Stephen Seized

⁸ Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs^(A) among the people. ⁹ Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene^(B) and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia^(C) and Asia^(D)—who began to argue with Stephen. ¹⁰ But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.^(E)

¹¹ Then they secretly^(F) persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”^(G)

¹² So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.^{(H) 13} They produced false witnesses,^(I) who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place^(J) and against the law. ¹⁴ For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place^(K) and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”^(L)

¹⁵ All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin^(M) looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

⁵¹ “You stiff-necked people!^(A) Your hearts^(B) and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! ⁵² Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute?^(C) They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him^(D)— ⁵³ you who have received the law that was given through angels^(E) but have not obeyed it.”

The Stoning of Stephen

⁵⁴ When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious^(F) and gnashed their teeth at him. ⁵⁵ But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit,^(G) looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.^{(H) 56} “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open^(I) and the Son of Man^(J) standing at the right hand of God.”

⁵⁷ At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, ⁵⁸ dragged him out of the city^(K) and began to stone him.^(L) Meanwhile, the witnesses^(M) laid their coats^(N) at the feet of a young man named Saul.^(O)

⁵⁹ While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”^{(P) 60} Then he fell on his knees^(Q) and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”^(R) When he had said this, he fell asleep.^(S)

8 And Saul^(T) approved of their killing him.

The Church Persecuted and Scattered

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered^(U) throughout Judea and Samaria.^(V)

Quail From the Lord

⁴ The rabble with them began to crave other food,^(A) and again the Israelites started wailing^(B) 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.^{(C) 6} But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!^(D)”

³¹ Now a wind went out from the Lord and drove quail^(A) 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^(B) and before it could be consumed, the anger^(C) of the Lord burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague.^{(D) 34} Therefore the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah,^[c](E) because there they buried the people who had craved other food.

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

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

¹⁰ But the whole assembly talked about stoning^(W) them. Then the glory of the Lord^(X) 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?^(Y) How long will they refuse to believe in me,^(Z) in spite of all the signs^(AA) I have performed among them? ¹² I will strike them down with a plague^(AB) and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation^(AC) greater and stronger than they.”^(AD)

Korah, Dathan and Abiram

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

¹³ Isn’t it enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey^(A) to kill us in the wilderness?^(B) And now you also want to lord it over us!^{(C) 14} Moreover, you haven’t brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey^(D) or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards.^(E) Do you want to treat these men like slaves^[a]?^(F) No, we will not come!^(G)”

¹⁵ Then Moses became very angry^(H) and said to the Lord, “Do not accept their offering. I have not taken so much as a donkey^(I) 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.^{(J) 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.^(K)” ¹⁸ So each of them took his censer,^(L) 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^(M) at the entrance to the tent of meeting, the glory of the Lord^(N) appeared to the entire assembly. ²⁰ The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ²¹ “Separate yourselves^(O) from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once.”^(P)

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

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^(U) followed him. ²⁶ He warned the assembly, “Move back from the tents of these wicked men!^(V) Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you will be swept away^(W) because of all their sins.^(X)” ²⁷ So they moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.^(Y) Dathan and Abiram had come out and were standing with their wives, children^(Z) and little ones at the entrances to their tents.^(AA)

²⁸ Then Moses said, “This is how you will know^(AB) that the Lord has sent me^(AC) 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.^{(AD) 30} But if the Lord brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth^(AE) and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the realm of the dead,^(AF) then you will know that these men have treated the Lord with contempt.^(AG)”

³¹ As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart^{(AH) 32} and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them^(AI) and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. ³³ They went down alive into the realm of the dead,^(AJ) 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^(AK) and consumed^(AL) the 250 men who were offering the incense.

⁵ they spoke against God^(A) and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt^(B) to die in the wilderness?^(C) There is no bread! There is no water!^(D) And we detest this miserable food!”^(E)

⁶ Then the Lord sent venomous snakes^(F) among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.^{(G) 7} The people came to Moses^(H) and said, “We sinned^(I) when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord^(J) will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed^(K) for the people.

⁸ The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole;^(L) anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” ⁹ So Moses made a bronze snake^(M) and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.^(N)