Abram and Lot Separate

13 So Abram went up from Egypt^(A) to the Negev,^(B) with his wife and everything he had, and Lot^(C) went with him. ² Abram had become very wealthy^(D) in livestock^(E) and in silver and gold.

³ From the Negev^(F) he went from place to place until he came to Bethel,^(G) to the place between Bethel and Ai^(H) where his tent had been earlier ⁴ and where he had first built an altar.^(I) There Abram called on the name of the Lord.^(J)

⁵ Now Lot,^(K) who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. ⁶ But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together.^{(L) 7} And quarreling^(M) arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites^(N) and Perizzites^(O) were also living in the land^(P) at that time.

⁸ So Abram said to Lot,^(Q) “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me,^(R) or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives.^{(S) 9} Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.”^(T)

¹⁰ Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain^(U) of the Jordan toward Zoar^(V) was well watered, like the garden of the Lord,^(W) like the land of Egypt.^(X) (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom^(Y) and Gomorrah.)^{(Z) 11} So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: ¹² Abram lived in the land of Canaan,^(AA) while Lot^(AB) lived among the cities of the plain^(AC) and pitched his tents near Sodom.^{(AD) 13} Now the people of Sodom^(AE) were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord.^(AF)

¹⁴ The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west.^{(AG) 15} All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring^[a] forever.^{(AH) 16} I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.^{(AI) 17} Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land,^(AJ) for I am giving it to you.”^(AK)

¹⁸ So Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre^(AL) at Hebron,^(AM) where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the Lord.^(AN)

Abram Rescues Lot

14 At the time when Amraphel was king of Shinar,^[b](AO) Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer^(AP) king of Elam^(AQ) and Tidal king of Goyim, ² these kings went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboyim,^(AR) and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).^{(AS) 3} All these latter kings joined forces in the Valley of Siddim^(AT) (that is, the Dead Sea Valley^(AU)). ⁴ For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer,^(AV) but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

⁵ In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer^(AW) and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites^(AX) in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites^(AY) in Shaveh Kiriathaim ⁶ and the Horites^(AZ) in the hill country of Seir,^(BA) as far as El Paran^(BB) near the desert. ⁷ Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh),^(BC) and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites,^(BD) as well as the Amorites^(BE) who were living in Hazezon Tamar.^(BF)

⁸ Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah,^(BG) the king of Admah, the king of Zeboyim^(BH) and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar)^(BI) marched out and drew up their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim^{(BJ) 9} against Kedorlaomer^(BK) king of Elam,^(BL) Tidal king of Goyim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. ¹⁰ Now the Valley of Siddim^(BM) was full of tar^(BN) pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah^(BO) fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the hills.^{(BP) 11} The four kings seized all the goods^(BQ) of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. ¹² They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot^(BR) and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom.

¹³ A man who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew.^(BS) Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre^(BT) the Amorite, a brother^[c] of Eshkol^(BU) and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram. ¹⁴ When Abram heard that his relative^(BV) had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained^(BW) men born in his household^(BX) and went in pursuit as far as Dan.^{(BY) 15} During the night Abram divided his men^(BZ) to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.^{(CA) 16} He recovered^(CB) all the goods^(CC) and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.

¹⁷ After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer^(CD) and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom^(CE) came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).^(CF)

¹⁸ Then Melchizedek^(CG) king of Salem^(CH) brought out bread^(CI) and wine.^(CJ) He was priest of God Most High,^{(CK) 19} and he blessed Abram,^(CL) saying,

Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.^(CP)

²¹ The king of Sodom^(CQ) said to Abram, “Give me the people and keep the goods^(CR) for yourself.”

²² But Abram said to the king of Sodom,^(CS) “With raised hand^(CT) I have sworn an oath to the Lord, God Most High,^(CU) Creator of heaven and earth,^{(CV) 23} that I will accept nothing belonging to you,^(CW) not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ ²⁴ I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me—to Aner, Eshkol and Mamre.^(CX) Let them have their share.”

Eliphaz

15 Then Eliphaz the Temanite^(A) replied:

John the Baptist Beheaded^(A)

14 At that time Herod^(B) the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus,^{(C) 2} and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist;^(D) he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

³ Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison^(E) because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,^{(F) 4} for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.”^{(G) 5} Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.^(H)

⁶ On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much ⁷ that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. ⁸ Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” ⁹ The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted ¹⁰ and had John beheaded^(I) in the prison. ¹¹ His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. ¹² John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it.^(J) Then they went and told Jesus.

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand^(K)(L)

¹³ When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. ¹⁴ When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them^(M) and healed their sick.^(N)

¹⁵ As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”

¹⁶ Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

¹⁷ “We have here only five loaves^(O) of bread and two fish,” they answered.

¹⁸ “Bring them here to me,” he said. ¹⁹ And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves.^(P) Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. ²⁰ They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. ²¹ The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Jesus Walks on the Water^(Q)(R)

²² Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. ²³ After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.^(S) Later that night, he was there alone, ²⁴ and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

²⁵ Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,”^(T) they said, and cried out in fear.

²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage!^(U) It is I. Don’t be afraid.”^(V)

²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

²⁹ “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,”^(W) he said, “why did you doubt?”

³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”^(X)

³⁴ When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. ³⁵ And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him ³⁶ and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak,^(Y) and all who touched it were healed.