“The One who comes from above is greater than all.

He who is from the earth belongs to the earth and talks about things on the earth.

But the One who comes from heaven is greater than all.

He tells what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts what he says.

The person who accepts what he says has proven that God is true. God sent him, and he tells the things that God says. God gives him the Spirit fully.

Then Moses climbed up Mount Nebo. He went from the plains of Moab to the top of Mount Pisgah. It is across from Jericho. From there the Lord showed him all the land. He could see from Gilead to Dan. He could see all of Naphtali and the lands of Ephraim and Manasseh. He could see all the land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea. He could see the southern desert and the whole Valley of Jericho up to Zoar. Jericho is called the city of palm trees. Then the Lord said to Moses, “This is the land I promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I said to them, ‘I will give this land to your descendants.’

I have let you look at it, Moses. But you will not cross over there.” Then Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in Moab. It was as the Lord had said. The Lord buried Moses in Moab in the valley opposite Beth Peor. But even today no one knows where his grave is. Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eyes were not weak. And he was still strong. The Israelites cried for Moses for 30 days. They stayed in the plains of Moab until the time of sadness was over.

Joshua son of Nun was then filled with wisdom. Moses had put his hands on Joshua. So the Israelites listened to Joshua. And they did what the Lord had commanded Moses. There has never been another prophet like Moses. The Lord knew Moses face to face. The Lord sent Moses to do signs and miracles in Egypt. He did them to the king, to all his officers and to the whole land of Egypt. Moses had great power. He did wonderful things for all the Israelites to see.

The apostles were still in Jerusalem. They heard that the people of Samaria had accepted the word of God. So they sent Peter and John to them. When Peter and John arrived, they prayed that the Samaritan believers might receive the Holy Spirit. These people had been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. But the Holy Spirit had not yet entered any of them. Then, when the two apostles began laying their hands on the people, they received the Holy Spirit.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Climb this mountain in the Abarim Mountains. Look at the land I have given to the Israelites. After you have seen it, you will die as your brother Aaron did. You both acted against my command in the Desert of Zin. You did not honor me as holy before the people at the waters of Meribah.” (This was at Meribah in Kadesh in the Desert of Zin.) Moses said to the Lord, “The Lord is the God of the spirits of all people. May he choose a good leader for these people. He must go in and out before them. He must lead them out like sheep and bring them in. The Lord’s people must not be like sheep without a shepherd.”

So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun. My Spirit is in him. Put your hand on him. Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the people. Then give him his orders as they watch. Let him share your honor. Then all the Israelites will obey him. He must stand before Eleazar the priest. And Eleazar will get advice from the Lord by using the Urim. At his command all the Israelites will go out. At his command they will all come in.” Moses did what the Lord told him. Moses had Joshua stand before Eleazar the priest and all the people. Then Moses put his hands on him and gave him orders. This was just as the Lord had told him.