Exodus 7 - 8 - Legacy Standard Bible

Exodus 7 - 8

Then Yahweh said to Moses, “See, I set you as God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. 2 You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall speak to Pharaoh that he let the sons of Israel go out of his land. 3 But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart with stiffness that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. 4 But Pharaoh will not listen to you. And I will set My hand upon Egypt and bring out My hosts, My people the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt by great judgments. 5 Then the Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh, when I stretch out My hand against Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst.” 6 So Moses and Aaron did it; as Yahweh commanded them, thus they did. 7 Now Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh.

Aaron’s Staff Becomes a Serpent

8 And Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 9 “When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Work a miraculous wonder,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent.’” 10 So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh, and thus they did just as Yahweh had commanded; and Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. 11 Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same with their secret arts. 12 And each one threw down his staff, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. 13 Yet Pharaoh’s heart was hardened with strength, and he did not listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken.

The Plague of Water Turning to Blood

14 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is hard with firmness; he refuses to let the people go. 15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he is going out to the water, and station yourself to meet him on the bank of the Nile; and you shall take in your hand the staff that was turned into a serpent. 16 And you shall say to him, ‘Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness. But behold, you have not listened until now.” 17 Thus says Yahweh, “By this you shall know that I am Yahweh: behold, I am about to strike the water that is in the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and it will be turned to blood. 18 And the fish that are in the Nile will die, and the Nile will become foul, and the Egyptians will be weary of drinking water from the Nile.”’” 19 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their pools and over all their reservoirs of water, that they may become blood; and there will be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’” 20 So Moses and Aaron did thus, as Yahweh had commanded. And he raised up the staff and struck the water that was in the Nile, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, and all the water that was in the Nile was turned to blood. 21 And the fish that were in the Nile died, and the Nile became foul, so that the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile. And the blood was through all the land of Egypt. 22 Yet the magicians of Egypt did the same with their secret arts; and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened with strength, and he did not listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken. 23 Then Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he did not set his heart even on this. 24 So all the Egyptians dug around the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink of the water of the Nile. 25 And seven full days passed after Yahweh had struck the Nile.

The Plague of Frogs

Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Come to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 2 But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite your whole territory with frogs. 3 And the Nile will swarm with frogs, and they will go up and come into your house and into your bedroom and on your bed and into the houses of your servants and on your people and into your ovens and into your kneading bowls. 4 So the frogs will come up on you and on your people and on all your servants.”’” 5 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers, over the streams and over the pools, and cause the frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.’” 6 So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. 7 And the magicians did the same with their secret arts; they caused the frogs to come up on the land of Egypt. 8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, “Entreat Yahweh that He may cause the frogs to depart from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to Yahweh.” 9 And Moses said to Pharaoh, “May the honor be yours to tell me: when shall I entreat for you and for your servants and for your people, that the frogs be cut off from you and your houses, that they may remain only in the Nile?” 10 Then he said, “Tomorrow.” So he said, “May it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like Yahweh our God. 11 And the frogs will depart from you and your houses and your servants and your people; they will remain only in the Nile.” 12 Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried out to Yahweh concerning the frogs which He had set upon Pharaoh. 13 So Yahweh did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, the courts, and the fields. 14 So they piled them in heaps, and the land became foul. 15 Then Pharaoh saw that there was relief, and he hardened his heart with firmness and did not listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken.

The Plague of Gnats

16 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become gnats through all the land of Egypt.’” 17 And they did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and there were gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became gnats through all the land of Egypt. 18 Then the magicians did the same with their secret arts in order to bring forth gnats, but they could not; so there were gnats on man and beast. 19 And the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened with strength, and he did not listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken.

The Plague of Flies

20 And Yahweh said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh as he comes out to the water, and you shall say to him, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 21 For if you do not let My people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and on your servants and on your people and into your houses; and the houses of the Egyptians will be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they stand. 22 But on that day I will make a distinction for the land of Goshen, where My people are living, so that no swarms of flies will be there, that you may know that I, Yahweh, am in the midst of the land. 23 And I will put a division between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign will happen.”’” 24 Then Yahweh did so. And there came heavy swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and the houses of his servants, and the land was laid waste because of the swarms of flies in all the land of Egypt. 25 And Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.” 26 But Moses said, “It is not right to do so, for we will sacrifice to Yahweh our God what is an abomination to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice what is an abomination to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not then stone us? 27 We must go a three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to Yahweh our God as He says to us.” 28 And Pharaoh said, “I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to Yahweh your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. Entreat for me.” 29 Then Moses said, “Behold, I am going out from you, and I shall entreat Yahweh that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people tomorrow; only may Pharaoh not deal deceitfully again in not letting the people go to sacrifice to Yahweh.” 30 So Moses went out from Pharaoh and entreated Yahweh. 31 And Yahweh did according to the word of Moses and caused the swarms of flies to depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; not one remained. 32 Then Pharaoh hardened his heart with firmness this time also, and he did not let the people go.

Luke 21

The Widow’s Offering

And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. 2 And He saw a poor widow putting in two lepta. 3 And He said, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them. 4 For they all put in their gifts out of their abundance; but she, out of what she lacked, put in all that she had for living.” 5 And while some were talking about the temple, that it had been adorned with beautiful stones and dedicated gifts, He said, 6 “As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down.” 7 So they questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, when therefore will these things happen? And what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” 8 And He said, “See to it that you are not deceived; for many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time is at hand.’ Do not go after them. 9 And when you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end does not follow immediately.”

Signs of Christ’s Return

10 Then He continued saying to them, “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, 11 and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. 12 “But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for My name’s sake. 13 It will result in an opportunity for your testimony. 14 So set in your hearts not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute. 16 But you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death, 17 and you will be hated by all because of My name. 18 Yet not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your perseverance you will gain your lives. 20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is at hand. 21 Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are in the midst of the city must leave, and those who are in the countryside must not enter the city; 22 because these are days of vengeance, so that all things which are written will be fulfilled. 23 Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days; for there will be great distress upon the land and wrath against this people, 24 and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

When Christ Returns

25 “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth anguish among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

The Parable of the Fig Tree

29 Then He told them a parable: “Behold the fig tree and all the trees; 30 as soon as they put forth leaves and you see it for yourselves, know that summer is now near. 31 So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away. 34 “But be on guard, so that your hearts will not be overcome with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap; 35 for it will come upon all those who inhabit the face of all the earth. 36 But keep on the alert at all times, praying earnestly that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” 37 Now during the day He was teaching in the temple, but during the night He would go out and spend it on the mount called “of Olives.” 38 And all the people would get up early in the morning to come to Him in the temple to listen to Him.

Psalm 55

He Will Never Allow the Righteous to Be Shaken

For the choir director. With stringed instruments. A Maskil of David.

Give ear to my prayer, O God;

And do not hide Yourself from my supplication.

Give heed to me and answer me;

I am restless in my complaint and am surely distracted,

Because of the voice of the enemy,

Because of the pressure of the wicked;

For they shake wickedness down upon me

And in anger they bear a grudge against me.

My heart is in anguish within me,

And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.

Fear and trembling come upon me,

And horror has covered me.

I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!

I would fly away and be at rest.

Behold, I would wander far away,

I would lodge in the wilderness. Selah.

I would hasten to my place of refuge

From the stormy wind and tempest.”

Confuse, O Lord, divide their tongues,

For I have seen violence and strife in the city.

Day and night they go around her upon her walls,

And wickedness and mischief are in her midst.

Destruction is in her midst;

Oppression and deceit do not depart from her streets.

For it is not an enemy who reproaches me,

Then I could bear it;

Nor is it one who hates me who has magnified himself against me,

Then I could hide myself from him.

But it is you, a man my equal,

My close companion and my familiar friend;

We who had sweet counsel together

Walked in the house of God in the throng.

Let death come deceitfully upon them;

Let them go down alive to Sheol,

For evil is in their dwelling, in their midst.

As for me, I shall call upon God,

And Yahweh will save me.

Evening and morning and at noon, I will bring my complaint and moan,

And He will hear my voice.

He will redeem my soul in peace from the battle which is against me,

For they are many who strive with me.

God will hear and answer them—

Even the one who sits enthroned from of old— Selah.

Because they do not change,

And do not fear God.

My companion has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him;

He has violated his covenant.

His speech was smoother than butter,

But his heart was war;

His words were softer than oil,

Yet they were drawn swords.

Cast your burden upon Yahweh and He will sustain you;

He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.

But You, O God, will bring them down to the pit of corruption;

Men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days.

But I will trust in You.