At Mount Sinai

19 On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt^(A)—on that very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai.^{(B) 2} After they set out from Rephidim,^(C) they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.^(D)

³ Then Moses went up to God,^(E) and the Lord called^(F) to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ⁴ ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt,^(G) and how I carried you on eagles’ wings^(H) and brought you to myself.^{(I) 5} Now if you obey me fully^(J) and keep my covenant,^(K) then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.^(L) Although the whole earth^(M) is mine, ⁶ you^[a] will be for me a kingdom of priests^(N) and a holy nation.’^(O) These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

⁷ So Moses went back and summoned the elders^(P) of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak.^{(Q) 8} The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.”^(R) So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.

⁹ The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud,^(S) so that the people will hear me speaking^(T) with you and will always put their trust^(U) in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.

¹⁰ And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate^(V) them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes^{(W) 11} and be ready by the third day,^(X) because on that day the Lord will come down^(Y) on Mount Sinai^(Z) in the sight of all the people. ¹² Put limits^(AA) for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death. ¹³ They are to be stoned^(AB) or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on them. No person or animal shall be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s horn^(AC) sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”^(AD)

¹⁴ After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes.^{(AE) 15} Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain^(AF) from sexual relations.”

¹⁶ On the morning of the third day there was thunder^(AG) and lightning, with a thick cloud^(AH) over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast.^(AI) Everyone in the camp trembled.^{(AJ) 17} Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.^{(AK) 18} Mount Sinai was covered with smoke,^(AL) because the Lord descended on it in fire.^(AM) The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace,^(AN) and the whole mountain^[b] trembled^(AO) violently. ¹⁹ As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice^(AP) of God answered^(AQ) him.^[c]

²⁰ The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai^(AR) and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up ²¹ and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see^(AS) the Lord and many of them perish.^{(AT) 22} Even the priests, who approach^(AU) the Lord, must consecrate^(AV) themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.”^(AW)

²³ Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai,^(AX) because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits^(AY) around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’”

²⁴ The Lord replied, “Go down and bring Aaron^(AZ) up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out against them.”^(BA)

²⁵ So Moses went down to the people and told them.

²² The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake^(A) realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone.^{(B) 23} Then some boats from Tiberias^(C) landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.^{(D) 24} Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

Jesus the Bread of Life

²⁵ When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi,^(E) when did you get here?”

²⁶ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me,^(F) not because you saw the signs^(G) I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. ²⁷ Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures^(H) to eternal life,^(I) which the Son of Man^(J) will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal^(K) of approval.”

²⁸ Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

²⁹ Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe^(L) in the one he has sent.”^(M)

³⁰ So they asked him, “What sign^(N) then will you give that we may see it and believe you?^(O) What will you do? ³¹ Our ancestors ate the manna^(P) in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’^[a]”^(Q)

³² Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³ For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven^(R) and gives life to the world.”

³⁴ “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”^(S)

³⁵ Then Jesus declared, “I am^(T) the bread of life.^(U) Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes^(V) in me will never be thirsty.^{(W) 36} But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. ³⁷ All those the Father gives me^(X) will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven^(Y) not to do my will but to do the will^(Z) of him who sent me.^{(AA) 39} And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me,^(AB) but raise them up at the last day.^{(AC) 40} For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son^(AD) and believes in him shall have eternal life,^(AE) and I will raise them up at the last day.”

The Ten Commandments^(A)

20 And God spoke^(B) all these words:^(C)

¹⁸ When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet^(AE) and saw the mountain in smoke,^(AF) they trembled with fear.^(AG) They stayed at a distance ¹⁹ and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak^(AH) to us or we will die.”^(AI)

²⁰ Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid.^(AJ) God has come to test^(AK) you, so that the fear^(AL) of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”^(AM)

²¹ The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness^(AN) where God was.

²² Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands^(A) as you do to the Lord.^{(B) 23} For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church,^(C) his body, of which he is the Savior. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands^(D) in everything.

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives,^(E) just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her^{(F) 26} to make her holy,^(G) cleansing^[a] her by the washing^(H) with water through the word, ²⁷ and to present her to himself^(I) as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.^{(J) 28} In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives^(K) as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— ³⁰ for we are members of his body.^{(L) 31} “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”^{[b](M) 32} This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³ However, each one of you also must love his wife^(N) as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.^{(O) 2} “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— ³ “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”^[c](P)

⁴ Fathers,^[d] do not exasperate your children;^(Q) instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.^(R)

⁵ Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect^(S) and fear, and with sincerity of heart,^(T) just as you would obey Christ.^{(U) 6} Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ,^(V) doing the will of God from your heart. ⁷ Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people,^{(W) 8} because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do,^(X) whether they are slave or free.

⁹ And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours^(Y) is in heaven, and there is no favoritism^(Z) with him.