Month: March 2021

The Silver Trumpets

10 The Lord said to Moses: ² “Make two trumpets^(A) of hammered silver, and use them for calling the community^(B) together and for having the camps set out.^{(C) 3} When both are sounded, the whole community is to assemble before you at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ⁴ If only one is sounded, the leaders^(D)—the heads of the clans of Israel—are to assemble before you. ⁵ When a trumpet blast is sounded, the tribes camping on the east are to set out.^{(E) 6} At the sounding of a second blast, the camps on the south are to set out.^(F) The blast will be the signal for setting out. ⁷ To gather the assembly, blow the trumpets,^(G) but not with the signal for setting out.^(H)

⁸ “The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to blow the trumpets. This is to be a lasting ordinance for you and the generations to come.^{(I) 9} When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you,^(J) sound a blast on the trumpets.^(K) Then you will be remembered^(L) by the Lord your God and rescued from your enemies.^{(M) 10} Also at your times of rejoicing—your appointed festivals and New Moon feasts^(N)—you are to sound the trumpets^(O) over your burnt offerings^(P) and fellowship offerings,^(Q) and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God.^(R)”

The Israelites Leave Sinai

¹¹ On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year,^(S) the cloud lifted^(T) from above the tabernacle of the covenant law.^{(U) 12} Then the Israelites set out from the Desert of Sinai and traveled from place to place until the cloud came to rest in the Desert of Paran.^{(V) 13} They set out, this first time, at the Lord’s command through Moses.^(W)

¹⁴ The divisions of the camp of Judah went first, under their standard.^(X) Nahshon son of Amminadab^(Y) was in command. ¹⁵ Nethanel son of Zuar was over the division of the tribe^(Z) of Issachar,^{(AA) 16} and Eliab son of Helon^(AB) was over the division of the tribe of Zebulun.^{(AC) 17} Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonites and Merarites, who carried it, set out.^(AD)

¹⁸ The divisions of the camp of Reuben^(AE) went next, under their standard.^(AF) Elizur son of Shedeur^(AG) was in command. ¹⁹ Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was over the division of the tribe of Simeon,^{(AH) 20} and Eliasaph son of Deuel was over the division of the tribe of Gad.^{(AI) 21} Then the Kohathites^(AJ) set out, carrying the holy things.^(AK) The tabernacle was to be set up before they arrived.^(AL)

²² The divisions of the camp of Ephraim^(AM) went next, under their standard. Elishama son of Ammihud^(AN) was in command. ²³ Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the division of the tribe of Manasseh,^{(AO) 24} and Abidan son of Gideoni was over the division of the tribe of Benjamin.^(AP)

²⁵ Finally, as the rear guard^(AQ) for all the units, the divisions of the camp of Dan set out under their standard. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai^(AR) was in command. ²⁶ Pagiel son of Okran was over the division of the tribe of Asher,^{(AS) 27} and Ahira son of Enan was over the division of the tribe of Naphtali.^{(AT) 28} This was the order of march for the Israelite divisions as they set out.

²⁹ Now Moses said to Hobab^(AU) son of Reuel^(AV) the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law,^(AW) “We are setting out for the place about which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’^(AX) Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good things to Israel.”

³⁰ He answered, “No, I will not go;^(AY) I am going back to my own land and my own people.^(AZ)”

³¹ But Moses said, “Please do not leave us. You know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.^{(BA) 32} If you come with us, we will share with you^(BB) whatever good things the Lord gives us.^(BC)”

³³ So they set out^(BD) from the mountain of the Lord and traveled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord^(BE) went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest.^{(BF) 34} The cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.^(BG)

³⁵ Whenever the ark set out, Moses said,

³⁶ Whenever it came to rest, he said,

Fire From the Lord

11 Now the people complained^(BN) about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord,^(BO) and when he heard them his anger was aroused.^(BP) Then fire from the Lord burned among them^(BQ) and consumed^(BR) some of the outskirts of the camp. ² When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed^(BS) to the Lord^(BT) and the fire died down. ³ So that place was called Taberah,^[a](BU) because fire from the Lord had burned among them.^(BV)

Quail From the Lord

⁴ The rabble with them began to crave other food,^(BW) and again the Israelites started wailing^(BX) and said, “If only we had meat to eat! ⁵ We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.^{(BY) 6} But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!^(BZ)”

⁷ The manna was like coriander seed^(CA) and looked like resin.^{(CB) 8} The people went around gathering it,^(CC) and then ground it in a hand mill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into loaves. And it tasted like something made with olive oil. ⁹ When the dew^(CD) settled on the camp at night, the manna also came down.

¹⁰ Moses heard the people of every family wailing^(CE) at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. ¹¹ He asked the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble^(CF) on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me?^{(CG) 12} Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant,^(CH) to the land you promised on oath^(CI) to their ancestors?^{(CJ) 13} Where can I get meat for all these people?^(CK) They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ ¹⁴ I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me.^{(CL) 15} If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me^(CM)—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.”

¹⁶ The Lord said to Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders^(CN) who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people.^(CO) Have them come to the tent of meeting,^(CP) that they may stand there with you. ¹⁷ I will come down and speak with you^(CQ) there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them.^(CR) They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.^(CS)

¹⁸ “Tell the people: ‘Consecrate yourselves^(CT) in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The Lord heard you when you wailed,^(CU) “If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!”^(CV) Now the Lord will give you meat,^(CW) and you will eat it. ¹⁹ You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, ²⁰ but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it^(CX)—because you have rejected the Lord,^(CY) who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”^(CZ)

²¹ But Moses said, “Here I am among six hundred thousand men^(DA) on foot, and you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!’ ²² Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?”^(DB)

²³ The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm too short?^(DC) Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.^(DD)”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany^(A)(B)(C)

14 Now the Passover^(D) and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.^{(E) 2} “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.”

³ While he was in Bethany,^(F) reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.^(G)

⁴ Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? ⁵ It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages^[a] and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

⁶ “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ⁷ The poor you will always have with you,^[b] and you can help them any time you want.^(H) But you will not always have me. ⁸ She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.^{(I) 9} Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world,^(J) what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

¹⁰ Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve,^(K) went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them.^{(L) 11} They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

The Last Supper^(M)(N)

¹² On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb,^(O) Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

¹³ So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. ¹⁴ Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ ¹⁵ He will show you a large room upstairs,^(P) furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.”

¹⁶ The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.

¹⁷ When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. ¹⁸ While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.”

¹⁹ They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, “Surely you don’t mean me?”

²⁰ “It is one of the Twelve,” he replied, “one who dips bread into the bowl with me.^{(Q) 21} The Son of Man^(R) will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

Psalm 51^[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.^(A)

Setting Up the Lamps

8 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to Aaron and say to him, ‘When you set up the lamps, see that all seven light up the area in front of the lampstand.^(A)’”

³ Aaron did so; he set up the lamps so that they faced forward on the lampstand, just as the Lord commanded Moses. ⁴ This is how the lampstand was made: It was made of hammered gold^(B)—from its base to its blossoms. The lampstand was made exactly like the pattern^(C) the Lord had shown Moses.

The Setting Apart of the Levites

⁵ The Lord said to Moses: ⁶ “Take the Levites from among all the Israelites and make them ceremonially clean.^{(D) 7} To purify them, do this: Sprinkle the water of cleansing^(E) on them; then have them shave their whole bodies^(F) and wash their clothes.^(G) And so they will purify themselves.^{(H) 8} Have them take a young bull with its grain offering of the finest flour mixed with olive oil;^(I) then you are to take a second young bull for a sin offering.^{[a](J) 9} Bring the Levites to the front of the tent of meeting^(K) and assemble the whole Israelite community.^{(L) 10} You are to bring the Levites before the Lord, and the Israelites are to lay their hands on them.^{(M) 11} Aaron is to present the Levites before the Lord as a wave offering^(N) from the Israelites, so that they may be ready to do the work of the Lord.

¹² “Then the Levites are to lay their hands on the heads of the bulls,^(O) using one for a sin offering^(P) to the Lord and the other for a burnt offering,^(Q) to make atonement^(R) for the Levites. ¹³ Have the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons and then present them as a wave offering^(S) to the Lord. ¹⁴ In this way you are to set the Levites apart from the other Israelites, and the Levites will be mine.^(T)

¹⁵ “After you have purified the Levites and presented them as a wave offering,^(U) they are to come to do their work at the tent of meeting.^{(V) 16} They are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to me. I have taken them as my own in place of the firstborn,^(W) the first male offspring^(X) from every Israelite woman. ¹⁷ Every firstborn male in Israel, whether human or animal,^(Y) is mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set them apart for myself.^{(Z) 18} And I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn sons in Israel.^{(AA) 19} From among all the Israelites, I have given the Levites as gifts to Aaron and his sons^(AB) to do the work at the tent of meeting on behalf of the Israelites^(AC) and to make atonement for them^(AD) so that no plague will strike the Israelites when they go near the sanctuary.”

²⁰ Moses, Aaron and the whole Israelite community did with the Levites just as the Lord commanded Moses. ²¹ The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes.^(AE) Then Aaron presented them as a wave offering before the Lord and made atonement^(AF) for them to purify them.^{(AG) 22} After that, the Levites came to do their work^(AH) at the tent of meeting under the supervision of Aaron and his sons. They did with the Levites just as the Lord commanded Moses.

²³ The Lord said to Moses, ²⁴ “This applies to the Levites: Men twenty-five years old or more^(AI) shall come to take part in the work at the tent of meeting,^{(AJ) 25} but at the age of fifty,^(AK) they must retire from their regular service and work no longer. ²⁶ They may assist their brothers in performing their duties at the tent of meeting, but they themselves must not do the work.^(AL) This, then, is how you are to assign the responsibilities of the Levites.”

The Passover

9 The Lord spoke to Moses in the Desert of Sinai in the first month^(AM) of the second year after they came out of Egypt.^(AN) He said, ² “Have the Israelites celebrate the Passover^(AO) at the appointed time.^{(AP) 3} Celebrate it at the appointed time, at twilight on the fourteenth day of this month,^(AQ) in accordance with all its rules and regulations.^(AR)”

⁴ So Moses told the Israelites to celebrate the Passover,^{(AS) 5} and they did so in the Desert of Sinai^(AT) at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month.^(AU) The Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses.^(AV)

⁶ But some of them could not celebrate the Passover on that day because they were ceremonially unclean^(AW) on account of a dead body.^(AX) So they came to Moses and Aaron^(AY) that same day ⁷ and said to Moses, “We have become unclean because of a dead body, but why should we be kept from presenting the Lord’s offering with the other Israelites at the appointed time?^(AZ)”

⁸ Moses answered them, “Wait until I find out what the Lord commands concerning you.”^(BA)

⁹ Then the Lord said to Moses, ¹⁰ “Tell the Israelites: ‘When any of you or your descendants are unclean because of a dead body^(BB) or are away on a journey, they are still to celebrate^(BC) the Lord’s Passover, ¹¹ but they are to do it on the fourteenth day of the second month^(BD) at twilight. They are to eat the lamb, together with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.^{(BE) 12} They must not leave any of it till morning^(BF) or break any of its bones.^(BG) When they celebrate the Passover, they must follow all the regulations.^{(BH) 13} But if anyone who is ceremonially clean and not on a journey fails to celebrate the Passover, they must be cut off from their people^(BI) for not presenting the Lord’s offering at the appointed time. They will bear the consequences of their sin.

¹⁴ “‘A foreigner^(BJ) residing among you is also to celebrate the Lord’s Passover in accordance with its rules and regulations. You must have the same regulations for both the foreigner and the native-born.’”

The Cloud Above the Tabernacle

¹⁵ On the day the tabernacle, the tent of the covenant law,^(BK) was set up,^(BL) the cloud^(BM) covered it. From evening till morning the cloud above the tabernacle looked like fire.^{(BN) 16} That is how it continued to be; the cloud covered it, and at night it looked like fire.^{(BO) 17} Whenever the cloud lifted from above the tent, the Israelites set out;^(BP) wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped.^{(BQ) 18} At the Lord’s command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained^(BR) in camp. ¹⁹ When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the Lord’s order^(BS) and did not set out.^{(BT) 20} Sometimes the cloud was over the tabernacle only a few days; at the Lord’s command they would encamp, and then at his command they would set out. ²¹ Sometimes the cloud stayed only from evening till morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out. ²² Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out. ²³ At the Lord’s command they encamped, and at the Lord’s command they set out. They obeyed the Lord’s order, in accordance with his command through Moses.

¹⁴ “When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’^[a](A) standing where it^[b] does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁵ Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out. ¹⁶ Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. ¹⁷ How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!^{(B) 18} Pray that this will not take place in winter, ¹⁹ because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world,^(C) until now—and never to be equaled again.^(D)

²⁰ “If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. ²¹ At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it.^{(E) 22} For false messiahs and false prophets^(F) will appear and perform signs and wonders^(G) to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²³ So be on your guard;^(H) I have told you everything ahead of time.

²⁴ “But in those days, following that distress,

²⁶ “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds^(J) with great power and glory. ²⁷ And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.^(K)

²⁸ “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. ²⁹ Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it^[d] is near, right at the door. ³⁰ Truly I tell you, this generation^(L) will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.^{(M) 31} Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.^(N)

The Day and Hour Unknown

³² “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.^{(O) 33} Be on guard! Be alert^[e]!^(P) You do not know when that time will come. ³⁴ It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants^(Q) in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

³⁵ “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. ³⁶ If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. ³⁷ What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”^(R)

Psalm 50

A psalm of Asaph.

¹⁶ But to the wicked person, God says:

Law of the Nazirites

6 Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ² “Say to the sons of Israel, ‘When a man or a woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, that is, one separated and dedicated to the Lord, ³ he shall abstain from wine and strong drink; he shall drink no vinegar, whether made from wine or strong drink, nor shall he drink any grape juice nor eat fresh or dried grapes.^{(A) 4 [a]}All the time of his separation he shall not eat anything produced from the grapevine, from the seeds even to the skins.

⁵ ‘All the time of the vow of his separation no razor shall be used on his head. Until the time of his separation to the Lord is completed, he shall be holy, and shall let the hair of his head grow long.

⁶ ‘All the time that he separates himself to the Lord he shall not go near a dead body. ⁷ He shall not make himself [ceremonially] unclean for his father, mother, brother, or sister, when they die, because [the responsibility for] his separation to God is on his head. ⁸ All the time of his separation he is holy to the Lord.

⁹ ‘If a man dies very suddenly beside him, and he defiles his dedicated head, then he shall shave his head on the day that he becomes [ceremonially] clean; he shall shave it on the seventh day [the end of the purification period]. ¹⁰ On the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest, to the doorway of the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle). ¹¹ The priest shall offer the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering and make atonement for him concerning his sin because of the [dead] body. He shall consecrate his head the same day, ¹² and he shall dedicate himself to the Lord for the time of his separation and shall bring a male lamb a year old as a guilt offering; but the previous days will be void and lost, because his separation was defiled.

¹³ ‘Now this is the law of the Nazirite when the days of his separation and dedication are fulfilled: he shall bring the offering to the doorway of the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle). ¹⁴ and he shall offer his gift to the Lord: one male lamb a year old without blemish as a burnt offering, and one female lamb a year old without blemish as a sin offering, and one ram without blemish as a peace offering, ¹⁵ and a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread spread with oil, along with their grain offering and their drink offering. ¹⁶ Then the priest shall present them before the Lord and shall offer the person’s sin offering and his burnt offering. ¹⁷ He shall also offer the ram as a sacrifice of peace offerings to the Lord, together with the basket of unleavened bread; the priest shall offer also its grain offering and its drink offering. ¹⁸ The Nazirite shall shave his dedicated head at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle), and take the dedicated hair of his head and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offerings. ¹⁹ The priest shall take the boiled shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened [ring-shaped] loaf out of the basket, and one unleavened flat cake and shall put them on the hands of the Nazirite after he has shaved his dedicated hair. ²⁰ Then the priest shall wave them as a wave offering before the Lord; they are a holy portion for the priest, together with the breast that is waved and the thigh that is offered by lifting up; and afterward the Nazirite may drink wine.’

²¹ “This is the law for the ^[b]Nazirite who vows his offering to the Lord for his separation, besides what else ^[c]he is able to afford, according to the vow which he has vowed; so shall he do according to the law for his separation and abstinence [as a Nazirite].”^(B)

Aaron’s Benediction

²² Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ²³ “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them:

²⁷ So Aaron and his sons shall put My name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them.”

Offerings of the Leaders

7 On the day that Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle and had anointed and consecrated it and all its furniture, and the altar and all its utensils; he also anointed them and consecrated them [for holy use]. ² Then the leaders of Israel, the heads of their fathers’ households, made offerings. (These were the leaders of the tribes; they were the ones who ^[d]were over the men who were numbered.) ³ They brought their offering before the Lord, six covered carts and twelve oxen; a cart for each two of the leaders and an ox for each one; and they presented them before the tabernacle. ⁴ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ⁵ “Accept these things from them, so that they may be used in the service of the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle), and give them to the Levites, to each man according to his service.” ⁶ So Moses took the carts and the oxen and gave them to the Levites. ⁷ He gave two carts and four oxen to the sons of Gershon, according to their service [in transporting the tabernacle]; ⁸ and he gave four carts and eight oxen to the sons of Merari, according to their service [in transporting the tabernacle], under the supervision of Ithamar the son of Aaron, the [high] priest. ⁹ But to the sons of Kohath he gave nothing, because they were assigned the care of the holy things which they carried on their shoulders [when the tabernacle was moved].

¹⁰ The leaders offered the dedication sacrifices for the altar on the day that it was anointed; and they offered their sacrifice before the altar. ¹¹ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Let them present their offerings, one leader each day, for the dedication of the altar.”

¹² Now the one who presented his offering on the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah; ¹³ and his offering was one silver dish, the weight of which was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; ¹⁴ one golden bowl of ten shekels, full of incense; ¹⁵ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, as a burnt offering; ¹⁶ one male goat as a sin offering; ¹⁷ and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab [from the tribe of Judah].

¹⁸ On the second day Nethanel the son of Zuar, leader [of the tribe] of Issachar, presented [his offering]; ¹⁹ he presented as his offering one silver dish, the weight of which was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; ²⁰ one golden bowl of ten shekels, full of incense; ²¹ one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb one year old, as a burnt offering; ²² one male goat as a sin offering; ²³ and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Nethanel the son of Zuar [from the tribe of Issachar].

²⁴ On the third day [it was] Eliab the son of Helon, leader [of the tribe] of the sons of Zebulun [who presented his offering]; ²⁵ his offering was one silver dish, the weight of which was a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; ²⁶ one golden bowl of ten shekels, full of incense; ²⁷ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, as a burnt offering; ²⁸ one male goat as a sin offering; ²⁹ and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon [from the tribe of Zebulun].

³⁰ On the fourth day [it was] Elizur the son of Shedeur, leader [of the tribe] of the sons of Reuben [who presented his offering]; ³¹ his offering was one silver dish, the weight of which was a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; ³² one golden bowl of ten shekels, full of incense; ³³ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, as a burnt offering; ³⁴ one male goat as a sin offering; ³⁵ and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Elizur the son of Shedeur [from the tribe of Reuben].

³⁶ On the fifth day [it was] Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, leader [of the tribe] of the sons of Simeon [who presented his offering]; ³⁷ his offering was one silver dish, the weight of which was a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; ³⁸ one golden bowl of ten shekels, full of incense; ³⁹ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, for a burnt offering; ⁴⁰ one male goat as a sin offering; ⁴¹ and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai [from the tribe of Simeon].

⁴² On the sixth day [it was] Eliasaph the son of Deuel, leader [of the tribe] of the sons of Gad [who presented his offering]; ⁴³ his offering was one silver dish the weight of which was a hundred and thirty shekels, and a silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; ⁴⁴ one golden bowl of ten shekels, full of incense; ⁴⁵ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, as a burnt offering; ⁴⁶ one male goat as a sin offering; ⁴⁷ and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deuel [from the tribe of Gad].

⁴⁸ On the seventh day [it was] Elishama the son of Ammihud, leader [of the tribe] of the sons of Ephraim [who presented his offering]; ⁴⁹ his offering was one silver dish, the weight of which was a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; ⁵⁰ one golden bowl of ten shekels, full of incense; ⁵¹ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, as a burnt offering; ⁵² one male goat as a sin offering; ⁵³ and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Elishama the son of Ammihud [from the tribe of Ephraim].

⁵⁴ On the eighth day [it was] Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, leader [of the tribe] of the sons of Manasseh [who presented his offering]; ⁵⁵ his offering was one silver dish the weight of which was a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; ⁵⁶ one golden bowl of ten shekels, full of incense; ⁵⁷ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, as a burnt offering; ⁵⁸ one male goat as a sin offering; ⁵⁹ and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur [from the tribe of Manasseh].

⁶⁰ On the ninth day [it was] Abidan the son of Gideoni, leader [of the tribe] of the sons of Benjamin [who presented his offering]; ⁶¹ his offering was one silver dish, the weight of which was a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; ⁶² one golden bowl of ten shekels, full of incense; ⁶³ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, as a burnt offering; ⁶⁴ one male goat as a sin offering; ⁶⁵ and as the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni [from the tribe of Benjamin].

⁶⁶ On the tenth day [it was] Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, leader [of the tribe] of the sons of Dan [who presented his offering]; ⁶⁷ his offering was one silver dish, the weight of which was a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; ⁶⁸ one golden bowl of ten shekels, full of incense; ⁶⁹ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, as a burnt offering; ⁷⁰ one male goat as a sin offering; ⁷¹ and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai [from the tribe of Dan].

⁷² On the eleventh day [it was] Pagiel the son of Ochran, leader [of the tribe] of the sons of Asher [who presented his offering]; ⁷³ his offering was one silver dish, the weight of which was a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; ⁷⁴ one golden bowl of ten shekels, full of incense; ⁷⁵ one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb one year old, as a burnt offering; ⁷⁶ one male goat as a sin offering; ⁷⁷ and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Pagiel the son of Ochran [from the tribe of Asher].

⁷⁸ On the twelfth day [it was] Ahira the son of Enan, leader [of the tribe] of the sons of Naphtali [who presented his offering]; ⁷⁹ his offering was one silver dish, the weight of which was a hundred and thirty shekels, and one silver basin of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; ⁸⁰ one golden bowl of ten shekels, full of incense; ⁸¹ one young bull, one ram, one male lamb one year old, as a burnt offering; ⁸² one male goat as a sin offering; ⁸³ and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, five male lambs one year old. This was the offering of Ahira the son of Enan [from the tribe of Naphtali].

⁸⁴ This was the dedication offering for the altar from the leaders of Israel on the day when it was anointed: twelve dishes of silver, twelve silver basins, twelve golden bowls; ⁸⁵ each dish of silver weighing a hundred and thirty shekels, each basin seventy [shekels]; all the silver vessels weighed 2,400 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary; ⁸⁶ the twelve golden bowls, full of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, all the gold of the bowls being a hundred and twenty shekels; ⁸⁷ all the oxen for the burnt offering were twelve bulls, the rams twelve, the male lambs one year old twelve, together with their grain offering; and the male goats as a sin offering twelve; ⁸⁸ and all the oxen for the sacrifice of the peace offerings were twenty-four bulls, the rams sixty, the male goats sixty, the male lambs one year old sixty. This was the dedication for the altar [of burnt offering] after it was anointed.

⁸⁹ Now when Moses went into the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle) to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat (the gold cover) that was on the ark of the Testimony from between the two cherubim; and He spoke [by special revelation] to him.

³⁸ In [the course of] His teaching He was saying, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes [displaying their prominence], and like to receive respectful greetings in the market places, ³⁹ and [they love] the ^[a]chief seats in the synagogues and the places of distinction and honor at banquets, ⁴⁰ [these scribes] who devour (confiscate) widows’ houses, and offer long prayers for appearance’s sake [to impress others]. These men will receive greater condemnation.”

The Widow’s Mite

⁴¹ And He sat down opposite the [temple] treasury, and began watching how the people were putting money into the ^[b]treasury. And many rich people were putting in ^[c]large sums.^{(A) 42} A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a ^[d]mite. ⁴³ Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, this poor widow put in [proportionally] more than all the contributors to the treasury. ⁴⁴ For they all contributed from their surplus, but she, from her poverty, put in all she had, all she had to live on.”

Things to Come

13 As He was coming out of the temple [grounds], one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, look what ^[e]wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!”^{(B) 2} Jesus replied to him, “You see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left on another which will not be ^[f]torn down!”

³ As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked Him privately, ⁴ “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be fulfilled?” ⁵ Jesus began to say to them, “Be careful and see to it that no one misleads you. ⁶ Many will come in My name [misusing My name or claiming to be the Messiah], saying, ‘I am He!’ and will deceive and mislead many. ⁷ When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed (frightened, troubled); these things must take place, but the end is not yet. ⁸ For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These things are the beginning of the ^[g]birth pangs [the intolerable anguish and suffering].

⁹ “But be on your guard; they will turn you over to courts, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand [as accused] before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them. ¹⁰ The gospel [that is, the good news regarding the way of salvation] must first be preached to all the [Gentile] nations.^{(C) 11} When they take you and turn you over [to the court], do not worry beforehand about what to say, but say whatever is given to you [by God] in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit [who will speak through you]. ¹² Brother will betray brother to [be put to] death, and a father [will hand over] his child; and children will rise up and take a stand against parents and have them put to death. ¹³ You will be hated by everyone because of [your association with] My name, but the one who [patiently perseveres empowered by the Holy Spirit and] endures to the end, he will be saved.

The Folly of Trusting in Riches.

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

Duties of the Kohathites

4 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, ² “Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families (clans), by their fathers’ households, ³ from thirty years old and upward, even to fifty years old, all who enter the service to do the work in the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle). ⁴ This is the work and responsibility of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle): the most holy things.

⁵ “When the camp prepares to move out, Aaron and his sons shall come into the sanctuary and take down ^[a]the veil (curtain) screening off the Holy of Holies, and cover the ark of the testimony with it; ⁶ and they shall put on it a covering of ^[b]porpoise skin (fine leather), and shall spread over that a cloth of pure blue, and shall insert the carrying poles of the ark. ⁷ Over the table of the bread of the Presence they shall spread a cloth of blue and put on it the plates, the dishes [for incense], the sacrificial bowls, the jars for the drink offering, and the continual bread [of the Presence] shall be on it. ⁸ They shall spread over them a cloth of scarlet, and cover that with a covering of porpoise skin, and they shall insert its carrying poles. ⁹ Then they shall take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand for the light, along with its lamps, its wick cutters, its trays, and all the oil vessels, by which it is supplied; ¹⁰ and they shall put the lampstand and all its utensils in a covering of porpoise skin, and shall put it on the carrying bars. ¹¹ Over the golden [incense] altar they shall spread a blue cloth, and cover it with a covering of porpoise skin, and shall insert its carrying poles; ¹² and they shall take all the utensils of the service with which they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a blue cloth, and cover them with a covering of porpoise skin, and put them on the carrying bars. ¹³ Then they shall clean away the ashes from the altar [of burnt offering], and spread a purple cloth over it. ¹⁴ They shall also put on it all its utensils with which they minister in connection with it: the pans, the meat-forks, the shovels, the basins, and all the utensils of the altar; and they shall spread a covering of porpoise skin over it, and insert its carrying poles. ¹⁵ When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all its furniture, as the camp sets out, after all that [is done, but not before], the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them [using the poles], so that they do not touch the holy things, and die. These are the things in the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle) which the sons of Kohath are to carry.

¹⁶ “The responsibility of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, is the oil for the light, the ^[c]fragrant incense, the continual grain offering, and the anointing oil—the responsibility of all the tabernacle and everything that is in it, with the sanctuary and its furnishings.”

¹⁷ Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, ¹⁸ “Do not cut off (eliminate, destroy) the tribe of the families of the Kohathites [who are only Levites and not priests], from among the Levites [by exposing them to the sin of ^[d]touching the most holy things]. ¹⁹ But deal with them in this way, so that they may live and not die when they approach the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and assign each of them to his [specific] work and to his load [to be carried on the march]. ²⁰ But the Kohathites shall not go in to see the holy things, even for an instant, or they will die.”

Duties of the Gershonites

²¹ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ²² “Take a census of the sons of Gershon also, by their fathers’ households, by their families. ²³ From thirty years and upward to fifty years old, you shall number them; all who enter for service to do the work in the Tent of Meeting. ²⁴ This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, in serving and in carrying [when on the march]: ²⁵ they shall carry the tent curtains of the tabernacle, and the Tent of Meeting, its covering and the covering of porpoise skin (fine leather) that is on top of it, and the curtain for the doorway of the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle), ²⁶ and the hangings of the courtyard, and the curtain for the entrance of the gate of the courtyard which is around the tabernacle and the altar, and their tent ropes, and all the equipment for their service; and all that is to be done, they shall ^[e]perform. ²⁷ Aaron and his sons shall direct all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, all they have to carry and all they have to do. You shall assign to them as a duty all that they are to carry [on the march]. ²⁸ This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle); and their duties shall be ^[f]under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron, the [high] priest.

Duties of the Merarites

²⁹ “As for the sons of Merari, you shall number them by their families (clans), by their fathers’ households; ³⁰ from thirty years and upward to fifty years old, you shall number them, everyone who enters the service to do the work of the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle). ³¹ This is what they are assigned to carry [on the march], according to all their service in the Tent of Meeting: the boards [for the framework] of the tabernacle and its bars and its pillars and its sockets or bases, ³² and the pillars around the courtyard with their sockets or bases and their pegs and their cords (tent ropes), with all their equipment and with all their [accessories for] service; and you shall assign each man by name the items ^[g]he is to carry [on the march]. ³³ This is the work of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their tasks in the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle), ^[h]under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron, the priest.”

³⁴ So Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites by their families (clans) and by their fathers’ households, ³⁵ from thirty years and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who enters the service to do the work in the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle); ³⁶ the men who were numbered by their families were 2,750. ³⁷ These were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all who did service in the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle), whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the Lord ^[i]through Moses.

³⁸ The men who were numbered of the sons of Gershon, by their families (clans), and by their fathers’ households, ³⁹ from thirty years and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered the service to do the work in the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle); ⁴⁰ the men who were numbered by their families, by their fathers’ households, were 2,630. ⁴¹ These were numbered men of the families of the sons of Gershon, everyone who served in the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle), whom Moses and Aaron numbered just as the Lord had commanded.

⁴² The men who were numbered of the sons of Merari, by their families (clans), by their fathers’ households, ⁴³ from thirty years and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered the service for work in the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle); ⁴⁴ the men who were numbered by their families were 3,200. ⁴⁵ These are the men who were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered in accordance with the commandment of the Lord through Moses.

⁴⁶ All the men who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the leaders of Israel counted by their families (clans) and by their fathers’ households, ⁴⁷ from thirty years and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who could enter to do the work of service and the work of carrying in the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle); ⁴⁸ the men that were numbered were 8,580. ⁴⁹ According to the commandment of the Lord through Moses, they were numbered, each assigned to his work of serving and carrying. Thus they were numbered by him, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

On Defilement

5 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ² “Command the Israelites to send away from the camp every leper and everyone who has a discharge, and whoever is defiled [that is, ceremonially unclean] by [coming in contact with] the dead. ³ You shall send away both male and female; you shall send them outside the camp so that they will not defile their camp where I dwell in their midst.” ⁴ The Israelites did so, and sent them outside the camp; just as the Lord had said to Moses, so the Israelites did.

⁵ And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ⁶ “Say to the Israelites, ‘When a man or woman commits any of the sins of mankind [against other people], thus breaking faith with the Lord, and that person is guilty, ⁷ then he shall confess the sin which he has committed, and he shall make restitution for his wrong in full, and add a fifth to it, and give it to [the person] whom he has wronged. ⁸ But if the man [who was wronged] has no redeemer (relative) to whom the restitution may be made, it is to be given to the Lord for the priest, besides the ram of atonement with which atonement is made for the offender. ⁹ Also every contribution pertaining to all the holy gifts of the Israelites which they offer to the priest, shall be his. ¹⁰ And every man’s holy gifts shall be the priest’s; whatever any man gives the priest, it becomes his.’”

The Adultery Test

¹¹ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ¹² “Speak to the Israelites and say to them, ‘If any man’s wife goes astray (deviates) and is unfaithful to him, ¹³ and a man is intimate with her, and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband and it is kept secret, although she has defiled herself, and there is no witness against her and she has not been caught in the act, ¹⁴ and if a spirit (sense, attitude) of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous and angry at his wife who has defiled herself—or if a spirit of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous of his wife when she has not defiled herself— ¹⁵ then the man shall bring his wife to the priest, and he shall bring as an offering for her, a tenth of an ephah of barley meal; he shall not pour oil on it nor put frankincense on it [the symbols of favor and joy], because it is a grain offering of jealousy, a memorial grain offering, a reminder of [the consequences of] wickedness.

¹⁶ ‘Then the priest shall have her approach and have her stand before the Lord, ¹⁷ and the priest shall take holy water [from the sacred basin] in an earthenware vessel; and he shall take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it in the water. ¹⁸ The priest shall then have the woman stand before the Lord, and let the hair of the woman’s head hang loose, and put the memorial grain offering in her hands, which is the jealousy offering, and in the hand of the priest is to be the water of bitterness that brings a curse. ¹⁹ Then the priest shall have her take an oath and say to the woman, “If no man has lain with you and if you have not gone astray into uncleanness [while married], then be immune to this water of bitterness that brings a curse; ²⁰ but if you have gone astray [while married] and you have defiled yourself and a man other than your husband has been intimate with you” ²¹ (then the priest shall have the woman swear the oath of the curse, and say to the woman), “The Lord make you a curse and an oath among your people when the Lord makes your thigh ^[j]waste away and your abdomen swell; ²² and this water that brings a curse shall go into your stomach, and make your abdomen swell and your thigh waste away.” And the woman shall say, “Amen. Amen (so let it be).”

²³ ‘The priest shall then write these curses on a scroll and shall wash them off into the water of bitterness; ²⁴ and he shall make the woman drink the water of bitterness that brings a curse, and the water that brings the curse will go into her and cause bitterness. ²⁵ Then the priest shall take the grain offering of jealousy out of the woman’s hand, and he shall wave the grain offering before the Lord and offer it on the altar. ²⁶ Then the priest shall take a handful of the grain offering as the memorial portion of it and offer it up in smoke on the altar, and afterward he shall make the woman drink the water. ²⁷ When he has made her drink the water, then it shall come about, that if she has defiled herself and has been unfaithful to her husband, the curse water will go into her and cause bitterness and cause her abdomen to swell and her thigh to waste away, and the woman will become a curse among her people. ²⁸ But if the woman has not defiled herself and is clean, then she will be free and conceive children.

²⁹ ‘This is the law of jealousy: when a wife goes astray [while married] and defiles herself, ³⁰ or when a spirit (sense, attitude) of jealousy and suspicion comes on a man and he is jealous of his wife; then he shall have the woman stand before the Lord, and the priest shall apply this law to her. ³¹ Further, the husband will be free from guilt, but that woman [if guilty] shall bear her guilt.’”

¹⁸ Some Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection) came to Him, and began questioning Him, saying,^{(A) 19} “Teacher, Moses wrote for us [a law] that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but leaves no child, his brother is to ^[a]marry the widow and raise up children for his brother.^{(B) 20} There were seven brothers; the first [one] took a wife, and died leaving no children. ²¹ The second brother married her, and died leaving no children; and the third likewise; ²² and so all seven [married her and died, and] left no children. Last of all the woman died also. ²³ In the resurrection, whose wife will she be? For all seven [brothers] were married to her.” ²⁴ Jesus said to them, “Is this not why you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures [that teach the resurrection] nor the power of God [who is able to raise the dead]? ²⁵ For when they rise from the dead, they do not marry nor are they given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. ²⁶ But concerning the raising of the dead, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?^{(C) 27} He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; you are greatly mistaken and you are deceiving yourselves!”

²⁸ Then one of the scribes [an expert in Mosaic Law] came up and listened to them arguing [with one another], and noticing that Jesus answered them well, asked Him, “Which commandment is first and most important of all?”^{(D) 29} Jesus answered, “The first and most important one is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord; ³⁰ and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul (life), and with all your mind (thought, understanding), and with all your strength.’^{(E) 31} This is the second: ‘You shall [unselfishly] ^[b]love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”^{(F) 32} The scribe said to Him, “Admirably answered, Teacher; You truthfully stated that He is One, and there is no other but Him; ³³ and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to [unselfishly] love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”^{(G) 34} When Jesus saw that he answered thoughtfully and intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that, no one would dare to ask Him any more questions.

³⁵ Jesus began to say, as He taught in [a portico or court of] the temple, “^[c]How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?^{(H) 36} David himself said [when inspired] by the Holy Spirit,

³⁷ David himself calls Him (the Son, the Messiah) ‘Lord’; so how can it be that He is ^[d]David’s Son?” The large crowd enjoyed hearing Jesus and listened to Him with delight.

The Beauty and Glory of Zion.

A Song; a Psalm of the sons of Korah.

Arrangement of the Camps

2 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, ² “The sons of Israel shall camp, each by his own standard, with the ^[a]banners of their fathers’ households; they shall camp around the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle), but at a distance. ³ Those who camp on the east side toward the sunrise shall be of the ^[b]standard of the camp of Judah, by their armies; and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall lead the sons of Judah, ⁴ and his army as numbered totaled 74,600. ⁵ Next to Judah [on the east side] the tribe of Issachar shall encamp; and Nethanel the son of Zuar shall lead the sons of Issachar, ⁶ and his army as numbered totaled 54,400. ⁷ Then [also on the east side] the tribe of Zebulun; and Eliab the son of Helon shall lead the sons of Zebulun, ⁸ and his army as numbered totaled 57,400. ⁹ The total of the numbered men [in the three tribes on the east side] in the camp of Judah was 186,400, by their armies. They shall move out first [on the march].

¹⁰ “On the south side shall be the ^[c]standard of the camp of Reuben, by their armies; and Elizur the son of Shedeur shall lead the sons of Reuben, ¹¹ and his army as numbered totaled 46,500. ¹² Those who camp next to Reuben [on the south side] shall be the tribe of Simeon; and Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai shall lead the sons of Simeon, ¹³ and his army as numbered totaled 59,300. ¹⁴ Then [completing the south side] the tribe of Gad; and Eliasaph the son of Reuel (Deuel) shall lead the sons of Gad, ¹⁵ and his army as numbered totaled 45,650. ¹⁶ The total of the numbered men [in the three tribes on the south side] in the camp of Reuben was 151,450, by their armies. They shall move out second [on the march].

¹⁷ “Then the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle) shall move out with the camp of the Levites in the middle of the [other] camps; just as they camp so shall they move out, every man in his place by their standards.

¹⁸ “On the west side shall be the ^[d]standard of the camp of Ephraim, by their armies; and Elishama the son of Ammihud shall lead the sons of Ephraim, ¹⁹ and his army as numbered totaled 40,500. ²⁰ Beside Ephraim [on the west side] shall be the tribe of Manasseh; and Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur shall lead the sons of Manasseh, ²¹ and his army as numbered totaled 32,200. ²² Then [completing the west side shall be] the tribe of Benjamin; and Abidan the son of Gideoni shall lead the sons of Benjamin, ²³ and his army as numbered totaled 35,400. ²⁴ The total of the numbered men [of the three tribes on the west side] in the camp of Ephraim was 108,100, by their armies. They shall move out in third place.

²⁵ “On the north side shall be the ^[e]standard of the camp of Dan, by their armies; and Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai shall lead the sons of Dan, ²⁶ and his army as numbered totaled 62,700. ²⁷ Encamped next to Dan [on the north side] shall be the tribe of Asher; and Pagiel the son of Ochran shall lead the sons of Asher, ²⁸ and his army as numbered totaled 41,500. ²⁹ Then [completing the north side] comes the tribe of Naphtali; and Ahira the son of Enan shall lead the sons of Naphtali, ³⁰ and his army as numbered totaled 53,400. ³¹ The total of the numbered men [of the three tribes on the north side] in the camp of Dan was 157,600. They shall move out last, ^[f]standard after standard.”

³² These are the men of the Israelites [twenty years old and upward] as numbered by their fathers’ households. The total of the numbered men of the camps by their armies, 603,550. ³³ But the Levites were not numbered with the [other] Israelites, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. ³⁴ Thus the Israelites did [as ordered]; according to everything the Lord had commanded Moses, so they camped by their standards, and so they moved out, everyone with his family (clan), according to his fathers’ household.

Levites to Be Priesthood

3 Now these are the records of the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day when the Lord spoke [by special revelation] with Moses on Mount Sinai. ² These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. ³ These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests who were anointed, whom Aaron ^[g]consecrated and ordained to minister in the priest’s office. ⁴ But Nadab and Abihu died in the presence of the Lord when they offered strange (unholy, unacceptable, inappropriate) fire before the Lord in the Wilderness of Sinai; and they had no sons. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests ^[h]in the presence and under the supervision of Aaron their father.^(A)

⁵ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ⁶ “Bring the tribe of Levi near and present them before Aaron the priest, so that they may serve him. ⁷ They shall carry out the duties for him and for the whole congregation before the Tent of Meeting, doing the service of the tabernacle. ⁸ They shall also take care of all the furnishings and utensils of the Tent of Meeting, and [attend to] the duties of the Israelites, doing the service of the tabernacle. ⁹ You shall give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons [as servants and helpers]; they are to be given wholly to him from among the Israelites. ¹⁰ So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall observe and attend to their priesthood; but the layman (non-Levite) who approaches [the holy things] shall be put to death.”

¹¹ Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ¹² “Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of and as a substitute for every firstborn, that is, the first that opens the womb among the Israelites. So the Levites shall be Mine, ¹³ for all the firstborn are Mine. On the day that I killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for Myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and animal. They shall be mine; I am the Lord.”

¹⁴ Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, saying, ¹⁵ “Number the sons of Levi by their fathers’ households, by their families (clans). You shall number every male from a month old and upward.” ¹⁶ So Moses numbered them just as he was commanded by the word (mouth) of the Lord. ¹⁷ These are the [three] sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. ¹⁸ These are the names of the [two] sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei; ¹⁹ and the [four] sons of Kohath by their families: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel; ²⁰ and the [two] sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites by their fathers’ households.

²¹ Of Gershon were the families of the Libnites and of the Shimeites. These are the families of the Gershonites. ²² The males who were numbered, every male from a month old and upward totaled 7,500. ²³ The families of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle on the west, ²⁴ and the leader of the fathers’ households of the Gershonites was Eliasaph the son of Lael.

Duties of the Levites

²⁵ Now the responsibilities of the sons of Gershon in the Tent of Meeting involved the tabernacle and the tent, its covering, and the curtain for the doorway of the Tent of Meeting, ²⁶ and the hangings of the courtyard, the curtain for the doorway of the courtyard which is around the tabernacle and the altar, its tent ropes, and all the service ^[i]concerning them.

²⁷ Of Kohath were the families of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites; these are the families of the Kohathites. ²⁸ The males who were numbered, every male from a month old and upward totaled ^[j]8,600, attending to the duties of the sanctuary. ²⁹ The families of the sons of Kohath were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle, ³⁰ and the leader of the fathers’ households of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. ³¹ Now their responsibilities involved the ark, the table [on which the bread of the Presence was placed], the lampstand, the altars, the utensils of the sanctuary with which the priests minister, and the curtain, and all the service concerning them. ³² Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, was chief of the leaders of the Levites; he supervised those who performed the duties of the sanctuary.

³³ Of Merari were the families of the Mahlites and the Mushites; these are the families of Merari. ³⁴ The males who were numbered, every male from a month old and upward totaled 6,200. ³⁵ The leader of the fathers’ households of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. The Merarites were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. ³⁶ Now the appointed responsibilities of the sons of Merari involved the frames of the tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, its sockets or bases, and all the equipment, and all the service concerning them, ³⁷ and the pillars around the courtyard with their bases and their pegs and their cords (tent ropes).

³⁸ Now those to camp before the tabernacle toward the east, before the Tent of Meeting, toward the sunrise, were to be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, performing the duties of the sanctuary for whatever was required of the Israelites; and the ^[k]layman (non-Levite) who approached [the sanctuary] was to be put to death. ³⁹ All the men of the Levites whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the ^[l]command of the Lord, by their families, every male from a month old and upward, were 22,000.

Firstborn Redeemed

⁴⁰ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Number every firstborn male of the Israelites from a month old and upward, and ^[m]make a list of their names. ⁴¹ You shall take the Levites for Me instead of and as a substitute for all the firstborn among the Israelites. I am the Lord; and you shall take the cattle of the Levites instead of and as a substitute for all the firstborn among the cattle of the Israelites.” ⁴² So Moses numbered all the firstborn among the Israelites, just as the Lord had commanded him; ⁴³ and all the firstborn males from a month old and upward as numbered were 22,273 [273 more than the Levites].

⁴⁴ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ⁴⁵ “Take the Levites [for Me] instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle. And the Levites shall be Mine. I am the Lord. ⁴⁶ For the ransom (redemption price) of the 273 of the firstborn of the Israelites who outnumber the Levites, ⁴⁷ you shall take five shekels apiece, per head, you shall take them in terms of the sanctuary shekel (the shekel is twenty gerahs), ⁴⁸ and give the money, the ransom (redemption price) of those who outnumber the Levites to Aaron and to his sons.” ⁴⁹ So Moses took the ransom (redemption) money from those who were in excess, beyond those ransomed by the Levites; ⁵⁰ from the firstborn of the Israelites he took the money in terms of the sanctuary shekel, 1,365 shekels. ⁵¹ Then Moses gave the ransom money to Aaron and to his sons at the command of the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Jesus’ Authority Questioned

²⁷ They came again to Jerusalem. And as Jesus was walking in the [courts and porches of the] temple, the ^[a]chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him,^{(A) 28} and began saying to Him, “By what authority are You doing these things, or who gave You this authority to do these things?” ²⁹ Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question, and you answer Me, and then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. ³⁰ Was the baptism of John [the Baptist] from heaven [that is, ordained by God] or from men? Answer Me.” ³¹ They began discussing it with each other, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ ³² But ^[b]shall we say, ‘From men?’” —they were afraid [to answer because] of the crowd, for everyone considered John to have been a real prophet. ³³ So they replied to Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Parable of the Vineyard Owner

12 Jesus began to speak to them [the chief priests, scribes and elders who were questioning Him] in parables: “A man planted a vineyard and put a ^[c]wall around it, and dug a pit for the wine press and built a tower; and he rented it out to tenant farmers and left the country.^{(B) 2} When the harvest season came he sent a ^[d]servant to the tenants, in order to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. ³ They took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. ⁴ Again he sent them another servant, and they [threw stones and] wounded him in the head, and treated him disgracefully. ⁵ And he sent another, and that one they killed; then many others—some they beat and some they killed. ⁶ He still had one man left to send, a beloved son; he sent him last of all to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ ⁷ But those tenants said to each other, ‘This man is the heir! Come on, let us kill him [and destroy the evidence], and his inheritance will be ours!’ ⁸ So they took him and killed him, and threw his body outside the vineyard. ⁹ What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants, and will give the vineyard to others. ¹⁰ Have you not even read this Scripture:

¹² And they were looking for a way to seize Him, but they were afraid of the crowd; for they knew that He spoke this parable in reference to [and as a charge against] them. And so they left Him and went away.

Jesus Answers the Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes

¹³ Then they sent some of the ^[e]Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus in order to trap Him into making a statement [that they could use against Him].^{(D) 14} They came and said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and have no personal bias toward anyone; for You are not influenced by outward appearances or social status, but in truth You teach the way of God. Is it lawful [according to Jewish law and tradition] to pay the ^[f]poll-tax to [^[g]Tiberius] Caesar, or not? ¹⁵ Should we pay [the tax] or should we not pay?” But knowing their hypocrisy, He asked them, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a ^[h]coin (denarius) to look at.” ¹⁶ So they brought one. Then He asked them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” ¹⁷ Jesus said to them, “Pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were greatly amazed at Him.

God the King of the Earth.

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.