⁷ and tomorrow put burning coals^(A) and incense^(B) in them before the Lord. The man the Lord chooses^(C) will be the one who is holy.^(D) You Levites have gone too far!”

³ They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron^(A) and said to them, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy,^(B) every one of them, and the Lord is with them.^(C) Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?”^(D)

⁹ But you are a chosen people,^(A) a royal priesthood,^(B) a holy nation,^(C) God’s special possession,^(D) that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.^(E)

Stand Firm

¹³ But we ought always to thank God for you,^(A) brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits^[a](B) to be saved^(C) through the sanctifying work of the Spirit^(D) and through belief in the truth.

⁴ For he chose us^(A) in him before the creation of the world^(B) to be holy and blameless^(C) in his sight. In love^(D)

The Authority of Jesus Questioned^(A)

²³ Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority^(B) are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”

²⁴ Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ²⁵ John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”

They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ ²⁶ But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”^(C)

²⁷ So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

¹⁷ When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, you troubler^(A) of Israel?”

¹⁸ “I have not made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you^(B) and your father’s family have. You have abandoned^(C) the Lord’s commands and have followed the Baals.

⁵ Then he said to Korah and all his followers: “In the morning the Lord will show who belongs to him and who is holy,^(A) and he will have that person come near him.^(B) The man he chooses^(C) he will cause to come near him.