Faith Tested, Mountains Moved, Promises Kept

1. Abraham traveled from there toward the land of the South, and lived between Kadesh and Shur. He lived as a foreigner in Gerar. 2. Abraham said about Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. 3. But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken. For she is a man’s wife.” 4. Now Abimelech had not come near her. He said, “Lord, will you kill even a righteous nation? 5. Didn’t he tell me, ‘She is my sister?’ She, even she herself, said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.” 6. God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also withheld you from sinning against me. Therefore I didn’t allow you to touch her. 7. Now therefore, restore the man’s wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you don’t restore her, know for sure that you will die, you, and all who are yours.” 8. Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ear. The men were very scared. 9. Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done!” 10. Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you have done this thing?” 11. Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife’s sake.’ 12. Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. 13. When God caused me to wander from my father’s house, I said to her, ‘This is your kindness which you shall show to me. Everywhere that we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’” 14. Abimelech took sheep and cattle, male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah, his wife, to him. 15. Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you. Dwell where it pleases you.” 16. To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes to all that are with you. In front of all you are vindicated.” 17. Abraham prayed to God. God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his female servants, and they bore children. 18. For Yahweh had closed up tight all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife. 1. Yahweh visited Sarah as he had said, and Yahweh did to Sarah as he had spoken. 2. Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. 3. Abraham called his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac. 4. Abraham circumcised his son, Isaac, when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5. Abraham was one hundred years old when his son, Isaac, was born to him. 6. Sarah said, “God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears will laugh with me.” 7. She said, “Who would have said to Abraham, that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.” 8. The child grew, and was weaned. Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. 9. Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking. 10. Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this servant and her son! For the son of this servant will not be heir with my son, Isaac.” 11. The thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight on account of his son. 12. God said to Abraham, “Don’t let it be grievous in your sight because of the boy, and because of your servant. In all that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice. For your offspring will be named through Isaac. 13. I will also make a nation of the son of the servant, because he is your child.” 14. Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a bottle of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder; and gave her the child, and sent her away. She departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. 15. The water in the bottle was spent, and she put the child under one of the shrubs. 16. She went and sat down opposite him, a good way off, about a bow shot away. For she said, “Don’t let me see the death of the child.” She sat over against him, and lifted up her voice, and wept. 17. God heard the voice of the boy. The angel of God called to Hagar out of the sky, and said to her, “What ails you, Hagar? Don’t be afraid. For God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. 18. Get up, lift up the boy, and hold him in your hand. For I will make him a great nation.” 19. God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went, filled the bottle with water, and gave the boy drink. 20. God was with the boy, and he grew. He lived in the wilderness, and became, as he grew up, an archer. 21. He lived in the wilderness of Paran. His mother took a wife for him out of the land of Egypt. 22. At that time, Abimelech and Phicol the captain of his army spoke to Abraham, saying, “God is with you in all that you do. 23. Now, therefore, swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son. But according to the kindness that I have done to you, you shall do to me, and to the land in which you have lived as a foreigner.” 24. Abraham said, “I will swear.” 25. Abraham complained to Abimelech because of a water well, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away. 26. Abimelech said, “I don’t know who has done this thing. You didn’t tell me, and I didn’t hear of it until today.” 27. Abraham took sheep and cattle, and gave them to Abimelech. Those two made a covenant. 28. Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. 29. Abimelech said to Abraham, “What do these seven ewe lambs which you have set by themselves mean?” 30. He said, “You shall take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that it may be a witness to me, that I have dug this well.” 31. Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because they both swore an oath there. 32. So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Abimelech rose up with Phicol, the captain of his army, and they returned into the land of the Philistines. 33. Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and called there on the name of Yahweh, the Everlasting God. 34. Abraham lived as a foreigner in the land of the Philistines many days. 1. After these things, God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” He said, “Here I am.” 2. He said, “Now take your son, your only son, whom you love, even Isaac, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of.” 3. Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son. He split the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went to the place of which God had told him. 4. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place far off. 5. Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go yonder. We will worship, and come back to you.” 6. Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. He took in his hand the fire and the knife. They both went together. 7. Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and said, “My father?” He said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Here is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8. Abraham said, “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they both went together. 9. They came to the place which God had told him of. Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order, bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, on the wood. 10. Abraham stretched out his hand, and took the knife to kill his son. 11. Yahweh’s angel called to him out of the sky, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” He said, “Here I am.” 12. He said, “Don’t lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13. Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and saw that behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son. 14. Abraham called the name of that place Yahweh Will Provide. As it is said to this day, “On Yahweh’s mountain, it will be provided.” 15. Yahweh’s angel called to Abraham a second time out of the sky, 16. and said, “I have sworn by myself, says Yahweh, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17. that I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply your offspring greatly like the stars of the heavens, and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the gate of his enemies. 18. All the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring, because you have obeyed my voice.” 19. So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. Abraham lived at Beersheba. 20. After these things, Abraham was told, “Behold, Milcah, she also has borne children to your brother Nahor: 21. Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, 22. Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” 23. Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 24. His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah. 1. Sarah lived one hundred twenty-seven years. This was the length of Sarah’s life. 2. Sarah died in Kiriath Arba (also called Hebron), in the land of Canaan. Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. 3. Abraham rose up from before his dead, and spoke to the children of Heth, saying, 4. “I am a stranger and a foreigner living with you. Give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.” 5. The children of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him, 6. “Hear us, my lord. You are a prince of God among us. Bury your dead in the best of our tombs. None of us will withhold from you his tomb. Bury your dead.” 7. Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth. 8. He talked with them, saying, “If you agree that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar, 9. that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he has, which is in the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me among you as a possession for a burial place.” 10. Now Ephron was sitting in the middle of the children of Heth. Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the children of Heth, even of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying, 11. “No, my lord, hear me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the children of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead.” 12. Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land. 13. He spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, “But if you will, please hear me. I will give the price of the field. Take it from me, and I will bury my dead there.” 14. Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 15. “My lord, listen to me. What is a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver between me and you? Therefore bury your dead.” 16. Abraham listened to Ephron. Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the audience of the children of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the current merchants’ standard. 17. So the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all of its borders, were deeded 18. to Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city. 19. After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (that is, Hebron), in the land of Canaan. 20. The field, and the cave that is in it, were deeded to Abraham by the children of Heth as a possession for a burial place.

1. After six days, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves. 2. He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light. 3. Behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with him. 4. Peter answered, and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, let’s make three tents here: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5. While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.” 6. When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and were very afraid. 7. Jesus came and touched them and said, “Get up, and don’t be afraid.” 8. Lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, except Jesus alone. 9. As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Don’t tell anyone what you saw, until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.” 10. His disciples asked him, saying, “Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11. Jesus answered them, “Elijah indeed comes first, and will restore all things, 12. but I tell you that Elijah has come already, and they didn’t recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted to. Even so the Son of Man will also suffer by them.” 13. Then the disciples understood that he spoke to them of John the Baptizer. 14. When they came to the multitude, a man came to him, kneeling down to him, and saying, 15. “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is epileptic, and suffers grievously; for he often falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16. So I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him.” 17. Jesus answered, “Faithless and perverse generation! How long will I be with you? How long will I bear with you? Bring him here to me.” 18. Jesus rebuked him, the demon went out of him, and the boy was cured from that hour. 19. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately, and said, “Why weren’t we able to cast it out?” 20. He said to them, “Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21. But this kind doesn’t go out except by prayer and fasting.” 22. While they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered up into the hands of men, 23. and they will kill him, and the third day he will be raised up.” They were exceedingly sorry. 24. When they had come to Capernaum, those who collected the didrachma coins came to Peter, and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the didrachma?” 25. He said, “Yes.” When he came into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth receive toll or tribute? From their children, or from strangers?” 26. Peter said to him, “From strangers.” Jesus said to him, “Therefore the children are exempt. 27. But, lest we cause them to stumble, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take up the first fish that comes up. When you have opened its mouth, you will find a stater coin. Take that, and give it to them for me and you.” 1. In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” 2. Jesus called a little child to himself, and set him in the middle of them, 3. and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4. Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. 5. Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me, 6. but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him that a huge millstone should be hung around his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depths of the sea. 7. “Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that the occasions come, but woe to that person through whom the occasion comes! 8. If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire. 9. If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna of fire. 10. See that you don’t despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. 11. For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost. 12. “What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray? 13. If he finds it, most certainly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. 14. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. 15. “If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother. 16. But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector. 18. Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven. 19. Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven. 20. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.” 21. Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?” 22. Jesus said to him, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven. 23. Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who wanted to reconcile accounts with his servants. 24. When he had begun to reconcile, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25. But because he couldn’t pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26. The servant therefore fell down and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!’ 27. The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. 28. “But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him, and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ 29. “So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay you!’ 30. He would not, but went and cast him into prison, until he should pay back that which was due. 31. So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told their lord all that was done. 32. Then his lord called him in, and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me. 33. Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’ 34. His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due to him. 35. So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.” 1. When Jesus had finished these words, he departed from Galilee, and came into the borders of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2. Great multitudes followed him, and he healed them there. 3. Pharisees came to him, testing him, and saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?” 4. He answered, “Haven’t you read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, 5. and said, ‘For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh?’ 6. So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, don’t let man tear apart.” 7. They asked him, “Why then did Moses command us to give her a bill of divorce, and divorce her?” 8. He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it has not been so. 9. I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries her when she is divorced commits adultery.” 10. His disciples said to him, “If this is the case of the man with his wife, it is not expedient to marry.” 11. But he said to them, “Not all men can receive this saying, but those to whom it is given. 12. For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven’s sake. He who is able to receive it, let him receive it.” 13. Then little children were brought to him, that he should lay his hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. 14. But Jesus said, “Allow the little children, and don’t forbid them to come to me; for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to ones like these.” 15. He laid his hands on them, and departed from there. 16. Behold, one came to him and said, “Good teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” 17. He said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18. He said to him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder.’ ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ‘You shall not steal.’ ‘You shall not offer false testimony.’ 19. ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ And, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” 20. The young man said to him, “All these things I have observed from my youth. What do I still lack?” 21. Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22. But when the young man heard the saying, he went away sad, for he was one who had great possessions. 23. Jesus said to his disciples, “Most certainly I say to you, a rich man will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven with difficulty. 24. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.” 25. When the disciples heard it, they were exceedingly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26. Looking at them, Jesus said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27. Then Peter answered, “Behold, we have left everything, and followed you. What then will we have?” 28. Jesus said to them, “Most certainly I tell you that you who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on the throne of his glory, you also will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29. Everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive one hundred times, and will inherit eternal life. 30. But many will be last who are first; and first who are last.

1. Yahweh, don’t rebuke me in your anger, neither discipline me in your wrath. 2. Have mercy on me, Yahweh, for I am faint. Yahweh, heal me, for my bones are troubled. 3. My soul is also in great anguish. But you, Yahweh—how long? 4. Return, Yahweh. Deliver my soul, and save me for your loving kindness’ sake. 5. For in death there is no memory of you. In Sheol, who shall give you thanks? 6. I am weary with my groaning. Every night I flood my bed. I drench my couch with my tears. 7. My eye wastes away because of grief. It grows old because of all my adversaries. 8. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity, for Yahweh has heard the voice of my weeping. 9. Yahweh has heard my supplication. Yahweh accepts my prayer. 10. May all my enemies be ashamed and dismayed. They shall turn back, they shall be disgraced suddenly.