The Command to Leave Horeb

1 These are the words Moses spoke to all Israel in the wilderness east of the Jordan^(A)—that is, in the Arabah^(B)—opposite Suph, between Paran^(C) and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab. ² (It takes eleven days to go from Horeb^(D) to Kadesh Barnea^(E) by the Mount Seir^(F) road.)^(G)

³ In the fortieth year,^(H) on the first day of the eleventh month,^(I) Moses proclaimed^(J) to the Israelites all that the Lord had commanded him concerning them. ⁴ This was after he had defeated Sihon^(K) king of the Amorites,^(L) who reigned in Heshbon,^(M) and at Edrei had defeated Og^(N) king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.^(O)

⁵ East of the Jordan in the territory of Moab,^(P) Moses began to expound this law, saying:

⁶ The Lord our God said to us^(Q) at Horeb,^(R) “You have stayed long enough^(S) at this mountain. ⁷ Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites;^(T) go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah,^(U) in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev^(V) and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites^(W) and to Lebanon,^(X) as far as the great river, the Euphrates.^{(Y) 8} See, I have given you this land^(Z).^(AA) Go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore^(AB) he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them.”

The Appointment of Leaders

⁹ At that time I said to you, “You are too heavy a burden^(AC) for me to carry alone.^{(AD) 10} The Lord your God has increased^(AE) your numbers^(AF) so that today you are as numerous^(AG) as the stars in the sky.^{(AH) 11} May the Lord, the God of your ancestors, increase^(AI) you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised!^{(AJ) 12} But how can I bear your problems and your burdens and your disputes all by myself?^{(AK) 13} Choose some wise, understanding and respected men^(AL) from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you.”

¹⁴ You answered me, “What you propose to do is good.”

¹⁵ So I took^(AM) the leading men of your tribes,^(AN) wise and respected men,^(AO) and appointed them to have authority over you—as commanders^(AP) of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as tribal officials.^{(AQ) 16} And I charged your judges at that time, “Hear the disputes between your people and judge^(AR) fairly,^(AS) whether the case is between two Israelites or between an Israelite and a foreigner residing among you.^{(AT) 17} Do not show partiality^(AU) in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone,^(AV) for judgment belongs to God. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it.”^{(AW) 18} And at that time I told you everything you were to do.^(AX)

Spies Sent Out

¹⁹ Then, as the Lord our God commanded us, we set out from Horeb and went toward the hill country of the Amorites^(AY) through all that vast and dreadful wilderness^(AZ) that you have seen, and so we reached Kadesh Barnea.^{(BA) 20} Then I said to you, “You have reached the hill country of the Amorites, which the Lord our God is giving us. ²¹ See, the Lord your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession^(BB) of it as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, told you. Do not be afraid;^(BC) do not be discouraged.”^(BD)

²² Then all of you came to me and said, “Let us send men ahead to spy^(BE) out the land^(BF) for us and bring back a report about the route we are to take and the towns we will come to.”

²³ The idea seemed good to me; so I selected^(BG) twelve of you, one man from each tribe. ²⁴ They left and went up into the hill country, and came to the Valley of Eshkol^(BH) and explored it. ²⁵ Taking with them some of the fruit of the land, they brought it down to us and reported,^(BI) “It is a good land^(BJ) that the Lord our God is giving us.”^(BK)

Rebellion Against the Lord

²⁶ But you were unwilling to go up;^(BL) you rebelled^(BM) against the command of the Lord your God. ²⁷ You grumbled^(BN) in your tents and said, “The Lord hates us; so he brought us out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us. ²⁸ Where can we go? Our brothers have made our hearts melt in fear. They say, ‘The people are stronger and taller^(BO) than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the sky. We even saw the Anakites^(BP) there.’”

²⁹ Then I said to you, “Do not be terrified; do not be afraid^(BQ) of them.^{(BR) 30} The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight^(BS) for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, ³¹ and in the wilderness. There you saw how the Lord your God carried^(BT) you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.”^(BU)

³² In spite of this,^(BV) you did not trust^(BW) in the Lord your God, ³³ who went ahead of you on your journey, in fire by night and in a cloud by day,^(BX) to search^(BY) out places for you to camp and to show you the way you should go.

³⁴ When the Lord heard^(BZ) what you said, he was angry^(CA) and solemnly swore:^{(CB) 35} “No one from this evil generation shall see the good land^(CC) I swore to give your ancestors, ³⁶ except Caleb^(CD) son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land he set his feet on, because he followed the Lord wholeheartedly.^(CE)”

³⁷ Because of you the Lord became angry^(CF) with me also and said, “You shall not enter^(CG) it, either. ³⁸ But your assistant, Joshua^(CH) son of Nun, will enter it. Encourage^(CI) him, because he will lead^(CJ) Israel to inherit^(CK) it. ³⁹ And the little ones that you said would be taken captive,^(CL) your children who do not yet know^(CM) good from bad—they will enter the land. I will give it to them and they will take possession of it. ⁴⁰ But as for you, turn around and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea.^[a](CN)”

⁴¹ Then you replied, “We have sinned against the Lord. We will go up and fight, as the Lord our God commanded us.” So every one of you put on his weapons, thinking it easy to go up into the hill country.

⁴² But the Lord said to me, “Tell them, ‘Do not go up and fight, because I will not be with you. You will be defeated by your enemies.’”^(CO)

⁴³ So I told you, but you would not listen. You rebelled against the Lord’s command and in your arrogance you marched up into the hill country. ⁴⁴ The Amorites who lived in those hills came out against you; they chased you like a swarm of bees^(CP) and beat you down from Seir^(CQ) all the way to Hormah.^{(CR) 45} You came back and wept before the Lord,^(CS) but he paid no attention^(CT) to your weeping and turned a deaf ear^(CU) to you. ⁴⁶ And so you stayed in Kadesh^(CV) many days—all the time you spent there.

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Further Sayings of the Wise

²³ These also are sayings of the wise:^(U)

Peter Heals a Lame Beggar

3 One day Peter and John^(A) were going up to the temple^(B) at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon.^{(C) 2} Now a man who was lame from birth^(D) was being carried to the temple gate^(E) called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg^(F) from those going into the temple courts. ³ When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. ⁴ Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” ⁵ So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

⁶ Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,^(G) walk.” ⁷ Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. ⁸ He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping,^(H) and praising God. ⁹ When all the people^(I) saw him walking and praising God, ¹⁰ they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful,^(J) and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Peter Speaks to the Onlookers

¹¹ While the man held on to Peter and John,^(K) all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade.^{(L) 12} When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? ¹³ The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,^(M) the God of our fathers,^(N) has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over^(O) to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate,^(P) though he had decided to let him go.^{(Q) 14} You disowned the Holy^(R) and Righteous One^(S) and asked that a murderer be released to you.^{(T) 15} You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead.^(U) We are witnesses^(V) of this. ¹⁶ By faith in the name of Jesus,^(W) this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

¹⁷ “Now, fellow Israelites,^(X) I know that you acted in ignorance,^(Y) as did your leaders.^{(Z) 18} But this is how God fulfilled^(AA) what he had foretold^(AB) through all the prophets,^(AC) saying that his Messiah would suffer.^{(AD) 19} Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out,^(AE) that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, ²⁰ and that he may send the Messiah,^(AF) who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. ²¹ Heaven must receive him^(AG) until the time comes for God to restore everything,^(AH) as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.^{(AI) 22} For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you.^{(AJ) 23} Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.’^[a](AK)

²⁴ “Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets^(AL) who have spoken have foretold these days. ²⁵ And you are heirs^(AM) of the prophets and of the covenant^(AN) God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’^{[b](AO) 26} When God raised up^(AP) his servant, he sent him first^(AQ) to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”