²¹ Moses agreed to stay with the man, who gave his daughter Zipporah^(A) to Moses in marriage.

⁵ Keep your lives free from the love of money^(A) and be content with what you have,^(B) because God has said,

³⁸ “I have been with you for twenty years now.^(A) Your sheep and goats have not miscarried,^(B) nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. ³⁹ I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen^(C) by day or night.^{(D) 40} This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes.^(E)

¹⁰ But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower.^(A)

²⁵ He chose to be mistreated^(A) along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.

⁶ But godliness with contentment^(A) is great gain.^(B)

¹¹ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content^(A) whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry,^(B) whether living in plenty or in want.^(C)

² After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah,^(A) his father-in-law Jethro received her ³ and her two sons.^(B) One son was named Gershom,^[a] for Moses said, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land”;^{(C) 4} and the other was named Eliezer,^[b](D) for he said, “My father’s God was my helper;^(E) he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

⁵ Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moses’ sons and wife, came to him in the wilderness, where he was camped near the mountain^(F) of God. ⁶ Jethro had sent word to him, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”

²⁰ So Moses took his wife and sons,^(A) put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff^(B) of God in his hand.

²¹ The Lord said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders^(C) I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart^(D) so that he will not let the people go.^{(E) 22} Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son,^{(F) 23} and I told you, “Let my son go,^(G) so he may worship^(H) me.” But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.’”^(I)

²⁴ At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses^[a] and was about to kill^(J) him. ²⁵ But Zipporah^(K) took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin^(L) and touched Moses’ feet with it.^[b] “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said.