The Cloud and the Fire^(A)

¹⁵ Now ^(B)on the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud ^(C)covered the tabernacle, the tent of the Testimony; ^(D)from evening until morning it was above the tabernacle like the appearance of fire. ¹⁶ So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. ¹⁷ Whenever the cloud ^(E)was ^[a]taken up from above the tabernacle, after that the children of Israel would journey; and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel would pitch their tents. ¹⁸ At the ^[b]command of the Lord the children of Israel would journey, and at the command of the Lord they would camp; ^(F)as long as the cloud stayed above the tabernacle they remained encamped. ¹⁹ Even when the cloud continued long, many days above the tabernacle, the children of Israel ^(G)kept the charge of the Lord and did not journey. ²⁰ So it was, when the cloud was above the tabernacle a few days: according to the command of the Lord they would remain encamped, and according to the command of the Lord they would journey. ²¹ So it was, when the cloud remained only from evening until morning: when the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they would journey; whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud was taken up, they would journey. ²² Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children of Israel ^(H)would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up, they would journey. ²³ At the command of the Lord they remained encamped, and at the command of the Lord they journeyed; they ^(I)kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

Ezekiel’s Vision of God

1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by ^(A)the River Chebar, that ^(B)the heavens were opened and I saw ^(C)visions^[a] of God. ² On the fifth day of the month, which was in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, ³ the word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the ^[b]Chaldeans by the River Chebar; and ^(D)the hand of the Lord was upon him there.

⁴ Then I looked, and behold, ^(E)a whirlwind was coming ^(F)out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. ^5 (G)Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And ^(H)this was their appearance: they had ^(I)the likeness of a man. ⁶ Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings. ⁷ Their ^[c]legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of calves’ feet. They sparkled ^(J)like the color of burnished bronze. ^8 (K)The hands of a man were under their wings on their four sides; and each of the four had faces and wings. ⁹ Their wings touched one another. The creatures did not turn when they went, but each one went straight ^(L)forward.

¹⁰ As for ^(M)the likeness of their faces, each ^(N)had the face of a man; each of the four had ^(O)the face of a lion on the right side, ^(P)each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, ^(Q)and each of the four had the face of an eagle. ¹¹ Thus were their faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one another, and ^(R)two covered their bodies. ¹² And ^(S)each one went straight forward; they went wherever the spirit wanted to go, and they did not turn when they went.

¹³ As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, ^(T)like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and out of the fire went lightning. ¹⁴ And the living creatures ran back and forth, ^(U)in appearance like a flash of lightning.

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.