One Year Pray for the Persecuted Bible - Flipbook - Page 63
43
branches. 42 But he didn’t do this with the
weaker ones, so the weaker lambs belonged
to Laban, and the stronger ones were Jacob’s.
43 As a result, Jacob became very wealthy, with
large flocks of sheep and goats, female and
male servants, and many camels and donkeys.
31:1 But Jacob soon learned that Laban’s sons
were grumbling about him. “Jacob has robbed
our father of everything!” they said. “He has
gained all his wealth at our father’s expense.”
2 And Jacob began to notice a change in La
ban’s attitude toward him.
3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to
the land of your father and grandfather and
to your relatives there, and I will be with you.”
4 So Jacob called Ra
chel and Leah out to
the field where he was watching his flock.
5 He said to them, “I have noticed that your
father’s attitude toward me has changed. But
the God of my father has been with me. 6 You
know how hard I have worked for your father,
7 but he has cheated me, changing my wages
ten times. But God has not allowed him to do
me any harm. 8 For if he said, ‘The speckled
animals will be your wages,’ the whole flock
began to produce speckled young. And when
he changed his mind and said, ‘The striped
animals will be your wages,’ then the whole
flock produced striped young. 9 In this way,
God has taken your father’s animals and given
them to me.
10 “One time during the mating season, I had
a dream and saw that the male goats mating
with the females were streaked, speckled, and
spotted. 11 Then in my dream, the angel of God
said to me, ‘Jacob!’ And I replied, ‘Yes, here I am.’
12 “The angel said, ‘Look up, and you will see
that only the streaked, speckled, and spotted
males are mating with the females of your
flock. For I have seen how Laban has treated
you. 13 I am the God who appeared to you at
Bethel,* the place where you anointed the pillar of stone and made your vow to me. Now get
ready and leave this country and return to the
land of your birth.’”
14 Rachel and Leah responded, “That’s fine
with us! We won’t inherit any of our father’s
wealth anyway. 15 He has reduced our rights to
those of foreign women. And after he sold us,
he wasted the money you paid him for us. 16 All
the wealth God has given you from our father
legally belongs to us and our children. So go
ahead and do whatever God has told you.”
30:3 Hebrew bear children on my knees.
30:6 Dan means “he
judged” or “he vindicated.” 30:8 Naphtali means “my struggle.”
30:11 Gad means “good fortune.” 30:13 Asher means “happy.”
30:18 Issachar sounds like a Hebrew term that means “reward.”
30:20 Zebulun probably means “honor.” 30:24 Joseph means
“may he add.” 30:27 Or I have learned by divination that.
January 14
31:13 As in Greek version and an A
ramaic Targum; Hebrew reads
the God of Bethel.
MATTHEW 10:1‑23
J esus called his twelve disciples together and
gave them authority to cast out evil* spirits
and to heal every kind of disease and illness.
2 Here are the names of the twelve apostles:
3
4
first, Simon (also called Peter),
then Andrew (Peter’s brother),
James (son of Zebedee),
John (James’s brother),
Philip,
Bartholomew,
Thomas,
Matthew (the tax collector),
James (son of Alphaeus),
Thaddaeus,*
Simon (the zealot*),
Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).
5
Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with
these instructions: “Don’t go to the Gentiles
or the Samaritans, 6 but only to the people of
Israel—God’s lost sheep. 7 Go and announce
to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.*
8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with
leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as
you have received!
9 “Don’t take any money in your money
belts—no gold, silver, or even copper coins.
10 Don’t carry a traveler’s bag with a change of
clothes and sandals or even a walking stick.
Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because
those who work deserve to be fed.
11 “Whenever you enter a city or village,
search for a worthy person and stay in his
home until you leave town. 12 When you enter
the home, give it your blessing. 13 If it turns out
to be a worthy home, let your blessing stand; if
it is not, take back the blessing. 14 If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen
to your message, shake its dust from your feet
as you leave. 15 I tell you the truth, the wicked
cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be better
off than such a town on the judgment day.
16 “Look, I am sending you out as sheep
among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes
and harmless as doves. 17 But beware! For you
will be handed over to the courts and will be
flogged with whips in the synagogues. 18 You
will stand trial before governors and kings
because you are my followers. But this will be
your opportunity to tell the rulers and other
unbelievers about me.* 19 When you are arrested, d
on’t worry about how to respond or
what to say. God will give you the right words
at the right time. 20 For it is not you who will be
