²³ During that long period,^(A) the king of Egypt died.^(B) The Israelites groaned in their slavery^(C) and cried out, and their cry^(D) for help because of their slavery went up to God. ²⁴ God heard their groaning and he remembered^(E) his covenant^(F) with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. ²⁵ So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned^(G) about them.

Moses and the Burning Bush

3 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro^(H) his father-in-law, the priest of Midian,^(I) and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb,^(J) the mountain^(K) of God. ² There the angel of the Lord^(L) appeared to him in flames of fire^(M) from within a bush.^(N) Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. ³ So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

⁴ When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called^(O) to him from within the bush,^(P) “Moses! Moses!”

And Moses said, “Here I am.”^(Q)

⁵ “Do not come any closer,”^(R) God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”^{(S) 6} Then he said, “I am the God of your father,^[a] the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.”^(T) At this, Moses hid^(U) his face, because he was afraid to look at God.^(V)

⁷ The Lord said, “I have indeed seen^(W) the misery^(X) of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned^(Y) about their suffering.^{(Z) 8} So I have come down^(AA) to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land,^(AB) a land flowing with milk and honey^(AC)—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites^(AD) and Jebusites.^{(AE) 9} And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing^(AF) them. ¹⁰ So now, go. I am sending^(AG) you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”^(AH)

¹¹ But Moses said to God, “Who am I^(AI) that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

¹² And God said, “I will be with you.^(AJ) And this will be the sign^(AK) to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you^[b] will worship God on this mountain.^(AL)”

¹³ Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’^(AM) Then what shall I tell them?”

¹⁴ God said to Moses, “I am who I am.^[c] This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am^(AN) has sent me to you.’”

¹⁵ God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord,^[d] the God of your fathers^(AO)—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob^(AP)—has sent me to you.’

Jesus Heals a Boy Possessed by an Impure Spirit^(A)

¹⁴ When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. ¹⁵ As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

¹⁶ “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.

¹⁷ A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. ¹⁸ Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

¹⁹ “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

²⁰ So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.^(B)

²¹ Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

“From childhood,” he answered. ²² “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

²³ “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”^(C)

²⁴ Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

²⁵ When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene,^(D) he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

²⁶ The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

²⁸ After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately,^(E) “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

²⁹ He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.^[a]”

Psalm 33