Vows

30 ^[a]Moses said to the heads of the tribes of Israel:^(A) “This is what the Lord commands: ² When a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.^(B)

³ “When a young woman still living in her father’s household makes a vow to the Lord or obligates herself by a pledge ⁴ and her father hears about her vow or pledge but says nothing to her, then all her vows and every pledge by which she obligated herself will stand.^{(C) 5} But if her father forbids her^(D) when he hears about it, none of her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand; the Lord will release her because her father has forbidden her.

⁶ “If she marries after she makes a vow^(E) or after her lips utter a rash promise by which she obligates herself ⁷ and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her, then her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand. ⁸ But if her husband^(F) forbids her when he hears about it, he nullifies the vow that obligates her or the rash promise by which she obligates herself, and the Lord will release her.^(G)

⁹ “Any vow or obligation taken by a widow or divorced woman will be binding on her.

¹⁰ “If a woman living with her husband makes a vow or obligates herself by a pledge under oath ¹¹ and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her and does not forbid her, then all her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand. ¹² But if her husband nullifies them when he hears about them, then none of the vows or pledges that came from her lips will stand.^(H) Her husband has nullified them, and the Lord will release her. ¹³ Her husband may confirm or nullify any vow she makes or any sworn pledge to deny herself.^{[b] 14} But if her husband says nothing to her about it from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or the pledges binding on her. He confirms them by saying nothing to her when he hears about them. ¹⁵ If, however, he nullifies them^(I) some time after he hears about them, then he must bear the consequences of her wrongdoing.”

¹⁶ These are the regulations the Lord gave Moses concerning relationships between a man and his wife, and between a father and his young daughter still living at home.

Vengeance on the Midianites

31 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Take vengeance on the Midianites^(J) for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people.^(K)”

³ So Moses said to the people, “Arm some of your men to go to war against the Midianites so that they may carry out the Lord’s vengeance^(L) on them. ⁴ Send into battle a thousand men from each of the tribes of Israel.” ⁵ So twelve thousand men armed for battle,^(M) a thousand from each tribe, were supplied from the clans of Israel. ⁶ Moses sent them into battle,^(N) a thousand from each tribe, along with Phinehas^(O) son of Eleazar, the priest, who took with him articles from the sanctuary^(P) and the trumpets^(Q) for signaling.

⁷ They fought against Midian, as the Lord commanded Moses,^(R) and killed every man.^{(S) 8} Among their victims were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba^(T)—the five kings of Midian.^(U) They also killed Balaam son of Beor^(V) with the sword.^{(W) 9} The Israelites captured the Midianite women^(X) and children and took all the Midianite herds, flocks and goods as plunder.^{(Y) 10} They burned^(Z) all the towns where the Midianites had settled, as well as all their camps.^{(AA) 11} They took all the plunder and spoils, including the people and animals,^{(AB) 12} and brought the captives, spoils^(AC) and plunder to Moses and Eleazar the priest and the Israelite assembly^(AD) at their camp on the plains of Moab, by the Jordan across from Jericho.^(AE)

¹³ Moses, Eleazar the priest and all the leaders of the community went to meet them outside the camp. ¹⁴ Moses was angry with the officers of the army^(AF)—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—who returned from the battle.

¹⁵ “Have you allowed all the women to live?” he asked them. ¹⁶ “They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice^(AG) and enticed the Israelites to be unfaithful to the Lord in the Peor incident,^(AH) so that a plague^(AI) struck the Lord’s people. ¹⁷ Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man,^{(AJ) 18} but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.

¹⁹ “Anyone who has killed someone or touched someone who was killed^(AK) must stay outside the camp seven days.^(AL) On the third and seventh days you must purify yourselves^(AM) and your captives. ²⁰ Purify every garment^(AN) as well as everything made of leather, goat hair or wood.^(AO)”

²¹ Then Eleazar the priest said to the soldiers who had gone into battle,^(AP) “This is what is required by the law that the Lord gave Moses: ²² Gold, silver, bronze, iron,^(AQ) tin, lead ²³ and anything else that can withstand fire must be put through the fire,^(AR) and then it will be clean. But it must also be purified with the water of cleansing.^(AS) And whatever cannot withstand fire must be put through that water. ²⁴ On the seventh day wash your clothes and you will be clean.^(AT) Then you may come into the camp.^(AU)”

Dividing the Spoils

²⁵ The Lord said to Moses, ²⁶ “You and Eleazar the priest and the family heads^(AV) of the community are to count all the people^(AW) and animals that were captured.^{(AX) 27} Divide^(AY) the spoils equally between the soldiers who took part in the battle and the rest of the community. ²⁸ From the soldiers who fought in the battle, set apart as tribute for the Lord^(AZ) one out of every five hundred, whether people, cattle, donkeys or sheep. ²⁹ Take this tribute from their half share and give it to Eleazar the priest as the Lord’s part. ³⁰ From the Israelites’ half, select one out of every fifty, whether people, cattle, donkeys, sheep or other animals. Give them to the Levites, who are responsible for the care of the Lord’s tabernacle.^(BA)” ³¹ So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses.

³² The plunder remaining from the spoils^(BB) that the soldiers took was 675,000 sheep, ³³ 72,000 cattle, ³⁴ 61,000 donkeys ³⁵ and 32,000 women who had never slept with a man.

³⁶ The half share of those who fought in the battle was:

⁴¹ Moses gave the tribute to Eleazar the priest as the Lord’s part,^(BD) as the Lord commanded Moses.^(BE)

⁴² The half belonging to the Israelites, which Moses set apart from that of the fighting men— ⁴³ the community’s half—was 337,500 sheep, ⁴⁴ 36,000 cattle, ⁴⁵ 30,500 donkeys ⁴⁶ and 16,000 people. ⁴⁷ From the Israelites’ half, Moses selected one out of every fifty people and animals, as the Lord commanded him, and gave them to the Levites, who were responsible for the care of the Lord’s tabernacle.

⁴⁸ Then the officers^(BF) who were over the units of the army—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—went to Moses ⁴⁹ and said to him, “Your servants have counted^(BG) the soldiers under our command, and not one is missing.^{(BH) 50} So we have brought as an offering to the Lord the gold articles each of us acquired—armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings and necklaces—to make atonement for ourselves^(BI) before the Lord.”

⁵¹ Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted from them the gold—all the crafted articles. ⁵² All the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds that Moses and Eleazar presented as a gift to the Lord weighed 16,750 shekels.^{[c] 53} Each soldier had taken plunder^(BJ) for himself. ⁵⁴ Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds and brought it into the tent of meeting^(BK) as a memorial^(BL) for the Israelites before the Lord.

The Transjordan Tribes

32 The Reubenites and Gadites, who had very large herds and flocks,^(BM) saw that the lands of Jazer^(BN) and Gilead^(BO) were suitable for livestock.^{(BP) 2} So they came to Moses and Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the community,^(BQ) and said, ³ “Ataroth,^(BR) Dibon,^(BS) Jazer,^(BT) Nimrah,^(BU) Heshbon,^(BV) Elealeh,^(BW) Sebam,^(BX) Nebo^(BY) and Beon^(BZ)— ⁴ the land the Lord subdued^(CA) before the people of Israel—are suitable for livestock,^(CB) and your servants have livestock. ⁵ If we have found favor in your eyes,” they said, “let this land be given to your servants as our possession. Do not make us cross the Jordan.^(CC)”

⁶ Moses said to the Gadites and Reubenites, “Should your fellow Israelites go to war while you sit here? ⁷ Why do you discourage the Israelites from crossing over into the land the Lord has given them?^{(CD) 8} This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look over the land.^{(CE) 9} After they went up to the Valley of Eshkol^(CF) and viewed the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the Lord had given them. ¹⁰ The Lord’s anger was aroused^(CG) that day and he swore this oath:^{(CH) 11} ‘Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of those who were twenty years old or more^(CI) when they came up out of Egypt^(CJ) will see the land I promised on oath^(CK) to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob^(CL)— ¹² not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.’^{(CM) 13} The Lord’s anger burned against Israel^(CN) and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the whole generation of those who had done evil in his sight was gone.^(CO)

¹⁴ “And here you are, a brood of sinners, standing in the place of your fathers and making the Lord even more angry with Israel.^{(CP) 15} If you turn away from following him, he will again leave all this people in the wilderness, and you will be the cause of their destruction.^(CQ)”

¹⁶ Then they came up to him and said, “We would like to build pens^(CR) here for our livestock^(CS) and cities for our women and children. ¹⁷ But we will arm ourselves for battle^[d] and go ahead of the Israelites^(CT) until we have brought them to their place.^(CU) Meanwhile our women and children will live in fortified cities, for protection from the inhabitants of the land. ¹⁸ We will not return to our homes until each of the Israelites has received their inheritance.^{(CV) 19} We will not receive any inheritance with them on the other side of the Jordan, because our inheritance^(CW) has come to us on the east side of the Jordan.”^(CX)

²⁰ Then Moses said to them, “If you will do this—if you will arm yourselves before the Lord for battle^{(CY) 21} and if all of you who are armed cross over the Jordan before the Lord until he has driven his enemies out before him^(CZ)— ²² then when the land is subdued before the Lord, you may return^(DA) and be free from your obligation to the Lord and to Israel. And this land will be your possession^(DB) before the Lord.^(DC)

²³ “But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.^{(DD) 24} Build cities for your women and children, and pens for your flocks,^(DE) but do what you have promised.^(DF)”

²⁵ The Gadites and Reubenites said to Moses, “We your servants will do as our lord commands.^{(DG) 26} Our children and wives, our flocks and herds will remain here in the cities of Gilead.^{(DH) 27} But your servants, every man who is armed for battle, will cross over to fight^(DI) before the Lord, just as our lord says.”

²⁸ Then Moses gave orders about them^(DJ) to Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun^(DK) and to the family heads of the Israelite tribes.^{(DL) 29} He said to them, “If the Gadites and Reubenites, every man armed for battle, cross over the Jordan with you before the Lord, then when the land is subdued before you,^(DM) you must give them the land of Gilead as their possession.^{(DN) 30} But if they do not cross over^(DO) with you armed, they must accept their possession with you in Canaan.^(DP)”

³¹ The Gadites and Reubenites answered, “Your servants will do what the Lord has said.^{(DQ) 32} We will cross over before the Lord into Canaan armed,^(DR) but the property we inherit will be on this side of the Jordan.^(DS)”

³³ Then Moses gave to the Gadites,^(DT) the Reubenites and the half-tribe of Manasseh^(DU) son of Joseph the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites^(DV) and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan^(DW)—the whole land with its cities and the territory around them.^(DX)

³⁴ The Gadites built up Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer,^{(DY) 35} Atroth Shophan, Jazer,^(DZ) Jogbehah,^{(EA) 36} Beth Nimrah^(EB) and Beth Haran as fortified cities, and built pens for their flocks.^{(EC) 37} And the Reubenites rebuilt Heshbon,^(ED) Elealeh^(EE) and Kiriathaim,^{(EF) 38} as well as Nebo^(EG) and Baal Meon (these names were changed) and Sibmah.^(EH) They gave names to the cities they rebuilt.

³⁹ The descendants of Makir^(EI) son of Manasseh went to Gilead,^(EJ) captured it and drove out the Amorites^(EK) who were there. ⁴⁰ So Moses gave Gilead to the Makirites,^(EL) the descendants of Manasseh, and they settled there. ⁴¹ Jair,^(EM) a descendant of Manasseh, captured their settlements and called them Havvoth Jair.^{[e](EN) 42} And Nobah captured Kenath^(EO) and its surrounding settlements and called it Nobah^(EP) after himself.^(EQ)

Stages in Israel’s Journey

33 Here are the stages in the journey^(ER) of the Israelites when they came out of Egypt^(ES) by divisions under the leadership of Moses and Aaron.^{(ET) 2} At the Lord’s command Moses recorded^(EU) the stages in their journey^(EV). This is their journey by stages:

⁵⁰ On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho^(GQ) the Lord said to Moses, ⁵¹ “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan,^{(GR) 52} drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you. Destroy all their carved images and their cast idols, and demolish all their high places.^{(GS) 53} Take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess.^{(GT) 54} Distribute the land by lot,^(GU) according to your clans.^(GV) To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one.^(GW) Whatever falls to them by lot will be theirs. Distribute it according to your ancestral tribes.^(GX)

⁵⁵ “‘But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns^(GY) in your sides. They will give you trouble in the land where you will live. ⁵⁶ And then I will do to you what I plan to do to them.^(GZ)’”

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve^(A)(B)

9 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons^(C) and to cure diseases,^{(D) 2} and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God^(E) and to heal the sick. ³ He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.^{(F) 4} Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. ⁵ If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”^{(G) 6} So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.

⁷ Now Herod^(H) the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed because some were saying that John^(I) had been raised from the dead,^{(J) 8} others that Elijah had appeared,^(K) and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life.^{(L) 9} But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him.^(M)

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand^(N)(O)

¹⁰ When the apostles^(P) returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida,^{(Q) 11} but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God,^(R) and healed those who needed healing.

¹² Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.”

¹³ He replied, “You give them something to eat.”

They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” ¹⁴ (About five thousand men were there.)

But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” ¹⁵ The disciples did so, and everyone sat down. ¹⁶ Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them.^(S) Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. ¹⁷ They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah^(T)(U)

¹⁸ Once when Jesus was praying^(V) in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”

¹⁹ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist;^(W) others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.”^(X)

²⁰ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”^(Y)

Jesus Predicts His Death

²¹ Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone.^{(Z) 22} And he said, “The Son of Man^(AA) must suffer many things^(AB) and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,^(AC) and he must be killed^(AD) and on the third day^(AE) be raised to life.”^(AF)

²³ Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.^{(AG) 24} For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.^{(AH) 25} What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? ²⁶ Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them^(AI) when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.^(AJ)

²⁷ “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”

The Transfiguration^(AK)

²⁸ About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James^(AL) with him and went up onto a mountain to pray.^{(AM) 29} As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. ³⁰ Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. ³¹ They spoke about his departure,^[a](AN) which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. ³² Peter and his companions were very sleepy,^(AO) but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. ³³ As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master,^(AP) it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)

³⁴ While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. ³⁵ A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen;^(AQ) listen to him.”^{(AR) 36} When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.^(AS)

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy^(AT)

³⁷ The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. ³⁸ A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. ³⁹ A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. ⁴⁰ I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.”

⁴¹ “You unbelieving and perverse generation,”^(AU) Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”

⁴² Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the impure spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. ⁴³ And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.

Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time

While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, ⁴⁴ “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.”^{(AV) 45} But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it,^(AW) and they were afraid to ask him about it.

⁴⁶ An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.^{(AX) 47} Jesus, knowing their thoughts,^(AY) took a little child and had him stand beside him. ⁴⁸ Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.^(AZ) For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”^(BA)

⁴⁹ “Master,”^(BB) said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”

⁵⁰ “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”^(BC)

Samaritan Opposition

⁵¹ As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven,^(BD) Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.^{(BE) 52} And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan^(BF) village to get things ready for him; ⁵³ but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ When the disciples James and John^(BG) saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them^[b]?”^(BH)