Numbers 21:4-9
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea,[a] to go around the land of Edom, but the people became discouraged on the way.(A) 5 The people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.”(B) 6 Then the Lord sent poisonous[b] serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died.(C) 7 The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.(D) 8 And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a poisonous[c] serpent, and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.” 9 So Moses made a serpent of bronze and put it upon a pole, and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.(E)
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Psalm 19:1-10
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Psalm 19
God’s Glory in Creation and the Law
To the leader. A Psalm of David.
1 The heavens are telling the glory of God,
and the firmament[a] proclaims his handiwork.(A)
2 Day to day pours forth speech,
and night to night declares knowledge.(B)
3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
their voice is not heard;
4 yet their voice[b] goes out through all the earth
and their words to the end of the world.
In the heavens[c] he has set a tent for the sun,(C)
5 which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,
and like a strong man runs its course with joy.(D)
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens
and its circuit to the end of them,
and nothing is hid from its heat.(E)
7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure,
making wise the simple;(F)
8 the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear,
enlightening the eyes;(G)
9 the fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether.(H)
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.(I)
John 3:14-21
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,(A) 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.[a](B)
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.(C)
17 “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him.(D) 18 Those who believe in him are not condemned, but those who do not believe are condemned already because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God.(E) 19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.(F) 20 For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed.(G) 21 But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”[b](H)
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