Bible: Matthew 7:15-23; 24:11-28

A Tree and Its Fruit

7:15Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves. 1  7:16 You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes are not gathered 2  from thorns or figs from thistles, are they? 3  7:17 In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad 4  tree bears bad fruit. 7:18 A good tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good fruit. 7:19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 7:20 So then, you will recognize them by their fruit.

Judgment of Pretenders

7:21Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ 5  will enter into the kingdom of heaven – only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 7:22 On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and do 6  many powerful deeds?’ 7:23 Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!’ 7 

24:11 He made the camels kneel down by the well 1  outside the city. It was evening, 2  the time when the women would go out to draw water. 24:12 He prayed, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, guide me today. 3  Be faithful 4  to my master Abraham. 24:13 Here I am, standing by the spring, 5  and the daughters of the people 6  who live in the town are coming out to draw water. 24:14 I will say to a young woman, ‘Please lower your jar so I may drink.’ May the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac reply, ‘Drink, and I’ll give your camels water too.’ 7  In this way I will know that you have been faithful to my master.” 8 

24:15 Before he had finished praying, there came Rebekah 9  with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah (Milcah was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor). 10  24:16 Now the young woman was very beautiful. She was a virgin; no man had ever had sexual relations with her. 11  She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came back up. 24:17 Abraham’s servant 12  ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a sip of water from your jug.” 24:18 Drink, my lord,” she replied, and quickly lowering 13  her jug to her hands, she gave him a drink. 24:19 When she had done so, 14  she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have drunk as much as they want.” 24:20 She quickly emptied 15  her jug into the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw more water until she had drawn enough for all his camels. 24:21 Silently the man watched her with interest to determine 16  if the Lord had made his journey successful 17  or not.

24:22 After the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka 18  and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels 19  and gave them to her. 20  24:23 Whose daughter are you?” he asked. 21 Tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?

24:24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom Milcah bore to Nahor. 22  24:25 We have plenty of straw and feed,” she added, 23 and room for you 24  to spend the night.”

24:26 The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord, 24:27 saying “Praised be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his faithful love 25  for my master! The Lord has led me 26  to the house 27  of my master’s relatives! 28 

24:28 The young woman ran and told her mother’s household all about 29  these things.

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