³ and commanded the people, “As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by ^(A)the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it.

The Reading of the Law

⁹ Then Moses ^(A)wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, ^(B)who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel.

¹³ And when ^(A)those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, ^(B)he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal.

⁸ And as for you, command ^(A)the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, ^(B)you shall stand still in the Jordan.’”

²⁵ Moses commanded ^(A)the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord,

³³ So they set out from ^(A)the mount of the Lord three days' journey. And the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them three days' journey, to seek out ^(B)a resting place for them.

²¹ And ^(A)the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. ²² The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.

⁴ It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for ^(A)they are virgins. It is these ^(B)who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as ^(C)firstfruits for God and the Lamb,

Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus

²⁴ Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him ^(A)deny himself and ^(B)take up his cross and follow me.

^19 (A)And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”