Moses’ Error at Kadesh^(A)

20 Then^(B) the children of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the Wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in ^(C)Kadesh; and ^(D)Miriam died there and was buried there.

^2 (E)Now there was no water for the congregation; ^(F)so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron. ³ And the people ^(G)contended with Moses and spoke, saying: “If only we had died ^(H)when our brethren died before the Lord! ^4 (I)Why have you brought up the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here? ⁵ And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink.” ⁶ So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and ^(J)they ^[a]fell on their faces. And ^(K)the glory of the Lord appeared to them.

⁷ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ^8 (L)“Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus ^(M)you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.” ⁹ So Moses took the rod ^(N)from before the Lord as He commanded him.

¹⁰ And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, ^(O)“Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” ¹¹ Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; ^(P)and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.

¹² Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because ^(Q)you did not believe Me, to ^(R)hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”

^13 (S)This was the water of ^[b]Meribah, because the children of Israel contended with the Lord, and He was hallowed among them.

Passage Through Edom Refused

^14 (T)Now Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of ^(U)Edom. ^(V)“Thus says your brother Israel: ‘You know all the hardship that has befallen us, ^15 (W)how our fathers went down to Egypt, ^(X)and we dwelt in Egypt a long time, ^(Y)and the Egyptians ^[c]afflicted us and our fathers. ^16 (Z)When we cried out to the Lord, He heard our voice and ^(AA)sent the Angel and brought us up out of Egypt; now here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your border. ¹⁷ Please ^(AB)let us pass through your country. We will not pass through fields or vineyards, nor will we drink water from wells; we will go along the King’s Highway; we will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed through your territory.’ ”

¹⁸ Then ^(AC)Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through my land, lest I come out against you with the sword.”

¹⁹ So the children of Israel said to him, “We will go by the Highway, and if I or my livestock drink any of your water, ^(AD)then I will pay for it; let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.”

²⁰ Then he said, ^(AE)“You shall not pass through.” So Edom came out against them with many men and with a strong hand. ²¹ Thus Edom ^(AF)refused to give Israel passage through his territory; so Israel ^(AG)turned away from him.

Death of Aaron

²² Now the children of Israel, the whole congregation, journeyed from ^(AH)Kadesh ^(AI)and came to Mount Hor. ²³ And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor by the border of the land of Edom, saying: ²⁴ “Aaron shall ^[d]be ^(AJ)gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled against My word at the water of Meribah. ^25 (AK)Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor; ²⁶ and strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; for Aaron shall be gathered to his people and die there.” ²⁷ So Moses did just as the Lord commanded, and they went up to Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. ^28 (AL)Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; and ^(AM)Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. ²⁹ Now when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, all the house of Israel mourned for Aaron ^(AN)thirty days.

The Fruitful Grain of Wheat

²⁰ Now there ^(A)were certain Greeks among those ^(B)who came up to worship at the feast. ²¹ Then they came to Philip, ^(C)who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

²² Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.

²³ But Jesus answered them, saying, ^(D)“The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. ²⁴ Most assuredly, I say to you, ^(E)unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much ^[a]grain. ^25 (F)He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ If anyone serves Me, let him ^(G)follow Me; and ^(H)where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

Jesus Predicts His Death on the Cross

^27 (I)“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? ^(J)But for this purpose I came to this hour. ²⁸ Father, glorify Your name.”

^(K)Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”

²⁹ Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.”

³⁰ Jesus answered and said, ^(L)“This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. ³¹ Now is the judgment of this world; now ^(M)the ruler of this world will be cast out. ³² And I, ^(N)if I am ^[b]lifted up from the earth, will draw ^(O)all peoples to Myself.” ^33 (P)This He said, signifying by what death He would die.

³⁴ The people answered Him, ^(Q)“We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

³⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer ^(R)the light is with you. ^(S)Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; ^(T)he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. ³⁶ While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become ^(U)sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and ^(V)was hidden from them.

Who Has Believed Our Report?

³⁷ But although He had done so many ^(W)signs before them, they did not believe in Him, ³⁸ that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke:

³⁹ Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:

^41 (AA)These things Isaiah said ^[c]when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.

Walk in the Light

⁴² Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but ^(AB)because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; ^43 (AC)for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

⁴⁴ Then Jesus cried out and said, ^(AD)“He who believes in Me, ^(AE)believes not in Me ^(AF)but in Him who sent Me. ⁴⁵ And ^(AG)he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. ^46 (AH)I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. ⁴⁷ And if anyone hears My words and does not ^[d]believe, ^(AI)I do not judge him; for ^(AJ)I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. ^48 (AK)He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—^(AL)the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. ⁴⁹ For ^(AM)I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, ^(AN)what I should say and what I should speak. ⁵⁰ And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I ^(AO)speak.”

Balak Sends for Balaam

22 Then ^(A)the children of Israel moved, and camped in the plains of Moab on the side of the Jordan across from Jericho.

² Now ^(B)Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. ³ And ^(C)Moab was exceedingly afraid of the people because they were many, and Moab was sick with dread because of the children of Israel. ⁴ So Moab said to ^(D)the elders of Midian, “Now this company will ^[a]lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time. ⁵ Then ^(E)he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at ^(F)Pethor, which is near ^[b]the River in the land of ^[c]the sons of his people, to call him, saying: “Look, a people has come from Egypt. See, they cover the face of the earth, and are settling next to me! ^6 (G)Therefore please come at once, ^(H)curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

⁷ So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with ^(I)the diviner’s fee in their hand, and they came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak. ⁸ And he said to them, ^(J)“Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the Lord speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

^9 (K)Then God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”

¹⁰ So Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, ¹¹ ‘Look, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the earth. Come now, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to overpower them and drive them out.’ ”

¹² And God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for ^(L)they are blessed.”

¹³ So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Go back to your land, for the Lord has refused to give me permission to go with you.”

¹⁴ And the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”

¹⁵ Then Balak again sent princes, more numerous and more ^[d]honorable than they. ¹⁶ And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me; ¹⁷ for I will certainly ^(M)honor you greatly, and I will do whatever you say to me. ^(N)Therefore please come, curse this people for me.’ ”

¹⁸ Then Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, ^(O)“Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, ^(P)I could not go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more. ¹⁹ Now therefore, please, you also ^(Q)stay here tonight, that I may know what more the Lord will say to me.”

^20 (R)And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men come to call you, rise and go with them; but ^(S)only the word which I speak to you—that you shall do.” ²¹ So Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

Balaam, the Donkey, and the Angel

²² Then God’s anger was aroused because he went, ^(T)and the Angel of the Lord took His stand in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. ²³ Now ^(U)the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road. ²⁴ Then the Angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. ²⁵ And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she pushed herself against the wall and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall; so he struck her again. ²⁶ Then the Angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. ²⁷ And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam’s anger was aroused, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

²⁸ Then the Lord ^(V)opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”

²⁹ And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have ^[e]abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, ^(W)for now I would kill you!”

^30 (X)So the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever ^[f]disposed to do this to you?”

And he said, “No.”

³¹ Then the Lord ^(Y)opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face. ³² And the Angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out ^[g]to stand against you, because your way is ^(Z)perverse^[h] before Me. ³³ The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live.”

³⁴ And Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, ^(AA)“I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it ^[i]displeases You, I will turn back.”

³⁵ Then the Angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, ^(AB)but only the word that I speak to you, that you shall speak.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

Perilous Times and Perilous Men

3 But know this, that ^(A)in the last days ^[a]perilous times will come: ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ unloving, ^[b]unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ^4 (B)traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ^5 (C)having a form of godliness but ^(D)denying its power. And ^(E)from such people turn away! ⁶ For ^(F)of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, ⁷ always learning and never able ^(G)to come to the knowledge of the truth. ^8 (H)Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: ^(I)men of corrupt minds, ^(J)disapproved concerning the faith; ⁹ but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, ^(K)as theirs also was.

The Man of God and the Word of God

^10 (L)But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, ¹¹ persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me ^(M)at Antioch, ^(N)at Iconium, ^(O)at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And ^(P)out of them all the Lord delivered me. ¹² Yes, and ^(Q)all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. ^13 (R)But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. ¹⁴ But you must ^(S)continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, ¹⁵ and that from childhood you have known ^(T)the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

^16 (U)All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, ^(V)and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for ^[c]instruction in righteousness, ^17 (W)that the man of God may be complete, ^(X)thoroughly equipped for every good work.