FIRST
READING: Numbers 21: 4 - 9
4
From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around
the land of Edom; and the people became impatient on the way.
5
And the people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have
you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is
no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food."
6
Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the
people, so that many people of Israel died.
7
And the people came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, for we
have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD, that
he take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the
people.
8
And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on
a pole; and every one who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live."
9
So Moses made a bronze serpent, and set it on a pole; and if a
serpent bit any man, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.
PSALM: Psalms 102: 2 - 3, 16 - 21
2
Do not hide thy face from me in the day of my distress! Incline thy
ear to me; answer me speedily in the day when I call!
3
For my days pass away like smoke, and my bones burn like a furnace.
16
For the LORD will build up Zion, he will appear in his glory;
17
he will regard the prayer of the destitute, and will not despise
their supplication.
18
Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet
unborn may praise the LORD:
19
that he looked down from his holy height, from heaven the LORD looked
at the earth,
20
to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were
doomed to die;
21
that men may declare in Zion the name of the LORD, and in Jerusalem
his praise.
GOSPEL: John 8: 21 - 30
21
Again he said to them, "I go away, and you will seek me and die
in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come."
22
Then said the Jews, "Will he kill himself, since he says, `Where
I am going, you cannot come'?"
23
He said to them, "You are from below, I am from above; you are
of this world, I am not of this world.
24
I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your
sins unless you believe that I am he."
25
They said to him, "Who are you?" Jesus said to them, "Even
what I have told you from the beginning.
26
I have much to say about you and much to judge; but he who sent me is
true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him."
27
They did not understand that he spoke to them of the Father.
28
So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you
will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority but
speak thus as the Father taught me.
29
And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always
do what is pleasing to him."
30
As he spoke thus, many believed in him.
