¹² And the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand^(A) over Egypt so that locusts swarm over the land and devour everything growing in the fields, everything left by the hail.”

¹³ So Moses stretched out his staff^(B) over Egypt, and the Lord made an east wind blow across the land all that day and all that night. By morning the wind had brought the locusts;^{(C) 14} they invaded all Egypt and settled down in every area of the country in great numbers. Never before had there been such a plague of locusts,^(D) nor will there ever be again. ¹⁵ They covered all the ground until it was black. They devoured^(E) all that was left after the hail—everything growing in the fields and the fruit on the trees. Nothing green remained on tree or plant in all the land of Egypt.

¹⁶ Pharaoh quickly summoned^(F) Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned^(G) against the Lord your God and against you. ¹⁷ Now forgive^(H) my sin once more and pray^(I) to the Lord your God to take this deadly plague away from me.”

¹⁸ Moses then left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord.^{(J) 19} And the Lord changed the wind to a very strong west wind, which caught up the locusts and carried them into the Red Sea.^[a] Not a locust was left anywhere in Egypt. ²⁰ But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart,^(K) and he would not let the Israelites go.

The Plague of Darkness

²¹ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness^(L) spreads over Egypt—darkness that can be felt.” ²² So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness^(M) covered all Egypt for three days. ²³ No one could see anyone else or move about for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.^(N)

²⁴ Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, “Go,^(O) worship the Lord. Even your women and children^(P) may go with you; only leave your flocks and herds behind.”^(Q)

²⁵ But Moses said, “You must allow us to have sacrifices and burnt offerings^(R) to present to the Lord our God. ²⁶ Our livestock too must go with us; not a hoof is to be left behind. We have to use some of them in worshiping the Lord our God, and until we get there we will not know what we are to use to worship the Lord.”

²⁷ But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart,^(S) and he was not willing to let them go. ²⁸ Pharaoh said to Moses, “Get out of my sight! Make sure you do not appear before me again! The day you see my face you will die.”

³² “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?^(A) Even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. ³⁴ And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you?^(B) Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. ³⁵ But love your enemies, do good to them,^(C) and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children^(D) of the Most High,^(E) because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. ³⁶ Be merciful,^(F) just as your Father^(G) is merciful.

Judging Others^(H)

³⁷ “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.^(I) Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.^{(J) 38} Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.^(K) For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”^(L)

³⁹ He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit?^{(M) 40} The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.^(N)

⁴¹ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴² How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit^(O)

⁴³ “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. ⁴⁴ Each tree is recognized by its own fruit.^(P) People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. ⁴⁵ A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.^(Q)

The Wise and Foolish Builders^(R)

⁴⁶ “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’^(S) and do not do what I say?^{(T) 47} As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice,^(U) I will show you what they are like. ⁴⁸ They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. ⁴⁹ But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”