Exodus 4
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New American Standard Bible 1995New International Version
1Then Moses said, "What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say? For they may say, 'The LORD has not appeared to you.'"1Moses answered, "What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, 'The LORD did not appear to you'?"
2The LORD said to him, "What is that in your hand?" And he said, "A staff."2Then the LORD said to him, "What is that in your hand?" "A staff," he replied.
3Then He said, "Throw it on the ground." So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it.3The LORD said, "Throw it on the ground." Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it.
4But the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand and grasp it by its tail "-- so he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand--4Then the LORD said to him, "Reach out your hand and take it by the tail." So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand.
5"that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you."5"This," said the LORD, "is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers--the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob--has appeared to you."
6The LORD furthermore said to him, "Now put your hand into your bosom." So he put his hand into his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow.6Then the LORD said, "Put your hand inside your cloak." So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, the skin was leprous --it had become as white as snow.
7Then He said, "Put your hand into your bosom again." So he put his hand into his bosom again, and when he took it out of his bosom, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh.7"Now put it back into your cloak," he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh.
8"If they will not believe you or heed the witness of the first sign, they may believe the witness of the last sign.8Then the LORD said, "If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first sign, they may believe the second.
9"But if they will not believe even these two signs or heed what you say, then you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground; and the water which you take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground."9But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the ground."
10Then Moses said to the LORD, "Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue."10Moses said to the LORD, "Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue."
11The LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?11The LORD said to him, "Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the LORD?
12"Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say."12Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say."
13But he said, "Please, Lord, now send the message by whomever You will."13But Moses said, "Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else."
14Then the anger of the LORD burned against Moses, and He said, "Is there not your brother Aaron the Levite? I know that he speaks fluently. And moreover, behold, he is coming out to meet you; when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.14Then the LORD's anger burned against Moses and he said, "What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you.
15"You are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth; and I, even I, will be with your mouth and his mouth, and I will teach you what you are to do.15You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do.
16"Moreover, he shall speak for you to the people; and he will be as a mouth for you and you will be as God to him.16He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him.
17"You shall take in your hand this staff, with which you shall perform the signs."17But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it."
18Then Moses departed and returned to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, "Please, let me go, that I may return to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see if they are still alive." And Jethro said to Moses, "Go in peace."18Then Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, "Let me return to my own people in Egypt to see if any of them are still alive." Jethro said, "Go, and I wish you well."
19Now the LORD said to Moses in Midian, "Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead."19Now the LORD had said to Moses in Midian, "Go back to Egypt, for all those who wanted to kill you are dead."
20So Moses took his wife and his sons and mounted them on a donkey, and returned to the land of Egypt. Moses also took the staff of God in his hand.20So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand.
21The LORD said to Moses, "When you go back to Egypt see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.21The LORD said to Moses, "When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.
22"Then you shall say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the LORD, "Israel is My son, My firstborn.22Then say to Pharaoh, 'This is what the LORD says: Israel is my firstborn son,
23"So I said to you, 'Let My son go that he may serve Me'; but you have refused to let him go. Behold, I will kill your son, your firstborn."'"23and I told you, "Let my son go, so he may worship me." But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.'"
24Now it came about at the lodging place on the way that the LORD met him and sought to put him to death.24At a lodging place on the way, the LORD met Moses and was about to kill him.
25Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son's foreskin and threw it at Moses' feet, and she said, "You are indeed a bridegroom of blood to me."25But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son's foreskin and touched Moses' feet with it. "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me," she said.
26So He let him alone. At that time she said, "You are a bridegroom of blood "-- because of the circumcision.26So the LORD let him alone. (At that time she said "bridegroom of blood," referring to circumcision.)
27Now the LORD said to Aaron, "Go to meet Moses in the wilderness." So he went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him.27The LORD said to Aaron, "Go into the wilderness to meet Moses." So he met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him.
28Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD with which He had sent him, and all the signs that He had commanded him to do.28Then Moses told Aaron everything the LORD had sent him to say, and also about all the signs he had commanded him to perform.
29Then Moses and Aaron went and assembled all the elders of the sons of Israel;29Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites,
30and Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses. He then performed the signs in the sight of the people.30and Aaron told them everything the LORD had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people,
31So the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD was concerned about the sons of Israel and that He had seen their affliction, then they bowed low and worshiped.31and they believed. And when they heard that the LORD was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.
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Exodus 3
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