Exodus 4:1-6:27
1 Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not believe or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’ ” 2 So the Lord said to him, “What is in your hand?” He said, “A rod.” 3 Thus He said, “Cast it on the ground.” So he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. 4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail” (so he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand), 5 “so they may believe the Lord God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—appeared to you.”
6 Furthermore, the Lord said to him, “Now put your hand in your bosom.” So he put his hand in his bosom, and when he took it out, it was leprous like snow. 7 Again He said, “Put your hand in your bosom” (so he put his hand in his bosom again and then removed it; and it was restored to the complexion of his other flesh), 8 “then it will be, if they do not believe you, nor heed the message of the first sign, they may believe the message of the second. 9 Then it shall be, if they do not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, you shall take water from the river and pour it on the dry land; and the water you take from the river will become blood on the dry land.”
10 Then Moses said to the Lord, “I pray, O Lord, I am not capable, neither before nor since You spoke to Your servant; but I am weak in speech and slow of tongue.” 11 So the Lord said to him, “Who made man’s mouth? And who made the mute, the deaf, the seeing, and the blind? Did not I, God? 12 Now therefore, go, and I will open your mouth and teach you what you shall say.” 13 But he said, “I pray, O Lord, appoint another capable one whom You may send.”
14 Then the Lord was very angry with Moses, and He said, “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know he will speak for you, and indeed, he will come out to meet you; and indeed, when he sees you, he will be glad in heart. 15 Now you shall speak to him and put My words in his mouth, and I will open your mouth and his mouth; and I will teach you what you shall do. 16 So he shall be your spokesman to the people, and he himself shall be your mouth; and you shall be to him as God. 17 Now you shall take in your hand the rod that was turned into a serpent, with which you shall work miracles.”
18 So Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, “I will go and return to my brethren in Egypt and see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” 19 Now in those days, after some time, the king of Egypt died. So the Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return to Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.” 20 Then Moses took his wife and sons and set them on beasts of burden; and he returned to the land of Egypt, and Moses took the rod of God in his hand. 21 Again, the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you work before Pharaoh all the wonders I put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, and he will not let the people go. 22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Israel is My firstborn son. 23 So I say to you, ‘Let My people go so they may serve Me.’ But if you refuse to let them go, indeed, I will kill your firstborn son.” ’ ”
24 Thus it came to pass on the way, at the inn, that the Angel of the Lord met him and sought to kill him. 25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son, and fell at His feet and said, “The flow of blood from my son’s circumcision is stopped.” 26 So He departed from him, because she said, “The flow of blood from my son’s circumcision is stopped.” 27 Now the Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the desert to meet Moses.” So he went and met him on the mountain of God, and they kissed one another. 28 Then Moses reported to Aaron all the words of the Lord which He sent to him, and all the signs which He commanded him. 29 Thus Moses and Aaron went and gathered together the elders of the children of Israel. 30 Aaron then spoke all the words the Lord spoke to Moses, and he did the signs in the sight of the people. 31 So the people believed and rejoiced because God had visited the children of Israel and because He had seen their affliction. Then the people bowed and worshiped.
1 Now after this Moses and Aaron went and spoke to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, so they may hold a feast to Me in the desert.’ ” 2 Then Pharaoh said, “Who is He, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.” 3 So they said, “The God of the Hebrews has called us to Him. Let us go three days’ journey into the desert and sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest at any time death or slaughter happen to us.” 4 Then the king of Egypt said to them, “Why, Moses and Aaron, do you take the people from their work? Get back to your work.” 5 Again Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are many now, so let us not give them rest from their work.”
6 So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their clerks, saying, 7 “You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks as yesterday and the day before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 Furthermore, you shall lay on them a daily quota of bricks they are to do each day. You shall hold them to it. You shall not reduce it, for they are loafers; therefore they cry out, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Let the labors of these men be oppressive and cause them anxiety; and let them not pay attention to empty words.”
10 So the taskmasters of the people and their clerks went out and spoke to the people, saying, “Thus says Pharaoh: ‘I will not give you straw. 11 Go, get it yourselves wherever you can find it; yet nothing will be reduced from your workload.’ ” 12 The people were then dispersed throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. 13 The taskmasters also forced them to hurry, saying, “Fulfill your daily quota of work as when straw was given you.” 14 Also the clerks from the race of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters set over them, were beaten and questioned, “Why have you not fulfilled your task in making bricks both yesterday and the day before, and also today?”
15 Then the clerks of Israel’s sons entered and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why are you dealing thus with your servants? 16 No straw is given your servants, and they say to us, ‘Make bricks!’ and indeed, your servants are beaten, but the fault is with your own people.” 17 But he said, “You are loafers! You are loafers! Therefore you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ 18 Now therefore, go and work; for no straw shall be given you; yet you shall deliver the quota of bricks.” 19 So the clerks from the children of Israel saw they were in trouble after it was said, “You shall not reduce any bricks from your daily quota.”
20 Then as they departed from Pharaoh, they met Moses and Aaron, who stood there to meet them. 21 They said to them, “Let the Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in his hand to kill us.”
22 So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You sent me? 23 From the time I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has afflicted this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all.”
1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will let them go, and with a strong hand he will drive them from his land.”
2 God also spoke to Moses and said to him, “I am the Lord. 3 I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as their God, but I did not reveal to them My name, Lord. 4 I also established My covenant with them to give them the land of the Canaanites, the land of their sojourn, in which they were strangers. 5 I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I remembered My covenant. 6 Therefore say to the children of Israel: ‘I am the Lord; I will bring you out from under the Egyptian tyranny; I will rescue you from their bondage and redeem you with an outstretched arm and great judgments. 7 I will take you as My people and be your God. Then you shall know I am the Lord your God who brought you out from under the Egyptian tyranny. 8 I will also bring you into the land I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the Lord.’ ” 9 So Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel; but they paid no heed to Moses because of their faintheartedness and cruel bondage.
10 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 11 “Go in, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to send forth the children of Israel from his land.” 12 Moses then spoke before the Lord, saying, “The children of Israel have paid no heed to me. How then shall Pharaoh heed me, for I am not eloquent?” 13 Thus the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, and gave them a command for the children of Israel and for Pharaoh king of Egypt, to send forth the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.
14 Now these are the heads of their fathers’ houses: The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. This is the family of Reuben. 15 Now the sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. These are the families of Simeon. 16 Now these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their genealogy: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari; and Levi lived one hundred and thirty-seven years. 17 The sons of Gershon were Libni and Shimi, the houses of their family. 18 The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel; and Kohath lived one hundred and thirty-three years. 19 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of Levi according to their kindreds. 20 Now Amram took as his wife Jochebed, the daughter of his father’s brother; and she bore him Aaron and Moses and Miriam their sister; and Amram lived one hundred and thirty-seven years. 21 The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri. 22 The sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Zithri. 23 Now Aaron took as his wife Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon; and she bore him Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 24 The sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph. This is the genealogy of Korah. 25 Eleazar, Aaron’s son, took as his wife one of the daughters of Putiel; and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the families of the Levites according to their genealogy. 26 Now these are the same Aaron and Moses to whom God said, “Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt with their army.” 27 These are the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt. These are the same Moses and Aaron.
Psalms 21:20–32
20 But You, O Lord, do not remove Your help from me;
Attend to my aid.
21 Deliver my soul from the sword
And my only-begotten from the hand of the dog;
22 Save me from the lion’s mouth,
My humiliation from the horns of the unicorns.
23 I will declare Your name to my brethren;
In the midst of the church I will sing to You.
24 You who fear the Lord, praise Him.
All you seed of Jacob, glorify Him;
Fear Him, all you seed of Israel.
25 For He has not despised nor scorned the beggar’s supplication,
Nor has He turned away His face from me;
And when I cried out to Him, He heard me.
26 My praise is from You in the great church;
I will pay my vows before those who fear Him.
27 The poor shall eat and be well-filled,
And those who seek Him will praise the Lord;
Their hearts will live unto ages of ages.
28 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord;
And all families of the Gentiles shall worship before You,
29 For the kingdom is the Lord’s;
And He is the Master of the Gentiles.
30 All the prosperous of the earth ate and worshiped;
All going down into the earth shall bow down before Him,
And my soul lives with Him.
31 And my seed shall serve Him;
The coming generation shall be told of the Lord,
32 And they will declare His righteousness
To a people who will be born, because the Lord made them.
Proverbs 4:9–12
9 Hear me, my son, and receive my words,
And the years of your life shall be increased,
That many ways of life may be yours;
10 For I teach you the ways of wisdom
And set you on upright paths.
11 For if you walk, your steps shall not be confined;
And if you run, you will not grow weary.
12 Lay hold of my instruction; do not let go,
But guard it for yourself as your life.
Matthew 13:31–58
31 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field,
32 “which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”
33 Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”
Prophecy and the Parables
34 All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them,
35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
“I will open My mouth in parables;
I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.”
36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.”
37 He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.
38 “The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.
39 “The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels.
40 “Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.
41 “The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness,
42 “and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 “Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
44 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls,
46 “who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
The Parable of the Dragnet
47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind,
48 “which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away.
49 “So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just,
50 “and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
51 Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”
52 Then He said to them, “Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”
53 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there.
54 When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?
55 “Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?
56 “And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?”
57 So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.”
58 Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.