Bricks Without Straw

5 Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go,^(A) so that they may hold a festival^(B) to me in the wilderness.’”

² Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord,^(C) that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.”^(D)

³ Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey^(E) into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, or he may strike us with plagues^(F) or with the sword.”

⁴ But the king of Egypt said, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor?^(G) Get back to your work!” ⁵ Then Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous,^(H) and you are stopping them from working.”

⁶ That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers^(I) and overseers in charge of the people: ⁷ “You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks;^(J) let them go and gather their own straw. ⁸ But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the quota.^(K) They are lazy;^(L) that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’^{(M) 9} Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.”

¹⁰ Then the slave drivers^(N) and the overseers went out and said to the people, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you any more straw. ¹¹ Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced^(O) at all.’” ¹² So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw. ¹³ The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, “Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw.” ¹⁴ And Pharaoh’s slave drivers beat the Israelite overseers they had appointed,^(P) demanding, “Why haven’t you met your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?”

¹⁵ Then the Israelite overseers went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why have you treated your servants this way? ¹⁶ Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”

¹⁷ Pharaoh said, “Lazy, that’s what you are—lazy!^(Q) That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ ¹⁸ Now get to work.^(R) You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks.”

¹⁹ The Israelite overseers realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day.” ²⁰ When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, ²¹ and they said, “May the Lord look on you and judge^(S) you! You have made us obnoxious^(T) to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword^(U) in their hand to kill us.”^(V)

God Promises Deliverance

²² Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people?^(W) Is this why you sent me? ²³ Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued^(X) your people at all.”

David Saves Keilah

23 When David was told, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah^(A) and are looting the threshing floors,”^{(B) 2} he inquired^(C) of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?”

The Lord answered him, “Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”

³ But David’s men said to him, “Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!”

⁴ Once again David inquired^(D) of the Lord, and the Lord answered him, “Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines^(E) into your hand.^(F)” ⁵ So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines and carried off their livestock. He inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah. ⁶ (Now Abiathar^(G) son of Ahimelek had brought the ephod^(H) down with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)

Saul Pursues David

⁷ Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, “God has delivered him into my hands,^(I) for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars.”^{(J) 8} And Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.

⁹ When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar^(K) the priest, “Bring the ephod.^(L)” ¹⁰ David said, “Lord, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me. ¹¹ Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Lord, God of Israel, tell your servant.”

And the Lord said, “He will.”

¹² Again David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender^(M) me and my men to Saul?”

And the Lord said, “They will.”

¹³ So David and his men,^(N) about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.

¹⁴ David stayed in the wilderness^(O) strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph.^(P) Day after day Saul searched^(Q) for him, but God did not^(R) give David into his hands.

¹⁷ This is what the Lord Almighty says:

²² Say, “This is what the Lord declares:

²³ This is what the Lord says:

²⁵ “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh^(Q)— ²⁶ Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab and all who live in the wilderness in distant places.^[a](R) For all these nations are really uncircumcised,^(S) and even the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart.^(T)”

Jesus Has Risen^(A)

28 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene^(B) and the other Mary^(C) went to look at the tomb.

² There was a violent earthquake,^(D) for an angel^(E) of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone^(F) and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.^{(G) 4} The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid,^(H) for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.^(I) Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee.^(J) There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

⁸ So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ Suddenly Jesus met them.^(K) “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers^(L) to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

Suffering for Doing Good

⁸ Finally, all of you, be like-minded,^(A) be sympathetic, love one another,^(B) be compassionate and humble.^{(C) 9} Do not repay evil with evil^(D) or insult with insult.^(E) On the contrary, repay evil with blessing,^(F) because to this^(G) you were called^(H) so that you may inherit a blessing.^{(I) 10} For,

¹³ Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?^{(K) 14} But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.^(L) “Do not fear their threats^[b]; do not be frightened.”^{[c](M) 15} But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer^(N) to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope^(O) that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶ keeping a clear conscience,^(P) so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.^{(Q) 17} For it is better, if it is God’s will,^(R) to suffer for doing good^(S) than for doing evil. ¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once^(T) for sins,^(U) the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.^(V) He was put to death in the body^(W) but made alive in the Spirit.^{(X) 19} After being made alive,^[d] he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits^(Y)— ²⁰ to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently^(Z) in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.^(AA) In it only a few people, eight in all,^(AB) were saved^(AC) through water, ²¹ and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you^(AD) also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience^(AE) toward God.^[e] It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,^{(AF) 22} who has gone into heaven^(AG) and is at God’s right hand^(AH)—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.^(AI)