The Signs of the End. 7^d Then they asked him, “Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?” 8He answered, “See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’^* Do not follow them!^e 9When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.” 10Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.^f 11There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.

The Coming Persecution. 12^g “Before all this happens,^* however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name.^h 13It will lead to your giving testimony. 14Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, 15ⁱ for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking^* that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. 16^j You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death.^k 17You will be hated by all because of my name, 18but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.^l 19By your perseverance you will secure your lives.^m

The Bronze Serpent. 4From Mount Hor they set out by way of the Red Sea, to bypass the land of Edom, but the people’s patience was worn out by the journey; 5so the people complained^d against God and Moses, “Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness, where there is no food or water? We are disgusted with this wretched food!”^*

6So the LORD sent among the people seraph^* serpents, which bit^e the people so that many of the Israelites died. 7Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you. Pray to the LORD to take the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people, 8and the LORD said to Moses: Make a seraph and mount it on a pole, and everyone who has been bitten will look at it and recover.^* 9Accordingly Moses made a bronze serpent^* and mounted it on a pole, and whenever the serpent bit someone, the person looked at the bronze serpent and recovered.^f

1^* I was ready to respond to those who did not ask,

to be found by those who did not seek me.

I said: Here I am! Here I am!

To a nation that did not invoke my name.^a

2I have stretched out my hands all day

to a rebellious people,

Who walk in a way that is not good,

following their own designs;^b

3A people who provoke me

continually to my face,

Offering sacrifices in gardens

and burning incense on bricks,

4Sitting in tombs

and spending the night in caves,

Eating the flesh of pigs,

with broth of unclean meat in their dishes;

5Crying out, “Hold back,

do not come near me, lest I render you holy!”^*

These things are smoke in my nostrils,

a fire that burns all the day.

6See, it stands written before me;

I will not remain quiet until I have repaid in full

7Your crimes and the crimes of your ancestors as well,

says the LORD.

Since they burned incense on the mountains,

and insulted me on the hills,

I will at once pour out in full measure

their recompense into their laps.

Paradox of the Cross. 18The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.^k 19For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,

and the learning of the learned I will set aside.”^l

20Where is the wise one? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish?^m 21^* For since in the wisdom of God the world did not come to know God through wisdom, it was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation to save those who have faith. 22For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,ⁿ 23but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,^o 24but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.