The Daily Audio Bible
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The People Complain
14 Then all the people cried out with a loud voice, and they cried that night. 2 All the people of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this desert! 3 Why is the Lord bringing us into this land to be killed by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be taken away. Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” 4 So they said to one another, “Let us choose a leader and return to Egypt.”
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in front of all the gathering of the people of Israel. 6 And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh tore their clothes. They were among those who had spied out the land. 7 They said to all the people of Israel, “The land we passed through to spy out is a very good land. 8 If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us. It is a land which flows with milk and honey. 9 Only do not go against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land. For they will be our food. They have no way to keep safe, and the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.” 10 But all the people said to throw stones at Joshua and Caleb. Then the shining-greatness of the Lord was seen in the meeting tent by all the people of Israel.
Moses Prays for the People
11 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people turn away from Me? How long will they not believe in Me, even after all the great works I have done among them? 12 I will punish them with disease, and will not give them the land. And I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they.”
13 But Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it. For You brought this people here by Your strength from among them. 14 And they will tell the people who live in this land. They have heard
that You, O Lord, are with these people and that You, O Lord, are seen face to face as Your cloud is over them. You go before them in a cloud during the day, and in fire during the night. 15 Now if You kill these people as one man, the nations who have heard how great You are will say, 16 ‘The Lord was not able to bring these people into the land He promised to give them. So He has killed them in the desert.’ 17 But now, I pray, let the power of the Lord be great as You have promised, saying, 18 ‘The Lord is slow to anger and filled with loving-kindness, forgiving sin and wrong-doing. But He will not let the guilty go without being punished. He brings the sin of fathers down upon the children, even the great-grandchildren.’ 19 I pray that You will forgive the sin of this people by the greatness of Your loving-kindness. Forgive them as You have forgiven them from Egypt until now.”
20 So the Lord said, “I have forgiven them as you asked. 21 But for sure, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the shining-greatness of the Lord. 22 All the men who have seen My greatness and My wonderful works which I did in Egypt and in the desert but have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice, for sure, they 23 will not see the land I promised to their fathers. None of those who have turned away from Me will see it. 24 But My servant Caleb has had a different spirit and has followed Me in every way. I will bring him into the land where he went, and his children will take it for themselves. 25 Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valleys. So turn tomorrow and move on to the desert by the way of the Red Sea.”
Punishment for the People Who Complained
26 Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 27 “How long will these sinful people speak against Me? I have heard the people of Israel complaining against Me. 28 Say to them, ‘As I live, what you have said in My hearing I will do to you,’ says the Lord. 29 ‘Your dead bodies will fall in this desert, all of you who were numbered from twenty years old and older, who have spoken against Me. 30 For sure, not one will go into the land where I promised to have you live, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. 31 You said that your children would be taken and killed. But I will bring them in, and they will know the land you have turned away from. 32 But as for you, your dead bodies will fall in this desert. 33 Your children will be shepherds in the desert for forty years. They will suffer because you were not faithful, until your dead bodies lie in the desert. 34 You spied out the land for forty days. For each day you will carry your guilt a year, forty years. And you will know that I am against you. 35 I the Lord have spoken. For sure I will do this to all these sinful people who are gathered together against Me. They will be destroyed in this desert. And there they will die.’” 36 Moses had sent men to spy out the land. They returned and made all the people complain against him by bringing bad news about the land. 37 These men who brought the very bad news about the land died of a disease before the Lord. 38 But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh stayed alive, of those men who went to spy out the land.
39 When Moses told these words to all the people of Israel, the people were filled with much sorrow. 40 They got up early in the morning and went up to the top of the hill country, saying, “Here we are. It is true we have sinned. But we will go up to the place which the Lord has promised.” 41 But Moses said, “Why now do you sin against the Word of the Lord? It will not get you what you want. 42 Do not go up, or you will be killed by those who fight against you. For the Lord is not with you. 43 The Amalekites and the Canaanites will be there in front of you, and you will be killed by the sword. Because you have turned away from following the Lord, the Lord will not be with you.” 44 But they would not listen and went up to the top of the hill country. The special box with the Law of the Lord, and Moses, did not leave the tents. 45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and went against them and beat them down as far as Hormah.
Laws about Gifts Given on the Altar
15 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Say to the people of Israel, ‘When you go into the land where you are to live, which I am giving you, 3 then give a gift in worship by fire to the Lord. Give a gift from the herd or the flock, a burnt gift, or a gift to keep a special promise, or a free-will gift, or one during special suppers. This will be to make a pleasing smell to the Lord. 4 The one who brings his gift will bring to the Lord a grain gift of one-tenth part of a basket of fine flour mixed with one-fourth part of a large jar of oil. 5 And make ready one-fourth part of a large jar of wine to pour over the burnt gift or for each lamb given on the altar in worship. 6 Or for a ram, make ready a grain gift of two-tenths part of a basket of fine flour mixed with one-third part of a large jar of oil. 7 Then make one-third part of a large jar of wine for the drink gift, a pleasing smell to the Lord. 8 You may make ready a bull for a burnt gift or give an animal on the altar in worship, to keep a special promise, or give peace gifts to the Lord. 9 With the bull bring a grain gift of three-tenths part of a basket of fine flour mixed with half a large jar of oil. 10 Bring for the drink gift half a large jar of wine, as a gift by fire, a pleasing smell to the Lord.
11 ‘It must be done this way for each bull, or for each ram, or for each of the male lambs or young goats. 12 Whatever number you make ready, you must do for everyone. 13 All who are born in the land must do these things in this way by giving a gift by fire, a pleasing smell to the Lord. 14 A stranger staying with you, or a man living among your people, may want to give a gift by fire, a pleasing smell to the Lord. Then he must do just as you do. 15 There will be one Law for you and for the stranger who stays with you. It will be a Law forever for all your children-to-come. As you are, so will the stranger be before the Lord. 16 One Law will be for you and for the stranger who stays with you.’”
Jesus Stands in Front of the Head Religious Leaders (A)
53 They led Jesus away to the head religious leader. All the religious leaders and other leaders and the teachers of the Law were gathered there. 54 But Peter followed a long way behind as they went to the house of the head religious leader. He sat with the helpers and got warm by the fire.
Jesus Stands in Front of the Court (B)
55 The religious leaders and all the court were looking for something against Jesus. They wanted to find something so they could kill Him. But they could find nothing. 56 Many came and told false things about Him, but their words did not agree. 57 Some got up and said false things against Him. They said, 58 “We have heard Him say, ‘I will destroy the house of God that was made with hands. In three days I will build another that is not made with hands.’” 59 Even these who spoke against Him were not able to agree.
60 The head religious leader stood up in front of the people. He asked Jesus, “Have You nothing to say? What about the things these men are saying against You?” 61 Jesus said nothing. Again the head religious leader asked Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Holy One?” 62 Jesus said, “I am! And you will see the Son of Man seated on the right side of the All-powerful God. You will see Him coming again in the clouds of the sky.”
63 Then the head religious leader tore his clothes apart. He said, “Do we need other people to speak against Him? 64 You have heard Him speak as if He were God! What do you think?” They all said He was guilty of death. 65 Some began to spit on Him. They covered Jesus’ face, and they hit Him. They said, “Tell us what is going to happen.” Soldiers hit Him with their hands.
Peter Said He Did Not Know Jesus (C)
66 Peter was outside in the yard. One of the servant-girls of the head religious leader came. 67 She saw Peter getting warm. She looked at him and said, “You were with Jesus of Nazareth.” 68 Peter lied, saying, “I do not know Jesus and do not understand what you are talking about.” As he went out, a rooster crowed.
69 The servant-girl saw him again. She said to the people standing around, “This man is one of them.” 70 He lied again saying that he did not know Jesus. Later, those who stood around said to Peter again, “For sure you are one of them. You are from the country of Galilee. You talk like they do.” 71 He began to say strong words and to swear. He said, “I do not know the Man you are talking about!”
72 At once a rooster crowed the second time. Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him, “Before a rooster crows two times, you will say three times you do not know Me.” When he thought about it, he cried.
Foolish Men
53 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are sinful and have done bad things. There is no one who does good. 2 God has looked down from heaven at the children of men to see if there is anyone who understands and looks for God. 3 They have all turned back. They have all turned to sin. There is no one who does good, not even one. 4 Have those who do wrong no understanding? They eat up My people like they eat bread. They have not called upon God. 5 There they were, in much fear, where there was nothing to be afraid of. For God has spread out the bones of those who come against you. You put them to shame, because God has turned away from them. 6 O, that the saving of Israel would come out of Zion! Jacob will be full of joy and Israel will be glad when God returns His people to their land.
4 Riches are of no use in the day of God’s anger, but being right with God saves from death.
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