Exodus 14; Exodus 15; Matthew 17

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses.

2 He said, "Tell the people of Israel to turn back. Have them camp near Pi Hahiroth between Migdol and the Red Sea. They must camp by the sea, right across from Baal Zephon.

3 Pharaoh will think, 'The people of Israel are wandering around the land. They don't know which way to go. The desert is all around them.'

4 "I will make Pharaoh's heart stubborn. He will chase them. But I will gain glory for myself because of what will happen to Pharaoh and his whole army. And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord." So the Israelites camped by the Red Sea.

5 The king of Egypt was told that the people had gotten away. Then Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them. They said, "What have we done? We've let the people of Israel go! We've lost our slaves and all of the work they used to do for us!"

6 So he had his chariot made ready. He took his army with him.

7 He took 600 of the best chariots in Egypt. He also took along all of the other chariots. Officers were in charge of all of them.

8 The LORD made the heart of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, stubborn. So he chased the Israelites, who were marching out boldly.

9 The Egyptians went after the Israelites. All of Pharaoh's horses and chariots and horsemen and troops went after them. They caught up with them as they camped by the sea. The Israelites were near Pi Hahiroth, across from Baal Zephon.

10 As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up. There were the Egyptians marching after them! The Israelites were terrified. They cried out to the Lord.

11 They said to Moses, "Why did you bring us to the desert to die? Weren't there any graves in Egypt? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?

12 We told you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone. Let us serve the Egyptians.' It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die here in the desert!"

13 Moses answered the people. He said, "Don't be afraid. Stand firm. You will see how the LORD will save you today. Do you see those Egyptians? You will never see them again.

14 The LORD will fight for you. Just be still."

15 Then the LORD spoke to Moses. He said, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people of Israel to move on.

16 Hold your wooden staff out. Reach your hand out over the Red Sea to part the water. Then the people can go through the sea on dry ground.

17 "I will make the hearts of the Egyptians stubborn. They will go in after the Israelites. I will gain glory for myself because of what will happen to Pharaoh, his whole army, his chariots and his horsemen.

18 "The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord. I will gain glory because of what will happen to all of them."

19 The angel of God had been traveling in front of Israel's army. Now he moved back and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved away from in front of them. Now it stood behind them.

20 It came between the armies of Egypt and Israel. All through the night the cloud brought darkness to one side and light to the other. Neither army went near the other all night long.

21 Then Moses reached his hand out over the Red Sea. All that night the LORD pushed the sea back with a strong east wind. He turned the sea into dry land. The waters were parted.

22 The people of Israel went through the sea on dry ground. There was a wall of water on their right side and on their left.

23 The Egyptians chased them. All of Pharaoh's horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea.

24 Near the end of the night the LORD looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud. He saw the Egyptian army and threw it into a panic.

25 He kept their chariot wheels from turning freely. That made the chariots hard to drive. The Egyptians said, "Let's get away from the Israelites! The LORD is fighting for Israel against Egypt."

26 Then the LORD spoke to Moses. He said, "Reach your hand out over the sea. The waters will flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen."

27 So Moses reached his hand out over the sea. At sunrise the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians tried to run away from the sea. But the LORD swept them into it.

28 The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen. It covered the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the people of Israel into the sea. Not one of the Egyptians was left.

29 But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground. There was a wall of water on their right side and on their left.

30 That day the LORD saved Israel from the power of Egypt. Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore.

31 The Israelites saw the great power the LORD showed against the Egyptians. So they had respect for the Lord. They put their trust in him and in his servant Moses.

1 Here is the song that Moses and the people of Israel sang to the Lord. They said, "I will sing to the Lord. He is greatly honored. He has thrown Pharaoh's horses and their riders into the Red Sea.

2 The LORD gives me strength. I sing about him. He has saved me. He is my God. I will praise him. He is my father's God. I will honor him.

3 The LORD goes into battle. The LORD is his name.

4 He has thrown Pharaoh's chariots and army into the Red Sea. Pharaoh's best officers drowned in the sea.

5 The deep waters covered them. They sank to the bottom like a stone.

6 "Lord, your right hand was majestic and powerful. Lord, your right hand destroyed your enemies.

7 Because of your great majesty, you threw down those who opposed you. Your burning anger blazed out. It burned them up like straw.

8 The powerful blast from your nose piled up the waters. The rushing waters stood firm like a wall. The deep waters stood up in the middle of the sea.

9 "Your enemies bragged, 'We will chase Israel. We will catch them. We'll divide up what we take from them. We'll eat them alive. We'll pull our swords out. Our powerful hands will destroy them.'

10 But you blew with your breath. The Red Sea covered your enemies. They sank like lead in the mighty waters.

11 "Lord, who among the gods is like you? Who is like you? You are majestic and holy. Your glory fills me with wonder. You do wonderful miracles.

12 You reached out your right hand. The earth swallowed up the Egyptians.

13 "Because your love is faithful, you will lead the people you have set free. Because you are so strong, you will guide them to the holy place where you live.

14 The nations will hear about it and tremble. Pain and suffering will take hold of the Philistines.

15 The chiefs of Edom will be terrified. The leaders of Moab will tremble with fear. The people of Canaan will melt away.

16 Fear and terror will fall on them. Your powerful arm will make them as still as a stone. Then your people will pass by, Lord. Then the people you created will pass by.

17 You will bring them in. You will plant them on the mountain you gave them. LORD, you have made that place your home. Lord, your hands have made your holy place secure.

18 "The LORD will rule for ever and ever."

19 Pharaoh's horses, chariots and horsemen went into the Red Sea. The LORD brought the waters of the sea back over them. But the people of Israel walked through the sea on dry ground.

20 Aaron's sister Miriam was a prophet. She took a tambourine in her hand. All the women followed her. They played tambourines and danced.

21 Miriam sang to them, "Sing to the Lord. He is greatly honored. He has thrown Pharaoh's horses and their riders into the Red Sea."

22 Then Moses led Israel away from the Red Sea. They went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert. They didn't find any water there.

23 When they came to Marah, they couldn't drink its water. It was bitter. That's why the place is named Marah.

24 The people told Moses they weren't happy with him. They said, "What are we supposed to drink?"

25 Then Moses cried out to the Lord. The LORD showed him a stick. Moses threw it into the water. The water became sweet. There the LORD made a rule and a law for the people. And there he put them to the test.

26 He said, "I am the LORD your God. Listen carefully to my voice. Do what is right in my eyes. Pay attention to my commands. Obey all of my rules. If you do, I will not send on you any of the sicknesses I sent on the Egyptians. I am the LORD who heals you."

27 The people came to Elim. It had 12 springs and 70 palm trees. They camped there near the water.

1 After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John the brother of James with him. He led them up a high mountain. They were all alone.

2 There in front of them his appearance was changed. His face shone like the sun. His clothes became as white as the light.

3 Just then Moses and Elijah appeared in front of them. Moses and Elijah were talking with Jesus.

4 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters. One will be for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

5 While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud surrounded them. A voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, and I love him. I am very pleased with him. Listen to him!"

6 When the disciples heard this, they were terrified. They fell with their faces to the ground.

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

8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

9 They came down the mountain. On the way down, Jesus told them what to do. "Don't tell anyone what you have seen," he said. "Wait until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."

10 The disciples asked him, "Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah has to come first?"

11 Jesus replied, "That's right. Elijah is supposed to come and make all things new again.

12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come. People didn't recognize him. They have done to him everything they wanted to do. In the same way, they are going to make the Son of Man suffer."

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

14 When they came near the crowd, a man approached Jesus. He got on his knees in front of him.

15 "Lord," he said, "have mercy on my son. He shakes wildly and suffers a great deal. He often falls into the fire or into the water.

16 I brought him to your disciples. But they couldn't heal him."

17 "You unbelieving and evil people!" Jesus replied. "How long do I have to stay with you? How long do I have to put up with you? Bring the boy here to me."

18 Jesus ordered the demon to leave the boy, and it came out of him. He was healed at that very moment.

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

20 He replied, "Because your faith is much too small. What I'm about to tell you is true. If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, it is enough. You can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there.' And it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

22 They came together in Galilee. Then Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be handed over to men.

23 They will kill him. On the third day he will rise from the dead." Then the disciples were filled with deep sadness.

24 Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum. There the tax collectors came to Peter. They asked him, "Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax?"

25 "Yes, he does," he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus spoke first. "What do you think, Simon?" he asked. "Who do the kings of the earth collect taxes and fees from? Do they collect from their own sons or from others?"

26 "From others," Peter answered. "Then the sons don't have to pay," Jesus said to him.

27 "But we don't want to make them angry. So go to the lake and throw out your fishing line. Take the first fish you catch. Open its mouth. There you will find the exact coin you need. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours."