Genesis 22:1-19
Psalms 115:1-6, 8-9
Matthew 9:1-8
Genesis 22:1-19
1 It happened some time later that God put Abraham to the test. ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ he called. ‘Here I am,’ he replied. 2 God said, ‘Take your son, your only son, your beloved Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, where you are to offer him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I shall point out to you.’ 3 Early next morning Abraham saddled his donkey and took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. He chopped wood for the burnt offering and started on his journey to the place which God had indicated to him.
4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 Then Abraham said to his servants, ‘Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I are going over there; we shall worship and then come back to you.’ 6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering, loaded it on Isaac, and carried in his own hands the fire and the knife. Then the two of them set out together. 7 Isaac spoke to his father Abraham. ‘Father?’ he said. ‘Yes, my son,’ he replied. ‘Look,’ he said, ‘here are the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?’ 8 Abraham replied, ‘My son, God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering.’ And the two of them went on together.
9 When they arrived at the place which God had indicated to him, Abraham built an altar there, and arranged the wood. Then he bound his son and put him on the altar on top of the wood. 10 Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. 11 But the angel of Yahweh called to him from heaven. ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ he said. ‘Here I am,’ he replied. 12 ‘Do not raise your hand against the boy,’ the angel said. ‘Do not harm him, for now I know you fear God. You have not refused me your own beloved son.’ 13 Then looking up, Abraham saw a ram caught by its horns in a bush. Abraham took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 14 Abraham called this place ‘Yahweh provides’, and hence the saying today: ‘On the mountain Yahweh provides.’ 15 The angel of Yahweh called Abraham a second time from heaven. 16 ‘I swear by my own self, Yahweh declares, that because you have done this, because you have not refused me your own beloved son, 17 I will shower blessings on you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven and the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will gain possession of the gates of their enemies. 18 All nations on earth will bless themselves by your descendants, because you have obeyed my command.’
19 Abraham went back to his servants, and together they set out for Beersheba, and Abraham settled in Beersheba.
Psalms 115:1-6, 8-9
1 Not to us, Yahweh, not to us, but to your name give the glory, for your faithful love and your constancy! 2 Why should the nations ask, ‘Where is their God?’ 3 Our God is in heaven, he creates whatever he chooses. 4 They have idols of silver and gold, made by human hands. 5 These have mouths but say nothing, have eyes but see nothing, 6 have ears but hear nothing, have noses but smell nothing.
8 Their makers will end up like them, and all who rely on them. 9 House of Israel, rely on Yahweh; he is their help and their shield.
Matthew 9:1-8
1 He got back in the boat, crossed the water and came to his home town. 2 And suddenly some people brought him a paralytic stretched out on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘Take comfort, my child, your sins are forgiven.’ 3 And now some scribes said to themselves, ‘This man is being blasphemous.’ 4 Knowing what was in their minds Jesus said, ‘Why do you have such wicked thoughts in your hearts? 5 Now, which of these is easier: to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up and walk”? 6 But to prove to you that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ — then he said to the paralytic-‘get up, pick up your bed and go off home.’ 7 And the man got up and went home. 8 A feeling of awe came over the crowd when they saw this, and they praised God for having given such authority to human beings.
