²³ During that long period,^(A) the king of Egypt died.^(B) The Israelites groaned in their slavery^(C) and cried out, and their cry^(D) for help because of their slavery went up to God. ²⁴ God heard their groaning and he remembered^(E) his covenant^(F) with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. ²⁵ So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned^(G) about them.

Moses and the Burning Bush

3 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro^(H) his father-in-law, the priest of Midian,^(I) and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb,^(J) the mountain^(K) of God. ² There the angel of the Lord^(L) appeared to him in flames of fire^(M) from within a bush.^(N) Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. ³ So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

⁴ When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called^(O) to him from within the bush,^(P) “Moses! Moses!”

And Moses said, “Here I am.”^(Q)

⁵ “Do not come any closer,”^(R) God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”^{(S) 6} Then he said, “I am the God of your father,^[a] the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.”^(T) At this, Moses hid^(U) his face, because he was afraid to look at God.^(V)

⁷ The Lord said, “I have indeed seen^(W) the misery^(X) of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned^(Y) about their suffering.^{(Z) 8} So I have come down^(AA) to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land,^(AB) a land flowing with milk and honey^(AC)—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites^(AD) and Jebusites.^{(AE) 9} And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing^(AF) them. ¹⁰ So now, go. I am sending^(AG) you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”^(AH)

¹¹ But Moses said to God, “Who am I^(AI) that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

¹² And God said, “I will be with you.^(AJ) And this will be the sign^(AK) to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you^[b] will worship God on this mountain.^(AL)”

¹³ Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’^(AM) Then what shall I tell them?”

¹⁴ God said to Moses, “I am who I am.^[c] This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am^(AN) has sent me to you.’”

¹⁵ God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord,^[d] the God of your fathers^(AO)—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob^(AP)—has sent me to you.’

¹⁶ “Go, assemble the elders^(AS) of Israel and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob^(AT)—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen^(AU) what has been done to you in Egypt. ¹⁷ And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt^(AV) into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.’^(AW)

¹⁸ “The elders of Israel will listen^(AX) to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews,^(AY) has met^(AZ) with us. Let us take a three-day journey^(BA) into the wilderness to offer sacrifices^(BB) to the Lord our God.’ ¹⁹ But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand^(BC) compels him. ²⁰ So I will stretch out my hand^(BD) and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders^(BE) that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.^(BF)

Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time^(A)

³² They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve^(B) aside and told them what was going to happen to him. ³³ “We are going up to Jerusalem,”^(C) he said, “and the Son of Man^(D) will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law.^(E) They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, ³⁴ who will mock him and spit on him, flog him^(F) and kill him.^(G) Three days later^(H) he will rise.”^(I)

The Request of James and John^(J)

³⁵ Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

³⁶ “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

³⁷ They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”^(K)

³⁸ “You don’t know what you are asking,”^(L) Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup^(M) I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”^(N)

³⁹ “We can,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with,^{(O) 40} but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

⁴¹ When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. ⁴² Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. ⁴³ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,^{(P) 44} and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. ⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,^(Q) and to give his life as a ransom for many.”^(R)