²¹ So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.

Balaam's Donkey and the Angel

²² But God's anger was kindled because he went, ^(A)and the angel of the Lord took his stand in the way ^(B)as his adversary. Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him. ²³ And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road. ²⁴ Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side. ²⁵ And when the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she pushed against the wall and pressed Balaam's foot against the wall. So he struck her again. ²⁶ Then the angel of the Lord went ahead and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. ²⁷ When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff. ²⁸ Then the Lord ^(C)opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” ²⁹ And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.” ³⁰ And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.”

³¹ Then the Lord ^(D)opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face. ³² And the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out ^(E)to oppose you because your way is perverse^[a] before me. ³³ The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.” ³⁴ Then Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, ^(F)“I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back.” ³⁵ And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, ^(G)but speak only the word that I tell you.” So Balaam went on with the princes of Balak.

³⁶ When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, ^(H)on the border formed by the Arnon, at the extremity of the border. ³⁷ And Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to ^(I)honor you?” ³⁸ Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you! Have I now any power of my own to speak anything? ^(J)The word that God puts in my mouth, that must I speak.” ³⁹ Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. ⁴⁰ And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent for Balaam and for the princes who were with him.

⁴¹ And in the morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal, and from there he saw a fraction of the people.

Balaam's First Oracle

23 And Balaam said to Balak, ^(K)“Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” ² Balak did as Balaam had said. And Balak and Balaam ^(L)offered on each altar a bull and a ram. ³ And Balaam said to Balak, ^(M)“Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the Lord will come ^(N)to meet me, and whatever he shows me I will tell you.” And he went to a bare height,

Who Is the Greatest?

^24 (A)A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. ^25 (B)And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles ^(C)exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. ^26 (D)But not so with you. Rather, let ^(E)the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. ²⁷ For who is the greater, ^(F)one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But ^(G)I am among you as the one who serves.

²⁸ “You are those who have stayed with me ^(H)in my trials, ²⁹ and ^(I)I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, ^30 (J)that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and ^(K)sit on thrones judging ^(L)the twelve tribes of Israel.

Jesus Foretells Peter's Denial

³¹ “Simon, Simon, behold, ^(M)Satan demanded to have you,^{[a] (N)}that he might sift you like wheat, ³² but ^(O)I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, ^(P)strengthen your brothers.” ³³ Peter^[b] said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both ^(Q)to prison and ^(R)to death.” ^34 (S)Jesus^[c] said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.”

Scripture Must Be Fulfilled in Jesus

³⁵ And he said to them, ^(T)“When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” ³⁶ He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. ³⁷ For I tell you that ^(U)this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ^(V)‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For ^(W)what is written about me has its fulfillment.” ³⁸ And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two ^(X)swords.” And he said to them, ^(Y)“It is enough.”

Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives

^39 (Z)And he came out and went, ^(AA)as was his custom, to ^(AB)the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. ^40 (AC)And when he came to ^(AD)the place, he said to them, ^(AE)“Pray that you may not ^(AF)enter into temptation.” ⁴¹ And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and ^(AG)knelt down and prayed, ⁴² saying, ^(AH)“Father, if you are willing, remove ^(AI)this cup from me. ^(AJ)Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” ⁴³ And there appeared to him ^(AK)an angel from heaven, strengthening him. ⁴⁴ And ^(AL)being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.^{[d] 45} And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, ⁴⁶ and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and ^(AM)pray that you may not enter into temptation.”