Jacob’s Fourth Encounter with God—He Wrestles with God

²² During that night he got up and gathered his two wives, his two slaves and his eleven children and crossed at the shallow part of the Jabbok River. ²³ After he sent them across the stream, he sent everything else across. ²⁴ So Jacob was left alone. Then a man wrestled with him until dawn. ²⁵ When the man saw that he could not win against Jacob, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that it was dislocated as they wrestled. ²⁶ Then the man said, “Let me go; it’s almost dawn.”

But Jacob answered, “I won’t let you go until you bless me.”

²⁷ So the man asked him, “What’s your name?”

“Jacob,” he answered.

²⁸ The man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob but Israel [He Struggles With God], because you have struggled with God and with men—and you have won.”

²⁹ Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.”

The man answered, “Why do you ask for my name?” Then he blessed Jacob there. ³⁰ So Jacob named that place Peniel [Face of God], because he said, “I have seen God face to face, but my life was saved.” ³¹ The sun rose as he passed Penuel.^[a] He was limping because of his hip. ³² (Therefore, even today the people of Israel do not eat the muscle of the thigh attached to the hip socket because God touched the socket of Jacob’s hip at the muscle of the thigh.)

A Prophecy about the Last Times

4 The Spirit says clearly that in later times some believers will desert the Christian faith. They will follow spirits that deceive, and they will believe the teachings of demons. ² These people will speak lies disguised as truth. Their consciences have been scarred as if branded by a red-hot iron. ³ They will try to stop others from getting married and from eating certain foods. God created food to be received with prayers of thanks by those who believe and know the truth. ⁴ Everything God created is good. Nothing should be rejected if it is received with prayers of thanks. ⁵ God’s word and prayer set it apart as holy.

Guidelines for Serving Christ

⁶ You are a good servant of Christ Jesus when you point these things out to our brothers and sisters. Then you will be nourished by the words of the Christian faith and the excellent teachings which you have followed closely. ⁷ Don’t have anything to do with godless myths that old women like to tell. Rather, train yourself to live a godly life. ⁸ Training the body helps a little, but godly living helps in every way. Godly living has the promise of life now and in the world to come. ⁹ This is a statement that can be trusted and deserves complete acceptance. ¹⁰ Certainly, we work hard and struggle to live a godly life, because we place our confidence in the living God. He is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

Jesus Prays in the Garden of Gethsemane^(A)

³⁶ Then Jesus went with the disciples to a place called Gethsemane. He said to them, “Stay here while I go over there and pray.”

³⁷ He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons with him. He was beginning to feel deep anguish. ³⁸ Then he said to them, “My anguish is so great that I feel as if I’m dying. Wait here, and stay awake with me.”

³⁹ After walking a little farther, he quickly bowed with his face to the ground and prayed, “Father, if it’s possible, let this cup ⌞of suffering⌟ be taken away from me. But let your will be done rather than mine.”

⁴⁰ When he went back to the disciples, he found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you stay awake with me for one hour? ⁴¹ Stay awake, and pray that you won’t be tempted. You want to do what’s right, but you’re weak.”

⁴² Then he went away a second time and prayed, “Father, if this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, let your will be done.”

⁴³ He found them asleep again because they couldn’t keep their eyes open.

⁴⁴ After leaving them again, he went away and prayed the same prayer a third time. ⁴⁵ Then he came back to the disciples and said to them, “You might as well sleep now. The time is near for the Son of Man to be handed over to sinners. ⁴⁶ Get up! Let’s go! The one who is betraying me is near.”