The Sacrifice of Isaac
1 After these things vGod wtested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, x“Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your yonly son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy1 will go over there and worship and come again to you.” 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and zlaid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the alamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.
9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham bbuilt the altar there and laid the wood in order and cbound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the dangel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, e“Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you fhave not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”;2 as it is said to this day, “On gthe mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”3
15 And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, h“By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely ibless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring jas the stars of heaven and as the ksand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his4 enemies, 18 land in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”
12 sBlessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the tcrown of life, which God has promised to those who ulove him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being vtempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed wby his own xdesire. 15 Then desire ywhen it has conceived gives birth to sin, and zsin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
16 aDo not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 bEvery good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is cno variation or shadow due to change.1 18 Of his own will he dbrought us forth eby the fword of truth, that we should be a kind of gfirstfruits of his creatures.
The Baptism of Jesus
9 iIn those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw jthe heavens being ktorn open and the Spirit descending lon him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, m“You are my nbeloved Son;1 owith you I am well pleased.”
The Temptation of Jesus
12 pThe Spirit immediately drove him out into the qwilderness. 13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the rwild animals, and the sangels were ministering to him.
Jesus Begins His Ministry
14 tNow after John was uarrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is vat hand;2 repent and believe in the gospel.”
