Category: DAB Readings

The King of Arad Is Defeated

21 When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that the Israelites were coming on the road to Atharim, he fought them and took some of them as prisoners. ² Then the Israelites made this vow to the Lord: “If you will hand these people over to us, we’ll destroy their cities because you’ve claimed them.” ³ The Lord listened to the Israelites and handed the Canaanites over to them. They destroyed the Canaanites and their cities. So they called the place Hormah [Claimed for Destruction].

The Bronze Snake

⁴ Then they moved from Mount Hor, following the road that goes to the Red Sea, in order to get around Edom. The people became impatient on the trip ⁵ and criticized God and Moses. They said, “Why did you make us leave Egypt—just to let us die in the desert? There’s no bread or water, and we can’t stand this awful food!”

⁶ So the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people. They bit the people, and many of the Israelites died. ⁷ The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we criticized the Lord and you. Pray to the Lord so that he will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

⁸ The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake, and put it on a pole. Anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” ⁹ So Moses made a bronze snake and put it on a pole. People looked at the bronze snake after they were bitten, and they lived.^[a]

Israel Travels Past Edom to Moab

¹⁰ The Israelites moved and set up camp at Oboth. ¹¹ Next they moved from Oboth and set up camp at Iye Abarim in the desert west of Moab. ¹² From there they moved and set up camp at the Zered River. ¹³ They moved from there and set up camp on the other side of the Arnon Valley in the desert that extends into Amorite territory. (The Arnon Valley is the border between Moab and the Amorites.) ¹⁴ This is how it’s described in the Book of the Wars of the Lord:

¹⁶ From there they went to Beer [Well]. This is the well where the Lord said to Moses, “Gather the people, and I will give them water.” ¹⁷ Then Israel sang this song about the well:

From the desert they went to Mattanah, ¹⁹ and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth, ²⁰ and from Bamoth to the valley in Moab where Mount Pisgah overlooks Jeshimon.

Sihon and Og Defeated

²¹ Then Israel sent messengers to say to King Sihon of the Amorites, ²² “Let us go through your country. We won’t go through any of your fields or vineyards or drink any of the water from your wells. We’ll stay on the king’s highway until we’ve passed through your territory.”

²³ Sihon wouldn’t let Israel pass through his territory. Sihon gathered all his troops and came out into the desert to attack Israel. When Sihon’s troops came to Jahaz, they fought against Israel. ²⁴ But Israel defeated them in battle and took possession of their land from the Arnon Valley to the Jabbok River. ⌞They stopped at⌟ the border of the Ammon because it was fortified. ²⁵ Israel took all those Amorite cities, including Heshbon and all its villages, and lived in them. ²⁶ Heshbon was the city of King Sihon of the Amorites. He had fought the former king of Moab and had taken all his land up to the Arnon Valley.

²⁷ This is why the poets say:

³¹ So Israel settled in the land of the Amorites. ³² After Moses sent spies to Jazer, the Israelites captured its cities and villages and forced out the Amorites who were there. ³³ Then they turned and followed the road that goes to Bashan. King Og of Bashan and all his troops came out to fight the Israelites at Edrei.

³⁴ The Lord said to Moses, “Don’t be afraid of him. I’ll hand him, all his troops, and his land over to you. Do to him what you did to King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon.” ³⁵ The Israelites defeated him, his sons, and all his troops, leaving no survivors. And they took possession of his land.

Balaam Is Hired to Curse Israel

22 Then the Israelites moved and set up camp across from Jericho, on the plains of Moab east of the Jordan River.

² Balak, son of Zippor, saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. ³ The Moabites were very afraid because there were so many Israelites. Besides, the Moabites couldn’t stand these people.

⁴ So the Moabites said to the leaders of Midian, “All those people will eventually eat up everything around us the same way an ox eats up the grass in a field.”

At that time Balak, son of Zippor, was king of Moab. ⁵ He sent messengers to summon Balaam, son of Beor, who was at Pethor, on the Euphrates River, in the land where his people lived. Balak’s message was, “A nation has just come here from Egypt. They’ve spread out all over the countryside and are setting up their camp here in front of me. ⁶ Please come and curse these people for me, because they are too strong for me. Maybe then I’ll be able to defeat them and force them out of the country. I know that whomever you bless is blessed and whomever you curse is cursed.”

⁷ The leaders of Moab and Midian left, taking money with them to pay for Balaam’s services. They came to Balaam and told him what Balak had said.

⁸ “Spend the night here,” Balaam said to them, “and I’ll report to you what the Lord tells me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

⁹ God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”

¹⁰ Balaam answered, “Balak, son of King Zippor of Moab, sent them with this message: ¹¹ ‘Some people have just come from Egypt and are spreading out all over the countryside. Now come and curse them for me. Maybe I’ll be able to fight them and force them out.’ ”

¹² But God said to Balaam, “Don’t go with them! Don’t curse these people, because they are blessed.”

¹³ When Balaam got up in the morning, he said to Balak’s princes, “Go back to your own country, because the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”

¹⁴ So the Moabite princes went back to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

¹⁵ Balak sent a larger group of more highly respected princes. ¹⁶ When they came to Balaam, they said to him, “This is what Balak, son of Zippor, says: Don’t let anything keep you from coming to me. ¹⁷ I will make sure you are richly rewarded, and I will do whatever you ask. Please, come and curse these people for me.”

¹⁸ But Balaam answered Balak’s servants, “Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I couldn’t disobey the command of the Lord my God no matter whether the request was important or not. ¹⁹ Now, why don’t you stay here tonight, as the others did, and I’ll find out what else the Lord may have to tell me.”

²⁰ That night God came to Balaam and said, “If these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.”

The Angel Gabriel Comes to Mary

²⁶ Six months after Elizabeth had become pregnant, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a city in Galilee. ²⁷ The angel went to a virgin promised in marriage to a descendant of David named Joseph. The virgin’s name was Mary.

²⁸ When the angel entered her home, he greeted her and said, “You are favored by the Lord! The Lord is with you.”

²⁹ She was startled by what the angel said and tried to figure out what this greeting meant.

³⁰ The angel told her,

³⁴ Mary asked the angel, “How can this be? I’m a virgin.”

³⁵ The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come to you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy child developing inside you will be called the Son of God.

³⁶ “Elizabeth, your relative, is six months pregnant with a son in her old age. People said she couldn’t have a child. ³⁷ But nothing is impossible for God.”

³⁸ Mary answered, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let everything you’ve said happen to me.”

Then the angel left her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

³⁹ Soon afterward, Mary hurried to a city in the mountain region of Judah. ⁴⁰ She entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.

⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard the greeting, she felt the baby kick. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² She said in a loud voice, “You are the most blessed of all women, and blessed is the child that you will have. ⁴³ I feel blessed that the mother of my Lord is visiting me. ⁴⁴ As soon as I heard your greeting, I felt the baby jump for joy. ⁴⁵ You are blessed for believing that the Lord would keep his promise to you.”

Mary Praises God

⁴⁶ Mary said,

⁵⁶ Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.

For the choir director; al tashcheth; ^[a] a miktam by David when he fled from Saul into the cave.

The Water of Cleansing

19 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: ² “This is a requirement of the law that the Lord has commanded: Tell the Israelites to bring you a red heifer^(A) without defect or blemish^(B) and that has never been under a yoke.^{(C) 3} Give it to Eleazar^(D) the priest; it is to be taken outside the camp^(E) and slaughtered in his presence. ⁴ Then Eleazar the priest is to take some of its blood on his finger and sprinkle^(F) it seven times toward the front of the tent of meeting. ⁵ While he watches, the heifer is to be burned—its hide, flesh, blood and intestines.^{(G) 6} The priest is to take some cedar wood, hyssop^(H) and scarlet wool^(I) and throw them onto the burning heifer. ⁷ After that, the priest must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water.^(J) He may then come into the camp, but he will be ceremonially unclean till evening. ⁸ The man who burns it must also wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he too will be unclean till evening.

⁹ “A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer^(K) and put them in a ceremonially clean place^(L) outside the camp. They are to be kept by the Israelite community for use in the water of cleansing;^(M) it is for purification from sin.^{(N) 10} The man who gathers up^(O) the ashes of the heifer must also wash his clothes, and he too will be unclean till evening.^(P) This will be a lasting ordinance^(Q) both for the Israelites and for the foreigners residing among them.^(R)

¹¹ “Whoever touches a human corpse^(S) will be unclean for seven days.^{(T) 12} They must purify themselves with the water on the third day and on the seventh day;^(U) then they will be clean. But if they do not purify themselves on the third and seventh days, they will not be clean.^{(V) 13} If they fail to purify themselves after touching a human corpse,^(W) they defile the Lord’s tabernacle.^(X) They must be cut off from Israel.^(Y) Because the water of cleansing has not been sprinkled on them, they are unclean;^(Z) their uncleanness remains on them.

¹⁴ “This is the law that applies when a person dies in a tent: Anyone who enters the tent and anyone who is in it will be unclean for seven days, ¹⁵ and every open container^(AA) without a lid fastened on it will be unclean.

¹⁶ “Anyone out in the open who touches someone who has been killed with a sword or someone who has died a natural death,^(AB) or anyone who touches a human bone^(AC) or a grave,^(AD) will be unclean for seven days.^(AE)

¹⁷ “For the unclean person, put some ashes^(AF) from the burned purification offering into a jar and pour fresh water^(AG) over them. ¹⁸ Then a man who is ceremonially clean is to take some hyssop,^(AH) dip it in the water and sprinkle^(AI) the tent and all the furnishings and the people who were there. He must also sprinkle anyone who has touched a human bone or a grave^(AJ) or anyone who has been killed or anyone who has died a natural death. ¹⁹ The man who is clean is to sprinkle^(AK) those who are unclean on the third and seventh days, and on the seventh day he is to purify them.^(AL) Those who are being cleansed must wash their clothes^(AM) and bathe with water, and that evening they will be clean. ²⁰ But if those who are unclean do not purify themselves, they must be cut off from the community, because they have defiled^(AN) the sanctuary of the Lord.^(AO) The water of cleansing has not been sprinkled on them, and they are unclean.^{(AP) 21} This is a lasting ordinance^(AQ) for them.

“The man who sprinkles the water of cleansing must also wash his clothes, and anyone who touches the water of cleansing will be unclean till evening. ²² Anything that an unclean^(AR) person touches becomes unclean, and anyone who touches it becomes unclean till evening.”

Water From the Rock

20 In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin,^(AS) and they stayed at Kadesh.^(AT) There Miriam^(AU) died and was buried.

² Now there was no water^(AV) for the community,^(AW) and the people gathered in opposition^(AX) to Moses and Aaron. ³ They quarreled^(AY) with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead^(AZ) before the Lord!^{(BA) 4} Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness,^(BB) that we and our livestock should die here?^{(BC) 5} Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates.^(BD) And there is no water to drink!^(BE)”

⁶ Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting^(BF) and fell facedown,^(BG) and the glory of the Lord^(BH) appeared to them. ⁷ The Lord said to Moses, ⁸ “Take the staff,^(BI) and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water.^(BJ) You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”

⁹ So Moses took the staff^(BK) from the Lord’s presence,^(BL) just as he commanded him. ¹⁰ He and Aaron gathered the assembly together^(BM) in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”^{(BN) 11} Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water^(BO) gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

¹² But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy^(BP) in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”^(BQ)

¹³ These were the waters of Meribah,^[a](BR) where the Israelites quarreled^(BS) with the Lord and where he was proved holy among them.^(BT)

Edom Denies Israel Passage

¹⁴ Moses sent messengers from Kadesh^(BU) to the king of Edom,^(BV) saying:

¹⁸ But Edom^(CG) answered:

¹⁹ The Israelites replied:

²⁰ Again they answered:

Then Edom^(CL) came out against them with a large and powerful army. ²¹ Since Edom refused to let them go through their territory,^(CM) Israel turned away from them.^(CN)

The Death of Aaron

²² The whole Israelite community set out from Kadesh^(CO) and came to Mount Hor.^{(CP) 23} At Mount Hor, near the border of Edom,^(CQ) the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ²⁴ “Aaron will be gathered to his people.^(CR) He will not enter the land I give the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against my command^(CS) at the waters of Meribah.^{(CT) 25} Get Aaron and his son Eleazar and take them up Mount Hor.^{(CU) 26} Remove Aaron’s garments^(CV) and put them on his son Eleazar, for Aaron will be gathered to his people;^(CW) he will die there.”

²⁷ Moses did as the Lord commanded: They went up Mount Hor^(CX) in the sight of the whole community. ²⁸ Moses removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar.^(CY) And Aaron died there^(CZ) on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain, ²⁹ and when the whole community learned that Aaron had died,^(DA) all the Israelites mourned for him^(DB) thirty days.

Introduction^(A)

1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled^[a] among us, ² just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first^(B) were eyewitnesses^(C) and servants of the word.^{(D) 3} With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account^(E) for you, most excellent^(F) Theophilus,^{(G) 4} so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.^(H)

The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

⁵ In the time of Herod king of Judea^(I) there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah;^(J) his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. ⁶ Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.^{(K) 7} But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

⁸ Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,^{(L) 9} he was chosen by lot,^(M) according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.^{(N) 10} And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.^(O)

¹¹ Then an angel^(P) of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.^{(Q) 12} When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.^{(R) 13} But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid,^(S) Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.^{(T) 14} He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,^{(U) 15} for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink,^(V) and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit^(W) even before he is born.^{(X) 16} He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ And he will go on before the Lord,^(Y) in the spirit and power of Elijah,^(Z) to turn the hearts of the parents to their children^(AA) and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”^(AB)

¹⁸ Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this?^(AC) I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”^(AD)

¹⁹ The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel.^(AE) I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. ²⁰ And now you will be silent and not able to speak^(AF) until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”

²¹ Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. ²² When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs^(AG) to them but remained unable to speak.

²³ When his time of service was completed, he returned home. ²⁴ After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. ²⁵ “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace^(AH) among the people.”

Psalm 56^[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” Of David. A miktam.^[b] When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.

⁴¹ The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. “You have killed the Lord’s people,” they said.

⁴² But when the assembly gathered in opposition^(A) to Moses and Aaron and turned toward the tent of meeting, suddenly the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord^(B) appeared. ⁴³ Then Moses and Aaron went to the front of the tent of meeting, ⁴⁴ and the Lord said to Moses, ⁴⁵ “Get away from this assembly so I can put an end^(C) to them at once.” And they fell facedown.

⁴⁶ Then Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer^(D) and put incense in it, along with burning coals from the altar, and hurry to the assembly^(E) to make atonement^(F) for them. Wrath has come out from the Lord;^(G) the plague^(H) has started.” ⁴⁷ So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had already started among the people,^(I) but Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them. ⁴⁸ He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped.^{(J) 49} But 14,700 people died from the plague, in addition to those who had died because of Korah.^{(K) 50} Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the tent of meeting, for the plague had stopped.^[a]

The Budding of Aaron’s Staff

17 ^[b]The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs^(L) from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes.^(M) Write the name of each man on his staff. ³ On the staff of Levi write Aaron’s name,^(N) for there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral tribe. ⁴ Place them in the tent of meeting^(O) in front of the ark of the covenant law,^(P) where I meet with you.^{(Q) 5} The staff belonging to the man I choose^(R) will sprout,^(S) and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling^(T) against you by the Israelites.”

⁶ So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and their leaders gave him twelve staffs, one for the leader of each of their ancestral tribes, and Aaron’s staff was among them. ⁷ Moses placed the staffs before the Lord in the tent of the covenant law.^(U)

⁸ The next day Moses entered the tent^(V) and saw that Aaron’s staff,^(W) which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.^{(X) 9} Then Moses brought out all the staffs^(Y) from the Lord’s presence to all the Israelites. They looked at them, and each of the leaders took his own staff.

¹⁰ The Lord said to Moses, “Put back Aaron’s staff^(Z) in front of the ark of the covenant law, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious.^(AA) This will put an end to their grumbling against me, so that they will not die.” ¹¹ Moses did just as the Lord commanded him.

¹² The Israelites said to Moses, “We will die! We are lost, we are all lost!^{(AB) 13} Anyone who even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord will die.^(AC) Are we all going to die?”

Duties of Priests and Levites

18 The Lord said to Aaron, “You, your sons and your family are to bear the responsibility for offenses connected with the sanctuary,^(AD) and you and your sons alone are to bear the responsibility for offenses connected with the priesthood. ² Bring your fellow Levites from your ancestral tribe to join you and assist you when you and your sons minister^(AE) before the tent of the covenant law. ³ They are to be responsible to you^(AF) and are to perform all the duties of the tent,^(AG) but they must not go near the furnishings of the sanctuary or the altar. Otherwise both they and you will die.^{(AH) 4} They are to join you and be responsible for the care of the tent of meeting—all the work at the tent—and no one else may come near where you are.^(AI)

⁵ “You are to be responsible for the care of the sanctuary and the altar,^(AJ) so that my wrath will not fall on the Israelites again. ⁶ I myself have selected your fellow Levites from among the Israelites as a gift to you,^(AK) dedicated to the Lord to do the work at the tent of meeting.^{(AL) 7} But only you and your sons may serve as priests in connection with everything at the altar and inside the curtain.^(AM) I am giving you the service of the priesthood as a gift.^(AN) Anyone else who comes near the sanctuary is to be put to death.^(AO)”

Offerings for Priests and Levites

⁸ Then the Lord said to Aaron, “I myself have put you in charge of the offerings presented to me; all the holy offerings the Israelites give me I give to you and your sons as your portion,^(AP) your perpetual share.^{(AQ) 9} You are to have the part of the most holy offerings^(AR) that is kept from the fire. From all the gifts they bring me as most holy offerings, whether grain^(AS) or sin^[c](AT) or guilt offerings,^(AU) that part belongs to you and your sons. ¹⁰ Eat it as something most holy; every male shall eat it.^(AV) You must regard it as holy.^(AW)

¹¹ “This also is yours: whatever is set aside from the gifts of all the wave offerings^(AX) of the Israelites. I give this to you and your sons and daughters as your perpetual share.^(AY) Everyone in your household who is ceremonially clean^(AZ) may eat it.

¹² “I give you all the finest olive oil and all the finest new wine and grain^(BA) they give the Lord^(BB) as the firstfruits of their harvest.^{(BC) 13} All the land’s firstfruits that they bring to the Lord will be yours.^(BD) Everyone in your household who is ceremonially clean may eat it.^(BE)

¹⁴ “Everything in Israel that is devoted^[d] to the Lord^(BF) is yours. ¹⁵ The first offspring of every womb, both human and animal, that is offered to the Lord is yours.^(BG) But you must redeem^(BH) every firstborn^(BI) son and every firstborn male of unclean animals.^{(BJ) 16} When they are a month old,^(BK) you must redeem them at the redemption price set at five shekels^[e](BL) of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel,^(BM) which weighs twenty gerahs.^(BN)

¹⁷ “But you must not redeem the firstborn of a cow, a sheep or a goat; they are holy.^(BO) Splash their blood^(BP) against the altar and burn their fat^(BQ) as a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.^{(BR) 18} Their meat is to be yours, just as the breast of the wave offering^(BS) and the right thigh are yours.^{(BT) 19} Whatever is set aside from the holy^(BU) offerings the Israelites present to the Lord I give to you and your sons and daughters as your perpetual share. It is an everlasting covenant of salt^(BV) before the Lord for both you and your offspring.”

²⁰ The Lord said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them;^(BW) I am your share and your inheritance^(BX) among the Israelites.

²¹ “I give to the Levites all the tithes^(BY) in Israel as their inheritance^(BZ) in return for the work they do while serving at the tent of meeting.^{(CA) 22} From now on the Israelites must not go near the tent of meeting, or they will bear the consequences of their sin and will die.^{(CB) 23} It is the Levites who are to do the work at the tent of meeting and bear the responsibility for any offenses they commit against it. This is a lasting ordinance^(CC) for the generations to come.^(CD) They will receive no inheritance^(CE) among the Israelites.^{(CF) 24} Instead, I give to the Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as an offering to the Lord.^(CG) That is why I said concerning them: ‘They will have no inheritance among the Israelites.’”

²⁵ The Lord said to Moses, ²⁶ “Speak to the Levites and say to them: ‘When you receive from the Israelites the tithe I give you^(CH) as your inheritance, you must present a tenth of that tithe as the Lord’s offering.^{(CI) 27} Your offering will be reckoned^(CJ) to you as grain from the threshing floor^(CK) or juice from the winepress.^{(CL) 28} In this way you also will present an offering to the Lord from all the tithes^(CM) you receive from the Israelites. From these tithes you must give the Lord’s portion to Aaron the priest. ²⁹ You must present as the Lord’s portion the best and holiest part of everything given to you.’

³⁰ “Say to the Levites: ‘When you present the best part, it will be reckoned to you as the product of the threshing floor or the winepress.^{(CN) 31} You and your households may eat the rest of it anywhere, for it is your wages for your work at the tent of meeting.^{(CO) 32} By presenting the best part^(CP) of it you will not be guilty in this matter;^(CQ) then you will not defile the holy offerings^(CR) of the Israelites, and you will not die.’”

Jesus Has Risen^(A)

16 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices^(B) so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. ² Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb ³ and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”^(C)

⁴ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. ⁵ As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe^(D) sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

⁶ “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene,^(E) who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. ⁷ But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him,^(F) just as he told you.’”^(G)

⁸ Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.^[a]

---

[The earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnesses do not have verses 9–20.]

⁹ When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene,^(H) out of whom he had driven seven demons. ¹⁰ She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. ¹¹ When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.^(I)

¹² Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country.^{(J) 13} These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.

¹⁴ Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.^(K)

¹⁵ He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.^{(L) 16} Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.^{(M) 17} And these signs^(N) will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons;^(O) they will speak in new tongues;^{(P) 18} they will pick up snakes^(Q) with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on^(R) sick people, and they will get well.”

¹⁹ After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven^(S) and he sat at the right hand of God.^{(T) 20} Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs^(U) that accompanied it.

Psalm 55^[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil^[b] of David.

¹⁷ The Lord said to Moses, ¹⁸ “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land to which I am taking you^{(A) 19} and you eat the food of the land,^(B) present a portion as an offering to the Lord.^{(C) 20} Present a loaf from the first of your ground meal^(D) and present it as an offering from the threshing floor.^{(E) 21} Throughout the generations to come^(F) you are to give this offering to the Lord from the first of your ground meal.^(G)

Offerings for Unintentional Sins

²² “‘Now if you as a community unintentionally fail to keep any of these commands the Lord gave Moses^(H)— ²³ any of the Lord’s commands to you through him, from the day the Lord gave them and continuing through the generations to come^(I)— ²⁴ and if this is done unintentionally^(J) without the community being aware of it,^(K) then the whole community is to offer a young bull for a burnt offering^(L) as an aroma pleasing to the Lord,^(M) along with its prescribed grain offering^(N) and drink offering,^(O) and a male goat for a sin offering.^{[a](P) 25} The priest is to make atonement for the whole Israelite community, and they will be forgiven,^(Q) for it was not intentional^(R) and they have presented to the Lord for their wrong a food offering^(S) and a sin offering.^{(T) 26} The whole Israelite community and the foreigners residing among them will be forgiven, because all the people were involved in the unintentional wrong.^(U)

²⁷ “‘But if just one person sins unintentionally,^(V) that person must bring a year-old female goat for a sin offering.^{(W) 28} The priest is to make atonement^(X) before the Lord for the one who erred by sinning unintentionally, and when atonement has been made, that person will be forgiven.^{(Y) 29} One and the same law applies to everyone who sins unintentionally, whether a native-born Israelite or a foreigner residing among you.^(Z)

³⁰ “‘But anyone who sins defiantly,^(AA) whether native-born or foreigner,^(AB) blasphemes the Lord^(AC) and must be cut off from the people of Israel.^{(AD) 31} Because they have despised^(AE) the Lord’s word and broken his commands,^(AF) they must surely be cut off; their guilt remains on them.^(AG)’”

The Sabbath-Breaker Put to Death

³² While the Israelites were in the wilderness,^(AH) a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day.^{(AI) 33} Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly, ³⁴ and they kept him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him.^{(AJ) 35} Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man must die.^(AK) The whole assembly must stone him outside the camp.^(AL)” ³⁶ So the assembly took him outside the camp and stoned him^(AM) to death,^(AN) as the Lord commanded Moses.^(AO)

Tassels on Garments

³⁷ The Lord said to Moses, ³⁸ “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Throughout the generations to come^(AP) you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments,^(AQ) with a blue cord on each tassel. ³⁹ You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember^(AR) all the commands of the Lord, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves^(AS) by chasing after the lusts of your own hearts^(AT) and eyes. ⁴⁰ Then you will remember to obey all my commands^(AU) and will be consecrated to your God.^{(AV) 41} I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God.^(AW) I am the Lord your God.^(AX)’”

Korah, Dathan and Abiram

16 Korah^(AY) son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram^(AZ), sons of Eliab,^(BA) and On son of Peleth—became insolent^{[b] 2} and rose up against Moses.^(BB) With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council.^{(BC) 3} They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron^(BD) and said to them, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy,^(BE) every one of them, and the Lord is with them.^(BF) Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?”^(BG)

⁴ When Moses heard this, he fell facedown.^{(BH) 5} Then he said to Korah and all his followers: “In the morning the Lord will show who belongs to him and who is holy,^(BI) and he will have that person come near him.^(BJ) The man he chooses^(BK) he will cause to come near him. ⁶ You, Korah, and all your followers^(BL) are to do this: Take censers^{(BM) 7} and tomorrow put burning coals^(BN) and incense^(BO) in them before the Lord. The man the Lord chooses^(BP) will be the one who is holy.^(BQ) You Levites have gone too far!”

⁸ Moses also said to Korah, “Now listen, you Levites! ⁹ Isn’t it enough^(BR) for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the Israelite community and brought you near himself to do the work at the Lord’s tabernacle and to stand before the community and minister to them?^{(BS) 10} He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near himself, but now you are trying to get the priesthood too.^{(BT) 11} It is against the Lord that you and all your followers have banded together. Who is Aaron that you should grumble^(BU) against him?^(BV)”

¹² Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram,^(BW) the sons of Eliab. But they said, “We will not come!^{(BX) 13} Isn’t it enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey^(BY) to kill us in the wilderness?^(BZ) And now you also want to lord it over us!^{(CA) 14} Moreover, you haven’t brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey^(CB) or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards.^(CC) Do you want to treat these men like slaves^[c]?^(CD) No, we will not come!^(CE)”

¹⁵ Then Moses became very angry^(CF) and said to the Lord, “Do not accept their offering. I have not taken so much as a donkey^(CG) from them, nor have I wronged any of them.”

¹⁶ Moses said to Korah, “You and all your followers are to appear before the Lord tomorrow—you and they and Aaron.^{(CH) 17} Each man is to take his censer and put incense in it—250 censers in all—and present it before the Lord. You and Aaron are to present your censers also.^(CI)” ¹⁸ So each of them took his censer,^(CJ) put burning coals and incense in it, and stood with Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ¹⁹ When Korah had gathered all his followers in opposition to them^(CK) at the entrance to the tent of meeting, the glory of the Lord^(CL) appeared to the entire assembly. ²⁰ The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ²¹ “Separate yourselves^(CM) from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.”^(CN)

²² But Moses and Aaron fell facedown^(CO) and cried out, “O God, the God who gives breath to all living things,^(CP) will you be angry with the entire assembly^(CQ) when only one man sins?”^(CR)

²³ Then the Lord said to Moses, ²⁴ “Say to the assembly, ‘Move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.’”

²⁵ Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel^(CS) followed him. ²⁶ He warned the assembly, “Move back from the tents of these wicked men!^(CT) Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you will be swept away^(CU) because of all their sins.^(CV)” ²⁷ So they moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.^(CW) Dathan and Abiram had come out and were standing with their wives, children^(CX) and little ones at the entrances to their tents.^(CY)

²⁸ Then Moses said, “This is how you will know^(CZ) that the Lord has sent me^(DA) to do all these things and that it was not my idea: ²⁹ If these men die a natural death and suffer the fate of all mankind, then the Lord has not sent me.^{(DB) 30} But if the Lord brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth^(DC) and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the realm of the dead,^(DD) then you will know that these men have treated the Lord with contempt.^(DE)”

³¹ As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart^{(DF) 32} and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them^(DG) and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. ³³ They went down alive into the realm of the dead,^(DH) with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community. ³⁴ At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, “The earth is going to swallow us too!”

³⁵ And fire came out from the Lord^(DI) and consumed^(DJ) the 250 men who were offering the incense.

³⁶ The Lord said to Moses, ³⁷ “Tell Eleazar^(DK) son of Aaron, the priest, to remove the censers^(DL) from the charred remains and scatter the coals some distance away, for the censers are holy— ³⁸ the censers of the men who sinned at the cost of their lives.^(DM) Hammer the censers into sheets to overlay the altar,^(DN) for they were presented before the Lord and have become holy. Let them be a sign^(DO) to the Israelites.”

³⁹ So Eleazar the priest^(DP) collected the bronze censers brought by those who had been burned to death,^(DQ) and he had them hammered out to overlay the altar, ⁴⁰ as the Lord directed him through Moses. This was to remind the Israelites that no one except a descendant of Aaron should come to burn incense^(DR) before the Lord,^(DS) or he would become like Korah and his followers.^(DT)

Jesus Before Pilate^(A)

15 Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law^(B) and the whole Sanhedrin,^(C) made their plans. So they bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate.^(D)

² “Are you the king of the Jews?”^(E) asked Pilate.

“You have said so,” Jesus replied.

³ The chief priests accused him of many things. ⁴ So again Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.”

⁵ But Jesus still made no reply,^(F) and Pilate was amazed.

⁶ Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested. ⁷ A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. ⁸ The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.

⁹ “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?”^(G) asked Pilate, ¹⁰ knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. ¹¹ But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas^(H) instead.

¹² “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them.

¹³ “Crucify him!” they shouted.

¹⁴ “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

¹⁵ Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged,^(I) and handed him over to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus^(J)

¹⁶ The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace^(K) (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. ¹⁷ They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. ¹⁸ And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!”^{(L) 19} Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. ²⁰ And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out^(M) to crucify him.

The Crucifixion of Jesus^(N)

²¹ A certain man from Cyrene,^(O) Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus,^(P) was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.^{(Q) 22} They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). ²³ Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh,^(R) but he did not take it. ²⁴ And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots^(S) to see what each would get.

²⁵ It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. ²⁶ The written notice of the charge against him read: the king of the jews.^(T)

²⁷ They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. ^{[28] [a] 29} Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads^(U) and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days,^{(V) 30} come down from the cross and save yourself!” ³¹ In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him^(W) among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! ³² Let this Messiah,^(X) this king of Israel,^(Y) come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

The Death of Jesus^(Z)

³³ At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.^{(AA) 34} And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).^[b](AB)

³⁵ When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”

³⁶ Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar,^(AC) put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.

³⁷ With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.^(AD)

³⁸ The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.^{(AE) 39} And when the centurion,^(AF) who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died,^[c] he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”^(AG)

⁴⁰ Some women were watching from a distance.^(AH) Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph,^[d] and Salome.^{(AI) 41} In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.^(AJ)

The Burial of Jesus^(AK)

⁴² It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath).^(AL) So as evening approached, ⁴³ Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council,^(AM) who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God,^(AN) went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. ⁴⁴ Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. ⁴⁵ When he learned from the centurion^(AO) that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. ⁴⁶ So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.^{(AP) 47} Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph^(AQ) saw where he was laid.

Psalm 54^[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil^[b] of David. When the Ziphites^(A) had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?”

The People Rebel

14 That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud.^{(A) 2} All the Israelites grumbled^(B) against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt!^(C) Or in this wilderness!^{(D) 3} Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?^(E) Our wives and children^(F) will be taken as plunder.^(G) Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?^(H)” ⁴ And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.^(I)”

⁵ Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown^(J) in front of the whole Israelite assembly^(K) gathered there. ⁶ Joshua son of Nun^(L) and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes^{(M) 7} and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good.^{(N) 8} If the Lord is pleased with us,^(O) he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey,^(P) and will give it to us.^{(Q) 9} Only do not rebel^(R) against the Lord. And do not be afraid^(S) of the people of the land,^(T) because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with^(U) us.^(V) Do not be afraid of them.”^(W)

¹⁰ But the whole assembly talked about stoning^(X) them. Then the glory of the Lord^(Y) appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites. ¹¹ The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt?^(Z) How long will they refuse to believe in me,^(AA) in spite of all the signs^(AB) I have performed among them? ¹² I will strike them down with a plague^(AC) and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation^(AD) greater and stronger than they.”^(AE)

¹³ Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear about it! By your power you brought these people up from among them.^{(AF) 14} And they will tell the inhabitants of this land about it. They have already heard^(AG) that you, Lord, are with these people^(AH) and that you, Lord, have been seen face to face,^(AI) that your cloud stays over them,^(AJ) and that you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.^{(AK) 15} If you put all these people to death, leaving none alive, the nations who have heard this report about you will say, ¹⁶ ‘The Lord was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them on oath,^(AL) so he slaughtered them in the wilderness.’^(AM)

¹⁷ “Now may the Lord’s strength be displayed, just as you have declared: ¹⁸ ‘The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion.^(AN) Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’^{(AO) 19} In accordance with your great love, forgive^(AP) the sin of these people,^(AQ) just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.”^(AR)

²⁰ The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them,^(AS) as you asked. ²¹ Nevertheless, as surely as I live^(AT) and as surely as the glory of the Lord^(AU) fills the whole earth,^{(AV) 22} not one of those who saw my glory and the signs^(AW) I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times^(AX)— ²³ not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath^(AY) to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt^(AZ) will ever see it.^{(BA) 24} But because my servant Caleb^(BB) has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly,^(BC) I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.^{(BD) 25} Since the Amalekites^(BE) and the Canaanites^(BF) are living in the valleys, turn^(BG) back tomorrow and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea.^[a](BH)”

²⁶ The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: ²⁷ “How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites.^{(BI) 28} So tell them, ‘As surely as I live,^(BJ) declares the Lord, I will do to you^(BK) the very thing I heard you say: ²⁹ In this wilderness your bodies will fall^(BL)—every one of you twenty years old or more^(BM) who was counted in the census^(BN) and who has grumbled against me. ³⁰ Not one of you will enter the land^(BO) I swore with uplifted hand^(BP) to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh^(BQ) and Joshua son of Nun.^{(BR) 31} As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected.^{(BS) 32} But as for you, your bodies will fall^(BT) in this wilderness. ³³ Your children will be shepherds here for forty years,^(BU) suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness. ³⁴ For forty years^(BV)—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land^(BW)—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’ ³⁵ I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things^(BX) to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this wilderness; here they will die.^(BY)”

³⁶ So the men Moses had sent^(BZ) to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble^(CA) against him by spreading a bad report^(CB) about it— ³⁷ these men who were responsible for spreading the bad report^(CC) about the land were struck down and died of a plague^(CD) before the Lord. ³⁸ Of the men who went to explore the land,^(CE) only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived.^(CF)

³⁹ When Moses reported this^(CG) to all the Israelites, they mourned^(CH) bitterly. ⁴⁰ Early the next morning they set out for the highest point in the hill country,^(CI) saying, “Now we are ready to go up to the land the Lord promised. Surely we have sinned!^(CJ)”

⁴¹ But Moses said, “Why are you disobeying the Lord’s command? This will not succeed!^{(CK) 42} Do not go up, because the Lord is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies,^{(CL) 43} for the Amalekites^(CM) and the Canaanites^(CN) will face you there. Because you have turned away from the Lord, he will not be with you^(CO) and you will fall by the sword.”

⁴⁴ Nevertheless, in their presumption they went up^(CP) toward the highest point in the hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the Lord’s covenant moved from the camp.^{(CQ) 45} Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites^(CR) who lived in that hill country^(CS) came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah.^(CT)

Supplementary Offerings

15 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘After you enter the land I am giving you^(CU) as a home ³ and you present to the Lord food offerings from the herd or the flock,^(CV) as an aroma pleasing to the Lord^(CW)—whether burnt offerings^(CX) or sacrifices, for special vows or freewill offerings^(CY) or festival offerings^(CZ)— ⁴ then the person who brings an offering shall present to the Lord a grain offering^(DA) of a tenth of an ephah^[b] of the finest flour^(DB) mixed with a quarter of a hin^[c] of olive oil. ⁵ With each lamb^(DC) for the burnt offering or the sacrifice, prepare a quarter of a hin of wine^(DD) as a drink offering.^(DE)

⁶ “‘With a ram^(DF) prepare a grain offering^(DG) of two-tenths of an ephah^[d](DH) of the finest flour mixed with a third of a hin^[e] of olive oil,^{(DI) 7} and a third of a hin of wine^(DJ) as a drink offering.^(DK) Offer it as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.^(DL)

⁸ “‘When you prepare a young bull^(DM) as a burnt offering or sacrifice, for a special vow^(DN) or a fellowship offering^(DO) to the Lord, ⁹ bring with the bull a grain offering^(DP) of three-tenths of an ephah^[f](DQ) of the finest flour mixed with half a hin^[g] of olive oil, ¹⁰ and also bring half a hin of wine^(DR) as a drink offering.^(DS) This will be a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.^{(DT) 11} Each bull or ram, each lamb or young goat, is to be prepared in this manner. ¹² Do this for each one, for as many as you prepare.^(DU)

¹³ “‘Everyone who is native-born^(DV) must do these things in this way when they present a food offering as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.^{(DW) 14} For the generations to come,^(DX) whenever a foreigner^(DY) or anyone else living among you presents a food^(DZ) offering^(EA) as an aroma pleasing to the Lord, they must do exactly as you do. ¹⁵ The community is to have the same rules for you and for the foreigner residing among you; this is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.^(EB) You and the foreigner shall be the same before the Lord: ¹⁶ The same laws and regulations will apply both to you and to the foreigner residing among you.^(EC)’”

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin^(A)(B)

⁵³ They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law came together. ⁵⁴ Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest.^(C) There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.^(D)

⁵⁵ The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin^(E) were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. ⁵⁶ Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.

⁵⁷ Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: ⁵⁸ “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days will build another,^(F) not made with hands.’” ⁵⁹ Yet even then their testimony did not agree.

⁶⁰ Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” ⁶¹ But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.^(G)

Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”^(H)

⁶² “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”^(I)

⁶³ The high priest tore his clothes.^(J) “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. ⁶⁴ “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”

They all condemned him as worthy of death.^{(K) 65} Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him.^(L)

Peter Disowns Jesus^(M)

⁶⁶ While Peter was below in the courtyard,^(N) one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. ⁶⁷ When she saw Peter warming himself,^(O) she looked closely at him.

“You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,”^(P) she said.

⁶⁸ But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,”^(Q) he said, and went out into the entryway.^[a]

⁶⁹ When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.” ⁷⁰ Again he denied it.^(R)

After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.”^(S)

⁷¹ He began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.”^(T)

⁷² Immediately the rooster crowed the second time.^[b] Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice^[c] you will disown me three times.”^(U) And he broke down and wept.

Psalm 53^[a](A)

For the director of music. According to mahalath.^[b] A maskil^[c] of David.

²⁴ So Moses went out and told the people what the Lord had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the tent. ²⁵ Then the Lord came down in the cloud^(A) and spoke with him,^(B) and he took some of the power of the Spirit^(C) that was on him and put it on the seventy elders.^(D) When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied^(E)—but did not do so again.

²⁶ However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them,^(F) and they prophesied in the camp. ²⁷ A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”

²⁸ Joshua son of Nun,^(G) who had been Moses’ aide^(H) since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!”^(I)

²⁹ But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets^(J) and that the Lord would put his Spirit^(K) on them!”^{(L) 30} Then Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

³¹ Now a wind went out from the Lord and drove quail^(M) in from the sea. It scattered them up to two cubits^[a] deep all around the camp, as far as a day’s walk in any direction. ³² All that day and night and all the next day the people went out and gathered quail. No one gathered less than ten homers.^[b] Then they spread them out all around the camp. ³³ But while the meat was still between their teeth^(N) and before it could be consumed, the anger^(O) of the Lord burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague.^{(P) 34} Therefore the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah,^[c](Q) because there they buried the people who had craved other food.

³⁵ From Kibroth Hattaavah the people traveled to Hazeroth^(R) and stayed there.

Miriam and Aaron Oppose Moses

12 Miriam^(S) and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife,^(T) for he had married a Cushite. ² “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?”^(U) And the Lord heard this.^(V)

³ (Now Moses was a very humble man,^(W) more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)

⁴ At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you.” So the three of them went out. ⁵ Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud;^(X) he stood at the entrance to the tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them stepped forward, ⁶ he said, “Listen to my words:

⁹ The anger of the Lord burned against them,^(AG) and he left them.^(AH)

¹⁰ When the cloud lifted from above the tent,^(AI) Miriam’s skin was leprous^[d]—it became as white as snow.^(AJ) Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had a defiling skin disease,^{(AK) 11} and he said to Moses, “Please, my lord, I ask you not to hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed.^{(AL) 12} Do not let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its mother’s womb with its flesh half eaten away.”

¹³ So Moses cried out to the Lord, “Please, God, heal her!^(AM)”

¹⁴ The Lord replied to Moses, “If her father had spit in her face,^(AN) would she not have been in disgrace for seven days? Confine her outside the camp^(AO) for seven days; after that she can be brought back.” ¹⁵ So Miriam was confined outside the camp^(AP) for seven days,^(AQ) and the people did not move on till she was brought back.

¹⁶ After that, the people left Hazeroth^(AR) and encamped in the Desert of Paran.^(AS)

Exploring Canaan

13 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Send some men to explore^(AT) the land of Canaan,^(AU) which I am giving to the Israelites.^(AV) From each ancestral tribe^(AW) send one of its leaders.”

³ So at the Lord’s command Moses sent them out from the Desert of Paran. All of them were leaders of the Israelites.^{(AX) 4} These are their names:

¹⁶ These are the names of the men Moses sent to explore^(BA) the land. (Moses gave Hoshea son of Nun^(BB) the name Joshua.)^(BC)

¹⁷ When Moses sent them to explore Canaan,^(BD) he said, “Go up through the Negev^(BE) and on into the hill country.^{(BF) 18} See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. ¹⁹ What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? ²⁰ How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees in it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.^(BG)” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)^(BH)

²¹ So they went up and explored the land from the Desert of Zin^(BI) as far as Rehob,^(BJ) toward Lebo Hamath.^{(BK) 22} They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron,^(BL) where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai,^(BM) the descendants of Anak,^(BN) lived. (Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)^{(BO) 23} When they reached the Valley of Eshkol,^[e](BP) they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates^(BQ) and figs.^{(BR) 24} That place was called the Valley of Eshkol because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut off there. ²⁵ At the end of forty days^(BS) they returned from exploring the land.^(BT)

Report on the Exploration

²⁶ They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh^(BU) in the Desert of Paran.^(BV) There they reported to them^(BW) and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land.^{(BX) 27} They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey!^(BY) Here is its fruit.^{(BZ) 28} But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large.^(CA) We even saw descendants of Anak^(CB) there.^{(CC) 29} The Amalekites^(CD) live in the Negev; the Hittites,^(CE) Jebusites^(CF) and Amorites^(CG) live in the hill country;^(CH) and the Canaanites^(CI) live near the sea and along the Jordan.^(CJ)”

³⁰ Then Caleb^(CK) silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

³¹ But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.”^{(CL) 32} And they spread among the Israelites a bad report^(CM) about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours^(CN) those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size.^{(CO) 33} We saw the Nephilim^(CP) there (the descendants of Anak^(CQ) come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers^(CR) in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

²² While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it^(A) and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.”

²³ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.^(B)

²⁴ “This is my blood of the^[a] covenant,^(C) which is poured out for many,” he said to them. ²⁵ “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”^(D)

²⁶ When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.^(E)

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial^(F)

²⁷ “You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written:

²⁸ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”^(H)

²⁹ Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”

³⁰ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice^[c] you yourself will disown me three times.”^(I)

³¹ But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you,^(J) I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.

Gethsemane^(K)

³² They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” ³³ He took Peter, James and John^(L) along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. ³⁴ “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,”^(M) he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”

³⁵ Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour^(N) might pass from him. ³⁶ “Abba,^[d] Father,”^(O) he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup^(P) from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”^(Q)

³⁷ Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? ³⁸ Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.^(R) The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”^(S)

³⁹ Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. ⁴⁰ When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.

⁴¹ Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour^(T) has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. ⁴² Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Jesus Arrested^(U)

⁴³ Just as he was speaking, Judas,^(V) one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders.

⁴⁴ Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.” ⁴⁵ Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Rabbi!”^(W) and kissed him. ⁴⁶ The men seized Jesus and arrested him. ⁴⁷ Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

⁴⁸ “Am I leading a rebellion,” said Jesus, “that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? ⁴⁹ Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts,^(X) and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.”^{(Y) 50} Then everyone deserted him and fled.^(Z)

⁵¹ A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, ⁵² he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.

Psalm 52^[a]

For the director of music. A maskil^[b] of David. When Doeg the Edomite^(A) had gone to Saul and told him: “David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.”

The Silver Trumpets

10 The Lord said to Moses: ² “Make two trumpets^(A) of hammered silver, and use them for calling the community^(B) together and for having the camps set out.^{(C) 3} When both are sounded, the whole community is to assemble before you at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ⁴ If only one is sounded, the leaders^(D)—the heads of the clans of Israel—are to assemble before you. ⁵ When a trumpet blast is sounded, the tribes camping on the east are to set out.^{(E) 6} At the sounding of a second blast, the camps on the south are to set out.^(F) The blast will be the signal for setting out. ⁷ To gather the assembly, blow the trumpets,^(G) but not with the signal for setting out.^(H)

⁸ “The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to blow the trumpets. This is to be a lasting ordinance for you and the generations to come.^{(I) 9} When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you,^(J) sound a blast on the trumpets.^(K) Then you will be remembered^(L) by the Lord your God and rescued from your enemies.^{(M) 10} Also at your times of rejoicing—your appointed festivals and New Moon feasts^(N)—you are to sound the trumpets^(O) over your burnt offerings^(P) and fellowship offerings,^(Q) and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God.^(R)”

The Israelites Leave Sinai

¹¹ On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year,^(S) the cloud lifted^(T) from above the tabernacle of the covenant law.^{(U) 12} Then the Israelites set out from the Desert of Sinai and traveled from place to place until the cloud came to rest in the Desert of Paran.^{(V) 13} They set out, this first time, at the Lord’s command through Moses.^(W)

¹⁴ The divisions of the camp of Judah went first, under their standard.^(X) Nahshon son of Amminadab^(Y) was in command. ¹⁵ Nethanel son of Zuar was over the division of the tribe^(Z) of Issachar,^{(AA) 16} and Eliab son of Helon^(AB) was over the division of the tribe of Zebulun.^{(AC) 17} Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonites and Merarites, who carried it, set out.^(AD)

¹⁸ The divisions of the camp of Reuben^(AE) went next, under their standard.^(AF) Elizur son of Shedeur^(AG) was in command. ¹⁹ Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was over the division of the tribe of Simeon,^{(AH) 20} and Eliasaph son of Deuel was over the division of the tribe of Gad.^{(AI) 21} Then the Kohathites^(AJ) set out, carrying the holy things.^(AK) The tabernacle was to be set up before they arrived.^(AL)

²² The divisions of the camp of Ephraim^(AM) went next, under their standard. Elishama son of Ammihud^(AN) was in command. ²³ Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the division of the tribe of Manasseh,^{(AO) 24} and Abidan son of Gideoni was over the division of the tribe of Benjamin.^(AP)

²⁵ Finally, as the rear guard^(AQ) for all the units, the divisions of the camp of Dan set out under their standard. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai^(AR) was in command. ²⁶ Pagiel son of Okran was over the division of the tribe of Asher,^{(AS) 27} and Ahira son of Enan was over the division of the tribe of Naphtali.^{(AT) 28} This was the order of march for the Israelite divisions as they set out.

²⁹ Now Moses said to Hobab^(AU) son of Reuel^(AV) the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law,^(AW) “We are setting out for the place about which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’^(AX) Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good things to Israel.”

³⁰ He answered, “No, I will not go;^(AY) I am going back to my own land and my own people.^(AZ)”

³¹ But Moses said, “Please do not leave us. You know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.^{(BA) 32} If you come with us, we will share with you^(BB) whatever good things the Lord gives us.^(BC)”

³³ So they set out^(BD) from the mountain of the Lord and traveled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord^(BE) went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest.^{(BF) 34} The cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.^(BG)

³⁵ Whenever the ark set out, Moses said,

³⁶ Whenever it came to rest, he said,

Fire From the Lord

11 Now the people complained^(BN) about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord,^(BO) and when he heard them his anger was aroused.^(BP) Then fire from the Lord burned among them^(BQ) and consumed^(BR) some of the outskirts of the camp. ² When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed^(BS) to the Lord^(BT) and the fire died down. ³ So that place was called Taberah,^[a](BU) because fire from the Lord had burned among them.^(BV)

Quail From the Lord

⁴ The rabble with them began to crave other food,^(BW) and again the Israelites started wailing^(BX) and said, “If only we had meat to eat! ⁵ We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.^{(BY) 6} But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!^(BZ)”

⁷ The manna was like coriander seed^(CA) and looked like resin.^{(CB) 8} The people went around gathering it,^(CC) and then ground it in a hand mill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into loaves. And it tasted like something made with olive oil. ⁹ When the dew^(CD) settled on the camp at night, the manna also came down.

¹⁰ Moses heard the people of every family wailing^(CE) at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. ¹¹ He asked the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble^(CF) on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me?^{(CG) 12} Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant,^(CH) to the land you promised on oath^(CI) to their ancestors?^{(CJ) 13} Where can I get meat for all these people?^(CK) They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ ¹⁴ I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me.^{(CL) 15} If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me^(CM)—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.”

¹⁶ The Lord said to Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders^(CN) who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people.^(CO) Have them come to the tent of meeting,^(CP) that they may stand there with you. ¹⁷ I will come down and speak with you^(CQ) there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them.^(CR) They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.^(CS)

¹⁸ “Tell the people: ‘Consecrate yourselves^(CT) in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The Lord heard you when you wailed,^(CU) “If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!”^(CV) Now the Lord will give you meat,^(CW) and you will eat it. ¹⁹ You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, ²⁰ but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it^(CX)—because you have rejected the Lord,^(CY) who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”^(CZ)

²¹ But Moses said, “Here I am among six hundred thousand men^(DA) on foot, and you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!’ ²² Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?”^(DB)

²³ The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm too short?^(DC) Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.^(DD)”