Revolt of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram

16 Now Korah son of Izhar son of Kohath son of Levi, along with Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth son^[a] of Reuben, took^{(A) 2} two hundred fifty Israelite men, leaders of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men, and they confronted Moses.^{(B) 3} They assembled against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! All the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. So why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”^{(C) 4} When Moses heard it, he fell on his face.^{(D) 5} Then he spoke to Korah and all his congregation, saying, “In the morning the Lord will make known who is his and who is holy and who will be allowed to approach him; the one whom he will choose he will allow to approach him.^{(E) 6} Do this: take censers, Korah and all your^[b] congregation, ⁷ and tomorrow put fire in them, and lay incense on them before the Lord, and the man whom the Lord chooses shall be the holy one. You Levites have gone too far!” ⁸ Then Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you Levites! ⁹ Is it too little for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel to allow you to approach him in order to perform the duties of the Lord’s tabernacle and to stand before the congregation and serve them?^{(F) 10} He has allowed you to approach him, and all your brother Levites with you, yet you seek the priesthood as well! ¹¹ Therefore you and all your congregation have gathered together against the Lord. What is Aaron that you rail against him?”^(G)

¹² Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, but they said, “We will not come! ¹³ Is it too little that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness, that you must also lord it over us?^{(H) 14} It is clear you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Would you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come!”^(I)

¹⁵ Moses was very angry and said to the Lord, “Pay no attention to their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, and I have not harmed any one of them.”^{(J) 16} And Moses said to Korah, “As for you and all your congregation, be present tomorrow before the Lord, you and they and Aaron,^{(K) 17} and let each one of you take his censer and put incense on it and each one of you present his censer before the Lord, two hundred fifty censers, you also, and Aaron, each his censer.” ¹⁸ So each man took his censer, and they put fire in the censers and laid incense on them, and they stood at the entrance of the tent of meeting with Moses and Aaron. ¹⁹ Then Korah assembled the whole congregation against them at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the Lord appeared to the whole congregation.^(L)

²⁰ Then the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, ²¹ “Separate yourselves from this congregation, so that I may consume them in a moment.”^{(M) 22} They fell on their faces and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one person sin and you become angry with the whole congregation?”^(N)

²³ And the Lord spoke to Moses: ²⁴ “Speak to the congregation, saying: Get away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.” ²⁵ So Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram; the elders of Israel followed him. ²⁶ He spoke to the congregation, saying, “Turn away from the tents of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs, or you will be swept away for all their sins.”^{(O) 27} So they got away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the entrances of their tents, together with their wives, their children, and their little ones. ²⁸ And Moses said, “This is how you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works; it has not been of my own accord:^{(P) 29} If these people die a natural death or if a natural fate comes on them, then the Lord has not sent me. ³⁰ But if the Lord creates something new and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up, with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the Lord.”^(Q)

³¹ As soon as he finished speaking all these words, the ground under them was split apart.^{(R) 32} The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, along with their households—everyone who belonged to Korah and all their goods.^{(S) 33} So they with all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol; the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. ³⁴ All Israel around them fled at their outcry, for they said, “The earth will swallow us, too!” ³⁵ And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred fifty men offering the incense.^(T)

Mary Anoints Jesus

12 Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.^{(A) 2} There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him.^{(B) 3} Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped them^[a] with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.^{(C) 4} But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, ⁵ “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” ⁶ (He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) ⁷ Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it^[b] so that she might keep it for the day of my burial.^{(D) 8} You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”^(E)

The Plot to Kill Lazarus

⁹ When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. ¹⁰ So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, ¹¹ since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus.^(F)

Jesus’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem

¹² The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. ¹³ So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting,

¹⁴ Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:

¹⁶ His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done to him.^{(I) 17} So the crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to testify.^{[c] 18} It was also because they heard that he had performed this sign that the crowd went to meet him. ¹⁹ The Pharisees then said to one another, “You see, you can do nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!”^(J)

A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus

2 You then, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, ² and what you have heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will be able to teach others as well.^{(A) 3} Share in suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴ No one serving in the army gets entangled in everyday affairs; the soldier’s aim is to please the enlisting officer. ⁵ And in the case of an athlete, no one is crowned without competing according to the rules.^{(B) 6} It is the farmer who does the work who ought to have the first share of the crops. ⁷ Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in all things.

⁸ Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David—that is my gospel, ⁹ for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained.^{(C) 10} Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.^{(D) 11} The saying is sure:

A Worker Approved by God

¹⁴ Remind them of this, and warn them before the Lord^[b] that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening.^{(G) 15} Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth. ¹⁶ Avoid profane chatter, for it will lead people^[c] into more and more impiety,^{(H) 17} and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,^{(I) 18} who have swerved from the truth, saying resurrection^[d] has already occurred. They are upsetting the faith of some.^{(J) 19} But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness.”^(K)

²⁰ In a large house there are utensils not only of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for special^[e] use, some for ordinary.^{[f](L) 21} All who cleanse themselves of the things I have mentioned^[g] will become special^[h] utensils, dedicated and useful to the owner of the house, ready for every good work.^{(M) 22} Shun youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.^{(N) 23} Have nothing to do with stupid and senseless controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.^{(O) 24} And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, patient,^{(P) 25} correcting opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth^{(Q) 26} and that they may escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.^[i]