³ They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron^(A) and said to them, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy,^(B) every one of them, and the Lord is with them.^(C) Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?”^(D)

¹⁴ And they will tell the inhabitants of this land about it. They have already heard^(A) that you, Lord, are with these people^(B) and that you, Lord, have been seen face to face,^(C) that your cloud stays over them,^(D) and that you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.^(E)

⁶ you^[a] will be for me a kingdom of priests^(A) and a holy nation.’^(B) These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

⁷ and tomorrow put burning coals^(A) and incense^(B) in them before the Lord. The man the Lord chooses^(C) will be the one who is holy.^(D) You Levites have gone too far!”

²⁸ A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly,^(A) nor is circumcision merely outward and physical.^{(B) 29} No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart,^(C) by the Spirit,^(D) not by the written code.^(E) Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.^(F)

⁵¹ “You stiff-necked people!^(A) Your hearts^(B) and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit!

³⁹ “But our ancestors refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.^(A)

⁹ And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’^(A) I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ¹⁰ The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.^(B)