Numbers 22:36-23:26
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
36 When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at Ir-moab, on the boundary formed by the Arnon, at the farthest point of the boundary. 37 Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send to summon you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?”(A) 38 Balaam said to Balak, “I have come to you now, but do I have power to say just anything? The word God puts in my mouth, that is what I must say.”(B) 39 Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. 40 Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep and sent them to Balaam and to the officials who were with him.
Balaam’s First Oracle
41 On the next day Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal, and from there he could see part of the people of Israel.[a](C) 23 1
4 Then God met Balaam, and Balaam[c] said to him, “I have arranged the seven altars and have offered a bull and a ram on each altar.”(G) 5 The Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and this is what you must say.”(H) 6 So he returned to Balak,[d] who was standing beside his burnt offerings with all the officials of Moab. 7 Then Balaam[e] uttered his oracle, saying,
“Balak has brought me from Aram,
the king of Moab from the eastern mountains:
‘Come, curse Jacob for me.
Come, denounce Israel!’(I)
8 How can I curse whom God has not cursed?
How can I denounce those whom the Lord has not denounced?(J)
9 For from the top of the crags I see him;
from the hills I behold him.
Here is a people living alone
and not reckoning itself among the nations!(K)
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob
or number the dust cloud[f] of Israel?
Let me die the death of the upright,
and let my end be like his!”(L)
11 Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but now you have done nothing but bless them.”(M) 12 He answered, “Must I not take care to say what the Lord puts into my mouth?”(N)
Balaam’s Second Oracle
13 So Balak said to him, “Come with me to another place from which you may see them; you shall see only part of them and shall not see them all; then curse them for me from there.” 14 So he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah. He built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.(O) 15 Balaam[g] said to Balak, “Stand here beside your burnt offerings, while I meet the Lord over there.” 16 The Lord met Balaam, put a word into his mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and this is what you shall say.”(P) 17 When he came to him, he was standing beside his burnt offerings with the officials of Moab. Balak said to him, “What has the Lord said?” 18 Then Balaam[h] uttered his oracle, saying,
“Rise, Balak, and hear;
listen to me, O son of Zippor:
19 God is not a human being, that he should lie,
or a mortal, that he should change his mind.
Has he promised, and will he not do it?
Has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?(Q)
20 See, I received a command to bless;
he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.(R)
21 He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob,
nor has he seen trouble in Israel.
The Lord their God is with them,
acclaimed as a king among them.(S)
22 God, who brings them out of Egypt,
is like the horns of a wild ox for them.(T)
23 Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob,
no divination against Israel;
now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel,
‘See what God has done!’
24 Look, a people rising up like a lioness
and rousing itself like a lion!
It does not lie down until it has eaten the prey
and drunk the blood of the slain.”(U)
25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Do not curse them at all, and do not bless them at all.” 26 But Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not speak to you, saying, ‘Whatever the Lord says, that is what I must do’?”(V)
John 13
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet
13 Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.(A) 2 The devil had already decided[a] that Judas son of Simon Iscariot would betray Jesus. And during supper(B) 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he had come from God and was going to God,(C) 4 got up from supper, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself.(D) 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.”(E) 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet,[b] but is entirely clean. And you[c] are clean, though not all of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.”(F)
12 After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had reclined again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for that is what I am.(G) 14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.(H) 15 For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.(I) 16 Very truly, I tell you, slaves are not greater than their master, nor are messengers[d] greater than the one who sent them.(J) 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But it is to fulfill the scripture, ‘The one who ate my bread[e] has lifted his heel against me.’(K) 19 I tell you this now, before it occurs, so that when it does occur you may believe that I am he.[f](L) 20 Very truly, I tell you, whoever receives one whom I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.”(M)
Jesus Foretells His Betrayal
21 After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit and declared, “Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.”(N) 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. 23 One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining close to his heart;[g](O) 24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25 So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”(P) 26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.”[h] So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot.[i](Q) 27 After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “Do quickly what you are going to do.”(R) 28 Now no one knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.
The New Commandment
31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him.(S) 32 If God has been glorified in him,[j] God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33 Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’(T) 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.(U) 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”(V)
Jesus Foretells Peter’s Denial
36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.”(W) 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”(X) 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times.
Footnotes
- 13.2 Gk put it into his heart
- 13.10 Other ancient authorities lack except for the feet
- 13.10 The Greek word for you here is plural
- 13.16 Or apostles
- 13.18 Other ancient authorities read ate bread with me
- 13.19 Gk I am
- 13.23 Gk bosom
- 13.26 Gk dipped it
- 13.26 Other ancient authorities read Judas Iscariot son of Simon or Judas son of Simon from Karyot (Kerioth)
- 13.32 Other ancient authorities lack If God has been glorified in him
2 Timothy 4
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you:(A) 2 proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage with the utmost patience in teaching.(B) 3 For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound teaching, but, having their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires(C) 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. 5 As for you, be sober in everything, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully.(D)
6 As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come.(E) 7 I have fought the good fight; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.(F) 8 From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.(G)
Personal Instructions
9 Do your best to come to me soon, 10 for Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia,[a] Titus to Dalmatia.(H) 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me in ministry.(I) 12 I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. 14 Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will pay him back for his deeds.(J) 15 You also must beware of him, for he strongly opposed our message.
16 At my first defense no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them! 17 But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.(K) 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.(L)
Final Greetings and Benediction
19 Greet Prisca and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus remained in Corinth; Trophimus I left ill in Miletus. 21 Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers and sisters.
22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.[b]
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.