²⁸ So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up^[a] the Son of Man,^(A) then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.^(B)

³² And I, when I am lifted up^[a] from the earth,^(A) will draw all people to myself.”^(B)

³⁴ The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law^(A) that the Messiah will remain forever,^(B) so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man^(C) must be lifted up’?^(D) Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”

The Bronze Snake

⁴ They traveled from Mount Hor^(A) along the route to the Red Sea,^[a](B) to go around Edom.^(C) But the people grew impatient on the way;^{(D) 5} they spoke against God^(E) and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt^(F) to die in the wilderness?^(G) There is no bread! There is no water!^(H) And we detest this miserable food!”^(I)

⁶ Then the Lord sent venomous snakes^(J) among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.^{(K) 7} The people came to Moses^(L) and said, “We sinned^(M) when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord^(N) will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed^(O) for the people.

⁸ The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole;^(P) anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” ⁹ So Moses made a bronze snake^(Q) and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.^(R)