St. Stephen's Episcopal Church - Schenectady, NY

St. Stephen's Episcopal Church - Schenectady, NY A progressive parish in the Diocese of Albany. Sunday
9:30 AM. Morning Prayer via zoom - daily 9 AM - contact us for a link.

See website for most up-to-date information on service times, and events: https://st-stephens.church/

Bringing it HomeFor Sunday August 23By Allison de Kanel  Today we heard part of a letter from Saint Paul, who spread the...
08/24/2026

Bringing it Home
For Sunday August 23
By Allison de Kanel

Today we heard part of a letter from Saint Paul, who spread the Good News of Jesus across much of the Roman Empire.

In today's letter, Paul talks about the graces, or gifts, that God gives us. These gifts are wonderful! When we sing, or help someone, or tell a friend about God's love, we can do it because God helps us.
We don't receive these gifts so we can think how great we are at singing or whatever we do, or brag about it. God wants us to use them and share them.

You might think we should be humble and deny that we even have gifts or talents. But if someone gives you a useful gift, and you like it, you don't store it away and pretend it doesn't exist. You thank the giver and use the gift. God wants us to use his gifts. It would be rude to pretend we don't have them.

Now, we don't always know right away what gifts we have from God. Part of following Jesus is figuring out what gifts we have, and how we can use them for God and for each other. We can help each other recognize their gifts, and they help us recognize ours.
All of us together can do amazing things for God, much more than we can by ourselves. Saint Paul says we are like different parts of a body. The hands and the ears and the feet do different things. We need them all to do God's work.

Let's pray. Dear God, help me to recognize the gifts you have given me. Help me use them for your service in the world. Amen.

Today’s Bible lesson: Romans 12:1-8

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God-- what is good and acceptable and perfect.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

Illustration: The Church is the Body of Christ, ChristianClipArts.com

In today's Old Testament story we heard about some brothers who had treated each other very badly . They finally forgave...
08/13/2026

In today's Old Testament story we heard about some brothers who had treated each other very badly . They finally forgave each other, and their family was healed.

This is the end of the story of Joseph and his brothers. We heard the beginning of the story last week. When Joseph was young, he was his father's favorite, and everybody knew it. Also, Joseph had dreams about the future. In the dreams, his brothers bowed to him. Did he keep these dreams to himself? No, he did not. Naturally his brothers resented him.

One day his father sent him to check up on his brothers and the flocks they were taking care of. The brothers were planning to kill him but decided to sell him into slavery instead. Joseph wound up in Egypt and eventually was put in prison for something he didn't do.

When the Pharoah, the king of Egypt, needed someone to explain his dreams, Joseph was able to do it. There was going to be a great famine in the whole region. Pharoah was so impressed he put Joseph in charge of preparing for the famine.

Back home, Joseph's father and family suffered because of the famine. So, his brothers went to Egypt to buy food. They didn't recognize Joseph, but he recognized them right away.

At first Joseph treated his brothers well, but then he had his servants put a valuable cup in their baggage. It looked like one of them was a thief! Maybe he was testing them to see if they loved each other or would abandon their brother in Egypt. Or maybe he was paying them back for what they did to him. In the end, as we heard today, he told them who he was. He forgave them and told them God had intended all along to have Joseph in Egypt to save his family from starvation.

This story makes me ask some hard questions. Was Joseph's father fair when he treated Joseph better than his brothers? Should Joseph have told his brothers that they would bow to him? Does any of that give his brothers the right to sell him, let alone plan to kill him? And finally, was Joseph kind to frame one of his brothers as a thief?

Joseph and his family were not perfect heroes. But God used these imperfect people, with their mistakes and bad choices, to bring Joseph's family to safety in Egypt.

Let's pray. Dear God, I know I am not perfect. Please teach me and help me to make wise choices. And when I fail, please forgive me and teach me to do better. Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: Genesis 45:1-15

Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they came closer. He said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. I will provide for you there—since there are five more years of famine to come—so that you and your household, and all that you have, will not come to poverty.’ And now your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my own mouth that speaks to you. You must tell my father how greatly I am honored in Egypt, and all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.” Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, while Benjamin wept upon his neck. And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.

Illustration from: https://sundayschool.works/lessons/joseph-and-gods-plan-genesis-451-15-5019-21-childrens-sermon-lesson-for-kids/

Bringing it Home for Sunday, August 9, 2026by Allison de KanelSaint Peter was one of Jesus's best friends. He left home ...
08/07/2026

Bringing it Home for Sunday, August 9, 2026
by Allison de Kanel

Saint Peter was one of Jesus's best friends. He left home to follow Jesus. He was there when Jesus taught, and he was there when Jesus healed people. He trusted and loved Jesus.

When Jesus asked his friends who they thought he was, it was Peter who said, "You are the Messiah, the son of the living God." It was the right answer!

But Peter was human, and sometimes he blurted something out without thinking about it. In today's Bible story, he acted first and thought later.

Jesus's friends were in a boat crossing the water while Jesus prayed alone. Early in the morning Jesus walked to the boat. He was walking on the water. The disciples freaked out -- maybe it was a ghost? But Jesus reassured them. It was really Jesus, and they didn't need to be afraid.

At this point, Peter challenged Jesus. He dared Jesus to order Peter to come to him on the water. Then Jesus called Peter's bluff. He told Peter to come.

Now Peter was stuck. But he was brave. He got out of the boat and started walking on the water!

Then he started to think. What was he doing? He trusted Jesus, sure. But this was impossible!

As he started to think, he started to sink. I bet he took his eyes off Jesus and looked around him. Taking his eyes off Jesus was not a good idea!

Jesus rescued him, of course, and teased him, too.

When I think about this story, I wonder if I would have been as brave as Peter. Do you think you would have got out of the boat if Jesus called you?

Let's pray. Dear Jesus, you are amazing. Thank you for being my friend, even when my faith is weak. Help me to follow you, and to keep my eyes on you when life is tough. Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: Matthew 14:22-33
Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Illustration from ministry-to-children.com.

In today's reading from the Old Testament, Jacob wrestled with a stranger in the middle of the night. This story wasn't ...
08/04/2026

In today's reading from the Old Testament, Jacob wrestled with a stranger in the middle of the night. This story wasn't about a dream. We know this because the stranger dislocated Jacob's hip, and afterwards Jacob limped.

The stranger gave Jacob a new name, Israel. Israel means "one who struggles with God." So Jacob realized that the stranger was actually God. Jacob, now called Israel, was astonished because he had seen God face-to-face and survived.

In Jacob's time, everyone knew that God was so holy and so powerful that looking at him would kill you. It would be like trying to look straight at the Sun during an eclipse. It's just too dangerous.

But something changed when Jesus was born. Jesus was God AND he was a real human being. It wasn't dangerous to look at him.
Jesus was just as holy and powerful as God always was. He did amazing things that only God could do. But he was also someone you could sit down with to share a meal. And you could talk to him like you'd talk to any friend.

Even after Jesus died and rose from death and ascended to heaven -- even after all that, Jesus is still someone we can sit down with, and share a meal with, and talk to like a friend.

Sometimes we have to wrestle with him, too, when we are worried or upset or angry about something. That's okay, because nothing we say or do can keep him from loving us.

Let's pray. Dear Jesus, thank you for being my best friend. Thank you for listening to my prayers. Help me to listen to you. Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: Genesis 32:22-31
The same night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then the man said, “You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.” The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.

Illustration from ministry-to-children.com.

Jesus liked to tell stories to teach about God's Kingdom and God's love for us. We heard some of those stories today.One...
07/22/2026

Jesus liked to tell stories to teach about God's Kingdom and God's love for us. We heard some of those stories today.

One of them reminds me of penguins.

Penguins are beautiful birds who live in really cold places, like Antarctica. That's where you would be if you traveled as far South as possible.

Penguins have an amazing courtship ritual. The male penguin finds the smoothest, most beautiful pebble he can. He brings it to the female penguin and bows and offers it to her. If she accepts it, the become a pair and raise a chick together.

Can you tell which of Jesus's stories today I'm thinking of? It's not about yeast, or fishing, or even about a treasure in a field. No, I'm thinking of someone finding a perfect pearl.

Imagine a penguin finding a pearl to present to a female. How could she reject him? But pearls are usually white, and penguins are surrounded by snow. It would be hard to find the pearl, but it would be worth it if his lady penguin accepted it.

God's Kingdom is like that. When we discover God's Kingdom, it is the most valuable thing in our life. It's worth giving up everything to find it. But the joy is not in having God's Kingdom, as if we could own it. The joy is in sharing it with others.

Let's pray.

Dear Jesus, thank you for your stories about God's Kingdom. Help us to learn from them. And thank you for penguins, and all the other amazing creatures you have made. Amen.

Today’s Gospel Reading: Matthew 13:31-33,44-52

Jesus put before the crowds another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

“Have you understood all this?” They answered, “Yes.” And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

Illustration from Parables about the Kingdom of Heaven at www.freebibleimages.com

Bringing it Homeby Allison de KanelHave you heard the story of the Princess and the Pea? A princess couldn't sleep on a ...
07/20/2026

Bringing it Home

by Allison de Kanel

Have you heard the story of the Princess and the Pea? A princess couldn't sleep on a bed with twenty very soft mattresses because there was a pea at the very bottom!

But in today's story, Jacob had a stone for a pillow. He slept well, and dreamed an amazing dream. He saw a ladder reaching up to heaven, with angels, and God talked to him.

When he woke up, Jacob realized that he had been sleeping in a holy place. It was the house of God and the gate of heaven!

Do you think the holiness was in that place all along? Or did the place become holy when God came to him in his dream? That would mean that any place he slept that night might have been holy.

Most of us don't have God come to us in our dreams, or at least we don't remember it when we wake up. But God speaks to us in many ways -- in the Bible, in prayer, in conversation with each other, or in the beauty of nature.

Just like Jacob, we may be in a holy place and not even know it. But I think if we look for the holiness around us, we may find it.

Let's pray. Dear God, thank you for loving me. Help me trust you and listen for you. Help me to recognize your presence when you come to me. Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading - Genesis 28:10-19a

Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And the Lord stood beside him and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!” And he was afraid, and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called that place Bethel.

Illustration by Shawna Tenney from Teaching Children the Gospel.

In today's Bible story, Jesus talked about all the ways someone can spread seed, and how many ways the seed can fail to ...
07/10/2026

In today's Bible story, Jesus talked about all the ways someone can spread seed, and how many ways the seed can fail to grow into a crop.

This was a parable. That's a fancy church term for stories Jesus told to teach people about God's Kingdom and love. In this story, the seed was his message. He was describing how people received the Good News. Or often, didn't receive it.

I bet if he wanted to tell this parable today, he'd use different examples.

Like this.

A grown-up was demonstrating how to make a bed. But one kid was playing a game on their phone, and another was building with legos, and another was paying attention but didn't understand and didn't want to look stupid, so didn't ask any questions. Then there was one who paid attention and took notes, but lost the notes.
These are all ways we can be told and shown how to do something, but not be able to do it.

If we want to follow Jesus, we have to pay attention to him, and follow his example, and ask questions when we don't understand. Sometimes we get something wrong and have to start over, like putting the blanket on the bed before the sheet. That's okay. Jesus is patient and kind. He sent the Holy Spirit and gave us each other, to help us learn.

Let's pray. Dear Jesus, thank you for telling stories to help us learn. Amen.

Today’s Gospel: Matthew 13:1-9,18-23

Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!”

“Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

Bringing it Home Sunday July 5Allison de KanelI bet you heard fireworks this weekend.Even if you don't go to a fireworks...
07/03/2026

Bringing it Home Sunday July 5
Allison de Kanel

I bet you heard fireworks this weekend.

Even if you don't go to a fireworks show, or attend a party or parade, you can usually hear fireworks around the Fourth of July.

The fancy name for July Fourth is Independence Day. It celebrates the day that thirteen colonies in America declared they were no longer subjects of the King of England. They wound up having to fight a war, but they eventually won their freedom from the King.

But here's a secret:

We Christians celebrate our very own Independence Day every Sunday.

We declare that we aren't subjects of sin, or of the devil, or even of death itself. Even better, we don't have to fight a war to gain our independence. Jesus won it for us when he died and then rose from the dead.

We don't send up fireworks every Sunday. We celebrate in a different way. We come together, listen to the Bible, sing songs, and share Communion.

In today's Bible readings, we heard a letter from Saint Paul. He complained that even when he wanted to do the right thing, he got it wrong. That's sin. But Jesus rescued him!

And Jesus rescues us, too.

Let's pray: Dear Jesus, thank you for setting me free from sin and death. Help me to celebrate your victory by sharing your wonderful love with the world. Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: Romans 7:15-25a
I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me.

So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Amen.

Bringing it Home Sunday June 28By Allison de KanelDo you know what a door mat is?A door mat is a small rug. Maybe you ha...
06/25/2026

Bringing it Home Sunday June 28
By Allison de Kanel

Do you know what a door mat is?

A door mat is a small rug. Maybe you have one at home. You put it in front of your front door. It's sturdy, so guests can wipe rain or mud or snow from their shoes or boots before coming indoors. That way people don't slip or fall, and it saves a lot of work cleaning the floor.

Sometimes door mats have a greeting printed on them. Some greetings are funny, like "wipe your paws," but most of them are
just one word:

"Welcome"

Jesus used the word Welcome a lot in today's Bible story. We are told that God cares how we welcome each other. God notices even when we give someone a simple drink of water.
This isn't surprising. People who live in deserts, as Jesus's ancestors did, know that welcoming someone -- giving them shelter and food and water -- is a matter of life and death. Our stories from the Old Testament are full of people welcoming strangers as honored guests.

When Jesus's friends were sent out to share the Good News of the Kingdom, Jesus expected them to be welcomed into private homes.
Later, as the early Church was growing, Apostles would go to new cities and expect to be offered hospitality by fellow Christians or even by curious Jews or Gentiles.

This practice -- inviting strangers into our homes -- is not so common today. But we can still be welcoming.

Think about it. Churches may not have Welcome mats outside the front door, but visitors can tell pretty quickly if they are welcome. It's true at school, or on sports teams, or in the Scouts. Any time someone new arrives, we can greet them and be helpful, or we can ignore them.

Which do you think God wants us to do?

Let's pray. Dear Jesus, thank you for welcoming us into your church family. Help us to follow your example. Amen

Today’s Gospel – Matthew 10:40-42

Jesus said, “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple-- truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”

Artwork: The Seven Works of Mercy by, ca. 1606–1616, by Flemish painter Frans Francken II (1581–1642). From the collection of the Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester UK.

Our first Bible story today is hard to hear. This happens sometimes.The Bible is not about a magic world with perfect he...
06/22/2026

Our first Bible story today is hard to hear. This happens sometimes.

The Bible is not about a magic world with perfect heroes and no bad guys. I enjoy stories like that, but they aren't in the Bible.

The Bible has stories about the real world with real people in it. Sometimes even the good guys do bad things. That's what real life is like. Even when we try to be good, and obey God, we can make mistakes and hurt other people.

In today's first story, Abraham's wife tells him to get rid of her servant Hagar and Hagar's son Ishmael, because she doesn't want them competing with her son Isaac. Hagar was an enslaved woman, and Ishmael was Abraham's son, Isaac's brother.

Abraham loved Ishmael, and he didn't want to just evict him and his mother. But God told Abraham that he had a plan to make Ishmael great. So Abraham went ahead and sent Hagar and Ishmael away.

We know from other stories in the Bible that Abraham was not afraid to disagree with God, and even to try and change God's mind. But not this time!

Abraham didn't give Hagar and Ishmael enough food and water, or a donkey to carry them. Worst of all, he didn't tell Hagar that God was watching out for her and had great plans for Ishmael.

Eventually, when Hagar was ready to give up, God reassured her and helped her and Ishmael.

Sarah and Abraham are important people in our Bible. We can admire the many good things they did in obedience to God, but that doesn't mean we have to admire their mistakes. What do you think Sarah and Abraham could have done differently?

Let's pray. Dear God, help me to do the right thing when I am afraid or jealous or angry or tired. Help me to be kind, even when it is hard. Amen.

Today’s Lesson - Genesis 21:8-21

The child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac. So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac.” The matter was very distressing to Abraham on account of his son. But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed because of the boy and because of your slave woman; whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be named for you. As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a nation of him also, because he is your offspring.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.

When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes. Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot; for she said, “Do not let me look on the death of the child.” And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. And God heard the voice of the boy; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him.” Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. She went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink.

God was with the boy, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow. He lived in the wilderness of Paran; and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

Artwork: “The Banishment of Hagar,” bu Johann Friedrich Overbeck (German 1839–41) from the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of New York, NY.

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