Exodus 14; Exodus 15; Matthew 17

1 Then the Lord said to Moses,

2 "Tell the Israelites to turn back and camp in front of Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the Red Sea, near Baal Zephon.

3 The king will think that the Israelites are wandering around in the country and are closed in by the desert.

4 I will make him stubborn, and he will pursue you, and my victory over the king and his army will bring me honor. Then the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord." The Israelites did as they were told.

5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had escaped, he and his officials changed their minds and said, "What have we done? We have let the Israelites escape, and we have lost them as our slaves!"

6 The king got his war chariot and his army ready.

7 He set out with all his chariots, including the six hundred finest, commanded by their officers.

8 The Lord made the king stubborn, and he pursued the Israelites, who were leaving triumphantly.

9 The Egyptian army, with all the horses, chariots, and drivers, pursued them and caught up with them where they were camped by the Red Sea near Pi Hahiroth and Baal Zephon.

10 When the Israelites saw the king and his army marching against them, they were terrified and cried out to the Lord for help.

11 They said to Moses, "Weren't there any graves in Egypt? Did you have to bring us out here in the desert to die? Look what you have done by bringing us out of Egypt!

12 Didn't we tell you before we left that this would happen? We told you to leave us alone and let us go on being slaves of the Egyptians. It would be better to be slaves there than to die here in the desert."

13 Moses answered, "Don't be afraid! Stand your ground, and you will see what the Lord will do to save you today; you will never see these Egyptians again.

14 The Lord will fight for you, and all you have to do is keep still."

15 The Lord said to Moses, "Why are you crying out for help? Tell the people to move forward.

16 Lift up your walking stick and hold it out over the sea. The water will divide, and the Israelites will be able to walk through the sea on dry ground.

17 I will make the Egyptians so stubborn that they will go in after them, and I will gain honor by my victory over the king, his army, his chariots, and his drivers.

18 When I defeat them, the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord."

19 The angel of God, who had been in front of the army of Israel, moved and went to the rear. The pillar of cloud also moved until it was

20 between the Egyptians and the Israelites. The cloud made it dark for the Egyptians, but gave light to the people of Israel, and so the armies could not come near each other all night.

21 Moses held out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind. It blew all night and turned the sea into dry land. The water was divided,

22 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on both sides.

23 The Egyptians pursued them and went after them into the sea with all their horses, chariots, and drivers.

24 Just before dawn the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw them into a panic.

25 He made the wheels of their chariots get stuck, so that they moved with great difficulty. The Egyptians said, "The Lord is fighting for the Israelites against us. Let's get out of here!"

26 The Lord said to Moses, "Hold out your hand over the sea, and the water will come back over the Egyptians and their chariots and drivers."

27 So Moses held out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the water returned to its normal level. The Egyptians tried to escape from the water, but the Lord threw them into the sea.

28 The water returned and covered the chariots, the drivers, and all the Egyptian army that had followed the Israelites into the sea; not one of them was left.

29 But the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on both sides.

30 On that day the Lord saved the people of Israel from the Egyptians, and the Israelites saw them lying dead on the seashore.

31 When the Israelites saw the great power with which the Lord had defeated the Egyptians, they stood in awe of the Lord; and they had faith in the Lord and in his servant Moses.

1 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord: "I will sing to the Lord, because he has won a glorious victory; he has thrown the horses and their riders into the sea.

2 The Lord is my strong defender; he is the one who has saved me. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will sing about his greatness.

3 The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name.

4 "He threw Egypt's army and its chariots into the sea; the best of its officers were drowned in the Red Sea.

5 The deep sea covered them; they sank to the bottom like a stone.

6 "Your right hand, Lord, is awesome in power; it breaks the enemy in pieces.

7 In majestic triumph you overthrow your foes; your anger blazes out and burns them up like straw.

8 You blew on the sea and the water piled up high; it stood up straight like a wall; the deepest part of the sea became solid.

9 The enemy said, "I will pursue them and catch them; I will divide their wealth and take all I want; I will draw my sword and take all they have.'

10 But one breath from you, Lord, and the Egyptians were drowned; they sank like lead in the terrible water.

11 "Lord, who among the gods is like you? Who is like you, wonderful in holiness? Who can work miracles and mighty acts like yours?

12 You stretched out your right hand, and the earth swallowed our enemies.

13 Faithful to your promise, you led the people you had rescued; by your strength you guided them to your sacred land.

14 The nations have heard, and they tremble with fear; the Philistines are seized with terror.

15 The leaders of Edom are terrified; Moab's mighty men are trembling; the people of Canaan lose their courage.

16 Terror and dread fall upon them. They see your strength, O Lord, and stand helpless with fear until your people have marched past - the people you set free from slavery.

17 You bring them in and plant them on your mountain, the place that you, Lord, have chosen for your home, the Temple that you yourself have built.

18 You, Lord, will be king forever and ever."

19 The Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. But when the Egyptian chariots with their horses and drivers went into the sea, the Lord brought the water back, and it covered them.

20 The prophet Miriam, Aaron's sister, took her tambourine, and all the women followed her, playing tambourines and dancing.

21 Miriam sang for them: "Sing to the Lord, because he has won a glorious victory; he has thrown the horses and their riders into the sea."

22 Then Moses led the people of Israel away from the Red Sea into the desert of Shur. For three days they walked through the desert, but found no water.

23 Then they came to a place called Marah, but the water there was so bitter that they could not drink it. That is why it was named Marah.

24 The people complained to Moses and asked, "What are we going to drink?"

25 Moses prayed earnestly to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood, which he threw into the water; and the water became fit to drink. There the Lord gave them laws to live by, and there he also tested them.

26 He said, "If you will obey me completely by doing what I consider right and by keeping my commands, I will not punish you with any of the diseases that I brought on the Egyptians. I am the Lord, the one who heals you."

27 Next they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees; there they camped by the water.

1 Six days later Jesus took with him Peter and the brothers James and John and led them up a high mountain where they were alone.

2 As they looked on, a change came over Jesus: his face was shining like the sun, and his clothes were dazzling white.

3 Then the three disciples saw Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus.

4 So Peter spoke up and said to Jesus, "Lord, how good it is that we are here! If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

5 While he was talking, a shining cloud came over them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my own dear Son, with whom I am pleased - listen to him!"

6 When the disciples heard the voice, they were so terrified that they threw themselves face downward on the ground.

7 Jesus came to them and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don't be afraid!"

8 So they looked up and saw no one there but Jesus.

9 As they came down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, "Don't tell anyone about this vision you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from death."

10 Then the disciples asked Jesus, "Why do the teachers of the Law say that Elijah has to come first?"

11 "Elijah is indeed coming first," answered Jesus, "and he will get everything ready.

12 But I tell you that Elijah has already come and people did not recognize him, but treated him just as they pleased. In the same way they will also mistreat the Son of Man."

13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

14 When they returned to the crowd, a man came to Jesus, knelt before him,

15 and said, "Sir, have mercy on my son! He is an epileptic and has such terrible attacks that he often falls in the fire or into water.

16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him."

17 Jesus answered, "How unbelieving and wrong you people are! How long must I stay with you? How long do I have to put up with you? Bring the boy here to me!"

18 Jesus gave a command to the demon, and it went out of the boy, and at that very moment he was healed.

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked him, "Why couldn't we drive the demon out?"

20 "It was because you do not have enough faith," answered Jesus. "I assure you that if you have faith as big as a mustard seed, you can say to this hill, "Go from here to there!' and it will go. You could do anything!"

22 When the disciples all came together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is about to be handed over to those

23 who will kill him; but three days later he will be raised to life." The disciples became very sad.

24 When Jesus and his disciples came to Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax came to Peter and asked, "Does your teacher pay the Temple tax?"

25 "Of course," Peter answered. When Peter went into the house, Jesus spoke up first, "Simon, what is your opinion? Who pays duties or taxes to the kings of this world? The citizens of the country or the foreigners?"

26 "The foreigners," answered Peter. "Well, then," replied Jesus, "that means that the citizens don't have to pay.

27 But we don't want to offend these people. So go to the lake and drop in a line. Pull up the first fish you hook, and in its mouth you will find a coin worth enough for my Temple tax and yours. Take it and pay them our taxes."