Genesis 11:10 – 15:21
The Genealogy of Shem
10 Now this is the genealogy of Shem: Shem was one hundred years old, and begot Arphaxad two years after the flood. 11 After he begot Arphaxad, Shem lived five hundred years, and begot sons and daughters; and he died.
12 Now Arphaxad lived one hundred and thirty-five years, and begot Cainan. 13 After he begot Cainan, Arphaxad lived four hundred and thirty years, and begot sons and daughters; and he died. Now Cainan lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot Salah. So after he begot Salah, Cainan lived three hundred and thirty years, and begot sons and daughters; and he died.
14 Now Salah lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot Eber. 15 After he begot Eber, Salah lived three hundred and thirty years, and begot sons and daughters; and he died.
16 Now Eber lived one hundred and thirty-four years, and begot Peleg. 17 After he begot Peleg, Eber lived three hundred and seventy years, and begot sons and daughters; and he died.
18 Now Peleg lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot Reu. 19 After he begot Reu, Peleg lived two hundred and nine years, and begot sons and daughters; and he died.
20 Now Reu lived one hundred and thirty-two years, and begot Serug. 21 After he begot Serug, Reu lived two hundred and seven years, and begot sons and daughters; and he died.
22 Now Serug lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot Nahor. 23 After he begot Nahor, Serug lived two hundred years, and begot sons and daughters; and he died.
24 Nahor lived seventy-nine years, and begot Terah. 25 After he begot Terah, Nahor lived one hundred and twenty-nine years, and begot sons and daughters; and he died.
26 Now Terah lived seventy years, and begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
The Genealogy of Terah
27 Now this is the genealogy of Terah: Terah begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran, and Haran begot Lot. 28 So Haran died before his father Terah in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans. 29 Then Abram and Nahor took wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah and Iscah. 30 But Sarai was barren, and had no child. 31 Now Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and led them out from Ur of the Chaldeans, to go to the land of Canaan; and they came to Haran and dwelt there. 32 So the days of Terah were two hundred and five years, and Terah died in Haran.
God’s Promise to Abram
1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Get out of your country, from your kindred and from your father’s house, to a land I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you; and in you all the tribes of the earth shall be blessed.” 4 Then Abram departed as the Lord said to him, and Lot went with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5 So Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother’s son and all their possessions and every soul they acquired in Haran, and they departed for the land of Canaan. Thus they came to the land of Canaan. 6 Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the oak of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land. 7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your seed I will give this land.” And there Abram built an altar to the Lord, who appeared to him. 8 So he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord. 9 Then Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South.
Abram in Egypt
10 Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land. 11 So it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, “Indeed I know you are a beautiful woman. 12 Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, so they will say, ‘This is his wife’; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13 Therefore say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and I may live because of you.” 14 So it was, when Abram came into Egypt, the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful. 15 The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh. Then the woman was taken to Pharaoh’s house. 16 Now he treated Abram well for her sake, and gave him sheep, oxen, donkeys, male and female servants, mules and camels. 17 But the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18 So Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’? I might have taken her as my wife. Now therefore, here is your wife; take her and go your way.” 20 So Pharaoh commanded his men concerning Abram; and they sent him away, with his wife and all he had.
Abram and Lot Part Ways
1 Now Abram went up from Egypt to the South, he and his wife and all he had, and Lot with him. 2 Abram was very rich in cattle, silver, and gold. 3 So he went on his journey from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent was at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4 to the place of the altar he made there at the beginning. There Abram called on the name of the Lord. 5 Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents. 6 But the land was not able to support them, so they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great they could not dwell together. 7 So strife arose between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and those of Lot. Now the Canaanites and the Perizzites dwelt in the land at that time. 8 So Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.”
10 Thus Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah), like the garden of God, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. 11 Then Lot chose all the plain of Jordan for himself, and journeyed east. So they separated from each other. 12 Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, but Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. 13 Now the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful before God.
14 Then God said to Abram, after Lot separated from him, “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; 15 for all the land you see I give to you and your seed forever. 16 And I will make your seed as the dust of the earth; that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your seed also could be numbered. 17 Arise, walk in the land through its length and its breadth, for I will give it to you.” 18 Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the oak of Mamre in Hebron, and built an altar there to the Lord.
Lot’s Capture and Rescue
1 Now it came to pass in the reign of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations, 2 that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3 All these joined together in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). 4 Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth they rebelled. 5 Now in the fourteenth year, Chedorlaomer and the kings with him came and cut down the giants in Ashteroth Karnaim and strong nations with them: the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 6 and the Horites in the mountains of Seir, as far as El Paran, which is by the wilderness. 7 Then they turned back and came to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and cut down all the princes of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who dwelt in Hazezon Tamar.
8 Now the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and joined together in battle in the Valley of Siddim 9 against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of nations, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of asphalt pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled and fell in there; but those left fled to the mountains. 11 Then they took all the cavalry of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. 12 They also took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
13 Then one who escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who at that time dwelt by the oak of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner; and they were allies with Abram. 14 Now when Abram heard his brother Lot was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants, born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 So he divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked and pursued them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 So he brought back all the cavalry of Sodom, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people.
The Blessing of Melchizedek
17 Then the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley), after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings with him. 18 Now Melchizedek the king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 19 He blessed Abram and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth; 20 and blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hands.” Then Abram gave him a tithe of all. 21 Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, and keep the cavalry for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 23 that I will take nothing of yours, from a thread to a sandal strap, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’— 24 except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.”
God’s Covenant with Abram
1 After these things the Word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield and will be your exceedingly great reward.” 2 But Abram said, “Lord, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus, the son of Masek, my domestic maidservant?” 3 Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed, my household servant is my heir.”
4 And immediately the Voice of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but the One who will come from your own body shall be your heir.” 5 Then He brought him outside and said to him, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your seed be.” 6 And Abram believed God, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. 7 Then He said to him, “I am the God who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.” 8 And he said, “Master and Lord, how will I know I will inherit it?” 9 So He said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 So he brought all these to Him and cut them in half, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. 11 And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
12 Now around sunset, a trance fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him. 13 Then He said to Abram, “Know for certain that your seed will be strangers in a land not their own, and will serve them; and they will afflict and humble them four hundred years. 14 Also, the nation they serve I will judge; and afterward, they shall come out with great possessions. 15 But as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace, buried in a good old age. 16 Then in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the sin of the Amorites is not yet filled up.”
17 And it came to pass, when the sun went down, that there was a flame, and behold, there appeared a smoking oven and lamps of fire that passed between those divided pieces. 18 On the same day, the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “I will give this land to your seed, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates— 19 the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Euaites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”
Psalms 6
For the End; in hymns, concerning the eighth; a psalm by David.
2 O Lord, do not reprove me in Your anger,
Nor discipline me in Your wrath.
3 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak;
Heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled;
4 And my soul is greatly troubled;
But You, O Lord, how long?
5 Return, O Lord, and deliver my soul.
Save me because of Your mercy.
6 For there is no remembrance of You in death;
And in Hades who will give thanks to You?
7 I am weary with my groaning;
Every single night I will dampen my bed;
I will drench my couch with my tears.
8 My eye is troubled by anger;
I grow old among all my enemies.
9 Depart from me, all you workers of lawlessness;
For the Lord heard the voice of my weeping;
10 The Lord heard my supplication;
The Lord received my prayer.
11 Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled;
Let them turn back and be suddenly ashamed.
Proverbs 1:16-19
Do not walk in the way with them,
But turn away your foot from their paths.
17 For their feet run to evil,
And they make haste to shed blood.
18 For nets are not spread before birds for no reason,
For those who participate in murder store up evils for themselves;
And evil is the destruction of lawless men.
19 These are the ways of all who accomplish lawless things,
For they take away their own soul in ungodliness.
Matthew 4
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.
3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”
5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple,
6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:
‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and,
‘In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”
7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”
8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”
10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”
11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.
Jesus Begins His Galilean Ministry
12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee.
13 And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,
14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles:
16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,
And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death
Light has dawned.”
17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Four Fishermen Called as Disciples
18 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
21 Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them,
22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.
Jesus Heals a Great Multitude
23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.
24 Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.
25 Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.