The Bronze Snake

⁴ 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) 5} 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)

⁶ Then the Lord sent venomous snakes^(J) among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.^{(K) 7} 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.

⁸ 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.” ⁹ 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)

Dispute Over Who Jesus Is

²¹ Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die^(A) in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”^(B)

²² This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?”

²³ But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.^{(C) 24} I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he,^(D) you will indeed die in your sins.”

²⁵ “Who are you?” they asked.

“Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. ²⁶ “I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy,^(E) and what I have heard from him I tell the world.”^(F)

²⁷ They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. ²⁸ So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up^[a] the Son of Man,^(G) then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.^{(H) 29} The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone,^(I) for I always do what pleases him.”^{(J) 30} Even as he spoke, many believed in him.^(K)

Psalm 89^[a]

A maskil^[b] of Ethan the Ezrahite.

⁴ But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:

¹³ It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise^(A) that he would be heir of the world,^(B) but through the righteousness that comes by faith.^{(C) 14} For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless,^{(D) 15} because the law brings wrath.^(E) And where there is no law there is no transgression.^(F)

¹⁶ Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace^(G) and may be guaranteed^(H) to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.^{(I) 17} As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”^[a](J) He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life^(K) to the dead and calls^(L) into being things that were not.^(M)

¹⁸ Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations,^(N) just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”^[b](O)

The Boy Jesus at the Temple

⁴¹ Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.^{(A) 42} When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. ⁴³ After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. ⁴⁴ Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. ⁴⁵ When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. ⁴⁶ After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ Everyone who heard him was amazed^(B) at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸ When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother^(C) said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father^(D) and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

⁴⁹ “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”^{[a](E) 50} But they did not understand what he was saying to them.^(F)

⁵¹ Then he went down to Nazareth with them^(G) and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.^{(H) 52} And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.^(I)