40 Day Adventure – Day 3

₁₅The LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out for help? Tell the people to move forward. ₁₆Lift up your stick and hold it out over the sea. The water will divide, and the Israelites will be able to walk through the sea on dry ground. ₁₇I will make the Egyptians so stubborn that they will go in after them, and I will gain honour by my victory over the king, his army, his chariots, and his drivers. ₁₈When I defeat them, the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.”

₁₉The angel of God, who had been in front of the army of Israel, moved and went to the rear. The pillar of cloud also moved until it was ₂₀between the Egyptians and the Israelites. The cloud made it dark for the Egyptians, but gave light to the people of Israel, and so the armies could not come near each other all night.

₂₁Moses held out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind. It blew all night and turned the sea into dry land. The water was divided, ₂₂and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on both sides. ₂₃The Egyptians pursued them and went after them into the sea with all their horses, chariots, and drivers. ₂₄Just before dawn the LORD looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw them into a panic. ₂₅He made the wheels of their chariots get stuck, so that they moved with great difficulty. The Egyptians said, “The LORD is fighting for the Israelites against us. Let's get out of here!”

₂₆The LORD said to Moses, “Hold out your hand over the sea, and the water will come back over the Egyptians and their chariots and drivers.” ₂₇So Moses held out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the water returned to its normal level. The Egyptians tried to escape from the water, but the LORD threw them into the sea. ₂₈The water returned and covered the chariots, the drivers, and all the Egyptian army that had followed the Israelites into the sea; not one of them was left. ₂₉But the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on both sides.

₃₀On that day the LORD saved the people of Israel from the Egyptians, and the Israelites saw them lying dead on the seashore. ₃₁When the Israelites saw the great power with which the LORD had defeated the Egyptians, they stood in awe of the LORD; and they had faith in the LORD and in his servant Moses.

₉Not long afterwards Jesus came from Nazareth in the province of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ₁₀As soon as Jesus came up out of the water, he saw heaven opening and the Spirit coming down on him like a dove. ₁₁And a voice came from heaven, “You are my own dear Son. I am pleased with you.”

₁₂At once the Spirit made him go into the desert, ₁₃where he stayed forty days, being tempted by Satan. Wild animals were there also, but angels came and helped him.

₁₄After John had been put in prison, Jesus went to Galilee and preached the Good News from God. ₁₅“The right time has come,” he said, “and the Kingdom of God is near! Turn away from your sins and believe the Good News!”

₁₆As Jesus walked along the shore of Lake Galilee, he saw two fishermen, Simon and his brother Andrew, catching fish with a net. ₁₇Jesus said to them, “Come with me, and I will teach you to catch people.” ₁₈At once they left their nets and went with him.

₁₉He went a little farther on and saw two other brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in their boat getting their nets ready. ₂₀As soon as Jesus saw them, he called them; they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and went with Jesus.