33 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath^(A) to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’^{(B) 2} I will send an angel^(C) before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.^{(D) 3} Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey.^(E) But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked^(F) people and I might destroy^(G) you on the way.”

⁴ When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mourn^(H) and no one put on any ornaments. ⁵ For the Lord had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people.^(I) If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy^(J) you. Now take off your ornaments and I will decide what to do with you.’” ⁶ So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments at Mount Horeb.^(K)

The Tent of Meeting

⁷ Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.”^(L) Anyone inquiring^(M) of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. ⁸ And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents,^(N) watching Moses until he entered the tent. ⁹ As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud^(O) would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke^(P) with Moses. ¹⁰ Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent.^{(Q) 11} The Lord would speak to Moses face to face,^(R) as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua^(S) son of Nun did not leave the tent.

Moses and the Glory of the Lord

¹² Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’^(T) but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name^(U) and you have found favor^(V) with me.’ ¹³ If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways^(W) so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”^(X)

¹⁴ The Lord replied, “My Presence^(Y) will go with you, and I will give you rest.”^(Z)

¹⁵ Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence^(AA) does not go with us, do not send us up from here. ¹⁶ How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us?^(AB) What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”^(AC)

¹⁷ And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked,^(AD) because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”^(AE)

¹⁸ Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”^(AF)

¹⁹ And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass^(AG) in front of you, and I will proclaim my name,^(AH) the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.^{(AI) 20} But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see^(AJ) me and live.”

²¹ Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. ²² When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock^(AK) and cover you with my hand^(AL) until I have passed by. ²³ Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”

Imitating Christ’s Humility

2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit,^(A) if any tenderness and compassion,^{(B) 2} then make my joy complete^(C) by being like-minded,^(D) having the same love, being one^(E) in spirit and of one mind. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.^(F) Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,^{(G) 4} not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.^(H)

⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:^(I)

Do Everything Without Grumbling

¹² Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,^{(V) 13} for it is God who works in you^(W) to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.^(X)

¹⁴ Do everything without grumbling^(Y) or arguing, ¹⁵ so that you may become blameless^(Z) and pure, “children of God^(AA) without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”^[c](AB) Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky ¹⁶ as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ^(AC) that I did not run^(AD) or labor in vain.^(AE)