¹⁷ Then he shall take some holy water in a clay jar and put some dust from the tabernacle floor into the water.

¹⁸ “Make a bronze basin,^(A) with its bronze stand, for washing. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it.

⁶ They were using this question as a trap,^(A) in order to have a basis for accusing him.^(B)

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.

⁸ Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

¹² When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him;^(A) they began to weep aloud,^(B) and they tore their robes^(C) and sprinkled dust on their heads.^(D)

² “This is a requirement of the law that the Lord has commanded: Tell the Israelites to bring you a red heifer^(A) without defect or blemish^(B) and that has never been under a yoke.^{(C) 3} Give it to Eleazar^(D) the priest; it is to be taken outside the camp^(E) and slaughtered in his presence. ⁴ Then Eleazar the priest is to take some of its blood on his finger and sprinkle^(F) it seven times toward the front of the tent of meeting. ⁵ While he watches, the heifer is to be burned—its hide, flesh, blood and intestines.^{(G) 6} The priest is to take some cedar wood, hyssop^(H) and scarlet wool^(I) and throw them onto the burning heifer. ⁷ After that, the priest must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water.^(J) He may then come into the camp, but he will be ceremonially unclean till evening. ⁸ The man who burns it must also wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he too will be unclean till evening.

⁹ “A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer^(K) and put them in a ceremonially clean place^(L) outside the camp. They are to be kept by the Israelite community for use in the water of cleansing;^(M) it is for purification from sin.^(N)