Month: February 2024

Psalm 1

The Two Ways

Unacceptable Sacrifices

¹⁷ The Lord said to Moses, ¹⁸ “Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites and say to them: ‘If any of you—whether an Israelite or a foreigner residing in Israel^(A)—presents a gift^(B) for a burnt offering to the Lord, either to fulfill a vow^(C) or as a freewill offering,^{(D) 19} you must present a male without defect^(E) from the cattle, sheep or goats in order that it may be accepted on your behalf.^{(F) 20} Do not bring anything with a defect,^(G) because it will not be accepted on your behalf.^{(H) 21} When anyone brings from the herd or flock^(I) a fellowship offering^(J) to the Lord to fulfill a special vow or as a freewill offering,^(K) it must be without defect or blemish^(L) to be acceptable.^{(M) 22} Do not offer to the Lord the blind, the injured or the maimed, or anything with warts or festering or running sores. Do not place any of these on the altar as a food offering presented to the Lord. ²³ You may, however, present as a freewill offering an ox^[a] or a sheep that is deformed or stunted, but it will not be accepted in fulfillment of a vow. ²⁴ You must not offer to the Lord an animal whose testicles are bruised, crushed, torn or cut.^(N) You must not do this in your own land, ²⁵ and you must not accept such animals from the hand of a foreigner and offer them as the food of your God.^(O) They will not be accepted on your behalf, because they are deformed and have defects.^(P)’”

²⁶ The Lord said to Moses, ²⁷ “When a calf, a lamb or a goat^(Q) is born, it is to remain with its mother for seven days.^(R) From the eighth day^(S) on, it will be acceptable^(T) as a food offering presented to the Lord. ²⁸ Do not slaughter a cow or a sheep and its young on the same day.^(U)

²⁹ “When you sacrifice a thank offering^(V) to the Lord, sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf. ³⁰ It must be eaten that same day; leave none of it till morning.^(W) I am the Lord.^(X)

³¹ “Keep^(Y) my commands and follow them.^(Z) I am the Lord. ³² Do not profane my holy name,^(AA) for I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites.^(AB) I am the Lord, who made you holy^{(AC) 33} and who brought you out of Egypt^(AD) to be your God.^(AE) I am the Lord.”

The Appointed Festivals

23 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘These are my appointed festivals,^(AF) the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.^(AG)

The Sabbath

³ “‘There are six days when you may work,^(AH) but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest,^(AI) a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work;^(AJ) wherever you live, it is a sabbath to the Lord.

The Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread^(AK)

⁴ “‘These are the Lord’s appointed festivals, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times:^{(AL) 5} The Lord’s Passover^(AM) begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month.^{(AN) 6} On the fifteenth day of that month the Lord’s Festival of Unleavened Bread^(AO) begins; for seven days^(AP) you must eat bread made without yeast. ⁷ On the first day hold a sacred assembly^(AQ) and do no regular work. ⁸ For seven days present a food offering to the Lord.^(AR) And on the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.’”

Offering the Firstfruits

⁹ The Lord said to Moses, ¹⁰ “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you^(AS) and you reap its harvest,^(AT) bring to the priest a sheaf^(AU) of the first grain you harvest.^{(AV) 11} He is to wave the sheaf before the Lord^(AW) so it will be accepted^(AX) on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath. ¹² On the day you wave the sheaf, you must sacrifice as a burnt offering to the Lord a lamb a year old^(AY) without defect,^{(AZ) 13} together with its grain offering^(BA) of two-tenths of an ephah^[b](BB) of the finest flour mixed with olive oil—a food offering presented to the Lord, a pleasing aroma—and its drink offering^(BC) of a quarter of a hin^[c] of wine.^{(BD) 14} You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain,^(BE) until the very day you bring this offering to your God.^(BF) This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come,^(BG) wherever you live.^(BH)

The Festival of Weeks^(BI)

¹⁵ “‘From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. ¹⁶ Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath,^(BJ) and then present an offering of new grain to the Lord. ¹⁷ From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah^(BK) of the finest flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of firstfruits^(BL) to the Lord. ¹⁸ Present with this bread seven male lambs, each a year old and without defect, one young bull and two rams. They will be a burnt offering to the Lord, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings^(BM)—a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. ¹⁹ Then sacrifice one male goat for a sin offering^[d] and two lambs, each a year old, for a fellowship offering. ²⁰ The priest is to wave the two lambs before the Lord as a wave offering,^(BN) together with the bread of the firstfruits. They are a sacred offering to the Lord for the priest. ²¹ On that same day you are to proclaim a sacred assembly^(BO) and do no regular work.^(BP) This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.

²² “‘When you reap the harvest^(BQ) of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.^(BR) Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you.^(BS) I am the Lord your God.’”

The Festival of Trumpets^(BT)

²³ The Lord said to Moses, ²⁴ “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of sabbath rest, a sacred assembly^(BU) commemorated with trumpet blasts.^{(BV) 25} Do no regular work,^(BW) but present a food offering to the Lord.^(BX)’”

The Day of Atonement^(BY)

²⁶ The Lord said to Moses, ²⁷ “The tenth day of this seventh month^(BZ) is the Day of Atonement.^(CA) Hold a sacred assembly^(CB) and deny yourselves,^[e] and present a food offering to the Lord. ²⁸ Do not do any work^(CC) on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the Lord your God. ²⁹ Those who do not deny themselves on that day must be cut off from their people.^{(CD) 30} I will destroy from among their people^(CE) anyone who does any work on that day. ³¹ You shall do no work at all. This is to be a lasting ordinance^(CF) for the generations to come, wherever you live. ³² It is a day of sabbath rest^(CG) for you, and you must deny yourselves. From the evening of the ninth day of the month until the following evening you are to observe your sabbath.”^(CH)

The Festival of Tabernacles^(CI)

³³ The Lord said to Moses, ³⁴ “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh^(CJ) month the Lord’s Festival of Tabernacles^(CK) begins, and it lasts for seven days. ³⁵ The first day is a sacred assembly;^(CL) do no regular work.^{(CM) 36} For seven days present food offerings to the Lord, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly^(CN) and present a food offering to the Lord.^(CO) It is the closing special assembly; do no regular work.

³⁷ (“‘These are the Lord’s appointed festivals, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies for bringing food offerings to the Lord—the burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings^(CP) required for each day. ³⁸ These offerings^(CQ) are in addition to those for the Lord’s Sabbaths^(CR) and^[f] in addition to your gifts and whatever you have vowed and all the freewill offerings^(CS) you give to the Lord.)

³⁹ “‘So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival^(CT) to the Lord for seven days;^(CU) the first day is a day of sabbath rest, and the eighth day also is a day of sabbath rest. ⁴⁰ On the first day you are to take branches^(CV) from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and other leafy trees^(CW)—and rejoice^(CX) before the Lord your God for seven days. ⁴¹ Celebrate this as a festival to the Lord for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. ⁴² Live in temporary shelters^(CY) for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters ⁴³ so your descendants will know^(CZ) that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’”

⁴⁴ So Moses announced to the Israelites the appointed festivals of the Lord.

Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time^(A)

³⁰ They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, ³¹ because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man^(B) is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him,^(C) and after three days^(D) he will rise.”^{(E) 32} But they did not understand what he meant^(F) and were afraid to ask him about it.

³³ They came to Capernaum.^(G) When he was in the house,^(H) he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” ³⁴ But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.^(I)

³⁵ Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”^(J)

³⁶ He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms,^(K) he said to them, ³⁷ “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”^(L)

Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us^(M)

³⁸ “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”^(N)

³⁹ “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, ⁴⁰ for whoever is not against us is for us.^{(O) 41} Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.^(P)

Causing to Stumble

⁴² “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble,^(Q) it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.^{(R) 43} If your hand causes you to stumble,^(S) cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell,^(T) where the fire never goes out.^{(U) [44] [a] 45} And if your foot causes you to stumble,^(V) cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.^{(W) [46] [b] 47} And if your eye causes you to stumble,^(X) pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,^{(Y) 48} where

⁴⁹ Everyone will be salted^(AA) with fire.

⁵⁰ “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again?^(AB) Have salt among yourselves,^(AC) and be at peace with each other.”^(AD)

Divorce^(AE)

10 Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan.^(AF) Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them.^(AG)

² Some Pharisees^(AH) came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”

³ “What did Moses command you?” he replied.

⁴ They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.”^(AI)

⁵ “It was because your hearts were hard^(AJ) that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. ⁶ “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’^{[d](AK) 7} ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,^{[e] 8} and the two will become one flesh.’^[f](AL) So they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹ Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

¹⁰ When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. ¹¹ He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her.^{(AM) 12} And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”^(AN)

Psalm 44^[a]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil.^[b]

²² “‘Keep all my decrees and laws^(A) and follow them, so that the land^(B) where I am bringing you to live may not vomit you out. ²³ You must not live according to the customs of the nations^(C) I am going to drive out before you.^(D) Because they did all these things, I abhorred them.^{(E) 24} But I said to you, “You will possess their land; I will give it to you as an inheritance, a land flowing with milk and honey.”^(F) I am the Lord your God, who has set you apart from the nations.^(G)

²⁵ “‘You must therefore make a distinction between clean and unclean animals and between unclean and clean birds.^(H) Do not defile yourselves by any animal or bird or anything that moves along the ground—those that I have set apart as unclean for you. ²⁶ You are to be holy to me^(I) because I, the Lord, am holy,^(J) and I have set you apart from the nations^(K) to be my own.

²⁷ “‘A man or woman who is a medium^(L) or spiritist among you must be put to death.^(M) You are to stone them;^(N) their blood will be on their own heads.’”

Rules for Priests

21 The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron,^(O) and say to them: ‘A priest must not make himself ceremonially unclean^(P) for any of his people who die,^{(Q) 2} except for a close relative, such as his mother or father,^(R) his son or daughter, his brother, ³ or an unmarried sister who is dependent on him since she has no husband—for her he may make himself unclean.^{(S) 4} He must not make himself unclean for people related to him by marriage,^[a] and so defile himself.

⁵ “‘Priests must not shave^(T) their heads or shave off the edges of their beards^(U) or cut their bodies.^{(V) 6} They must be holy to their God^(W) and must not profane the name of their God.^(X) Because they present the food offerings to the Lord,^(Y) the food of their God,^(Z) they are to be holy.^(AA)

⁷ “‘They must not marry women defiled by prostitution or divorced from their husbands,^(AB) because priests are holy to their God.^{(AC) 8} Regard them as holy,^(AD) because they offer up the food of your God.^(AE) Consider them holy, because I the Lord am holy—I who make you holy.^(AF)

⁹ “‘If a priest’s daughter defiles herself by becoming a prostitute, she disgraces her father; she must be burned in the fire.^(AG)

¹⁰ “‘The high priest, the one among his brothers who has had the anointing oil poured on his head^(AH) and who has been ordained to wear the priestly garments,^(AI) must not let his hair become unkempt^[b] or tear his clothes.^{(AJ) 11} He must not enter a place where there is a dead body.^(AK) He must not make himself unclean,^(AL) even for his father or mother,^{(AM) 12} nor leave the sanctuary^(AN) of his God or desecrate it, because he has been dedicated by the anointing oil^(AO) of his God. I am the Lord.

¹³ “‘The woman he marries must be a virgin.^{(AP) 14} He must not marry a widow, a divorced woman, or a woman defiled by prostitution, but only a virgin from his own people, ¹⁵ so that he will not defile his offspring among his people. I am the Lord, who makes him holy.’”

¹⁶ The Lord said to Moses, ¹⁷ “Say to Aaron: ‘For the generations to come none of your descendants who has a defect^(AQ) may come near to offer the food of his God.^{(AR) 18} No man who has any defect^(AS) may come near: no man who is blind^(AT) or lame,^(AU) disfigured or deformed; ¹⁹ no man with a crippled foot or hand, ²⁰ or who is a hunchback or a dwarf, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles.^{(AV) 21} No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any defect^(AW) is to come near to present the food offerings to the Lord.^(AX) He has a defect; he must not come near to offer the food of his God.^{(AY) 22} He may eat the most holy food of his God,^(AZ) as well as the holy food; ²³ yet because of his defect,^(BA) he must not go near the curtain or approach the altar, and so desecrate my sanctuary.^(BB) I am the Lord, who makes them holy.^(BC)’”

²⁴ So Moses told this to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites.

22 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Tell Aaron and his sons to treat with respect the sacred offerings^(BD) the Israelites consecrate to me, so they will not profane my holy name.^(BE) I am the Lord.^(BF)

³ “Say to them: ‘For the generations to come, if any of your descendants is ceremonially unclean and yet comes near the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the Lord,^(BG) that person must be cut off from my presence.^(BH) I am the Lord.

⁴ “‘If a descendant of Aaron has a defiling skin disease^[c] or a bodily discharge,^(BI) he may not eat the sacred offerings until he is cleansed. He will also be unclean if he touches something defiled by a corpse^(BJ) or by anyone who has an emission of semen, ⁵ or if he touches any crawling thing^(BK) that makes him unclean, or any person^(BL) who makes him unclean, whatever the uncleanness may be. ⁶ The one who touches any such thing will be unclean^(BM) till evening.^(BN) He must not eat any of the sacred offerings unless he has bathed himself with water.^{(BO) 7} When the sun goes down, he will be clean, and after that he may eat the sacred offerings, for they are his food.^{(BP) 8} He must not eat anything found dead^(BQ) or torn by wild animals,^(BR) and so become unclean^(BS) through it. I am the Lord.^(BT)

⁹ “‘The priests are to perform my service^(BU) in such a way that they do not become guilty^(BV) and die^(BW) for treating it with contempt. I am the Lord, who makes them holy.^(BX)

¹⁰ “‘No one outside a priest’s family may eat the sacred offering, nor may the guest of a priest or his hired worker eat it.^{(BY) 11} But if a priest buys a slave with money, or if slaves are born in his household, they may eat his food.^{(BZ) 12} If a priest’s daughter marries anyone other than a priest, she may not eat any of the sacred contributions. ¹³ But if a priest’s daughter becomes a widow or is divorced, yet has no children, and she returns to live in her father’s household as in her youth, she may eat her father’s food. No unauthorized person, however, may eat it.

¹⁴ “‘Anyone who eats a sacred offering by mistake^(CA) must make restitution to the priest for the offering and add a fifth of the value^(CB) to it. ¹⁵ The priests must not desecrate the sacred offerings^(CC) the Israelites present to the Lord^{(CD) 16} by allowing them to eat^(CE) the sacred offerings and so bring upon them guilt^(CF) requiring payment.^(CG) I am the Lord, who makes them holy.^(CH)’”

9 And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come^(A) with power.”^(B)

The Transfiguration^(C)(D)

² After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John^(E) with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. ³ His clothes became dazzling white,^(F) whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. ⁴ And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

⁵ Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi,^(G) it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” ⁶ (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

⁷ Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud:^(H) “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”^(I)

⁸ Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

⁹ As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone^(J) what they had seen until the Son of Man^(K) had risen from the dead. ¹⁰ They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant.

¹¹ And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

¹² Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man^(L) must suffer much^(M) and be rejected?^{(N) 13} But I tell you, Elijah has come,^(O) and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.”

Jesus Heals a Boy Possessed by an Impure Spirit^(P)

¹⁴ When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. ¹⁵ As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

¹⁶ “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.

¹⁷ A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. ¹⁸ Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

¹⁹ “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

²⁰ So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.^(Q)

²¹ Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

“From childhood,” he answered. ²² “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

²³ “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”^(R)

²⁴ Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

²⁵ When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene,^(S) he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

²⁶ The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

²⁸ After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately,^(T) “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

²⁹ He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.^[a]”

Psalm 43^[a]

Various Laws

19 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel^(A) and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God,^(B) am holy.^(C)

³ “‘Each of you must respect your mother and father,^(D) and you must observe my Sabbaths.^(E) I am the Lord your God.^(F)

⁴ “‘Do not turn to idols or make metal gods for yourselves.^(G) I am the Lord your God.^(H)

⁵ “‘When you sacrifice a fellowship offering to the Lord, sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf. ⁶ It shall be eaten on the day you sacrifice it or on the next day; anything left over until the third day must be burned up.^{(I) 7} If any of it is eaten on the third day, it is impure and will not be accepted.^{(J) 8} Whoever eats it will be held responsible^(K) because they have desecrated what is holy^(L) to the Lord; they must be cut off from their people.^(M)

⁹ “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges^(N) of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.^{(O) 10} Do not go over your vineyard a second time^(P) or pick up the grapes that have fallen.^(Q) Leave them for the poor and the foreigner.^(R) I am the Lord your God.

¹¹ “‘Do not steal.^(S)

“‘Do not lie.^(T)

“‘Do not deceive one another.^(U)

¹² “‘Do not swear falsely^(V) by my name^(W) and so profane^(X) the name of your God. I am the Lord.

¹³ “‘Do not defraud or rob^(Y) your neighbor.^(Z)

“‘Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker^(AA) overnight.^(AB)

¹⁴ “‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind,^(AC) but fear your God.^(AD) I am the Lord.

¹⁵ “‘Do not pervert justice;^(AE) do not show partiality^(AF) to the poor or favoritism to the great,^(AG) but judge your neighbor fairly.^(AH)

¹⁶ “‘Do not go about spreading slander^(AI) among your people.

“‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life.^(AJ) I am the Lord.

¹⁷ “‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart.^(AK) Rebuke your neighbor frankly^(AL) so you will not share in their guilt.

¹⁸ “‘Do not seek revenge^(AM) or bear a grudge^(AN) against anyone among your people,^(AO) but love your neighbor^(AP) as yourself.^(AQ) I am the Lord.

¹⁹ “‘Keep my decrees.^(AR)

“‘Do not mate different kinds of animals.

“‘Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed.^(AS)

“‘Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.^(AT)

²⁰ “‘If a man sleeps with a female slave who is promised to another man^(AU) but who has not been ransomed or given her freedom, there must be due punishment.^[a] Yet they are not to be put to death, because she had not been freed. ²¹ The man, however, must bring a ram to the entrance to the tent of meeting for a guilt offering to the Lord.^{(AV) 22} With the ram of the guilt offering the priest is to make atonement for him before the Lord for the sin he has committed, and his sin will be forgiven.^(AW)

²³ “‘When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden.^[b] For three years you are to consider it forbidden^[c]; it must not be eaten. ²⁴ In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy,^(AX) an offering of praise to the Lord. ²⁵ But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way your harvest will be increased. I am the Lord your God.

²⁶ “‘Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it.^(AY)

“‘Do not practice divination^(AZ) or seek omens.^(BA)

²⁷ “‘Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.^(BB)

²⁸ “‘Do not cut^(BC) your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord.

²⁹ “‘Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute,^(BD) or the land will turn to prostitution and be filled with wickedness.^(BE)

³⁰ “‘Observe my Sabbaths^(BF) and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the Lord.^(BG)

³¹ “‘Do not turn to mediums^(BH) or seek out spiritists,^(BI) for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.

³² “‘Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect^(BJ) for the elderly^(BK) and revere your God.^(BL) I am the Lord.^(BM)

³³ “‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. ³⁴ The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born.^(BN) Love them as yourself,^(BO) for you were foreigners^(BP) in Egypt.^(BQ) I am the Lord your God.

³⁵ “‘Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity.^{(BR) 36} Use honest scales^(BS) and honest weights, an honest ephah^[d](BT) and an honest hin.^[e](BU) I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt.^(BV)

³⁷ “‘Keep all my decrees^(BW) and all my laws^(BX) and follow them. I am the Lord.’”

Punishments for Sin

20 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing in Israel who sacrifices any of his children to Molek is to be put to death.^(BY) The members of the community are to stone him.^{(BZ) 3} I myself will set my face against him and will cut him off from his people;^(CA) for by sacrificing his children to Molek, he has defiled^(CB) my sanctuary^(CC) and profaned my holy name.^{(CD) 4} If the members of the community close their eyes when that man sacrifices one of his children to Molek and if they fail to put him to death,^{(CE) 5} I myself will set my face against him and his family and will cut them off from their people together with all who follow him in prostituting themselves to Molek.

⁶ “‘I will set my face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, and I will cut them off from their people.^(CF)

⁷ “‘Consecrate yourselves^(CG) and be holy,^(CH) because I am the Lord your God.^{(CI) 8} Keep my decrees^(CJ) and follow them. I am the Lord, who makes you holy.^(CK)

⁹ “‘Anyone who curses their father^(CL) or mother^(CM) is to be put to death.^(CN) Because they have cursed their father or mother, their blood will be on their own head.^(CO)

¹⁰ “‘If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife^(CP)—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress are to be put to death.^(CQ)

¹¹ “‘If a man has sexual relations with his father’s wife, he has dishonored his father.^(CR) Both the man and the woman are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.^(CS)

¹² “‘If a man has sexual relations with his daughter-in-law,^(CT) both of them are to be put to death. What they have done is a perversion; their blood will be on their own heads.

¹³ “‘If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable.^(CU) They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

¹⁴ “‘If a man marries both a woman and her mother,^(CV) it is wicked. Both he and they must be burned in the fire,^(CW) so that no wickedness will be among you.^(CX)

¹⁵ “‘If a man has sexual relations with an animal,^(CY) he is to be put to death,^(CZ) and you must kill the animal.

¹⁶ “‘If a woman approaches an animal to have sexual relations with it, kill both the woman and the animal. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

¹⁷ “‘If a man marries his sister^(DA), the daughter of either his father or his mother, and they have sexual relations, it is a disgrace. They are to be publicly removed^(DB) from their people. He has dishonored his sister and will be held responsible.^(DC)

¹⁸ “‘If a man has sexual relations with a woman during her monthly period,^(DD) he has exposed the source of her flow, and she has also uncovered it. Both of them are to be cut off from their people.^(DE)

¹⁹ “‘Do not have sexual relations with the sister of either your mother or your father,^(DF) for that would dishonor a close relative; both of you would be held responsible.

²⁰ “‘If a man has sexual relations with his aunt,^(DG) he has dishonored his uncle. They will be held responsible; they will die childless.^(DH)

²¹ “‘If a man marries his brother’s wife,^(DI) it is an act of impurity; he has dishonored his brother. They will be childless.^(DJ)

¹¹ The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven.^{(A) 12} He sighed deeply^(B) and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.” ¹³ Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod

¹⁴ The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. ¹⁵ “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast^(C) of the Pharisees^(D) and that of Herod.”^(E)

¹⁶ They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.”

¹⁷ Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened?^{(F) 18} Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? ¹⁹ When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

“Twelve,”^(G) they replied.

²⁰ “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

They answered, “Seven.”^(H)

²¹ He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”^(I)

Jesus Heals a Blind Man at Bethsaida

²² They came to Bethsaida,^(J) and some people brought a blind man^(K) and begged Jesus to touch him. ²³ He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit^(L) on the man’s eyes and put his hands on^(M) him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”

²⁴ He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”

²⁵ Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. ²⁶ Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into^[a] the village.”

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah^(N)

²⁷ Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”

²⁸ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist;^(O) others say Elijah;^(P) and still others, one of the prophets.”

²⁹ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”^(Q)

³⁰ Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.^(R)

Jesus Predicts His Death^(S)

³¹ He then began to teach them that the Son of Man^(T) must suffer many things^(U) and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,^(V) and that he must be killed^(W) and after three days^(X) rise again.^{(Y) 32} He spoke plainly^(Z) about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

³³ But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!”^(AA) he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

The Way of the Cross

³⁴ Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.^{(AB) 35} For whoever wants to save their life^[b] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.^{(AC) 36} What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? ³⁷ Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ³⁸ If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man^(AD) will be ashamed of them^(AE) when he comes^(AF) in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

BOOK II

Psalms 42–72

Psalm 42^[a][b]

For the director of music. A maskil^[c] of the Sons of Korah.

²⁹ “This is to be a lasting ordinance^(A) for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month^(B) you must deny yourselves^[a](C) and not do any work^(D)—whether native-born^(E) or a foreigner residing among you— ³⁰ because on this day atonement will be made^(F) for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the Lord, you will be clean from all your sins.^{(G) 31} It is a day of sabbath rest, and you must deny yourselves;^(H) it is a lasting ordinance.^{(I) 32} The priest who is anointed and ordained^(J) to succeed his father as high priest is to make atonement. He is to put on the sacred linen garments^{(K) 33} and make atonement for the Most Holy Place, for the tent of meeting and the altar, and for the priests and all the members of the community.^(L)

³⁴ “This is to be a lasting ordinance^(M) for you: Atonement is to be made once a year^(N) for all the sins of the Israelites.”

And it was done, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Eating Blood Forbidden

17 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to Aaron and his sons^(O) and to all the Israelites and say to them: ‘This is what the Lord has commanded: ³ Any Israelite who sacrifices an ox,^[b] a lamb^(P) or a goat^(Q) in the camp or outside of it ⁴ instead of bringing it to the entrance to the tent of meeting^(R) to present it as an offering to the Lord in front of the tabernacle of the Lord^(S)—that person shall be considered guilty of bloodshed; they have shed blood and must be cut off from their people.^{(T) 5} This is so the Israelites will bring to the Lord the sacrifices they are now making in the open fields. They must bring them to the priest, that is, to the Lord, at the entrance to the tent of meeting and sacrifice them as fellowship offerings.^{(U) 6} The priest is to splash the blood against the altar^(V) of the Lord^(W) at the entrance to the tent of meeting and burn the fat as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.^{(X) 7} They must no longer offer any of their sacrifices to the goat idols^[c](Y) to whom they prostitute themselves.^(Z) This is to be a lasting ordinance^(AA) for them and for the generations to come.’^(AB)

⁸ “Say to them: ‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing among them who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice ⁹ and does not bring it to the entrance to the tent^(AC) of meeting^(AD) to sacrifice it to the Lord^(AE) must be cut off from the people of Israel.

¹⁰ “‘I will set my face against any Israelite or any foreigner residing among them who eats blood,^(AF) and I will cut them off from the people. ¹¹ For the life of a creature is in the blood,^(AG) and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.^{[d](AH) 12} Therefore I say to the Israelites, “None of you may eat blood, nor may any foreigner residing among you eat blood.”

¹³ “‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing among you who hunts any animal or bird that may be eaten must drain out the blood and cover it with earth,^{(AI) 14} because the life of every creature is its blood. That is why I have said to the Israelites, “You must not eat the blood of any creature, because the life of every creature is its blood; anyone who eats it must be cut off.”^(AJ)

¹⁵ “‘Anyone, whether native-born or foreigner, who eats anything^(AK) found dead or torn by wild animals^(AL) must wash their clothes and bathe with water,^(AM) and they will be ceremonially unclean till evening;^(AN) then they will be clean. ¹⁶ But if they do not wash their clothes and bathe themselves, they will be held responsible.^(AO)’”

Unlawful Sexual Relations

18 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘I am the Lord your God.^{(AP) 3} You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices.^{(AQ) 4} You must obey my laws^(AR) and be careful to follow my decrees.^(AS) I am the Lord your God.^{(AT) 5} Keep my decrees and laws,^(AU) for the person who obeys them will live by them.^(AV) I am the Lord.

⁶ “‘No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the Lord.

⁷ “‘Do not dishonor your father^(AW) by having sexual relations with your mother.^(AX) She is your mother; do not have relations with her.

⁸ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your father’s wife;^(AY) that would dishonor your father.^(AZ)

⁹ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your sister,^(BA) either your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she was born in the same home or elsewhere.^(BB)

¹⁰ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter; that would dishonor you.

¹¹ “‘Do not have sexual relations with the daughter of your father’s wife, born to your father; she is your sister.

¹² “‘Do not have sexual relations with your father’s sister;^(BC) she is your father’s close relative.

¹³ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your mother’s sister,^(BD) because she is your mother’s close relative.

¹⁴ “‘Do not dishonor your father’s brother by approaching his wife to have sexual relations; she is your aunt.^(BE)

¹⁵ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law.^(BF) She is your son’s wife; do not have relations with her.^(BG)

¹⁶ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife;^(BH) that would dishonor your brother.

¹⁷ “‘Do not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter.^(BI) Do not have sexual relations with either her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter; they are her close relatives. That is wickedness.

¹⁸ “‘Do not take your wife’s sister^(BJ) as a rival wife and have sexual relations with her while your wife is living.

¹⁹ “‘Do not approach a woman to have sexual relations during the uncleanness^(BK) of her monthly period.^(BL)

²⁰ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your neighbor’s wife^(BM) and defile yourself with her.

²¹ “‘Do not give any of your children^(BN) to be sacrificed to Molek,^(BO) for you must not profane the name of your God.^(BP) I am the Lord.^(BQ)

²² “‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman;^(BR) that is detestable.^(BS)

²³ “‘Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion.^(BT)

²⁴ “‘Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you^(BU) became defiled.^{(BV) 25} Even the land was defiled;^(BW) so I punished it for its sin,^(BX) and the land vomited out its inhabitants.^{(BY) 26} But you must keep my decrees and my laws.^(BZ) The native-born and the foreigners residing among you must not do any of these detestable things, ²⁷ for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled. ²⁸ And if you defile the land,^(CA) it will vomit you out^(CB) as it vomited out the nations that were before you.

²⁹ “‘Everyone who does any of these detestable things—such persons must be cut off from their people. ³⁰ Keep my requirements^(CC) and do not follow any of the detestable customs that were practiced before you came and do not defile yourselves with them. I am the Lord your God.^(CD)’”

Jesus Honors a Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith^(A)

²⁴ Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre.^[a](B) He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. ²⁵ In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit^(C) came and fell at his feet. ²⁶ The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

²⁷ “First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

²⁸ “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

²⁹ Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.”

³⁰ She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

Jesus Heals a Deaf and Mute Man^(D)

³¹ Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre^(E) and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee^(F) and into the region of the Decapolis.^{[b](G) 32} There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk,^(H) and they begged Jesus to place his hand on^(I) him.

³³ After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit^(J) and touched the man’s tongue. ³⁴ He looked up to heaven^(K) and with a deep sigh^(L) said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). ³⁵ At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.^(M)

³⁶ Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone.^(N) But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. ³⁷ People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand^(O)(P)(Q)

8 During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ² “I have compassion for these people;^(R) they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. ³ If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.”

⁴ His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?”

⁵ “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.

“Seven,” they replied.

⁶ He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. ⁷ They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them.^{(S) 8} The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.^{(T) 9} About four thousand were present. After he had sent them away, ¹⁰ he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.

Psalm 41^[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Bodily Discharges

15 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: ² “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When any man has a discharge^(A) from his member, he is unclean. ³ This is uncleanness of his discharge: Whether his member secretes the discharge or retains it, he is unclean. All the days that his member secretes or retains anything because of his discharge,^[a] he is unclean. ⁴ Any bed the man with the discharge lies on will be unclean, and any furniture he sits on will be unclean. ⁵ Anyone who touches his bed is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening. ⁶ Whoever sits on furniture that the man with the discharge was sitting on is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening. ⁷ Whoever touches the body^[b] of the man with a discharge is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening. ⁸ If the man with the discharge spits on anyone who is clean, he is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening. ⁹ Any saddle the man with the discharge rides on will be unclean.^{(B) 10} Whoever touches anything that was under him will be unclean until evening, and whoever carries such things is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening. ¹¹ If the man with the discharge touches anyone without first rinsing his hands in water,^(C) the person who was touched is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening. ¹² Any clay pot that the man with the discharge touches must be broken, while any wooden utensil is to be rinsed with water.^(D)

¹³ “When the man with the discharge has been cured of it, he is to count seven days for his cleansing, wash his clothes, and bathe his body in fresh water; he will be clean. ¹⁴ He must take two turtledoves or two young pigeons on the eighth day, come before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting, and give them to the priest. ¹⁵ The priest is to sacrifice them, one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering.^(E) In this way the priest will make atonement for him before the Lord because of his discharge.

¹⁶ “When a man has an emission of semen,^(F) he is to bathe himself completely with water, and he will remain unclean until evening. ¹⁷ Any clothing or leather on which there is an emission of semen is to be washed with water, and it will remain unclean until evening. ¹⁸ If a man sleeps with a woman and has an emission of semen, both of them are to bathe with water, and they will remain unclean until evening.^(G)

¹⁹ “When a woman has a discharge, and it consists of blood from her body, she will be unclean because of her menstruation^(H) for seven days. Everyone who touches her will be unclean until evening. ²⁰ Anything she lies on during her menstruation will become unclean, and anything she sits on will become unclean. ²¹ Everyone who touches her bed is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening. ²² Everyone who touches any furniture she was sitting on is to wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening. ²³ If discharge is on the bed or the furniture she was sitting on, when he touches it he will be unclean until evening. ²⁴ If a man sleeps with her, and blood from her menstruation gets on him, he will be unclean for seven days, and every bed he lies on will become unclean.^(I)

²⁵ “When a woman has a discharge of her blood for many days, though it is not the time of her menstruation, or if she has a discharge beyond her period, she will be unclean all the days of her unclean discharge, as she is during the days of her menstruation. ²⁶ Any bed she lies on during the days of her discharge will be like her bed during menstrual impurity; any furniture she sits on will be unclean as in her menstrual period. ²⁷ Everyone who touches them will be unclean; he must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will remain unclean until evening. ²⁸ When she is cured of her discharge, she is to count seven days, and after that she will be clean.^{(J) 29} On the eighth day she must take two turtledoves or two young pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ³⁰ The priest is to sacrifice one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her before the Lord because of her unclean discharge.

³¹ “You must keep the Israelites from their uncleanness, so that they do not die by defiling my tabernacle^(K) that is among them. ³² This is the law for someone with a discharge: a man who has an emission of semen, becoming unclean by it; ³³ a woman who is in her menstrual period; anyone who has a discharge, whether male or female; and a man who sleeps with a woman who is unclean.”

The Day of Atonement

16 The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of two of Aaron’s sons when they approached the presence^(L) of^[c] the Lord and died.^{(M) 2} The Lord said to Moses, “Tell your brother Aaron that he may not come whenever he wants into the holy place^(N) behind the curtain^(O) in front of the mercy seat^(P) on the ark or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud^(Q) above the mercy seat.^(R)

³ “Aaron is to enter the most holy place^(S) in this way: with a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.^{(T) 4} He is to wear a holy linen tunic, and linen undergarments are to be on his body. He is to tie a linen sash around him and wrap his head with a linen turban.^(U) These are holy garments; he must bathe his body with water before he wears them. ⁵ He is to take from the Israelite community two male goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering.^(V)

⁶ “Aaron will present the bull for his sin offering and make atonement for himself and his household. ⁷ Next he will take the two goats and place them before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ⁸ After Aaron casts lots^(W) for the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other for an uninhabitable place,^{[d][e](X) 9} he is to present the goat chosen by lot for the Lord and sacrifice it as a sin offering.^{(Y) 10} But the goat chosen by lot for an uninhabitable place is to be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement with it by sending it into the wilderness^(Z) for an uninhabitable place.

¹¹ “When Aaron presents the bull for his sin offering and makes atonement for himself and his household, he will slaughter the bull for his sin offering. ¹² Then he is to take a firepan full of blazing coals from the altar before the Lord and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense,^(AA) and bring them inside the curtain.^{(AB) 13} He is to put the incense on the fire before the Lord, so that the cloud^(AC) of incense covers the mercy seat that is over the testimony,^(AD) or else he will die.^{(AE) 14} He is to take some of the bull’s blood^(AF) and sprinkle it with his finger against the east side of the mercy seat; then he will sprinkle some of the blood with his finger before the mercy seat seven times.^(AG)

¹⁵ “When he slaughters the male goat for the people’s sin offering and brings its blood inside the curtain, he will do the same with its blood as he did with the bull’s blood: He is to sprinkle it against the mercy seat and in front of it. ¹⁶ He will make atonement for the most holy place in this way for all their sins because of the Israelites’ impurities and rebellious acts.^(AH) He will do the same for the tent of meeting that remains among them, because it is surrounded by their impurities. ¹⁷ No one may be in the tent of meeting from the time he enters to make atonement in the most holy place until he leaves after he has made atonement for himself, his household, and the whole assembly of Israel.^{(AI) 18} Then he will go out to the altar that is before the Lord and make atonement for it. He is to take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on the horns on all sides of the altar. ¹⁹ He is to sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleanse and set it apart^(AJ) from the Israelites’ impurities.^(AK)

²⁰ “When he has finished making atonement for the most holy place, the tent of meeting, and the altar, he is to present the live male goat. ²¹ Aaron will lay both his hands on the head of the live goat and confess^(AL) over it all the Israelites’ iniquities^(AM) and rebellious acts—all their sins.^(AN) He is to put them on the goat’s head and send it away into the wilderness^(AO) by the man appointed for the task.^{[f] 22} The goat will carry all their iniquities into a desolate land,^(AP) and the man will release it there.

²³ “Then Aaron is to enter the tent of meeting, take off the linen garments^(AQ) he wore when he entered the most holy place, and leave them there. ²⁴ He will bathe his body with water in a holy place^(AR) and put on his clothes.^(AS) Then he must go out and sacrifice his burnt offering and the people’s burnt offering; he will make atonement for himself and for the people. ²⁵ He is to burn the fat of the sin offering on the altar. ²⁶ The man who released the goat for an uninhabitable place is to wash his clothes and bathe his body with water; afterward he may reenter the camp. ²⁷ The bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought into the most holy place to make atonement, must be brought outside the camp^(AT) and their hide,^(AU) flesh, and waste burned.^{(AV) 28} The one who burns them is to wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may reenter the camp.

The Traditions of the Elders

7 The^(A) Pharisees^(B) and some of the scribes^(C) who had come from Jerusalem^(D) gathered around him. ² They observed that some of his disciples were eating bread with unclean^(E)—that is, unwashed—hands. ³ (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, keeping the tradition of the elders. ⁴ When they come from the marketplace,^(F) they do not eat unless they have washed.^(G) And there are many other customs they have received and keep, like the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and dining couches.^[a](H)) ⁵ So the Pharisees^(I) and the scribes^(J) asked him, “Why don’t your disciples live^[b] according to the tradition of the elders,^(K) instead of eating bread with ceremonially unclean^[c] hands?”

⁶ He answered them, “Isaiah^(L) prophesied^(M) correctly about you hypocrites,^(N) as it is written: ^(O)

⁸ Abandoning the command of God, you hold on to human tradition.”^{[e] 9} He also said to them, “You have a fine way of invalidating God’s command in order to set up^[f] your tradition! ¹⁰ For Moses^(T) said: Honor your father and your mother; ^[g](U) and Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death.^{[h](V) 11} But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or mother: Whatever benefit^(W) you might have received from me is corban’” (that is, an offering^(X) devoted to God), ¹² “you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. ¹³ You nullify the word of God^(Y) by your tradition that you have handed^(Z) down. And you do many other similar things.”

¹⁴ Summoning^(AA) the crowd again, he told them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand:^{(AB) 15} Nothing that goes into a person from outside can defile him but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.”^[i]

¹⁷ When he went into the house away from the crowd, his disciples asked him about the parable. ¹⁸ He said to them, “Are you also as lacking in understanding? Don’t you realize that nothing going into a person from the outside can defile him? ¹⁹ For it doesn’t go into his heart but into the stomach^(AC) and is eliminated” (thus he declared all foods clean^(AD)). ²⁰ And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. ²¹ For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities,^(AE) thefts, murders,^{(AF) 22} adulteries,^(AG) greed,^(AH) evil actions, deceit,^(AI) self-indulgence,^(AJ) envy,^[j] slander,^(AK) pride,^(AL) and foolishness.^{(AM) 23} All these evil things come from within and defile a person.”

Cleansing from Skin Diseases

14 And the Lord said to Moses, ² “The following instructions are for those seeking ceremonial purification from a skin disease.^[a] Those who have been healed must be brought to the priest, ³ who will examine them at a place outside the camp. If the priest finds that someone has been healed of a serious skin disease, ⁴ he will perform a purification ceremony, using two live birds that are ceremonially clean, a stick of cedar,^[b] some scarlet yarn, and a hyssop branch. ⁵ The priest will order that one bird be slaughtered over a clay pot filled with fresh water. ⁶ He will take the live bird, the cedar stick, the scarlet yarn, and the hyssop branch, and dip them into the blood of the bird that was slaughtered over the fresh water. ⁷ The priest will then sprinkle the blood of the dead bird seven times on the person being purified of the skin disease. When the priest has purified the person, he will release the live bird in the open field to fly away.

⁸ “The persons being purified must then wash their clothes, shave off all their hair, and bathe themselves in water. Then they will be ceremonially clean and may return to the camp. However, they must remain outside their tents for seven days. ⁹ On the seventh day they must again shave all the hair from their heads, including the hair of the beard and eyebrows. They must also wash their clothes and bathe themselves in water. Then they will be ceremonially clean.

¹⁰ “On the eighth day each person being purified must bring two male lambs and a one-year-old female lamb, all with no defects, along with a grain offering of six quarts^[c] of choice flour moistened with olive oil, and a cup^[d] of olive oil. ¹¹ Then the officiating priest will present that person for purification, along with the offerings, before the Lord at the entrance of the Tabernacle.^{[e] 12} The priest will take one of the male lambs and the olive oil and present them as a guilt offering, lifting them up as a special offering before the Lord. ¹³ He will then slaughter the male lamb in the sacred area where sin offerings and burnt offerings are slaughtered. As with the sin offering, the guilt offering belongs to the priest. It is a most holy offering. ¹⁴ The priest will then take some of the blood of the guilt offering and apply it to the lobe of the right ear, the thumb of the right hand, and the big toe of the right foot of the person being purified.

¹⁵ “Then the priest will pour some of the olive oil into the palm of his own left hand. ¹⁶ He will dip his right finger into the oil in his palm and sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before the Lord. ¹⁷ The priest will then apply some of the oil in his palm over the blood from the guilt offering that is on the lobe of the right ear, the thumb of the right hand, and the big toe of the right foot of the person being purified. ¹⁸ The priest will apply the oil remaining in his hand to the head of the person being purified. Through this process, the priest will purify^[f] the person before the Lord.

¹⁹ “Then the priest must present the sin offering to purify the person who was cured of the skin disease. After that, the priest will slaughter the burnt offering ²⁰ and offer it on the altar along with the grain offering. Through this process, the priest will purify the person who was healed, and the person will be ceremonially clean.

²¹ “But anyone who is too poor and cannot afford these offerings may bring one male lamb for a guilt offering, to be lifted up as a special offering for purification. The person must also bring two quarts^[g] of choice flour moistened with olive oil for the grain offering and a cup of olive oil. ²² The offering must also include two turtledoves or two young pigeons, whichever the person can afford. One of the pair must be used for the sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. ²³ On the eighth day of the purification ceremony, the person being purified must bring the offerings to the priest in the Lord’s presence at the entrance of the Tabernacle. ²⁴ The priest will take the lamb for the guilt offering, along with the olive oil, and lift them up as a special offering to the Lord. ²⁵ Then the priest will slaughter the lamb for the guilt offering. He will take some of its blood and apply it to the lobe of the right ear, the thumb of the right hand, and the big toe of the right foot of the person being purified.

²⁶ “The priest will also pour some of the olive oil into the palm of his own left hand. ²⁷ He will dip his right finger into the oil in his palm and sprinkle some of it seven times before the Lord. ²⁸ The priest will then apply some of the oil in his palm over the blood from the guilt offering that is on the lobe of the right ear, the thumb of the right hand, and the big toe of the right foot of the person being purified. ²⁹ The priest will apply the oil remaining in his hand to the head of the person being purified. Through this process, the priest will purify the person before the Lord.

³⁰ “Then the priest will offer the two turtledoves or the two young pigeons, whichever the person can afford. ³¹ One of them is for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering, to be presented along with the grain offering. Through this process, the priest will purify the person before the Lord. ³² These are the instructions for purification for those who have recovered from a serious skin disease but who cannot afford to bring the offerings normally required for the ceremony of purification.”

Treatment of Contaminated Houses

³³ Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ³⁴ “When you arrive in Canaan, the land I am giving you as your own possession, I may contaminate some of the houses in your land with mildew.^{[h] 35} The owner of such a house must then go to the priest and say, ‘It appears that my house has some kind of mildew.’ ³⁶ Before the priest goes in to inspect the house, he must have the house emptied so nothing inside will be pronounced ceremonially unclean. ³⁷ Then the priest will go in and examine the mildew on the walls. If he finds greenish or reddish streaks and the contamination appears to go deeper than the wall’s surface, ³⁸ the priest will step outside the door and put the house in quarantine for seven days. ³⁹ On the seventh day the priest must return for another inspection. If he finds that the mildew on the walls of the house has spread, ⁴⁰ the priest must order that the stones from those areas be removed. The contaminated material will then be taken outside the town to an area designated as ceremonially unclean. ⁴¹ Next the inside walls of the entire house must be scraped thoroughly and the scrapings dumped in the unclean place outside the town. ⁴² Other stones will be brought in to replace the ones that were removed, and the walls will be replastered.

⁴³ “But if the mildew reappears after all the stones have been replaced and the house has been scraped and replastered, ⁴⁴ the priest must return and inspect the house again. If he finds that the mildew has spread, the walls are clearly contaminated with a serious mildew, and the house is defiled. ⁴⁵ It must be torn down, and all its stones, timbers, and plaster must be carried out of town to the place designated as ceremonially unclean. ⁴⁶ Those who enter the house during the period of quarantine will be ceremonially unclean until evening, ⁴⁷ and all who sleep or eat in the house must wash their clothing.

⁴⁸ “But if the priest returns for his inspection and finds that the mildew has not reappeared in the house after the fresh plastering, he will pronounce it clean because the mildew is clearly gone. ⁴⁹ To purify the house the priest must take two birds, a stick of cedar, some scarlet yarn, and a hyssop branch. ⁵⁰ He will slaughter one of the birds over a clay pot filled with fresh water. ⁵¹ He will take the cedar stick, the hyssop branch, the scarlet yarn, and the live bird, and dip them into the blood of the slaughtered bird and into the fresh water. Then he will sprinkle the house seven times. ⁵² When the priest has purified the house in exactly this way, ⁵³ he will release the live bird in the open fields outside the town. Through this process, the priest will purify the house, and it will be ceremonially clean.

⁵⁴ “These are the instructions for dealing with serious skin diseases,^[i] including scabby sores; ⁵⁵ and mildew,^[j] whether on clothing or in a house; ⁵⁶ and a swelling on the skin, a rash, or discolored skin. ⁵⁷ This procedure will determine whether a person or object is ceremonially clean or unclean.

“These are the instructions regarding skin diseases and mildew.”

Jesus Feeds Five Thousand

³⁰ The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. ³¹ Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.

³² So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone. ³³ But many people recognized them and saw them leaving, and people from many towns ran ahead along the shore and got there ahead of them. ³⁴ Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

³⁵ Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. ³⁶ Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat.”

³⁷ But Jesus said, “You feed them.”

“With what?” they asked. “We’d have to work for months to earn enough money^[a] to buy food for all these people!”

³⁸ “How much bread do you have?” he asked. “Go and find out.”

They came back and reported, “We have five loaves of bread and two fish.”

³⁹ Then Jesus told the disciples to have the people sit down in groups on the green grass. ⁴⁰ So they sat down in groups of fifty or a hundred.

⁴¹ Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. He also divided the fish for everyone to share. ⁴² They all ate as much as they wanted, ⁴³ and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish. ⁴⁴ A total of 5,000 men and their families were fed.^[b]

Jesus Walks on Water

⁴⁵ Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida, while he sent the people home. ⁴⁶ After telling everyone good-bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray.

⁴⁷ Late that night, the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land. ⁴⁸ He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o’clock in the morning^[c] Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. He intended to go past them, ⁴⁹ but when they saw him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost. ⁵⁰ They were all terrified when they saw him.

But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here!^[d]” ⁵¹ Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed, ⁵² for they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.

⁵³ After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. They brought the boat to shore ⁵⁴ and climbed out. The people recognized Jesus at once, ⁵⁵ and they ran throughout the whole area, carrying sick people on mats to wherever they heard he was. ⁵⁶ Wherever he went—in villages, cities, or the countryside—they brought the sick out to the marketplaces. They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.

Psalm 40

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

Serious Skin Diseases

13 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ² “If anyone has a swelling or a rash or discolored skin that might develop into a serious skin disease,^[a] that person must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons.^{[b] 3} The priest will examine the affected area of the skin. If the hair in the affected area has turned white and the problem appears to be more than skin-deep, it is a serious skin disease, and the priest who examines it must pronounce the person ceremonially unclean.

⁴ “But if the affected area of the skin is only a white discoloration and does not appear to be more than skin-deep, and if the hair on the spot has not turned white, the priest will quarantine the person for seven days. ⁵ On the seventh day the priest will make another examination. If he finds the affected area has not changed and the problem has not spread on the skin, the priest will quarantine the person for seven more days. ⁶ On the seventh day the priest will make another examination. If he finds the affected area has faded and has not spread, the priest will pronounce the person ceremonially clean. It was only a rash. The person’s clothing must be washed, and the person will be ceremonially clean. ⁷ But if the rash continues to spread after the person has been examined by the priest and has been pronounced clean, the infected person must return to be examined again. ⁸ If the priest finds that the rash has spread, he must pronounce the person ceremonially unclean, for it is indeed a skin disease.

⁹ “Anyone who develops a serious skin disease must go to the priest for an examination. ¹⁰ If the priest finds a white swelling on the skin, and some hair on the spot has turned white, and there is an open sore in the affected area, ¹¹ it is a chronic skin disease, and the priest must pronounce the person ceremonially unclean. In such cases the person need not be quarantined, for it is obvious that the skin is defiled by the disease.

¹² “Now suppose the disease has spread all over the person’s skin, covering the body from head to foot. ¹³ When the priest examines the infected person and finds that the disease covers the entire body, he will pronounce the person ceremonially clean. Since the skin has turned completely white, the person is clean. ¹⁴ But if any open sores appear, the infected person will be pronounced ceremonially unclean. ¹⁵ The priest must make this pronouncement as soon as he sees an open sore, since open sores indicate the presence of a skin disease. ¹⁶ However, if the open sores heal and turn white like the rest of the skin, the person must return to the priest ¹⁷ for another examination. If the affected areas have indeed turned white, the priest will then pronounce the person ceremonially clean by declaring, ‘You are clean!’

¹⁸ “If anyone has a boil on the skin that has started to heal, ¹⁹ but a white swelling or a reddish white spot develops in its place, that person must go to the priest to be examined. ²⁰ If the priest examines it and finds it to be more than skin-deep, and if the hair in the affected area has turned white, the priest must pronounce the person ceremonially unclean. The boil has become a serious skin disease. ²¹ But if the priest finds no white hair on the affected area and the problem appears to be no more than skin-deep and has faded, the priest must quarantine the person for seven days. ²² If during that time the affected area spreads on the skin, the priest must pronounce the person ceremonially unclean, because it is a serious disease. ²³ But if the area grows no larger and does not spread, it is merely the scar from the boil, and the priest will pronounce the person ceremonially clean.

²⁴ “If anyone has suffered a burn on the skin and the burned area changes color, becoming either reddish white or shiny white, ²⁵ the priest must examine it. If he finds that the hair in the affected area has turned white and the problem appears to be more than skin-deep, a skin disease has broken out in the burn. The priest must then pronounce the person ceremonially unclean, for it is clearly a serious skin disease. ²⁶ But if the priest finds no white hair on the affected area and the problem appears to be no more than skin-deep and has faded, the priest must quarantine the infected person for seven days. ²⁷ On the seventh day the priest must examine the person again. If the affected area has spread on the skin, the priest must pronounce that person ceremonially unclean, for it is clearly a serious skin disease. ²⁸ But if the affected area has not changed or spread on the skin and has faded, it is simply a swelling from the burn. The priest will then pronounce the person ceremonially clean, for it is only the scar from the burn.

²⁹ “If anyone, either a man or woman, has a sore on the head or chin, ³⁰ the priest must examine it. If he finds it is more than skin-deep and has fine yellow hair on it, the priest must pronounce the person ceremonially unclean. It is a scabby sore of the head or chin. ³¹ If the priest examines the scabby sore and finds that it is only skin-deep but there is no black hair on it, he must quarantine the person for seven days. ³² On the seventh day the priest must examine the sore again. If he finds that the scabby sore has not spread, and there is no yellow hair on it, and it appears to be only skin-deep, ³³ the person must shave off all hair except the hair on the affected area. Then the priest must quarantine the person for another seven days. ³⁴ On the seventh day he will examine the sore again. If it has not spread and appears to be no more than skin-deep, the priest will pronounce the person ceremonially clean. The person’s clothing must be washed, and the person will be ceremonially clean. ³⁵ But if the scabby sore begins to spread after the person is pronounced clean, ³⁶ the priest must do another examination. If he finds that the sore has spread, the priest does not need to look for yellow hair. The infected person is ceremonially unclean. ³⁷ But if the color of the scabby sore does not change and black hair has grown on it, it has healed. The priest will then pronounce the person ceremonially clean.

³⁸ “If anyone, either a man or woman, has shiny white patches on the skin, ³⁹ the priest must examine the affected area. If he finds that the shiny patches are only pale white, this is a harmless skin rash, and the person is ceremonially clean.

⁴⁰ “If a man loses his hair and his head becomes bald, he is still ceremonially clean. ⁴¹ And if he loses hair on his forehead, he simply has a bald forehead; he is still clean. ⁴² However, if a reddish white sore appears on the bald area on top of his head or on his forehead, this is a skin disease. ⁴³ The priest must examine him, and if he finds swelling around the reddish white sore anywhere on the man’s head and it looks like a skin disease, ⁴⁴ the man is indeed infected with a skin disease and is unclean. The priest must pronounce him ceremonially unclean because of the sore on his head.

⁴⁵ “Those who suffer from a serious skin disease must tear their clothing and leave their hair uncombed.^[c] They must cover their mouth and call out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ ⁴⁶ As long as the serious disease lasts, they will be ceremonially unclean. They must live in isolation in their place outside the camp.

Treatment of Contaminated Clothing

⁴⁷ “Now suppose mildew^[d] contaminates some woolen or linen clothing, ⁴⁸ woolen or linen fabric, the hide of an animal, or anything made of leather. ⁴⁹ If the contaminated area in the clothing, the animal hide, the fabric, or the leather article has turned greenish or reddish, it is contaminated with mildew and must be shown to the priest. ⁵⁰ After examining the affected spot, the priest will put the article in quarantine for seven days. ⁵¹ On the seventh day the priest must inspect it again. If the contaminated area has spread, the clothing or fabric or leather is clearly contaminated by a serious mildew and is ceremonially unclean. ⁵² The priest must burn the item—the clothing, the woolen or linen fabric, or piece of leather—for it has been contaminated by a serious mildew. It must be completely destroyed by fire.

⁵³ “But if the priest examines it and finds that the contaminated area has not spread in the clothing, the fabric, or the leather, ⁵⁴ the priest will order the object to be washed and then quarantined for seven more days. ⁵⁵ Then the priest must examine the object again. If he finds that the contaminated area has not changed color after being washed, even if it did not spread, the object is defiled. It must be completely burned up, whether the contaminated spot^[e] is on the inside or outside. ⁵⁶ But if the priest examines it and finds that the contaminated area has faded after being washed, he must cut the spot from the clothing, the fabric, or the leather. ⁵⁷ If the spot later reappears on the clothing, the fabric, or the leather article, the mildew is clearly spreading, and the contaminated object must be burned up. ⁵⁸ But if the spot disappears from the clothing, the fabric, or the leather article after it has been washed, it must be washed again; then it will be ceremonially clean.

⁵⁹ “These are the instructions for dealing with mildew that contaminates woolen or linen clothing or fabric or anything made of leather. This is how the priest will determine whether these items are ceremonially clean or unclean.”

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

6 Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown. ² The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. They asked, “Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?” ³ Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary^[a] and the brother of James, Joseph,^[b] Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.

⁴ Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” ⁵ And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. ⁶ And he was amazed at their unbelief.

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Disciples

Then Jesus went from village to village, teaching the people. ⁷ And he called his twelve disciples together and began sending them out two by two, giving them authority to cast out evil^[c] spirits. ⁸ He told them to take nothing for their journey except a walking stick—no food, no traveler’s bag, no money.^{[d] 9} He allowed them to wear sandals but not to take a change of clothes.

¹⁰ “Wherever you go,” he said, “stay in the same house until you leave town. ¹¹ But if any place refuses to welcome you or listen to you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.”

¹² So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God. ¹³ And they cast out many demons and healed many sick people, anointing them with olive oil.

The Death of John the Baptist

¹⁴ Herod Antipas, the king, soon heard about Jesus, because everyone was talking about him. Some were saying,^[e] “This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead. That is why he can do such miracles.” ¹⁵ Others said, “He’s the prophet Elijah.” Still others said, “He’s a prophet like the other great prophets of the past.”

¹⁶ When Herod heard about Jesus, he said, “John, the man I beheaded, has come back from the dead.”

¹⁷ For Herod had sent soldiers to arrest and imprison John as a favor to Herodias. She had been his brother Philip’s wife, but Herod had married her. ¹⁸ John had been telling Herod, “It is against God’s law for you to marry your brother’s wife.” ¹⁹ So Herodias bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But without Herod’s approval she was powerless, ²⁰ for Herod respected John; and knowing that he was a good and holy man, he protected him. Herod was greatly disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to listen to him.

²¹ Herodias’s chance finally came on Herod’s birthday. He gave a party for his high government officials, army officers, and the leading citizens of Galilee. ²² Then his daughter, also named Herodias,^[f] came in and performed a dance that greatly pleased Herod and his guests. “Ask me for anything you like,” the king said to the girl, “and I will give it to you.” ²³ He even vowed, “I will give you whatever you ask, up to half my kingdom!”

²⁴ She went out and asked her mother, “What should I ask for?”

Her mother told her, “Ask for the head of John the Baptist!”

²⁵ So the girl hurried back to the king and told him, “I want the head of John the Baptist, right now, on a tray!”

²⁶ Then the king deeply regretted what he had said; but because of the vows he had made in front of his guests, he couldn’t refuse her. ²⁷ So he immediately sent an executioner to the prison to cut off John’s head and bring it to him. The soldier beheaded John in the prison, ²⁸ brought his head on a tray, and gave it to the girl, who took it to her mother. ²⁹ When John’s disciples heard what had happened, they came to get his body and buried it in a tomb.

Psalm 39

For Jeduthun, the choir director: A psalm of David.

Ceremonially Clean and Unclean Animals

11 Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ² “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel.

“Of all the land animals, these are the ones you may use for food. ³ You may eat any animal that has completely split hooves and chews the cud. ⁴ You may not, however, eat the following animals^[a] that have split hooves or that chew the cud, but not both. The camel chews the cud but does not have split hooves, so it is ceremonially unclean for you. ⁵ The hyrax^[b] chews the cud but does not have split hooves, so it is unclean. ⁶ The hare chews the cud but does not have split hooves, so it is unclean. ⁷ The pig has evenly split hooves but does not chew the cud, so it is unclean. ⁸ You may not eat the meat of these animals or even touch their carcasses. They are ceremonially unclean for you.

⁹ “Of all the marine animals, these are ones you may use for food. You may eat anything from the water if it has both fins and scales, whether taken from salt water or from streams. ¹⁰ But you must never eat animals from the sea or from rivers that do not have both fins and scales. They are detestable to you. This applies both to little creatures that live in shallow water and to all creatures that live in deep water. ¹¹ They will always be detestable to you. You must never eat their meat or even touch their dead bodies. ¹² Any marine animal that does not have both fins and scales is detestable to you.

¹³ “These are the birds that are detestable to you. You must never eat them: the griffon vulture, the bearded vulture, the black vulture, ¹⁴ the kite, falcons of all kinds, ¹⁵ ravens of all kinds, ¹⁶ the eagle owl, the short-eared owl, the seagull, hawks of all kinds, ¹⁷ the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl, ¹⁸ the barn owl, the desert owl, the Egyptian vulture, ¹⁹ the stork, herons of all kinds, the hoopoe, and the bat.

²⁰ “You must not eat winged insects that walk along the ground; they are detestable to you. ²¹ You may, however, eat winged insects that walk along the ground and have jointed legs so they can jump. ²² The insects you are permitted to eat include all kinds of locusts, bald locusts, crickets, and grasshoppers. ²³ All other winged insects that walk along the ground are detestable to you.

²⁴ “The following creatures will make you ceremonially unclean. If any of you touch their carcasses, you will be defiled until evening. ²⁵ If you pick up their carcasses, you must wash your clothes, and you will remain defiled until evening.

²⁶ “Any animal that has split hooves that are not evenly divided or that does not chew the cud is unclean for you. If you touch the carcass of such an animal, you will be defiled. ²⁷ Of the animals that walk on all fours, those that have paws are unclean. If you touch the carcass of such an animal, you will be defiled until evening. ²⁸ If you pick up its carcass, you must wash your clothes, and you will remain defiled until evening. These animals are unclean for you.

²⁹ “Of the small animals that scurry along the ground, these are unclean for you: the mole rat, the rat, large lizards of all kinds, ³⁰ the gecko, the monitor lizard, the common lizard, the sand lizard, and the chameleon. ³¹ All these small animals are unclean for you. If any of you touch the dead body of such an animal, you will be defiled until evening. ³² If such an animal dies and falls on something, that object will be unclean. This is true whether the object is made of wood, cloth, leather, or burlap. Whatever its use, you must dip it in water, and it will remain defiled until evening. After that, it will be ceremonially clean and may be used again.

³³ “If such an animal falls into a clay pot, everything in the pot will be defiled, and the pot must be smashed. ³⁴ If the water from such a container spills on any food, the food will be defiled. And any beverage in such a container will be defiled. ³⁵ Any object on which the carcass of such an animal falls will be defiled. If it is an oven or hearth, it must be destroyed, for it is defiled, and you must treat it accordingly.

³⁶ “However, if the carcass of such an animal falls into a spring or a cistern, the water will still be clean. But anyone who touches the carcass will be defiled. ³⁷ If the carcass falls on seed grain to be planted in the field, the seed will still be considered clean. ³⁸ But if the seed is wet when the carcass falls on it, the seed will be defiled.

³⁹ “If an animal you are permitted to eat dies and you touch its carcass, you will be defiled until evening. ⁴⁰ If you eat any of its meat or carry away its carcass, you must wash your clothes, and you will remain defiled until evening.

⁴¹ “All small animals that scurry along the ground are detestable, and you must never eat them. ⁴² This includes all animals that slither along on their bellies, as well as those with four legs and those with many feet. All such animals that scurry along the ground are detestable, and you must never eat them. ⁴³ Do not defile yourselves by touching them. You must not make yourselves ceremonially unclean because of them. ⁴⁴ For I am the Lord your God. You must consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. So do not defile yourselves with any of these small animals that scurry along the ground. ⁴⁵ For I, the Lord, am the one who brought you up from the land of Egypt, that I might be your God. Therefore, you must be holy because I am holy.

⁴⁶ “These are the instructions regarding land animals, birds, marine creatures, and animals that scurry along the ground. ⁴⁷ By these instructions you will know what is unclean and clean, and which animals may be eaten and which may not be eaten.”

Purification after Childbirth

12 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. If a woman becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son, she will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her menstrual period. ³ On the eighth day the boy’s foreskin must be circumcised. ⁴ After waiting thirty-three days, she will be purified from the bleeding of childbirth. During this time of purification, she must not touch anything that is set apart as holy. And she must not enter the sanctuary until her time of purification is over. ⁵ If a woman gives birth to a daughter, she will be ceremonially unclean for two weeks, just as she is unclean during her menstrual period. After waiting sixty-six days, she will be purified from the bleeding of childbirth.

⁶ “When the time of purification is completed for either a son or a daughter, the woman must bring a one-year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or turtledove for a purification offering. She must bring her offerings to the priest at the entrance of the Tabernacle.^{[c] 7} The priest will then present them to the Lord to purify her.^[d] Then she will be ceremonially clean again after her bleeding at childbirth. These are the instructions for a woman after the birth of a son or a daughter.

⁸ “If a woman cannot afford to bring a lamb, she must bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons. One will be for the burnt offering and the other for the purification offering. The priest will sacrifice them to purify her, and she will be ceremonially clean.”

Jesus Heals in Response to Faith

²¹ Jesus got into the boat again and went back to the other side of the lake, where a large crowd gathered around him on the shore. ²² Then a leader of the local synagogue, whose name was Jairus, arrived. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet, ²³ pleading fervently with him. “My little daughter is dying,” he said. “Please come and lay your hands on her; heal her so she can live.”

²⁴ Jesus went with him, and all the people followed, crowding around him. ²⁵ A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding. ²⁶ She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse. ²⁷ She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. ²⁸ For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” ²⁹ Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition.

³⁰ Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my robe?”

³¹ His disciples said to him, “Look at this crowd pressing around you. How can you ask, ‘Who touched me?’”

³² But he kept on looking around to see who had done it. ³³ Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of him and told him what she had done. ³⁴ And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.”

³⁵ While he was still speaking to her, messengers arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. They told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.”

³⁶ But Jesus overheard^[a] them and said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.”

³⁷ Then Jesus stopped the crowd and wouldn’t let anyone go with him except Peter, James, and John (the brother of James). ³⁸ When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw much commotion and weeping and wailing. ³⁹ He went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.”

⁴⁰ The crowd laughed at him. But he made them all leave, and he took the girl’s father and mother and his three disciples into the room where the girl was lying. ⁴¹ Holding her hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means “Little girl, get up!” ⁴² And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! They were overwhelmed and totally amazed. ⁴³ Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell anyone what had happened, and then he told them to give her something to eat.

Psalm 38

A psalm of David, asking God to remember him.

⁷ Then Moses said to Aaron, “Come to the altar and sacrifice your sin offering and your burnt offering to purify yourself and the people. Then present the offerings of the people to purify them, making them right with the Lord,^[a] just as he has commanded.”

⁸ So Aaron went to the altar and slaughtered the calf as a sin offering for himself. ⁹ His sons brought him the blood, and he dipped his finger in it and put it on the horns of the altar. He poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. ¹⁰ Then he burned on the altar the fat, the kidneys, and the long lobe of the liver from the sin offering, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. ¹¹ The meat and the hide, however, he burned outside the camp.

¹² Next Aaron slaughtered the animal for the burnt offering. His sons brought him the blood, and he splattered it against all sides of the altar. ¹³ Then they handed him each piece of the burnt offering, including the head, and he burned them on the altar. ¹⁴ Then he washed the internal organs and the legs and burned them on the altar along with the rest of the burnt offering.

¹⁵ Next Aaron presented the offerings of the people. He slaughtered the people’s goat and presented it as an offering for their sin, just as he had first done with the offering for his own sin. ¹⁶ Then he presented the burnt offering and sacrificed it in the prescribed way. ¹⁷ He also presented the grain offering, burning a handful of the flour mixture on the altar, in addition to the regular burnt offering for the morning.

¹⁸ Then Aaron slaughtered the bull and the ram for the people’s peace offering. His sons brought him the blood, and he splattered it against all sides of the altar. ¹⁹ Then he took the fat of the bull and the ram—the fat of the broad tail and from around the internal organs—along with the kidneys and the long lobes of the livers. ²⁰ He placed these fat portions on top of the breasts of these animals and burned them on the altar. ²¹ Aaron then lifted up the breasts and right thighs as a special offering to the Lord, just as Moses had commanded.

²² After that, Aaron raised his hands toward the people and blessed them. Then, after presenting the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offering, he stepped down from the altar. ²³ Then Moses and Aaron went into the Tabernacle, and when they came back out, they blessed the people again, and the glory of the Lord appeared to the whole community. ²⁴ Fire blazed forth from the Lord’s presence and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When the people saw this, they shouted with joy and fell face down on the ground.

The Sin of Nadab and Abihu

10 Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu put coals of fire in their incense burners and sprinkled incense over them. In this way, they disobeyed the Lord by burning before him the wrong kind of fire, different than he had commanded. ² So fire blazed forth from the Lord’s presence and burned them up, and they died there before the Lord.

³ Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord meant when he said,

And Aaron was silent.

⁴ Then Moses called for Mishael and Elzaphan, Aaron’s cousins, the sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel. He said to them, “Come forward and carry away the bodies of your relatives from in front of the sanctuary to a place outside the camp.” ⁵ So they came forward and picked them up by their garments and carried them out of the camp, just as Moses had commanded.

⁶ Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not show grief by leaving your hair uncombed^[b] or by tearing your clothes. If you do, you will die, and the Lord’s anger will strike the whole community of Israel. However, the rest of the Israelites, your relatives, may mourn because of the Lord’s fiery destruction of Nadab and Abihu. ⁷ But you must not leave the entrance of the Tabernacle^[c] or you will die, for you have been anointed with the Lord’s anointing oil.” So they did as Moses commanded.

Instructions for Priestly Conduct

⁸ Then the Lord said to Aaron, ⁹ “You and your descendants must never drink wine or any other alcoholic drink before going into the Tabernacle. If you do, you will die. This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation. ¹⁰ You must distinguish between what is sacred and what is common, between what is ceremonially unclean and what is clean. ¹¹ And you must teach the Israelites all the decrees that the Lord has given them through Moses.”

¹² Then Moses said to Aaron and his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, “Take what is left of the grain offering after a portion has been presented as a special gift to the Lord, and eat it beside the altar. Make sure it contains no yeast, for it is most holy. ¹³ You must eat it in a sacred place, for it has been given to you and your descendants as your portion of the special gifts presented to the Lord. These are the commands I have been given. ¹⁴ But the breast and thigh that were lifted up as a special offering may be eaten in any place that is ceremonially clean. These parts have been given to you and your descendants as your portion of the peace offerings presented by the people of Israel. ¹⁵ You must lift up the thigh and breast as a special offering to the Lord, along with the fat of the special gifts. These parts will belong to you and your descendants as your permanent right, just as the Lord has commanded.”

¹⁶ Moses then asked them what had happened to the goat of the sin offering. When he discovered it had been burned up, he became very angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s remaining sons. ¹⁷ “Why didn’t you eat the sin offering in the sacred area?” he demanded. “It is a holy offering! The Lord has given it to you to remove the guilt of the community and to purify the people, making them right with the Lord.^{[d] 18} Since the animal’s blood was not brought into the Holy Place, you should have eaten the meat in the sacred area as I ordered you.”

¹⁹ Then Aaron answered Moses, “Today my sons presented both their sin offering and their burnt offering to the Lord. And yet this tragedy has happened to me. If I had eaten the people’s sin offering on such a tragic day as this, would the Lord have been pleased?” ²⁰ And when Moses heard this, he was satisfied.