One Year Pray for the Persecuted Bible - Flipbook - Page 66
46
January 15
32:1* As
Jacob started on his way again, angels
of God came to meet him. 2 When Jacob saw
them, he exclaimed, “This is God’s camp!” So
he named the place Mahanaim.*
3 Then Jacob sent messengers ahead to his
brother, Esau, who was living in the region of
Seir in the land of Edom. 4 He told them, “Give
this message to my master Esau: ‘Humble
greetings from your servant Jacob. Until now I
have been living with Uncle Laban, 5 and now I
own cattle, donkeys, flocks of sheep and goats,
and many servants, both men and women. I
have sent these messengers to inform my lord
of my coming, hoping that you will be friendly
to me.’”
6 After delivering the message, the messengers returned to Jacob and reported, “We met
your brother, Esau, and he is already on his
way to meet y ou—with an army of 400 men!”
7 Jacob was terrified at the news. He divided
his household, along with the flocks and herds
and camels, into two groups. 8 He thought, “If
Esau meets one group and attacks it, perhaps
the other group can escape.”
9 Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my grand
father Abraham, and God of my father, Isaac—
O Lord, you told me, ‘Return to your own land
and to your relatives.’ And you promised me,
‘I will treat you kindly.’ 10 I am not worthy of all
the unfailing love and faithfulness you have
shown to me, your servant. When I left home
and crossed the Jordan River, I owned nothing except a walking stick. Now my household
fills two large camps! 11 O Lord, please rescue
me from the hand of my brother, Esau. I am
afraid that he is coming to attack me, along
with my wives and children. 12 But you promised me, ‘I will surely treat you kindly, and
I will multiply your descendants until they
become as numerous as the sands along the
seashore—too many to count.’”
31:21 Hebrew the river.
31:42 Or and the Fear of Isaac.
31:53 Or
the Fear of his father, I saac.
31:55 Verse 31:55 is numbered 32:1
in Hebrew text. 32:1 Verses 32:1‑32 are numbered 32:2‑33 in
Hebrew text. 32:2 Mahanaim means “two camps.”
MATTHEW 10:24–11:6
“Students* are not greater than their teacher,
and slaves are not greater than their master.
25 Students are to be like their teacher, and
slaves are to be like their master. And since
I, the master of the household, have been
called the prince of demons,* the members
of my household will be called by even worse
names!
26 “But d
on’t be afraid of those who threaten
you. For the time is coming when everything
that is covered will be revealed, and all that is
secret will be made known to all. 27 What I tell
you now in the darkness, shout abroad when
daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear,
shout from the housetops for all to hear!
28 “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill
your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear
only God, who can destroy both soul and body
in hell.* 29 What is the price of two sparrows—
one copper coin*? But not a single sparrow
can fall to the ground without your Father
knowing it. 30 And the very hairs on your head
are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are
more valuable to God than a whole flock of
sparrows.
32 “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly
here on earth, I will also acknowledge before
my Father in heaven. 33 But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before
my Father in heaven.
34 “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace
to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a
sword.
35
36
‘I have come to set a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her
mother-in-law.
Your enemies will be right in your
own household!’*
37 “If you love your father or mother more
than you love me, you are not worthy of being
mine; or if you love your son or daughter more
than me, you are not worthy of being mine. 38 If
you refuse to take up your cross and follow
me, you are not worthy of being mine. 39 If you
cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give
up your life for me, you will find it.
40 “Anyone who receives you receives me,
and anyone who receives me receives the Father who sent me. 41 If you receive a prophet as
one who speaks for God,* you will be given the
same reward as a prophet. And if you receive
righteous people because of their righteousness, you will be given a reward like theirs.
42 And if you give even a cup of cold water
to one of the least of my followers, you will
surely be rewarded.”
11:1 When J
esus had finished giving these instructions to his twelve disciples, he went out
to teach and preach in towns throughout the
region.
2 John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard
about all the things the Messiah was doing. So
he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, 3 “Are you the
Messiah we’ve been expecting,* or should we
keep looking for someone else?”
4 Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell
him what you have heard and seen—5 the
