Then they set out from Mount Hor by the way of the [a]Red Sea, to (A)go around the land of Edom; and the [b]people became impatient because of the journey. So the people spoke against God and Moses: “(B)Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no [c]food and no water, and [d](C)we are disgusted with [e]this miserable food.”

The Bronze Serpent

(D)Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people and (E)they bit the people, so that (F)many people of Israel died. (G)So the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord and against you; (H)intercede with the Lord, that He will remove the serpents from us.” And Moses interceded for the people. Then the Lord said to Moses, “[f]Make a (I)fiery serpent, and put it on a flag pole; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, and looks at it, will live.” So Moses made a (J)bronze serpent and put it on the flag pole; and it came about, that if a serpent bit someone, and he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 21:4 Lit Sea of Reeds
  2. Numbers 21:4 Lit soul of the people was short
  3. Numbers 21:5 Lit bread
  4. Numbers 21:5 Lit our soul is disgusted
  5. Numbers 21:5 I.e., the manna
  6. Numbers 21:8 Lit Make for yourself

The Bronze Snake

They traveled from Mount Hor(A) along the route to the Red Sea,[a](B) to go around Edom.(C) But the people grew impatient on the way;(D) they spoke against God(E) and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt(F) to die in the wilderness?(G) There is no bread! There is no water!(H) And we detest this miserable food!”(I)

Then the Lord sent venomous snakes(J) among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.(K) The people came to Moses(L) and said, “We sinned(M) when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord(N) will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed(O) for the people.

The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole;(P) anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake(Q) and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.(R)

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 21:4 Or the Sea of Reeds

Jesus’ Warning

16 (A)These things I have spoken to you so that you will not [a]be (B)led into sin. They will [b](C)ban you from the synagogue, yet (D)an hour is coming for everyone (E)who kills you to think that he is offering a [c]service to God. These things they will do (F)because they have not known the Father nor Me. But these things I have spoken to you, (G)so that when their hour comes, you [d]may remember that I told you of them. However, I did not say these things to you (H)at the beginning, because I was with you.

The Holy Spirit Promised

“But now (I)I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘(J)Where are You going?’ But because I have said these things to you, (K)grief has filled your heart. But I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I am leaving; for if I do not leave, the [e](L)Helper will not come to you; but if I go, (M)I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world regarding sin, and righteousness, and judgment: regarding sin, (N)because they do not believe in Me; 10 and regarding (O)righteousness, because (P)I am going to the Father and you no longer are going to see Me; 11 (Q)and regarding judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them at the present time. 13 But when He, (R)the Spirit of truth, comes, He will (S)guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14 He will (T)glorify Me, for He will take from Mine and will disclose it to you. 15 (U)All things that the Father has are Mine; this is why I said that He takes from Mine and will disclose it to you.

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Footnotes

  1. John 16:1 Or let yourselves be led; or fall away (in apostasy)
  2. John 16:2 Or excommunicate
  3. John 16:2 I.e., as an act of worship
  4. John 16:4 Or will remember them, that I told you
  5. John 16:7 Or Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor

16 “All this(A) I have told you so that you will not fall away.(B) They will put you out of the synagogue;(C) in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.(D) They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me.(E) I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember(F) that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you,(G) but now I am going to him who sent me.(H) None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’(I) Rather, you are filled with grief(J) because I have said these things. But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate(K) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.(L) When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin,(M) because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness,(N) because I am going to the Father,(O) where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world(P) now stands condemned.

12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.(Q) 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth,(R) comes, he will guide you into all the truth.(S) He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine.(T) That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

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The Lord said to Moses:

“Tell your brother Aaron that he shall not enter (A)at [a]any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the [b]atoning cover which is on the ark, or he will die; for (B)I will appear in the cloud over the [c]atoning cover. Aaron shall enter the Holy Place with this: with a [d]bull as a [e](C)sin offering and a ram as a burnt offering. He shall put on the (D)holy linen tunic, and the linen undergarments shall be next to his [f]body, and he shall be wrapped about the waist with the linen sash and the linen turban wound around his forehead (these are holy garments). He shall (E)bathe his [g]body in water and put them on. And he shall take from the congregation of the sons of Israel (F)two male goats as a [h]sin offering, and one ram as a burnt offering. Then (G)Aaron shall offer the bull as the [i]sin offering, which is for himself, so that he may make atonement for himself and for his household. He shall then take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting. Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for [j]the [k]scapegoat. Then Aaron shall offer the goat on which the lot for the Lord fell, and make it a [l]sin offering. 10 But the goat on which the lot for [m]the [n]scapegoat fell shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make (H)atonement upon it, to send it into the wilderness [o]as the [p]scapegoat.

11 “Then Aaron shall offer the bull of the [q]sin offering (I)which is for himself and make atonement for himself and (J)for his household, and he shall slaughter the bull of the [r]sin offering which is for himself. 12 He shall take a (K)firepan full of coals of fire from upon the altar before the Lord and [s]two handfuls of finely ground (L)sweet incense, and bring it inside the veil. 13 He shall put the incense on the fire before the Lord, so that the cloud of incense may cover the (M)atoning cover that is on the ark of the testimony, (N)otherwise he will die. 14 Moreover, (O)he shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it (P)with his finger on the atoning cover on the east side; also in front of the atoning cover he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.

15 “Then he shall slaughter the goat of the sin offering, (Q)which is for the people, and bring its blood inside the veil and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the atoning cover and in front of the atoning cover. 16 (R)He shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the impurities of the sons of Israel and because of their unlawful acts regarding all their sins; and he shall do so for the tent of meeting which remains with them in the midst of their impurities. 17 When he goes in to make atonement in the Holy Place, no one shall be in the tent of meeting until he comes out, so that he may make atonement for himself and for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel. 18 Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the Lord and make atonement for it; he shall take some of the blood from the bull and some of the blood from the goat, and (S)put it on the horns of the altar on all sides. 19 (T)With his finger he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it seven times and cleanse it, and consecrate it from the impurities of the sons of Israel.

20 “When he finishes atoning for the Holy Place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall offer the live goat. 21 Then Aaron shall lay both of his hands on the head of the live goat, and (U)confess over it all the wrongdoings of the sons of Israel and all their unlawful acts regarding all their sins; and he shall place them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who stands ready. 22 Then the goat shall carry on itself all their wrongdoings to an [t]isolated territory; he shall release the goat in the wilderness.

23 “Then Aaron shall come into the tent of meeting and take off (V)the linen garments which he put on when he went into the Holy Place, and shall leave them there. 24 And (W)he shall bathe his [u]body with water in a holy place and put on (X)his clothes, and come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people.

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Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 16:2 I.e., of his own choosing
  2. Leviticus 16:2 Also called mercy seat, and so throughout the ch; i.e., where blood was sprinkled on the Day of Atonement
  3. Leviticus 16:2 Also called mercy seat, and so throughout the ch; i.e., where blood was sprinkled on the Day of Atonement
  4. Leviticus 16:3 Or bull of the herd
  5. Leviticus 16:3 Or purification offering
  6. Leviticus 16:4 Lit flesh
  7. Leviticus 16:4 Lit flesh
  8. Leviticus 16:5 Or purification offering
  9. Leviticus 16:6 Or purification offering
  10. Leviticus 16:8 Or possibly, Azazel (a name)
  11. Leviticus 16:8 I.e., the goat that leaves (escapes); or goat of removal of sins
  12. Leviticus 16:9 Or purification offering
  13. Leviticus 16:10 Or possibly, Azazel (a name)
  14. Leviticus 16:10 I.e., the goat that leaves (escapes); or goat of removal of sins
  15. Leviticus 16:10 Or possibly, for Azazel
  16. Leviticus 16:10 I.e., the goat that leaves (escapes); or goat of removal of sins
  17. Leviticus 16:11 Or purification offering
  18. Leviticus 16:11 Or purification offering
  19. Leviticus 16:12 Lit the filling of the hollow of his hands
  20. Leviticus 16:22 Or infertile
  21. Leviticus 16:24 Lit flesh

The Lord said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses(A) into the Most Holy Place(B) behind the curtain(C) in front of the atonement cover(D) on the ark, or else he will die. For I will appear(E) in the cloud(F) over the atonement cover.

“This is how Aaron is to enter the Most Holy Place:(G) He must first bring a young bull(H) for a sin offering[a] and a ram for a burnt offering.(I) He is to put on the sacred linen tunic,(J) with linen undergarments next to his body; he is to tie the linen sash around him and put on the linen turban.(K) These are sacred garments;(L) so he must bathe himself with water(M) before he puts them on.(N) From the Israelite community(O) he is to take two male goats(P) for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.

“Aaron is to offer the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household.(Q) Then he is to take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. He is to cast lots(R) for the two goats—one lot for the Lord and the other for the scapegoat.[b](S) Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the Lord and sacrifice it for a sin offering. 10 But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord to be used for making atonement(T) by sending it into the wilderness as a scapegoat.

11 “Aaron shall bring the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household,(U) and he is to slaughter the bull for his own sin offering. 12 He is to take a censer full of burning coals(V) from the altar before the Lord and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense(W) and take them behind the curtain. 13 He is to put the incense on the fire before the Lord, and the smoke of the incense will conceal the atonement cover(X) above the tablets of the covenant law, so that he will not die.(Y) 14 He is to take some of the bull’s blood(Z) and with his finger sprinkle it on the front of the atonement cover; then he shall sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before the atonement cover.(AA)

15 “He shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people(AB) and take its blood behind the curtain(AC) and do with it as he did with the bull’s blood: He shall sprinkle(AD) it on the atonement cover and in front of it. 16 In this way he will make atonement(AE) for the Most Holy Place(AF) because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been. He is to do the same for the tent of meeting,(AG) which is among them in the midst of their uncleanness. 17 No one is to be in the tent of meeting from the time Aaron goes in to make atonement in the Most Holy Place until he comes out, having made atonement for himself, his household and the whole community of Israel.

18 “Then he shall come out to the altar(AH) that is before the Lord and make atonement for it. He shall take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on all the horns of the altar.(AI) 19 He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleanse it and to consecrate it from the uncleanness of the Israelites.(AJ)

20 “When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall bring forward the live goat.(AK) 21 He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat(AL) and confess(AM) over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. 22 The goat will carry on itself all their sins(AN) to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness.

23 “Then Aaron is to go into the tent of meeting and take off the linen garments(AO) he put on before he entered the Most Holy Place, and he is to leave them there.(AP) 24 He shall bathe himself with water in the sanctuary area(AQ) and put on his regular garments.(AR) Then he shall come out and sacrifice the burnt offering for himself and the burnt offering for the people,(AS) to make atonement for himself and for the people.(AT)

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Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 16:3 Or purification offering; here and throughout this chapter
  2. Leviticus 16:8 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain; also in verses 10 and 26.

Jesus’ Death and Resurrection Foretold

16 (A)A little while, and (B)you no longer are going to see Me; and again a little while, and (C)you will see Me.” 17 So some of His disciples said to one another, “What is this that He is telling us, (D)A little while, and you are not going to see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because (E)I am going to the Father’?” 18 So they were saying, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is talking about.” 19 (F)Jesus knew that they wanted to question Him, and He said to them, “Are you deliberating together about this, that I said, ‘A little while, and you are not going to see Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me’? 20 Truly, truly I say to you that (G)you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but (H)your grief will be turned into joy! 21 (I)Whenever a woman is in labor she has [a]pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a [b]child has been born into the world. 22 Therefore (J)you too have grief now; but (K)I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one is going to take your joy away from you.

Prayer Promises

23 And (L)on that day (M)you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly I say to you, (N)if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. 24 (O)Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your (P)joy may be made full.

25 “These things I have spoken to you in (Q)figures of speech; (R)an hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 (S)On that day (T)you will ask in My name, and I am not saying to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; 27 for (U)the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and (V)have believed that (W)I came forth from the Father. 28 (X)I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and (Y)going to the Father.”

29 His disciples *said, “See, now You are speaking plainly and are not [c]using any (Z)figure of speech. 30 Now we know that You know all things, and that You have no need for anyone to question You; this is why we (AA)believe that You (AB)came forth from God.” 31 Jesus replied to them, “Do you now believe? 32 Behold, (AC)an hour is coming, and has already come, for (AD)you to be scattered, each to (AE)his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet (AF)I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you so that (AG)in Me you may have peace. (AH)In the world you have tribulation, but (AI)take courage; (AJ)I have overcome the world.”

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Footnotes

  1. John 16:21 Lit grief
  2. John 16:21 Lit human being
  3. John 16:29 Lit saying

The Disciples’ Grief Will Turn to Joy

16 Jesus went on to say, “In a little while(A) you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”(B)

17 At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’(C) and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”(D) 18 They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”

19 Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? 20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn(E) while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.(F) 21 A woman giving birth to a child has pain(G) because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. 22 So with you: Now is your time of grief,(H) but I will see you again(I) and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.(J) 23 In that day(K) you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.(L) 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive,(M) and your joy will be complete.(N)

25 “Though I have been speaking figuratively,(O) a time is coming(P) when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name.(Q) I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me(R) and have believed that I came from God.(S) 28 I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”(T)

29 Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech.(U) 30 Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe(V) that you came from God.”(W)

31 “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. 32 “A time is coming(X) and in fact has come when you will be scattered,(Y) each to your own home. You will leave me all alone.(Z) Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.(AA)

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.(AB) In this world you will have trouble.(AC) But take heart! I have overcome(AD) the world.”

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