Signs, Wonders, and God's Redemptive Purpose

1. Moses answered, “But, behold, they will not believe me, nor listen to my voice; for they will say, ‘Yahweh has not appeared to you.’” 2. Yahweh said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.” 3. He said, “Throw it on the ground.” He threw it on the ground, and it became a snake; and Moses ran away from it. 4. Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand, and take it by the tail.” He stretched out his hand, and took hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand. 5. “That they may believe that Yahweh, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” 6. Yahweh said furthermore to him, “Now put your hand inside your cloak.” He put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, as white as snow. 7. He said, “Put your hand inside your cloak again.” He put his hand inside his cloak again, and when he took it out of his cloak, behold, it had turned again as his other flesh. 8. “It will happen, if they will not believe you or listen to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. 9. It will happen, if they will not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, that you shall take of the water of the river, and pour it on the dry land. The water which you take out of the river will become blood on the dry land.” 10. Moses said to Yahweh, “O Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before now, nor since you have spoken to your servant; for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.” 11. Yahweh said to him, “Who made man’s mouth? Or who makes one mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Isn’t it I, Yahweh? 12. Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you shall speak.” 13. He said, “Oh, Lord, please send someone else.” 14. Yahweh’s anger burned against Moses, and he said, “What about Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Also, behold, he comes out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15. You shall speak to him, and put the words in his mouth. I will be with your mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what you shall do. 16. He will be your spokesman to the people; and it will happen, that he will be to you a mouth, and you will be to him as God. 17. You shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.” 18. Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, “Please let me go and return to my brothers who are in Egypt, and see whether they are still alive.” Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” 19. Yahweh said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return into Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.” 20. Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. Moses took God’s rod in his hand. 21. Yahweh said to Moses, “When you go back into Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your hand, but I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go. 22. You shall tell Pharaoh, ‘Yahweh says, Israel is my son, my firstborn, 23. and I have said to you, “Let my son go, that he may serve me”; and you have refused to let him go. Behold, I will kill your son, your firstborn.’” 24. On the way at a lodging place, Yahweh met Moses and wanted to kill him. 25. Then Zipporah took a flint, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet; and she said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me.” 26. So he let him alone. Then she said, “You are a bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision. 27. Yahweh said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” He went, and met him on God’s mountain, and kissed him. 28. Moses told Aaron all Yahweh’s words with which he had sent him, and all the signs with which he had instructed him. 29. Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. 30. Aaron spoke all the words which Yahweh had spoken to Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. 31. The people believed, and when they heard that Yahweh had visited the children of Israel, and that he had seen their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped. 1. Afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said to Pharaoh, “This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’” 2. Pharaoh said, “Who is Yahweh, that I should listen to his voice to let Israel go? I don’t know Yahweh, and moreover I will not let Israel go.” 3. They said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Yahweh, our God, lest he fall on us with pestilence, or with the sword.” 4. The king of Egypt said to them, “Why do you, Moses and Aaron, take the people from their work? Get back to your burdens!” 5. Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens.” 6. The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, 7. “You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick, as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8. The number of the bricks, which they made before, you require from them. You shall not diminish anything of it, for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ 9. Let heavier work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it; and don’t let them pay any attention to lying words.” 10. The taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you straw. 11. Go yourselves, get straw where you can find it, for nothing of your work shall be diminished.’” 12. So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. 13. The taskmasters were urgent saying, “Fulfill your work quota daily, as when there was straw!” 14. The officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, “Why haven’t you fulfilled your quota both yesterday and today, in making brick as before?” 15. Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you deal this way with your servants? 16. No straw is given to your servants, and they tell us, ‘Make brick!’ and behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.” 17. But he said, “You are idle! You are idle! Therefore you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to Yahweh.’ 18. Go therefore now, and work, for no straw shall be given to you, yet you shall deliver the same number of bricks!” 19. The officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble, when it was said, “You shall not diminish anything from your daily quota of bricks!” 20. They met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came out from Pharaoh: 21. and they said to them, “May Yahweh look at you, and judge, because you have made us a stench to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.” 22. Moses returned to Yahweh, and said, “Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Why is it that you have sent me? 23. For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people; and you have not rescued your people at all.” 1. Yahweh said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh, for by a strong hand he shall let them go, and by a strong hand he shall drive them out of his land.” 2. God spoke to Moses, and said to him, “I am Yahweh; 3. and I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty; but by my name Yahweh I was not known to them. 4. I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their travels, in which they lived as aliens. 5. Moreover I have heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I have remembered my covenant. 6. Therefore tell the children of Israel, ‘I am Yahweh, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great judgments: 7. and I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God; and you shall know that I am Yahweh your God, who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8. I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it to you for a heritage: I am Yahweh.’” 9. Moses spoke so to the children of Israel, but they didn’t listen to Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage. 10. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 11. “Go in, speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.” 12. Moses spoke before Yahweh, saying, “Behold, the children of Israel haven’t listened to me. How then shall Pharaoh listen to me, who am of uncircumcised lips?” 13. Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, and gave them a command to the children of Israel, and to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. 14. These are the heads of their fathers’ houses. The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; these are the families of Reuben. 15. The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman; these are the families of Simeon. 16. These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari; and the years of the life of Levi were one hundred thirty-seven years. 17. The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, according to their families. 18. The sons of Kohath: Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel; and the years of the life of Kohath were one hundred thirty-three years. 19. The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their generations. 20. Amram took Jochebed his father’s sister to himself as wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were a hundred and thirty-seven years. 21. The sons of Izhar: Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri. 22. The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Sithri. 23. Aaron took Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, as his wife; and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 24. The sons of Korah: Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph; these are the families of the Korahites. 25. Eleazar Aaron’s son took one of the daughters of Putiel as his wife; and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites according to their families. 26. These are that Aaron and Moses, to whom Yahweh said, “Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies.” 27. These are those who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt. These are that Moses and Aaron. 28. On the day when Yahweh spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, 29. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “I am Yahweh. Speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I speak to you.” 30. Moses said before Yahweh, “Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh listen to me?” 1. Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, I have made you as God to Pharaoh; and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet. 2. You shall speak all that I command you; and Aaron your brother shall speak to Pharaoh, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land. 3. I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. 4. But Pharaoh will not listen to you, and I will lay my hand on Egypt, and bring out my armies, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. 5. The Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh, when I stretch out my hand on Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.” 6. Moses and Aaron did so. As Yahweh commanded them, so they did. 7. Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh. 8. Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 9. “When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Perform a miracle!’ then you shall tell Aaron, ‘Take your rod, and cast it down before Pharaoh, that it become a serpent.’” 10. Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, as Yahweh had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent. 11. Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers. They also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same thing with their enchantments. 12. For they each cast down their rods, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. 13. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them; as Yahweh had spoken. 14. Yahweh said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn. He refuses to let the people go. 15. Go to Pharaoh in the morning. Behold, he goes out to the water; and you shall stand by the river’s bank to meet him; and the rod which was turned to a serpent you shall take in your hand. 16. You shall tell him, ‘Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you, saying, “Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness:” and behold, until now you haven’t listened. 17. Yahweh says, “In this you shall know that I am Yahweh. Behold, I will strike with the rod that is in my hand on the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. 18. The fish that are in the river shall die, and the river shall become foul; and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink water from the river.”’” 19. Yahweh said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your rod, and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their pools, and over all their ponds of water, that they may become blood; and there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’” 20. Moses and Aaron did so, as Yahweh commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and struck the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. 21. The fish that were in the river died; and the river became foul, and the Egyptians couldn’t drink water from the river; and the blood was throughout all the land of Egypt. 22. The magicians of Egypt did the same thing with their enchantments; and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them; as Yahweh had spoken. 23. Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he didn’t even take this to heart. 24. All the Egyptians dug around the river for water to drink; for they couldn’t drink the river water. 25. Seven days were fulfilled, after Yahweh had struck the river.

1. Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2. Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, to be building him up. 3. For even Christ didn’t please himself. But, as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” 4. For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through perseverance and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5. Now the God of perseverance and of encouragement grant you to be of the same mind one with another according to Christ Jesus, 6. that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7. Therefore accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God. 8. Now I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers, 9. and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore will I give praise to you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.” 10. Again he says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.” 11. Again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Let all the peoples praise him.” 12. Again, Isaiah says, “There will be the root of Jesse, he who arises to rule over the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles will hope.” 13. Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit. 14. I myself am also persuaded about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish others. 15. But I write the more boldly to you in part, as reminding you, because of the grace that was given to me by God, 16. that I should be a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest of the Good News of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17. I have therefore my boasting in Christ Jesus in things pertaining to God. 18. For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed, 19. in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God’s Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ; 20. yes, making it my aim to preach the Good News, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build on another’s foundation. 21. But, as it is written, “They will see, to whom no news of him came. They who haven’t heard will understand.” 22. Therefore also I was hindered these many times from coming to you, 23. but now, no longer having any place in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come to you, 24. whenever I travel to Spain, I will come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while. 25. But now, I say, I am going to Jerusalem, serving the saints. 26. For it has been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are at Jerusalem. 27. Yes, it has been their good pleasure, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to serve them in fleshly things. 28. When therefore I have accomplished this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will go on by way of you to Spain. 29. I know that, when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of the Good News of Christ. 30. Now I beg you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, 31. that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints; 32. that I may come to you in joy through the will of God, and together with you, find rest. 33. Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen. 1. I commend to you Phoebe, our sister, who is a servant of the assembly that is at Cenchreae, 2. that you receive her in the Lord, in a way worthy of the saints, and that you assist her in whatever matter she may need from you, for she herself also has been a helper of many, and of my own self. 3. Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4. who for my life, laid down their own necks; to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the assemblies of the Gentiles. 5. Greet the assembly that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first fruits of Achaia to Christ. 6. Greet Mary, who labored much for us. 7. Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives and my fellow prisoners, who are notable among the apostles, who were also in Christ before me. 8. Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord. 9. Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved. 10. Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. 11. Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet them of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord. 12. Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord. Greet Persis, the beloved, who labored much in the Lord. 13. Greet Rufus, the chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. 14. Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them. 15. Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16. Greet one another with a holy kiss. The assemblies of Christ greet you. 17. Now I beg you, brothers, look out for those who are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them. 18. For those who are such don’t serve our Lord, Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts of the innocent. 19. For your obedience has become known to all. I rejoice therefore over you. But I desire to have you wise in that which is good, but innocent in that which is evil. 20. And the God of peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 21. Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my relatives. 22. I, Tertius, who write the letter, greet you in the Lord. 23. Gaius, my host and host of the whole assembly, greets you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, as does Quartus, the brother. 24. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all! Amen. 25.

1. Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth! 2. Sing to the glory of his name! Offer glory and praise! 3. Tell God, “How awesome are your deeds! Through the greatness of your power, your enemies submit themselves to you. 4. All the earth will worship you, and will sing to you; they will sing to your name.” Selah. 5. Come, and see God’s deeds— awesome work on behalf of the children of men. 6. He turned the sea into dry land. They went through the river on foot. There, we rejoiced in him. 7. He rules by his might forever. His eyes watch the nations. Don’t let the rebellious rise up against him. Selah. 8. Praise our God, you peoples! Make the sound of his praise heard, 9. who preserves our life among the living, and doesn’t allow our feet to be moved. 10. For you, God, have tested us. You have refined us, as silver is refined. 11. You brought us into prison. You laid a burden on our backs. 12. You allowed men to ride over our heads. We went through fire and through water, but you brought us to the place of abundance. 13. I will come into your temple with burnt offerings. I will pay my vows to you, 14. which my lips promised, and my mouth spoke, when I was in distress. 15. I will offer to you burnt offerings of fat animals, with the offering of rams, I will offer bulls with goats. Selah. 16. Come, and hear, all you who fear God. I will declare what he has done for my soul. 17. I cried to him with my mouth. He was extolled with my tongue. 18. If I cherished sin in my heart, the Lord wouldn’t have listened. 19. But most certainly, God has listened. He has heard the voice of my prayer. 20. Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer, nor his loving kindness from me.