Manna and Quail

16 The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin,^(A) which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt.^{(B) 2} In the desert the whole community grumbled^(C) against Moses and Aaron. ³ The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt!^(D) There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food^(E) we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”^(F)

⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven^(G) for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test^(H) them and see whether they will follow my instructions. ⁵ On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice^(I) as much as they gather on the other days.”

⁶ So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of Egypt,^{(J) 7} and in the morning you will see the glory^(K) of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling^(L) against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?”^{(M) 8} Moses also said, “You will know that it was the Lord when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling^(N) against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord.”^(O)

⁹ Then Moses told Aaron, “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’”

¹⁰ While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory^(P) of the Lord appearing in the cloud.^(Q)

¹¹ The Lord said to Moses, ¹² “I have heard the grumbling^(R) of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’”^(S)

¹³ That evening quail^(T) came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew^(U) around the camp. ¹⁴ When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost^(V) on the ground appeared on the desert floor. ¹⁵ When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know^(W) what it was.

Moses said to them, “It is the bread^(X) the Lord has given you to eat. ¹⁶ This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer^[a](Y) for each person you have in your tent.’”

¹⁷ The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. ¹⁸ And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.^(Z) Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed.

¹⁹ Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.”^(AA)

²⁰ However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell.^(AB) So Moses was angry^(AC) with them.

²¹ Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. ²² On the sixth day, they gathered twice^(AD) as much—two omers^[b] for each person—and the leaders of the community^(AE) came and reported this to Moses. ²³ He said to them, “This is what the Lord commanded: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of sabbath rest, a holy sabbath^(AF) to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.’”

²⁴ So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. ²⁵ “Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a sabbath to the Lord. You will not find any of it on the ground today. ²⁶ Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath,^(AG) there will not be any.”

²⁷ Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. ²⁸ Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you^[c] refuse to keep my commands^(AH) and my instructions? ²⁹ Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where they are on the seventh day; no one is to go out.” ³⁰ So the people rested on the seventh day.

³¹ The people of Israel called the bread manna.^[d](AI) It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey. ³² Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the wilderness when I brought you out of Egypt.’”

³³ So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar and put an omer of manna^(AJ) in it. Then place it before the Lord to be kept for the generations to come.”

³⁴ As the Lord commanded Moses, Aaron put the manna with the tablets of the covenant law,^(AK) so that it might be preserved. ³⁵ The Israelites ate manna^(AL) forty years,^(AM) until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.^(AN)

³⁶ (An omer^(AO) is one-tenth of an ephah.)^(AP)

9 And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come^(A) with power.”^(B)

The Transfiguration^(C)(D)

² After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John^(E) with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. ³ His clothes became dazzling white,^(F) whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. ⁴ And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

⁵ Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi,^(G) it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” ⁶ (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

⁷ Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud:^(H) “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”^(I)

⁸ Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

⁹ As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone^(J) what they had seen until the Son of Man^(K) had risen from the dead. ¹⁰ They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant.

¹¹ And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

¹² Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man^(L) must suffer much^(M) and be rejected?^{(N) 13} But I tell you, Elijah has come,^(O) and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.”

Jesus Heals a Boy Possessed by an Impure Spirit^(P)

¹⁴ When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. ¹⁵ As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

¹⁶ “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.

¹⁷ A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. ¹⁸ Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

¹⁹ “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

²⁰ So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.^(Q)

²¹ Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

“From childhood,” he answered. ²² “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

²³ “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”^(R)

²⁴ Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

²⁵ When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene,^(S) he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

²⁶ The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

²⁸ After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately,^(T) “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

²⁹ He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.^[a]”

Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time^(U)

³⁰ They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, ³¹ because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man^(V) is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him,^(W) and after three days^(X) he will rise.”^{(Y) 32} But they did not understand what he meant^(Z) and were afraid to ask him about it.

³³ They came to Capernaum.^(AA) When he was in the house,^(AB) he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” ³⁴ But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.^(AC)

³⁵ Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”^(AD)

³⁶ He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms,^(AE) he said to them, ³⁷ “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”^(AF)

Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us^(AG)

³⁸ “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”^(AH)

³⁹ “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, ⁴⁰ for whoever is not against us is for us.^{(AI) 41} Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.^(AJ)

Causing to Stumble

⁴² “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble,^(AK) it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.^{(AL) 43} If your hand causes you to stumble,^(AM) cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell,^(AN) where the fire never goes out.^{(AO) [44] [b] 45} And if your foot causes you to stumble,^(AP) cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.^{(AQ) [46] [c] 47} And if your eye causes you to stumble,^(AR) pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,^{(AS) 48} where

⁴⁹ Everyone will be salted^(AU) with fire.

⁵⁰ “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again?^(AV) Have salt among yourselves,^(AW) and be at peace with each other.”^(AX)

Psalm 66

For the director of music. A song. A psalm.