GENESIS 32:13- 34:31
MATTHEW 11:7- 30
PSALM 14:1- 7
PROVERBS 3:19- 20
Jacob stayed where he was for the night and prepared a present for Esau:14 two hundred female goats, twenty male goats, two hundred ewes, twenty rams, 15 thirty female camels with their young, forty cows, ten bulls, twenty female donkeys, and ten male donkeys. 16 He told his servants to lead them on ahead, each group of animals by itself, separated by a distance in between. 17 He gave these instructions to the men leading the first group:"When you meet Esau, he will ask, `Where are you going? Whose servants are you? Whose animals are these? '18 You should reply, `These belong to your servant Jacob. They are a present for his master Esau! He is coming right behind us.'" 19 Jacob gave the same instructions to each of the herdsmen and told them, "You are all to say the same thing to Esau when you see him. 20 And be sure to say, `Your servant Jacob is right behind us. '" Jacob's plan was to appease Esau with the presents before meeting him face to face. "Perhaps," Jacob hoped, "he will be friendly to us." 21 So the presents were sent on ahead, and Jacob spent that night in the camp. 22 But during the night Jacob got up and sent his two wives, two concubines, and eleven sons across the Jabbok River. 23 After they were on the other side, he sent over all his possessions. 24 This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until dawn. 25 When the man saw that he couldn't win the match, he struck Jacob's hip and knocked it out of joint at the socket. 26 Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is dawn." But Jacob panted, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." 27 "What is your name?" the man asked. He replied, "Jacob." 28 "Your name will no longer be Jacob," the man told him. "It is now Israel, because you have struggled with both God and men and have won." 29 "What is your name?" Jacob asked him. "Why do you ask?" the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there. 30 Jacob named the place Peniel-- "face of God"-- for he said, "I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared." 31 The sun rose as he left Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. 32 That is why even today the people of Israel don't eat meat from near the hip, in memory of what happened that night. 33:1 THEN, in the distance, Jacob saw Esau coming with his four hundred men. 2 Jacob now arranged his family into a column, with his two concubines and their children at the front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. 3 Then Jacob went on ahead. As he approached his brother, he bowed low seven times before him. 4 Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him affectionately and kissed him. Both of them were in tears. 5 Then Esau looked at the women and children and asked, "Who are these people with you?" "These are the children God has graciously given to me," Jacob replied. 6 Then the concubines came forward with their children and bowed low before him. 7 Next Leah came with her children, and they bowed down. Finally, Rachel and Joseph came and made their bows. 8 "And what were all the flocks and herds I met as I came?" Esau asked. Jacob replied, "They are gifts, my lord, to ensure your goodwill." 9 "Brother, I have plenty," Esau answered. "Keep what you have." 10 "No, please accept them," Jacob said, "for what a relief it is to see your friendly smile. It is like seeing the smile of God! 11 Please take my gifts, for God has been very generous to me. I have more than enough." Jacob continued to insist, so Esau finally accepted them. 12 "Well, let's be going," Esau said. "I will stay with you and lead the way." 13 But Jacob replied, "You can see, my lord, that some of the children are very young, and the flocks and herds have their young, too. If they are driven too hard, they may die. 14 So go on ahead of us. We will follow at our own pace and meet you at Seir." 15 "Well," Esau said, "at least let me leave some of my men to guide and protect you." "There is no reason for you to be so kind to me," Jacob insisted. 16 So Esau started back to Seir that same day. 17 Meanwhile, Jacob and his household traveled on to Succoth. There he built himself a house and made shelters for his flocks and herds. That is why the place was named Succoth. 18 Then they arrived safely at Shechem, in Canaan, and they set up camp just outside the town. 19 Jacob bought the land he camped on from the family of Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred pieces of silver. 20 And there he built an altar and called it El- Elohe- Israel. 34:1 ONE day Dinah, Leah's daughter, went to visit some of the young women who lived in the area. 2 But when the local prince, Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, saw her, he took her and raped her. 3 But Shechem's love for Dinah was strong, and he tried to win her affection. 4 He even spoke to his father about it. "Get this girl for me," he demanded. "I want to marry her." 5 Word soon reached Jacob that his daughter had been defiled, but his sons were out in the fields herding cattle so he did nothing until they returned. 6 Meanwhile, Hamor, Shechem's father, came out to discuss the matter with Jacob. 7 He arrived just as Jacob's sons were coming in from the fields. They were shocked and furious that their sister had been raped. Shechem had done a disgraceful thing against Jacob's family, a thing that should never have been done. 8 Hamor told Jacob and his sons, "My son Shechem is truly in love with your daughter, and he longs for her to be his wife. Please let him marry her. 9 We invite you to let your daughters marry our sons, and we will give our daughters as wives for your young men. 10 And you may live among us; the land is open to you! Settle here and trade with us. You are free to acquire property among us." 11 Then Shechem addressed Dinah's father and brothers. "Please be kind to me, and let me have her as my wife," he begged. "I will give whatever you require. 12 No matter what dowry or gift you demand, I will pay it-- only give me the girl as my wife." 13 But Dinah's brothers deceived Shechem and Hamor because of what Shechem had done to their sister. 14 They said to them, "We couldn't possibly allow this, because you aren't circumcised. It would be a disgrace for her to marry a man like you! 15 But here is a solution. If every man among you will be circumcised like we are, 16 we will intermarry with you and live here and unite with you to become one people. 17 Otherwise we will take her and be on our way." 18 Hamor and Shechem gladly agreed, 19 and Shechem lost no time in acting on this request, for he wanted Dinah desperately. Shechem was a highly respected member of his family, 20 and he appeared with his father before the town leaders to present this proposal. 21 "Those men are our friends," they said. "Let's invite them to live here among us and ply their trade. For the land is large enough to hold them, and we can intermarry with them. 22 But they will consider staying here only on one condition. Every one of us men must be circumcised, just as they are. 23 But if we do this, all their flocks and possessions will become ours. Come, let's agree to this so they will settle here among us." 24 So all the men agreed and were circumcised. 25 But three days later, when their wounds were still sore, two of Dinah's brothers, Simeon and Levi, took their swords, entered the town without opposition, and slaughtered every man there, 26 including Hamor and Shechem. They rescued Dinah from Shechem's house and returned to their camp. 27 Then all of Jacob's sons plundered the town because their sister had been defiled there. 28 They seized all the flocks and herds and donkeys-- everything they could lay their hands on, both inside the town and outside in the fields. 29 They also took all the women and children and wealth of every kind. 30 Afterward Jacob said to Levi and Simeon, "You have made me stink among all the people of this land-- among all the Canaanites and Perizzites. We are so few that they will come and crush us. We will all be killed!" 31 "Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?" they retorted angrily.
When John's disciples had gone, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds. "Who is this man in the wilderness that you went out to see? Did you find him weak as a reed, moved by every breath of wind? 8 Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? Those who dress like that live in palaces, not out in the wilderness. 9 Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet. 10 John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say, `Look, I am sending my messenger before you,
and he will prepare your way before you.'
11" I assure you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the most insignificant person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is! 12 And from the time John the Baptist began preaching and baptizing until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people attack it. 13 For before John came, all the teachings of the Scriptures looked forward to this present time. 14 And if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come. 15 Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand! 16 "How shall I describe this generation? These people are like a group of children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends, 17 `We played wedding songs, and you weren't happy, so we played funeral songs, but you weren't sad. '18 For John the Baptist didn't drink wine and he often fasted, and you say, `He's demon possessed.' 19 And I, the Son of Man, feast and drink, and you say, `He's a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of the worst sort of sinners! 'But wisdom is shown to be right by what results from it." 20 Then Jesus began to denounce the cities where he had done most of his miracles, because they hadn't turned from their sins and turned to God. 21 "What horrors await you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have sat in deep repentance long ago, clothed in sackcloth and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse. 22 I assure you, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on the judgment day than you! 23 And you people of Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to the place of the dead. For if the miracles I did for you had been done in Sodom, it would still be here today. 24 I assure you, Sodom will be better off on the judgment day than you." 25 Then Jesus prayed this prayer:"O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding the truth from those who think themselves so wise and clever, and for revealing it to the childlike. 26 Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way! 27" My Father has given me authority over everything. No one really knows the Son except the Father, and no one really knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. "28 Then Jesus said," Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light. "
For the choir director:A psalm of David.
1 Only fools say in their hearts,
" There is no God. "
They are corrupt, and their actions are evil;
no one does good!
2 The LORD looks down from heaven
on the entire human race;
he looks to see if there is even one with real understanding,
one who seeks for God.
3 But no, all have turned away from God;
all have become corrupt.
No one does good,
not even one!
4 Will those who do evil never learn?
They eat up my people like bread;
they wouldn't think of praying to the LORD.
5 Terror will grip them,
for God is with those who obey him.
6 The wicked frustrate the plans of the oppressed,
but the LORD will protect his people.
7 Oh, that salvation would come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel!
For when the LORD restores his people,
Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice.
By wisdom the LORD founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens. By his knowledge the deep fountains of the earth burst forth, and the clouds poured down rain
MATTHEW 11:7- 30
PSALM 14:1- 7
PROVERBS 3:19- 20
Jacob stayed where he was for the night and prepared a present for Esau:14 two hundred female goats, twenty male goats, two hundred ewes, twenty rams, 15 thirty female camels with their young, forty cows, ten bulls, twenty female donkeys, and ten male donkeys. 16 He told his servants to lead them on ahead, each group of animals by itself, separated by a distance in between. 17 He gave these instructions to the men leading the first group:"When you meet Esau, he will ask, `Where are you going? Whose servants are you? Whose animals are these? '18 You should reply, `These belong to your servant Jacob. They are a present for his master Esau! He is coming right behind us.'" 19 Jacob gave the same instructions to each of the herdsmen and told them, "You are all to say the same thing to Esau when you see him. 20 And be sure to say, `Your servant Jacob is right behind us. '" Jacob's plan was to appease Esau with the presents before meeting him face to face. "Perhaps," Jacob hoped, "he will be friendly to us." 21 So the presents were sent on ahead, and Jacob spent that night in the camp. 22 But during the night Jacob got up and sent his two wives, two concubines, and eleven sons across the Jabbok River. 23 After they were on the other side, he sent over all his possessions. 24 This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until dawn. 25 When the man saw that he couldn't win the match, he struck Jacob's hip and knocked it out of joint at the socket. 26 Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is dawn." But Jacob panted, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." 27 "What is your name?" the man asked. He replied, "Jacob." 28 "Your name will no longer be Jacob," the man told him. "It is now Israel, because you have struggled with both God and men and have won." 29 "What is your name?" Jacob asked him. "Why do you ask?" the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there. 30 Jacob named the place Peniel-- "face of God"-- for he said, "I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared." 31 The sun rose as he left Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. 32 That is why even today the people of Israel don't eat meat from near the hip, in memory of what happened that night. 33:1 THEN, in the distance, Jacob saw Esau coming with his four hundred men. 2 Jacob now arranged his family into a column, with his two concubines and their children at the front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. 3 Then Jacob went on ahead. As he approached his brother, he bowed low seven times before him. 4 Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him affectionately and kissed him. Both of them were in tears. 5 Then Esau looked at the women and children and asked, "Who are these people with you?" "These are the children God has graciously given to me," Jacob replied. 6 Then the concubines came forward with their children and bowed low before him. 7 Next Leah came with her children, and they bowed down. Finally, Rachel and Joseph came and made their bows. 8 "And what were all the flocks and herds I met as I came?" Esau asked. Jacob replied, "They are gifts, my lord, to ensure your goodwill." 9 "Brother, I have plenty," Esau answered. "Keep what you have." 10 "No, please accept them," Jacob said, "for what a relief it is to see your friendly smile. It is like seeing the smile of God! 11 Please take my gifts, for God has been very generous to me. I have more than enough." Jacob continued to insist, so Esau finally accepted them. 12 "Well, let's be going," Esau said. "I will stay with you and lead the way." 13 But Jacob replied, "You can see, my lord, that some of the children are very young, and the flocks and herds have their young, too. If they are driven too hard, they may die. 14 So go on ahead of us. We will follow at our own pace and meet you at Seir." 15 "Well," Esau said, "at least let me leave some of my men to guide and protect you." "There is no reason for you to be so kind to me," Jacob insisted. 16 So Esau started back to Seir that same day. 17 Meanwhile, Jacob and his household traveled on to Succoth. There he built himself a house and made shelters for his flocks and herds. That is why the place was named Succoth. 18 Then they arrived safely at Shechem, in Canaan, and they set up camp just outside the town. 19 Jacob bought the land he camped on from the family of Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred pieces of silver. 20 And there he built an altar and called it El- Elohe- Israel. 34:1 ONE day Dinah, Leah's daughter, went to visit some of the young women who lived in the area. 2 But when the local prince, Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, saw her, he took her and raped her. 3 But Shechem's love for Dinah was strong, and he tried to win her affection. 4 He even spoke to his father about it. "Get this girl for me," he demanded. "I want to marry her." 5 Word soon reached Jacob that his daughter had been defiled, but his sons were out in the fields herding cattle so he did nothing until they returned. 6 Meanwhile, Hamor, Shechem's father, came out to discuss the matter with Jacob. 7 He arrived just as Jacob's sons were coming in from the fields. They were shocked and furious that their sister had been raped. Shechem had done a disgraceful thing against Jacob's family, a thing that should never have been done. 8 Hamor told Jacob and his sons, "My son Shechem is truly in love with your daughter, and he longs for her to be his wife. Please let him marry her. 9 We invite you to let your daughters marry our sons, and we will give our daughters as wives for your young men. 10 And you may live among us; the land is open to you! Settle here and trade with us. You are free to acquire property among us." 11 Then Shechem addressed Dinah's father and brothers. "Please be kind to me, and let me have her as my wife," he begged. "I will give whatever you require. 12 No matter what dowry or gift you demand, I will pay it-- only give me the girl as my wife." 13 But Dinah's brothers deceived Shechem and Hamor because of what Shechem had done to their sister. 14 They said to them, "We couldn't possibly allow this, because you aren't circumcised. It would be a disgrace for her to marry a man like you! 15 But here is a solution. If every man among you will be circumcised like we are, 16 we will intermarry with you and live here and unite with you to become one people. 17 Otherwise we will take her and be on our way." 18 Hamor and Shechem gladly agreed, 19 and Shechem lost no time in acting on this request, for he wanted Dinah desperately. Shechem was a highly respected member of his family, 20 and he appeared with his father before the town leaders to present this proposal. 21 "Those men are our friends," they said. "Let's invite them to live here among us and ply their trade. For the land is large enough to hold them, and we can intermarry with them. 22 But they will consider staying here only on one condition. Every one of us men must be circumcised, just as they are. 23 But if we do this, all their flocks and possessions will become ours. Come, let's agree to this so they will settle here among us." 24 So all the men agreed and were circumcised. 25 But three days later, when their wounds were still sore, two of Dinah's brothers, Simeon and Levi, took their swords, entered the town without opposition, and slaughtered every man there, 26 including Hamor and Shechem. They rescued Dinah from Shechem's house and returned to their camp. 27 Then all of Jacob's sons plundered the town because their sister had been defiled there. 28 They seized all the flocks and herds and donkeys-- everything they could lay their hands on, both inside the town and outside in the fields. 29 They also took all the women and children and wealth of every kind. 30 Afterward Jacob said to Levi and Simeon, "You have made me stink among all the people of this land-- among all the Canaanites and Perizzites. We are so few that they will come and crush us. We will all be killed!" 31 "Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?" they retorted angrily.
When John's disciples had gone, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds. "Who is this man in the wilderness that you went out to see? Did you find him weak as a reed, moved by every breath of wind? 8 Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? Those who dress like that live in palaces, not out in the wilderness. 9 Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet. 10 John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say, `Look, I am sending my messenger before you,
and he will prepare your way before you.'
11" I assure you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the most insignificant person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is! 12 And from the time John the Baptist began preaching and baptizing until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people attack it. 13 For before John came, all the teachings of the Scriptures looked forward to this present time. 14 And if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come. 15 Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand! 16 "How shall I describe this generation? These people are like a group of children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends, 17 `We played wedding songs, and you weren't happy, so we played funeral songs, but you weren't sad. '18 For John the Baptist didn't drink wine and he often fasted, and you say, `He's demon possessed.' 19 And I, the Son of Man, feast and drink, and you say, `He's a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of the worst sort of sinners! 'But wisdom is shown to be right by what results from it." 20 Then Jesus began to denounce the cities where he had done most of his miracles, because they hadn't turned from their sins and turned to God. 21 "What horrors await you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have sat in deep repentance long ago, clothed in sackcloth and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse. 22 I assure you, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on the judgment day than you! 23 And you people of Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to the place of the dead. For if the miracles I did for you had been done in Sodom, it would still be here today. 24 I assure you, Sodom will be better off on the judgment day than you." 25 Then Jesus prayed this prayer:"O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding the truth from those who think themselves so wise and clever, and for revealing it to the childlike. 26 Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way! 27" My Father has given me authority over everything. No one really knows the Son except the Father, and no one really knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. "28 Then Jesus said," Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light. "
For the choir director:A psalm of David.
1 Only fools say in their hearts,
" There is no God. "
They are corrupt, and their actions are evil;
no one does good!
2 The LORD looks down from heaven
on the entire human race;
he looks to see if there is even one with real understanding,
one who seeks for God.
3 But no, all have turned away from God;
all have become corrupt.
No one does good,
not even one!
4 Will those who do evil never learn?
They eat up my people like bread;
they wouldn't think of praying to the LORD.
5 Terror will grip them,
for God is with those who obey him.
6 The wicked frustrate the plans of the oppressed,
but the LORD will protect his people.
7 Oh, that salvation would come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel!
For when the LORD restores his people,
Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice.
By wisdom the LORD founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens. By his knowledge the deep fountains of the earth burst forth, and the clouds poured down rain
