Abraham’s Other Wife and Sons

25 Abraham had taken^[a] another wife, whose name was Keturah,^{(A) 2} and she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. ³ Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. Dedan’s sons were the Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. ⁴ And Midian’s sons were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were sons of Keturah. ⁵ Abraham gave everything he owned to Isaac.^{(B) 6} But Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines, and while he was still alive he sent them eastward, away from his son Isaac, to the land of the East.^(C)

Abraham’s Death

⁷ This is the length of Abraham’s life:^[b] 175 years. ⁸ He took his last breath and died at a good old age,^(D) old and contented,^[c] and he was gathered to his people.^{(E) 9} His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah^(F) near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hethite. ¹⁰ This was the field that Abraham bought from the Hethites.^(G) Abraham was buried there with his wife Sarah. ¹¹ After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac, who lived near Beer-lahai-roi.^(H)

Ishmael’s Family Records

¹² These are the family records^(I) of Abraham’s son Ishmael,^(J) whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s slave, bore to Abraham. ¹³ These are the names of Ishmael’s sons; their names according to the family records are Nebaioth, Ishmael’s firstborn, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, ¹⁴ Mishma, Dumah, Massa, ¹⁵ Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. ¹⁶ These are Ishmael’s sons, and these are their names by their settlements and encampments: twelve leaders^[d](K) of their clans.^{[e] 17} This is the length^[f] of Ishmael’s life: 137 years. He took his last breath and died, and was gathered to his people. ¹⁸ And they^[g] settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt as you go toward Asshur.^[h] He^[i] stayed near^[j] all his relatives.^(L)

The Birth of Jacob and Esau

¹⁹ These are the family records of Isaac son of Abraham. Abraham fathered Isaac.^{(M) 20} Isaac was forty years old when he took as his wife Rebekah^(N) daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan-aram^(O) and sister of Laban the Aramean.^{(P) 21} Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife because she was childless.^(Q) The Lord was receptive to his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived.^{(R) 22} But the children inside her struggled with each other, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” ^[k] So she went to inquire of the Lord.^{(S) 23} And the Lord said to her:

²⁴ When her time came to give birth, there were indeed twins in her womb. ²⁵ The first one came out red-looking,^[l] covered with hair^[m] like a fur coat, and they named him Esau.^{(V) 26} After this, his brother came out grasping Esau’s heel with his hand.^(W) So he was named Jacob.^[n](X) Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.

Esau Sells His Birthright

²⁷ When the boys grew up, Esau became an expert hunter, an outdoorsman,^[o] but Jacob was a quiet man who stayed at home.^{[p] 28} Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for wild game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.^(Y)

²⁹ Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field exhausted. ³⁰ He said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stuff, because I’m exhausted.” That is why he was also named Edom.^[q]

³¹ Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.”

³² “Look,” said Esau, “I’m about to die, so what good is a birthright to me?”

³³ Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore to Jacob and sold his birthright to him. ³⁴ Then Jacob gave bread and lentil stew to Esau; he ate, drank, got up, and went away. So Esau despised his birthright.^(Z)

Destruction of the Temple Predicted

24 As Jesus left and was going out of the temple,^(A) his disciples^(B) came up and called his attention to its buildings. ² He replied to them, “Do you see all these things? Truly I tell you, not one stone will be left here on another that will not be thrown down.”

Signs of the End of the Age

³ While he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what is the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” ^(C)

⁴ Jesus replied to them, “Watch out that no one deceives^(D) you. ⁵ For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many.^{(E) 6} You are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, because these things must take place, but the end is not yet. ⁷ For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines^[a](F) and earthquakes in various places.^{(G) 8} All these events are the beginning of labor pains.^(H)

Persecutions Predicted

⁹ “Then they will hand you over to be persecuted, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name.^{(I) 10} Then many will fall away, betray one another, and hate one another. ¹¹ Many false prophets^(J) will rise up and deceive many. ¹² Because lawlessness^(K) will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. ¹³ But the one who endures to the end will be saved. ¹⁴ This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world^[b] as a testimony to all nations,^(L) and then the end will come.^(M)

The Great Tribulation

¹⁵ “So when you see the abomination of desolation,^[c] spoken of by the prophet Daniel,^(N) standing in the holy place”^(O) (let the reader understand), ¹⁶ “then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. ¹⁷ A man on the housetop^[d] must not come down to get things out of his house,^{(P) 18} and a man in the field must not go back to get his coat. ¹⁹ Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days! ²⁰ Pray that your escape may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. ²¹ For at that time there will be great distress,^[e](Q) the kind that hasn’t taken place from the beginning of the world until now and never will again. ²² Unless those days were cut short, no one would^[f] be saved. But those days will be cut short because of the elect.^(R)

²³ “If anyone tells you then, ‘See, here is the Messiah!’^(S) or, ‘Over here!’ do not believe it.^{(T) 24} For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray,^(U) if possible, even the elect. ²⁵ Take note: I have told you in advance. ²⁶ So if they tell you, ‘See, he’s in the wilderness!’ don’t go out; or, ‘See, he’s in the storerooms!’ do not believe it. ²⁷ For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.^{(V) 28} Wherever the carcass is, there the vultures^[g] will gather.^(W)

The Coming of the Son of Man

²⁹ “Immediately after the distress^(X) of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰ Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the peoples of the earth^[h] will mourn;^[i] and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.^{(Y) 31} He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet,^(Z) and they will gather his elect from the four winds,^(AA) from one end of the sky to the other.

The Parable of the Fig Tree

³² “Learn this lesson^(AB) from the fig tree: As soon as its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. ³³ In the same way, when you see all these things, recognize^[j] that he^[k] is near—at the door.^{(AC) 34} Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things take place.^{(AD) 35} Heaven and earth will pass away,^(AE) but my words will never pass away.^(AF)

No One Knows the Day or Hour

³⁶ “Now concerning that day and hour no one knows—neither the angels of heaven nor the Son^[l] —except the Father alone.^{(AG) 37} As the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. ³⁸ For in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah boarded the ark.^{(AH) 39} They didn’t know until the flood came and swept them all away. This is the way the coming of the Son of Man will be. ⁴⁰ Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding grain with a hand mill; one will be taken and one left.^{(AI) 42} Therefore be alert, since you don’t know what day^[m] your Lord is coming.^{(AJ) 43} But know this: If the homeowner had known what time^[n] the thief was coming, he would have stayed alert and not let his house be broken into.^{(AK) 44} This is why you are also to be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.^(AL)

Faithful Service to Christ

⁴⁵ “Who then is a faithful and wise servant,^(AM) whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give them food at the proper time?^{(AN) 46} Blessed is that servant whom the master finds doing his job when he comes.^{(AO) 47} Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁸ But if that wicked servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delayed,’ ⁴⁹ and starts to beat his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with drunkards,^{(AP) 50} that servant’s master will come on a day he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know. ⁵¹ He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Vashti Angers the King

1 These events took place during the days of Ahasuerus,^(A) who ruled 127 provinces^(B) from India to Cush. ² In those days King Ahasuerus reigned from his royal throne^(C) in the fortress at Susa.^{(D) 3} He held a feast^(E) in the third year of his reign for all his officials and staff, the army of Persia and Media,^(F) the nobles,^(G) and the officials from the provinces. ⁴ He displayed the glorious wealth of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of his greatness^(H) for a total of 180 days.

⁵ At the end of this time, the king held a week-long banquet^(I) in the garden courtyard^(J) of the royal palace^(K) for all the people, from the greatest to the least,^(L) who were present in the fortress of Susa.^{(M) 6} White and blue linen hangings were fastened with fine white and purple linen cords to silver rods on marble^[a] columns. Gold and silver couches^(N) were arranged on a mosaic pavement of red feldspar,^[b] marble, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones.

⁷ Drinks were served in an array of gold goblets,^(O) each with a different design. Royal wine flowed freely, according to the king’s bounty.^{(P) 8} The drinking was according to royal decree: “There are no restrictions.” The king had ordered every wine steward in his household to serve whatever each person wanted. ⁹ Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women of King Ahasuerus’s palace.

¹⁰ On the seventh day, when the king was feeling good from the wine,^(Q) Ahasuerus commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona,^(R) Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas—the seven eunuchs^(S) who personally served him— ¹¹ to bring Queen Vashti before him with her royal crown. He wanted to show off her beauty to the people and the officials, because she was very beautiful.^{(T) 12} But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command that was delivered by his eunuchs. The king became furious and his anger burned within him.^(U)

The King’s Decree

¹³ The king consulted the wise men^(V) who understood the times,^[c](W) for it was his normal procedure to confer with experts in law and justice. ¹⁴ The most trusted ones^[d] were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. They were the seven officials^(X) of Persia and Media^(Y) who had personal access to the king^(Z) and occupied the highest positions in the kingdom.^{(AA) 15} The king asked, “According to the law, what should be done with Queen Vashti, since she refused to obey King Ahasuerus’s command that was delivered by the eunuchs?”

¹⁶ Memucan said in the presence of the king and his officials, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king, but all the officials and the peoples who are in every one of King Ahasuerus’s provinces.^{(AB) 17} For the queen’s action will become public knowledge to all the women and cause them to despise their husbands and say, ‘King Ahasuerus ordered Queen Vashti brought before him, but she did not come.’ ¹⁸ Before this day is over, the noble women of Persia and Media who hear about the queen’s act will say the same thing to all the king’s officials, resulting in more contempt and fury.

¹⁹ “If it meets the king’s approval, he should personally issue a royal decree. Let it be recorded in the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it cannot be revoked:^(AC) Vashti is not to enter King Ahasuerus’s presence, and her royal position is to be given to another woman who is more worthy than she.^{(AD) 20} The decree the king issues will be heard throughout his vast kingdom,^(AE) so all women will honor their husbands,^(AF) from the greatest to the least.”^(AG)

²¹ The king and his counselors approved the proposal, and he followed Memucan’s advice. ²² He sent letters to all the royal provinces, to each province in its own script and to each ethnic group in its own language,^(AH) that every man should be master of his own house and speak in the language of his own people.

The Accusation against Paul

24 Five days later Ananias^(A) the high priest came down with some elders and a lawyer named Tertullus. These men presented their case against Paul to the governor.^{(B) 2} When Paul was called in, Tertullus began to accuse him and said, “We enjoy great peace because of you, and reforms are taking place for the benefit of this nation because of your foresight. ³ We acknowledge this in every way and everywhere, most excellent^(C) Felix, with utmost gratitude. ⁴ But, so that I will not burden you any further, I request that you would be kind enough to give us a brief hearing. ⁵ For we have found this man to be a plague,^(D) an agitator^(E) among all the Jews throughout the Roman world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.^{(F) 6} He even tried to desecrate the temple, and so we apprehended him.^{[a] 8} By examining him yourself you will be able to discern the truth about these charges we are bringing against him.” ⁹ The Jews also joined in the attack, alleging that these things were true.

Paul’s Defense before Felix

¹⁰ When the governor motioned for him to speak, Paul replied, “Because I know you have been a judge of this nation for many years, I am glad to offer my defense in what concerns me.^{(G) 11} You can verify for yourself that it is no more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem.^{(H) 12} They didn’t find me arguing with anyone or causing a disturbance among the crowd, either in the temple or in the synagogues or anywhere in the city.^{(I) 13} Neither can they prove the charges they are now making against me. ¹⁴ But I admit this to you: I worship the God of my ancestors according to the Way,^(J) which they call a sect, believing everything that is in accordance with the law and written in the prophets.^{(K) 15} I have a hope in God, which these men themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection,^[b](L) both of the righteous and the unrighteous.^{(M) 16} I always strive to have a clear conscience^(N) toward God and men. ¹⁷ After many years, I came to bring charitable gifts and offerings to my people.^{(O) 18} While I was doing this, some Jews from Asia found me ritually purified in the temple, without a crowd and without any uproar.^{(P) 19} It is they who ought to be here before you to bring charges, if they have anything against me. ²⁰ Or let these men here state what wrongdoing they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin, ²¹ other than this one statement I shouted while standing among them, ‘Today I am on trial before you concerning the resurrection of the dead.’”

The Verdict Postponed

²² Since Felix was well informed about the Way,^(Q) he adjourned the hearing, saying, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case.” ²³ He ordered that the centurion keep Paul under guard, though he could have some freedom, and that he should not prevent any of his friends from meeting^[c] his needs.^(R)

²⁴ Several days later, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and listened to him on the subject of faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁵ Now as he spoke about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come,^(S) Felix became afraid and replied, “Leave for now, but when I have an opportunity I’ll call for you.” ²⁶ At the same time he was also hoping that Paul would offer him money.^[d] So he sent for him quite often and conversed with him.

²⁷ After two years had passed, Porcius Festus^(T) succeeded Felix, and because Felix wanted to do the Jews a favor,^(U) he left Paul in prison.^(V)