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Psalm 36

1  Sin whispers to the wicked, in the depths of their heart; ♦︎
   there is no fear of God before their eyes.
2  They flatter themselves in their own eyes ♦︎
   that their abominable sin will not be found out.
3  The words of their mouth are unrighteous and full of deceit; ♦︎
   they have ceased to act wisely and to do good.
4  They think out mischief upon their beds
      and have set themselves in no good way; ♦︎
   nor do they abhor that which is evil.
5  Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens ♦︎
   and your faithfulness to the clouds.
6  Your righteousness stands like the strong mountains,
      your justice like the great deep; ♦︎
   you, Lord, shall save both man and beast.
7  How precious is your loving mercy, O God! ♦︎
   All mortal flesh shall take refuge
      under the shadow of your wings.
8  They shall be satisfied with the abundance of your house; ♦︎
   they shall drink from the river of your delights.
9  For with you is the well of life ♦︎
   and in your light shall we see light.
10  O continue your loving-kindness to those who know you ♦︎
   and your righteousness to those who are true of heart.
11  Let not the foot of pride come against me, ♦︎
   nor the hand of the ungodly thrust me away.
12  There are they fallen, all who work wickedness. ♦︎
   They are cast down and shall not be able to stand.

Jacob Flees with Family and Flocks

31Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, ‘Jacob has taken all that was our father’s; he has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.’ ²And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him as favourably as he did before. ³Then the Lord said to Jacob, ‘Return to the land of your ancestors and to your kindred, and I will be with you.’ ⁴So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was, ⁵and said to them, ‘I see that your father does not regard me as favourably as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me. ⁶You know that I have served your father with all my strength; ⁷yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not permit him to harm me. ⁸If he said, “The speckled shall be your wages”, then all the flock bore speckled; and if he said, “The striped shall be your wages”, then all the flock bore striped. ⁹Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father, and given them to me.

10 During the mating of the flock I once had a dream in which I looked up and saw that the male goats that leaped upon the flock were striped, speckled, and mottled. ¹¹Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, “Jacob,” and I said, “Here I am!” ¹²And he said, “Look up and see that all the goats that leap on the flock are striped, speckled, and mottled; for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. ¹³I am the God of Bethel,^* where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and return to the land of your birth.” ’ ¹⁴Then Rachel and Leah answered him, ‘Is there any portion or inheritance left to us in our father’s house? ¹⁵Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and he has been using up the money given for us. ¹⁶All the property that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children; now then, do whatever God has said to you.’

17 So Jacob arose, and set his children and his wives on camels; ¹⁸and he drove away all his livestock, all the property that he had gained, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.

19 Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father’s household gods. ²⁰And Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean, in that he did not tell him that he intended to flee. ²¹So he fled with all that he had; starting out he crossed the Euphrates,^* and set his face towards the hill country of Gilead.

Laban Overtakes Jacob

22 On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had fled. ²³So he took his kinsfolk with him and pursued him for seven days until he caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead. ²⁴But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night, and said to him, ‘Take heed that you say not a word to Jacob, either good or bad.’

Personal Instructions

9 Do your best to come to me soon, ¹⁰for Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia,^* Titus to Dalmatia. ¹¹Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful in my ministry. ¹²I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus. ¹³When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. ¹⁴Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will pay him back for his deeds. ¹⁵You also must beware of him, for he strongly opposed our message.

16 At my first defence no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them! ¹⁷But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. ¹⁸The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings and Benediction

19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. ²⁰Erastus remained in Corinth; Trophimus I left ill in Miletus. ²¹Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers and sisters.^*

22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.^*