² In the desert the whole community grumbled^(A) against Moses and Aaron. ³ The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt!^(B) There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food^(C) we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”^(D)

⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven^(E) for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test^(F) them and see whether they will follow my instructions.

¹² “I have heard the grumbling^(A) of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’”^(B)

¹³ That evening quail^(C) came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew^(D) around the camp. ¹⁴ When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost^(E) on the ground appeared on the desert floor. ¹⁵ When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know^(F) what it was.

Moses said to them, “It is the bread^(G) the Lord has given you to eat.

Instructions for Christian Living

¹⁷ So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer^(A) live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.^(B)

²⁰ That, however, is not the way of life you learned ²¹ when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. ²² You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off^(A) your old self,^(B) which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;^{(C) 23} to be made new in the attitude of your minds;^{(D) 24} and to put on^(E) the new self,^(F) created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.^(G)

⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’^[a]”^(A)