First Reading
Reading from the book of Numbers
Numbers 21:4-9
In those days, the Hebrews set out from Mount Hor toward the Red Sea to go around the land of Edom; but along the way, the people grew impatient and grumbled against God and against Moses, saying: “Why did you bring us out of Egypt? To die in the desert? We have no bread or water, and we are already weary of this wretched food.”
Then the Lord sent venomous serpents against the people, which bit them, and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said: “We have sinned by grumbling against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord to take the serpents away from us.” Moses prayed for the people, and the Lord answered him: “Make a serpent like those and mount it on a pole. Whoever has been bitten by the serpents and looks at the one you make will live.” Moses made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole; and if anyone was bitten and looked at the bronze serpent, they were cured.
Gospel
Reading from the holy Gospel according to Saint John
John 8:21-30
At that time, Jesus said to the Jews: “I am going away and you will look for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” So the Jews said: “Is he going to kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” But Jesus continued: “You belong to what is below, I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.”
Then the Jews asked him: “Who are you?” Jesus answered: “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. I have much to say about you and much to condemn. The one who sent me is truthful, and what I heard from him I tell the world.” They did not realize that he was speaking to them of the Father.
Jesus continued: “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own, but I say only what the Father taught me. The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him.” After he said this, many came to believe in him.