a deceiver, and I would bring a curse on myself, and not a blessing.” 13. His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son. Only obey my voice, and go get them for me.” 14. He went, and got them, and brought them to his mother. His mother made savory food, such as his father loved. 15. Rebekah took the good clothes of Esau, her elder son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob, her younger son. 16. She put the skins of the young goats on his hands, and on the smooth of his neck. 17. She gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. 18. He came to his father, and said, “My father?” He said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” 19. Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done what you asked me to do. Please arise, sit and eat of my venison, that your soul may bless me.” 20. Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He said, “Because Yahweh your God gave me success.” 21. Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.” 22. Jacob went near to Isaac his father. He felt him, and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23. He didn’t recognize him, because his hands were hairy, like his brother, Esau’s hands. So he blessed him. 24. He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He said, “I am.” 25. He said, “Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s venison, that my soul may bless you.” He brought it near to him, and he ate. He brought him wine, and he drank. 26. His father Isaac said to him, “Come near now, and kiss me, my son.” 27. He came near, and kissed him. He smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him, and said, “Behold, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which Yahweh has blessed. 28. God give you of the dew of the sky, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and new wine. 29. Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers. Let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you. Blessed be everyone who blesses you.” 30. As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had just gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31. He also made savory food, and brought it to his father. He said to his father, “Let my father arise, and eat of his son’s venison, that your soul may bless me.” 32. Isaac his father said to him, “Who are you?” He said, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.” 33. Isaac trembled violently, and said, “Who, then, is he who has taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before you came, and have blessed him? Yes, he will be blessed.” 34. When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceeding great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, my father.” 35. He said, “Your brother came with deceit, and has taken away your blessing.” 36. He said, “Isn’t he rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright. See, now he has taken away my blessing.” He said, “Haven’t you reserved a blessing for me?” 37. Isaac answered Esau, “Behold, I have made him your lord, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants. I have sustained him with grain and new wine. What then will I do for you, my son?” 38. Esau said to his father, “Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, my father.” Esau lifted up his voice, and wept. 39. Isaac his father answered him, “Behold, of the fatness of the earth will be your dwelling, and of the dew of the sky from above. 40. By your sword will you live, and you will serve your brother. It will happen, when you will break loose, that you shall shake his yoke from off your neck.” 41. Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him. Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand. Then I will kill my brother Jacob.” 42. The words of Esau, her elder son, were told to Rebekah. She sent and called Jacob, her younger son, and said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself about you by planning to kill you. 43. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban, my brother, in Haran. 44. Stay with him a few days, until your brother’s fury turns away; 45. until your brother’s anger turn away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send, and get you from there. Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?” 46. Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these, of the daughters of the land, what good will my life do me?” 1. Isaac called Jacob, blessed him, and commanded him, “You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. 2. Arise, go to Paddan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father. Take a wife from there from the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. 3. May God Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, that you may be a company of peoples, 4. and give you the blessing of Abraham, to you, and to your offspring with you, that you may inherit the land where you travel, which God gave to Abraham.” 5. Isaac sent Jacob away. He went to Paddan Aram to Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, Rebekah’s brother, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother. 6. Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan Aram, to take him a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he gave him a command, saying, “You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan,” 7. and that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Paddan Aram. 8. Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan didn’t please Isaac, his father. 9. Esau went to Ishmael, and took, besides the wives that he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebaioth, to be his wife. 10. Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. 11. He came to a certain place, and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. He took one of the stones of the place, and put it under his head, and lay down in that place to sleep. 12. He dreamed. Behold, a stairway set upon the earth, and its top reached to heaven. Behold, the angels of God ascending and descending on it. 13. Behold, Yahweh stood above it, and said, “I am Yahweh, the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac. The land whereon you lie, to you will I give it, and to your offspring. 14. Your offspring will be as the dust of the earth, and you will spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south. In you and in your offspring will all the families of the earth be blessed. 15. Behold, I am with you, and will keep you, wherever you go, and will bring you again into this land. For I will not leave you, until I have done that which I have spoken of to you.” 16. Jacob awakened out of his sleep, and he said, “Surely Yahweh is in this place, and I didn’t know it.” 17. He was afraid, and said, “How dreadful is this place! This is none other than God’s house, and this is the gate of heaven.” 18. Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil on its top. 19. He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first. 20. Jacob vowed a vow, saying, “If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and clothing to put on, 21. so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, and Yahweh will be my God, 22. then this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, will be God’s house. Of all that you will give me I will surely give a tenth to you.” 1. Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the children of the east. 2. He looked, and behold, a well in the field, and, behold, three flocks of sheep lying there by it. For out of that well they watered the flocks. The stone on the well’s mouth was large. 3. There all the flocks were gathered. They rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again on the well’s mouth in its place. 4. Jacob said to them, “My relatives, where are you from?” They said, “We are from Haran.” 5. He said to them, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.” 6. He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well. See, Rachel, his daughter, is coming with the sheep.” 7. He said, “Behold, it is still the middle of the day, not time to gather the livestock together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.” 8. They said, “We can’t, until all the flocks are gathered together, and they roll the stone from the well’s mouth. Then we water the sheep.” 9. While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she kept them. 10. When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother’s brother, Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. 11. Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. 12. Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son. She ran and told her father. 13. When Laban heard the news of Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet Jacob, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things. 14. Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” He stayed with him for a month. 15. Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my brother, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what will your wages be?” 16. Laban had two daughters. The name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17. Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and attractive. 18. Jacob loved Rachel. He said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.” 19. Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you, than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.” 20. Jacob served seven years for Rachel. They seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had for her. 21. Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.” 22. Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. 23. In the evening, he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him. He went in to her. 24. Laban gave Zilpah his servant to his daughter Leah for a servant. 25. In the morning, behold, it was Leah! He said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Didn’t I serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” 26. Laban said, “It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27. Fulfill the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you will serve with me yet seven other years.” 28. Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. He gave him Rachel his daughter as wife. 29. Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah, his servant, to be her servant. 30. He went in also to Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. 31. Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32. Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she named him Reuben. For she said, “Because Yahweh has looked at my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” 33. She conceived again, and bore a son, and said, “Because Yahweh has heard that I am hated, he has therefore given me this son also.” She named him Simeon. 34. She conceived again, and bore a son. Said, “Now this time will my husband be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi. 35. She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, “This time will I praise Yahweh.” Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.

1. “Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make to you.” 2. When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet. He said, 3. “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict tradition of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are today. 4. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. 5. As also the high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and traveled to Damascus to bring them also who were there to Jerusalem in bonds to be punished. 6. As I made my journey, and came close to Damascus, about noon, suddenly a great light shone around me from the sky. 7. I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 8. I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute.’ 9. “Those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they didn’t understand the voice of him who spoke to me. 10. I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Arise, and go into Damascus. There you will be told about all things which are appointed for you to do.’ 11. When I couldn’t see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus. 12. One Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus, 13. came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ In that very hour I looked up at him. 14. He said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth. 15. For you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard. 16. Now why do you wait? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’ 17. “When I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance, 18. and saw him saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.’ 19. I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those who believed in you. 20. When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting to his death, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.’ 21. “He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you out far from here to the Gentiles.’” 22. They listened to him until he said that; then they lifted up their voice, and said, “Rid the earth of this fellow, for he isn’t fit to live!” 23. As they cried out, and threw off their cloaks, and threw dust into the air, 24. the commanding officer commanded him to be brought into the barracks, ordering him to be examined by scourging, that he might know for what crime they shouted against him like that. 25. When they had tied him up with thongs, Paul asked the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?” 26. When the centurion heard it, he went to the commanding officer and told him, “Watch what you are about to do, for this man is a Roman!” 27. The commanding officer came and asked him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “Yes.” 28. The commanding officer answered, “I bought my citizenship for a great price.” Paul said, “But I was born a Roman.” 29. Immediately those who were about to examine him departed from him, and the commanding officer also was afraid when he realized that he was a Roman, because he had bound him. 30. But on the next day, desiring to know the truth about why he was accused by the Jews, he freed him from the bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them. 1. Paul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, “Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until today.” 2. The high priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. 3. Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?” 4. Those who stood by said, “Do you malign God’s high priest?” 5. Paul said, “I didn’t know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’” 6. But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. Concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!” 7. When he had said this, an argument arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the crowd was divided. 8. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess all of these. 9. A great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ part stood up, and contended, saying, “We find no evil in this man. But if a spirit or angel has spoken to him, let’s not fight against God!” 10. When a great argument arose, the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks. 11. The following night, the Lord stood by him, and said, “Cheer up, Paul, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must testify also at Rome.” 12. When it was day, some of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. 13. There were more than forty people who had made this conspiracy. 14. They came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, “We have bound ourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. 15. Now therefore, you with the council inform the commanding officer that he should bring him down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to judge his case more exactly. We are ready to kill him before he comes near.” 16. But Paul’s sister’s son heard they were lying in wait, and he came and entered into the barracks and told Paul. 17. Paul summoned one of the centurions, and said, “Bring this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something to tell him.” 18. So he took him, and brought him to the commanding officer, and said, “Paul, the prisoner, summoned me and asked me to bring this young man to you, who has something to tell you.” 19. The commanding officer took him by the hand, and going aside, asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?” 20. He said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though intending to inquire somewhat more accurately concerning him. 21. Therefore don’t yield to them, for more than forty men lie in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they have killed him. Now they are ready, looking for the promise from you.” 22. So the commanding officer let the young man go, charging him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.” 23. He called to himself two of the centurions, and said, “Prepare two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, with seventy horsemen, and two hundred men armed with spears, at the third hour of the night.” 24. He asked them to provide animals, that they might set Paul on one, and bring him safely to Felix the governor. 25. He wrote a letter like this: 26. “Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings. 27. “This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them, when I came with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman. 28. Desiring to know the cause why they accused him, I brought him down to their council. 29. I found him to be accused about questions of their law, but not to be charged with anything worthy of death or of imprisonment. 30. When I was told that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him to you immediately, charging his accusers also to bring their accusations against him before you. Farewell.” 31. So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. 32. But on the next day they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the barracks. 33. When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. 34. When the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. When he understood that he was from Cilicia, he said, 35. “I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive.” He commanded that he be kept in Herod’s palace. 1. After five days, the high priest, Ananias, came down with certain elders and an orator, one Tertullus. They informed the governor against Paul. 2. When he was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, “Seeing that by you we enjoy much peace, and that prosperity is coming to this nation by your foresight, 3. we accept it in all ways and in all places, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. 4. But, that I don’t delay you, I entreat you to bear with us and hear a few words. 5. For we have found this man to be a plague, an instigator of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 6. He even tried to profane the temple, and we arrested him. 7. 8. By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him.” 9. The Jews also joined in the attack, affirming that these things were so. 10. When the governor had beckoned to him to speak, Paul answered, “Because I know that you have been a judge of this nation for many years, I cheerfully make my defense, 11. seeing that you can verify that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem. 12. In the temple they didn’t find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the synagogues, or in the city. 13. Nor can they prove to you the things of which they now accuse me. 14. But this I confess to you, that after the Way, which they call a sect, so I serve the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the law, and which are written in the prophets; 15. having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. 16. Herein I also practice always having a conscience void of offense toward God and men. 17. Now after some years, I came to bring gifts for the needy to my nation, and offerings; 18. amid which certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, not with a mob, nor with turmoil. 19. They ought to have been here before you, and to make accusation, if they had anything against me. 20. Or else let these men themselves say what injustice they found in me when I stood before the council, 21. unless it is for this one thing that I cried standing among them, ‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged before you today!’” 22. But Felix, having more exact knowledge concerning the Way, deferred them, saying, “When Lysias, the commanding officer, comes down, I will decide your case.” 23. He ordered the centurion that Paul should be kept in custody, and should have some privileges, and not to forbid any of his friends to serve him or to visit him. 24. But after some days, Felix came with Drusilla, his wife, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus. 25. As he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified, and answered, “Go your way for this time, and when it is convenient for me, I will summon you.” 26. Meanwhile, he also hoped that money would be given to him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore also he sent for him more often, and talked with him. 27. But when two years were fulfilled, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and desiring to gain favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul in bonds.

1. Do you indeed speak righteousness, silent ones? Do you judge blamelessly, you sons of men? 2. No, in your heart you plot injustice. You measure out the violence of your hands in the earth. 3. The wicked go astray from the womb. They are wayward as soon as they are born, speaking lies. 4. Their poison is like the poison of a snake; like a deaf cobra that stops its ear, 5. which doesn’t listen to the voice of charmers, no matter how skillful the charmer may be. 6. Break their teeth, God, in their mouth. Break out the great teeth of the young lions, Yahweh. 7. Let them vanish like water that flows away. When they draw the bow, let their arrows be made blunt. 8. Let them be like a snail which melts and passes away, like the stillborn child, who has not seen the sun. 9. Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns, he will sweep away the green and the burning alike. 10. The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked; 11. so that men shall say, “Most certainly there is a reward for the righteous. Most certainly there is a God who judges the earth.”