Abraham Tested

22 Some time later God tested^(A) Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,”^(B) he replied.

² Then God said, “Take your son^(C), your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah.^(D) Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering^(E) on a mountain I will show you.^(F)”

³ Early the next morning^(G) Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. ⁴ On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. ⁵ He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.^(H)”

⁶ Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac,^(I) and he himself carried the fire and the knife.^(J) As the two of them went on together, ⁷ Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”

“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.

“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb^(K) for the burnt offering?”

⁸ Abraham answered, “God himself will provide^(L) the lamb^(M) for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

⁹ When they reached the place God had told him about,^(N) Abraham built an altar^(O) there and arranged the wood^(P) on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar,^(Q) on top of the wood. ¹⁰ Then he reached out his hand and took the knife^(R) to slay his son.^{(S) 11} But the angel of the Lord^(T) called out to him from heaven,^(U) “Abraham! Abraham!”^(V)

“Here I am,”^(W) he replied.

¹² “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God,^(X) because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.^(Y)”

¹³ Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram^[a] caught by its horns.^(Z) He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.^{(AA) 14} So Abraham called^(AB) that place The Lord^(AC) Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.^(AD)”

² Remember how the Lord your God led^(A) you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test^(B) you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.

⁵ Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.^(A)

Worshiping Other Gods

13 ^[a]If a prophet,^(A) or one who foretells by dreams,^(B) appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, ² and if the sign^(C) or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods”^(D) (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” ³ you must not listen to the words of that prophet^(E) or dreamer.^(F) The Lord your God is testing^(G) you to find out whether you love^(H) him with all your heart and with all your soul.

³¹ But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon^(A) to ask him about the miraculous sign^(B) that had occurred in the land, God left him to test^(C) him and to know everything that was in his heart.

⁸ Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job?^(A) There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God^(B) and shuns evil.”^(C)

⁹ “Does Job fear God for nothing?”^(D) Satan replied. ¹⁰ “Have you not put a hedge^(E) around him and his household and everything he has?^(F) You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.^{(G) 11} But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has,^(H) and he will surely curse you to your face.”^(I)

¹² The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has^(J) is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”^(K)

Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

¹³ One day when Job’s sons and daughters^(L) were feasting^(M) and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, ¹⁴ a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing^(N) nearby, ¹⁵ and the Sabeans^(O) attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

¹⁶ While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens^(P) and burned up the sheep and the servants,^(Q) and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

¹⁷ While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans^(R) formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

¹⁸ While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters^(S) were feasting^(T) and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, ¹⁹ when suddenly a mighty wind^(U) swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead,^(V) and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!^(W)”

²⁰ At this, Job got up and tore his robe^(X) and shaved his head.^(Y) Then he fell to the ground in worship^{(Z) 21} and said:

²² In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.^(AD)