Joshua 17 – New International Reader’s Version

October 6 (Year 2)

Land was given to the tribe of Manasseh. It was given to Makir. Manasseh was Joseph’s oldest son. Makir was Manasseh’s oldest son. The people of Gilead came from the family line of Makir. The people of Gilead had received the lands of Gilead and Bashan. That’s because the people of Makir were great soldiers. So land was given to the rest of the people of Manasseh. It was given to the family groups of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher and Shemida. They were the other men in the family line of Manasseh, the son of Joseph. Those were their names by their family groups.

Makir was the son of Manasseh. Gilead was the son of Makir. Hepher was the son of Gilead. And Zelophehad was the son of Hepher. Zelophehad didn’t have any sons. He only had daughters. Their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. The daughters of Zelophehad went to Eleazar the priest and to Joshua, the son of Nun. They also went to the other leaders. They said, “The Lord commanded Moses to give us our share of land among our male relatives.” So Joshua gave them land along with their male relatives. That was according to what the Lord had commanded. Manasseh’s share was made up of ten pieces of land. That land was in addition to Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan River. So the five granddaughters of Hepher in the family line of Manasseh received land, just as the other five sons of Manasseh did. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the family line of Manasseh.

The territory of Manasseh reached from Asher to Mikmethath. Mikmethath was east of Shechem. The border ran south from Mikmethath. The people living at En Tappuah were inside the border. Manasseh had the land around Tappuah. But the town of Tappuah itself was on the border of Manasseh’s land. It belonged to the people of Ephraim. The border continued south to the Kanah Valley. Some of the towns that belonged to Ephraim were located among the towns of Manasseh. But the border of Manasseh was the north side of the valley. The border came to an end at the Mediterranean Sea. The land on the south belonged to Ephraim. The land on the north belonged to Manasseh. The territory of Manasseh reached the Mediterranean Sea. The tribe of Asher was the border on the north. The tribe of Issachar was the border on the east.

Inside the land given to Issachar and Asher, the towns of Beth Shan and Ibleam belonged to Manasseh. The towns of Dor, Endor, Taanach and Megiddo and their people also belonged to Manasseh. Manasseh was given all those towns and the settlements around them. The third town in the list was also called Naphoth Dor.

But the people of Manasseh weren’t able to take over those towns. That’s because the Canaanites had made up their minds to live in that area. The Israelites grew stronger. Then they forced the Canaanites to work hard for them. But they didn’t drive them out completely.

The people in the family line of Joseph spoke to Joshua. They said, “Why have you given us only one share of the land to have as our own? There are large numbers of us. The Lord has blessed us greatly.”

“That’s true,” Joshua said. “There are large numbers of you. And the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you. So go up into the forest. Clear out some land for yourselves in the territory of the Perizzites and Rephaites.”

The people in Joseph’s family line replied, “The hill country isn’t big enough for us. And all the Canaanites who live in the plains use chariots that have iron parts. They include the people of Beth Shan and its settlements. They also include the people who live in the Valley of Jezreel.”

Joshua spoke again to the people in Joseph’s family line. He said to the people of Ephraim and Manasseh, “There are large numbers of you. And you are very powerful. You will have more than one piece of land. You will also have the central hill country. It’s covered with trees. Cut them down and clear the land. That whole land from one end to the other will belong to you. The Canaanites use chariots that have iron parts. And those people are strong. But you can drive them out.”

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Malachi 01-2 – New International Reader’s Version

This is a prophecy. It is the Lord’s message to Israel through Malachi.

“Israel, I have loved you,” says the Lord.

“But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’

“Wasn’t Esau Jacob’s brother?” says the Lord. “But I chose Jacob instead of Esau. I have turned Esau’s hill country into a dry and empty land. I left that land of Edom to the wild dogs in the desert.”

Edom might say, “We have been crushed. But we’ll rebuild our cities.”

The Lord who rules over all says, “They might rebuild their cities. But I will destroy them. They will be called the Evil Land. My anger will always remain on them. You will see it with your own eyes. You will say, ‘The Lord is great! He rules even beyond the borders of Israel!’

“A son honors his father. A slave honors his master. If I am a father, where is the honor I should have? If I am a master, where is the respect you should give me?” says the Lord who rules over all.

“You priests look down on me.

“But you ask, ‘How have we looked down on you?’

“You sacrifice ‘unclean’ food on my altar.

“But you ask, ‘How have we made you “unclean”?’

“You do it by looking down on my altar. You sacrifice blind animals to me. Isn’t that wrong? You sacrifice disabled or sick animals. Isn’t that wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the Lord who rules over all.

“Now plead with God to be gracious to us! But as long as you give offerings like those, how can he accept you?” says the Lord.

“You might as well shut the temple doors! Then you would not light useless fires on my altar. I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord. “I will not accept any of the offerings you bring. My name will be great among the nations. They will worship me from where the sun rises in the east to where it sets in the west. In every place, incense and pure offerings will be brought to me. That’s because my name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord.

“But you treat my name as if it were not holy. You say the Lord’s altar is ‘unclean.’ And you look down on its food. You say, ‘What a heavy load our work is!’ And you turn up your nose. You act as if you hate working for me,” says the Lord who rules over all.

“You bring animals that have been hurt. Or you bring disabled or sick animals. Then you dare to offer them to me as sacrifices! Should I accept them from you?” says the Lord. “Suppose you have a male sheep or goat that does not have any flaws. And you promise to offer it to me. But then you sacrifice an animal that has flaws. When you do that, you cheat me. And anyone who cheats me is under my curse. After all, I am a great king,” says the Lord who rules over all. “The other nations have respect for my name. So why don’t you respect it?

“Now I am giving this warning to you priests. Listen to it. Honor me with all your heart,” says the Lord who rules over all. “If you do not, I will send a curse on you. I will turn your blessings into curses. In fact, I have already done that because you have not honored me with all your heart.

“Because of what you have done, I will punish your children. I will smear the waste from your sacrifices on your faces. And you will be carried off to the dump along with it. You will know that I have given you this warning. I have warned you so that my covenant with Levi will continue,” says the Lord who rules over all. “My covenant promised Levi life and peace. So I gave them to him. I required him to respect me. And he had great respect for my name. True teaching came from his mouth. Nothing but the truth came from his lips. He walked with me in peace. He did what was right. He turned many people away from their sins.

“The lips of a priest should guard knowledge. After all, he is the messenger of the Lord who rules over all. And people seek instruction from his mouth. But you have turned away from the right path. Your teaching has caused many people to trip and fall. You have broken my covenant with Levi,” says the Lord who rules over all. “So I have caused all the people to hate you. They have lost respect for you. You have not done what I told you to do. Instead, you have favored one person over another in matters of the law.”

People of Judah, all of us have one Father. One God created us. So why do we break the covenant the Lord made with our people of long ago? We do this by being unfaithful to one another.

And Judah has been unfaithful. A hateful thing has been done in Israel and Jerusalem. The Lord loves his temple. But Judah has made it impure. Their men have married women who worship other gods. May the Lord punish the man who marries a woman like this. It doesn’t matter who that man is. May the Lord who rules over all remove him from the tents of Jacob’s people. May the Lord remove him even if he brings an offering to him.

Here’s something else you do. You flood the Lord’s altar with your tears. You weep and cry because your offerings don’t please him anymore. He doesn’t accept them with pleasure from your hands. You ask, “Why?” It’s because the Lord is holding you responsible. He watches how you treat the wife you married when you were young. You have been unfaithful to her. You did it even though she’s your partner. You promised to stay married to her. And the Lord was a witness to it.

Hasn’t the one God made the two of you one also? Both of you belong to him in body and spirit. And why has the one God made you one? Because he wants his children to be like him. So be careful. Don’t be unfaithful to the wife you married when you were young.

“Suppose a man hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord God of Israel. “Then he is harming the one he should protect,” says the Lord who rules over all.

So be careful. And don’t be unfaithful.

You have worn out the Lord by what you keep saying.

“How have we worn him out?” you ask.

You have done it by saying, “All those who do evil things are good in the Lord’s sight. And he is pleased with them.” Or you ask, “Is God really fair?”

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Hosea 10 – New International Reader’s Version

Israel was like a spreading vine.
    They produced fruit for themselves.
As they grew more fruit,
    they built more altars.
As their land became richer,
    they made more beautiful the sacred stones they worshiped.
Their hearts are dishonest.
    So now they must pay for their sins.
The Lord will tear down their altars.
    He’ll destroy their sacred stones.

Then they’ll say, “We don’t have a king.
    That’s because we didn’t have
    any respect for the Lord.
But suppose we did have a king.
    What could he do for us?”
They make a lot of promises.
    They make agreements among themselves.
    They make promises they don’t mean to keep.
So court cases spring up
    like poisonous weeds in a plowed field.
The people who live in Samaria are filled with fear.
    They are afraid for their god that looks like a calf.
    They’re afraid it will be carried off from Beth Aven, that evil town.
They will mourn over it.
    So will the priests who led them to worship it.
The priests were full of joy
    because their statue was so glorious.
But it will be captured
    and taken far away from them.
It will be carried off to Assyria.
    The people of Ephraim will be forced
    to give it to the great king.
They will be dishonored.
    Israel will be ashamed
    of its agreements with other nations.
Samaria’s king will be destroyed.
    He will be like a twig swept away by a river.
The high places where Israel worshiped other gods
    will be destroyed.
    That’s where they sinned against the Lord.
Thorns and weeds will grow up there.
    They will cover the altars.
Then the people will say to the mountains, “Cover us!”
    They’ll say to the hills, “Fall on us!”

The Lord says,

“Israel, you have done evil things
    ever since your people sinned at Gibeah long ago.
    And you are still doing what is evil.
War will come again
    to those who sinned at Gibeah.
I will punish them when I want to.
    Nations will gather together to fight against them.
They will put them in chains
    because they have committed so many sins.
Ephraim was like a well-trained young cow.
    It loved to thresh grain.
So I will put a yoke
    on its pretty neck.
I will make Ephraim do hard work.
    Judah also must plow.
So all the people of Jacob
    must break up the ground.
Your hearts are as hard as a field
    that has not been plowed.
If you change your ways,
    you will produce good crops.
So plant the seeds of doing what is right.
    Then you will harvest the fruit of your faithful love.
It is time to seek the Lord.
    When you do, he will come
    and shower his blessings on you.
But you have planted the seeds of doing what is wrong.
    So you have harvested the fruit of your evil conduct.
    You have had to eat the fruit of your lies.
You have trusted in your own strength.
    You have depended on your many soldiers.
But the roar of battle will come against you.
    All your forts will be completely destroyed.
It will happen just as Shalman
    destroyed Beth Arbel in a battle.
Mothers and their children
    were smashed on the ground.
People of Bethel, that will happen to you.
    You have committed far too many sins.
When the time comes for me to punish you,
    the king of Israel will be completely destroyed.”

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Mark 7 – New International Reader’s Version

NOVEMBER 16 (Year One)

The Pharisees gathered around Jesus. So did some of the teachers of the law. All of them had come from Jerusalem. They saw some of his disciples eating food with “unclean” hands. That means they were not washed. The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands to make them “clean.” That’s what the elders teach. When they come from the market, they do not eat unless they wash. And they follow many other teachings. For example, they wash cups, pitchers, and kettles in a special way.

So the Pharisees and the teachers of the law questioned Jesus. “Why don’t your disciples live by what the elders teach?” they asked. “Why do they eat their food with ‘unclean’ hands?”

He replied, “Isaiah was right. He prophesied about you people who pretend to be good. He said,

“ ‘These people honor me by what they say.
    But their hearts are far away from me.
Their worship doesn’t mean anything to me.
    They teach nothing but human rules.’ (Isaiah 29:13)

You have let go of God’s commands. And you are holding on to teachings that people have made up.”

Jesus continued speaking, “You have a fine way of setting aside God’s commands! You do this so you can follow your own teachings. Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother.’ (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16) He also said, ‘Anyone who asks for bad things to happen to their father or mother must be put to death.’ (Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9) But you allow people to say that what might have been used to help their parents is Corban. Corban means A Gift Set Apart for God. So you no longer let them do anything for their parents. You make the word of God useless by putting your own teachings in its place. And you do many things like this.”

Again Jesus called the crowd to him. He said, “Listen to me, everyone. Understand this. Nothing outside of a person can make them ‘unclean’ by going into them. It is what comes out of them that makes them ‘unclean.’ ”

Then he left the crowd and entered the house. His disciples asked him about this teaching. “Don’t you understand?” Jesus asked. “Don’t you see? Nothing that enters a person from the outside can make them ‘unclean.’ It doesn’t go into their heart. It goes into their stomach. Then it goes out of the body.” In saying this, Jesus was calling all foods “clean.”

He went on to say, “What comes out of a person is what makes them ‘unclean.’ Evil thoughts come from the inside, from a person’s heart. So do sexual sins, stealing and murder. Adultery, greed, hate and cheating come from a person’s heart too. So do desires that are not pure, and wanting what belongs to others. And so do telling lies about others and being proud and being foolish. All these evil things come from inside a person and make them ‘unclean.’ ”

Jesus went from there to a place near Tyre. He entered a house. He did not want anyone to know where he was. But he could not keep it a secret. Soon a woman heard about him. An evil spirit controlled her little daughter. The woman came to Jesus and fell at his feet. She was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

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

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

Then he told her, “That was a good reply. You may go. The demon has left your daughter.”

So she went home and found her child lying on the bed. And the demon was gone.

Then Jesus left the area of Tyre and went through Sidon. He went down to the Sea of Galilee and into the area known as the Ten Cities. There some people brought a man to Jesus. The man was deaf and could hardly speak. They begged Jesus to place his hand on the man.

Jesus took the man to one side, away from the crowd. He put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. Jesus looked up to heaven. With a deep sigh, he said to the man, “Ephphatha!” That means “Be opened!” The man’s ears were opened. His tongue was freed up, and he began to speak clearly.

Jesus ordered the people not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. People were really amazed. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes deaf people able to hear. And he makes those who can’t speak able to talk.”

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Leviticus 13-14 – New International Reader’s Version

OCTOBER 14 (Year One)

The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron. He told them to say to the people, “Suppose someone’s skin has a swelling or a rash or a shiny spot. And suppose it could become a skin disease. Then they must be brought to the priest Aaron. Or they must be brought to a priest in Aaron’s family line. The priest must look carefully at the sore on the person’s skin. He must see whether the hair in the sore has turned white. He must also see whether the sore seems to be under the skin. If the sore is white and is under the skin, it is a skin disease. When the priest looks that person over carefully, he must announce that the person is ‘unclean.’ Suppose the shiny spot on the skin is white but does not seem to be under the skin. And suppose the hair in the spot has not turned white. Then the priest must make the person stay away from everyone else for seven days. On the seventh day the priest must look carefully at the sore again. Suppose it has not changed and has not spread in the skin. Then the priest must make the person stay away from everyone else for another seven days. On the seventh day the priest must look carefully at the sore again. If it has faded and has not spread, he must announce that the person is ‘clean.’ It is only a rash. That person must wash their clothes. They will be ‘clean.’ But suppose the rash spreads in the skin after they have shown themselves to the priest a second time. Then they must appear in front of the priest again. The priest must look carefully at the sore. If the rash has spread, he must announce that the person is ‘unclean.’ They have a skin disease.

“When anyone has a skin disease, they must be brought to the priest. The priest must look them over carefully. Suppose there is a white swelling in the skin. Suppose it has turned the hair white. And suppose there are open sores in the swelling. Then the person has a skin disease that will never go away. The priest must announce that they are ‘unclean.’ The priest must not make them stay away from everyone else. They are already ‘unclean.’

“Suppose the disease breaks out all over their skin. And suppose it covers them from head to foot, as far as the priest can tell. Then the priest must look them over carefully. If the disease has covered their whole body, the priest must announce that they are ‘clean.’ All their skin has turned white. So they are ‘clean.’ But when open sores appear on their skin, they will not be ‘clean.’ When the priest sees the open sores, he must announce that they are ‘unclean.’ The open sores are not ‘clean.’ They have a skin disease. But if the open sores change and turn white, they must go to the priest. The priest must look them over carefully. If the sores have turned white, the priest must announce that the person is ‘clean.’ Then they will be ‘clean.’

“Suppose someone has a boil on their skin and it heals. And suppose a white swelling or shiny pink spot appears where the boil was. Then they must show themselves to the priest. The priest must look at the boil carefully. Suppose it seems to be under the skin. And suppose the hair in it has turned white. Then the priest must announce that the person is ‘unclean.’ A skin disease has broken out where the boil was. But suppose that when the priest looks at the boil carefully, there is no white hair in it. The boil is not under the skin. And it has faded. Then the priest must make the person stay away from everyone else for seven days. If the boil is spreading in the skin, the priest must announce that the person is ‘unclean.’ They have a skin disease. But suppose the spot has not changed. And suppose it has not spread. Then it is only a scar from the boil. And the priest must announce that the person is ‘clean.’

“Suppose someone has a burn on their skin. And suppose a white or shiny pink spot shows up in the open sores of the burn. Then the priest must look at the spot carefully. Suppose the hair in it has turned white. And suppose the spot seems to be under the skin. Then the person has a skin disease. It has broken out where they were burned. The priest must announce that the person is ‘unclean.’ They have a skin disease. But suppose the priest looks at the spot carefully. Suppose there is no white hair in it. Suppose the spot is not under the skin. And suppose it has faded. Then the priest must make the person stay away from everyone else for seven days. On the seventh day the priest must look them over carefully. If the spot is spreading in the skin, the priest must announce that the person is ‘unclean.’ They have a skin disease. But suppose the spot has not changed. It has not spread in the skin. And it has faded. Then the burn has caused it to swell. The priest must announce that the person is ‘clean.’ It is only a scar from the burn.

“Suppose a man or woman has a sore on their head or chin. Then the priest must look at the sore carefully. Suppose it seems to be under the skin. And suppose the hair in the sore is yellow and thin. Then the priest must announce that the person is ‘unclean.’ The sore is a skin disease on the head or chin. But suppose the priest looks carefully at the sore. It does not seem to be under the skin. And there is no black hair in it. Then the priest must make the person stay away from everyone else for seven days. On the seventh day the priest must look at the sore carefully. Suppose it has not spread in the skin. It does not have any yellow hair in it. And it does not seem to be under the skin. Then the man or woman must shave their head. But they must not shave the area where the disease is. And the priest must make them stay away from everyone else for another seven days. On the seventh day the priest must look at the sore carefully. Suppose it has not spread in the skin. And suppose it does not seem to be under the skin. Then the priest must announce that the person is ‘clean.’ They must wash their clothes. They will be ‘clean.’ But suppose the sore spreads in the skin after the priest announces that the person is ‘clean.’ Then the priest must look them over carefully. Suppose the sore has spread. Then the priest does not have to look for yellow hair. The person is ‘unclean.’ But suppose the sore has stopped and black hair has grown there, as far as the priest can tell. Then the person is healed and is ‘clean.’ The priest must announce that they are ‘clean.’

“Suppose a man or woman has white spots on the skin. Then the priest must look at them carefully. Suppose he sees that the spots are dull white. Then a harmless rash has broken out on the skin. That person is ‘clean.’

“Suppose a man loses all the hair on his head. Then he is ‘clean.’ Suppose he loses only the hair on the front of his head. Then he is ‘clean.’ But suppose he has a shiny pink sore on his head where his hair was. Then he has a skin disease. It is breaking out on his whole head or on the front of his head. The priest must look him over carefully. Suppose the swollen sore on his head or on the front of it is pink and shiny. And suppose it looks like a skin disease. Then he has a skin disease. He is ‘unclean.’ The priest must announce that the man is ‘unclean.’ That’s because he has a sore on his head.

“Suppose someone has a skin disease that makes them ‘unclean.’ Then they must wear torn clothes. They must let their hair hang loose. They must cover the lower part of their face. They must cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ As long as they have the disease, they remain ‘unclean.’ They must live alone. They must live outside the camp.

“Suppose some clothes have mold on them. The clothes could be made out of wool or linen. Or there could be cloth woven or knitted out of linen or wool. There could be pieces of leather. Or there could be things that are made out of leather. And suppose the mold on the clothes or on the woven or knitted cloth looks green or red. Or suppose the green or red mold is on the pieces of leather or the leather goods. Then it is mold that spreads. It must be shown to the priest. The priest must look at it carefully. He must keep the thing with the mold on it away from everything else for seven days. On the seventh day he must look at it carefully. Suppose the mold has spread in the clothes or in the woven or knitted cloth. Or suppose it has spread on the pieces of leather or on the leather goods. Then it is mold that destroys. The thing is ‘unclean.’ The priest must burn everything with the mold in it. He must burn the clothes or the woven or knitted cloth made out of wool or linen. He must burn the leather goods. The mold destroys. So everything must be burned.

“But suppose the priest looks at the thing carefully. The mold has not spread in the clothes. And it has not spread in the woven or knitted cloth or in the leather goods. Then he will order someone to wash the thing with the mold on it. After that, the priest must keep that thing away from everything else for another seven days. After the thing with the mold on it has been washed, the priest must look at it again carefully. Suppose the way the mold looks has not changed. Then even though the mold has not spread, it is ‘unclean.’ Burn it. It does not matter which side of the thing the mold is on. But suppose the priest looks at it carefully. And suppose the mold has faded after the thing has been washed. Then the priest must tear out the part with mold on it. He must tear it out of the clothes or leather. He must tear it out of the woven or knitted cloth. But suppose it shows up again in the clothes. Or suppose it shows up again in the woven or knitted cloth or in the leather goods. Then it is spreading. Everything with the mold on it must be burned. The clothes that have been washed and do not have any more mold on them must be washed again. So must the woven or knitted cloth or the leather goods. Then they will be ‘clean.’ ”

These are the rules about what to do with anything with mold on it. They apply to clothes that are made out of wool or linen. They apply to woven and knitted cloth and to leather goods. They give a priest directions about when to announce whether something is “clean” or “unclean.”

The Lord spoke to Moses. He told him to say to the people, “Here are the rules for making anyone ‘clean’ who has had a skin disease. They apply when the person is brought to the priest. The priest must go outside the camp. He must look the person over carefully. Suppose they have been healed of their skin disease. Then the priest will order someone to bring him two live ‘clean’ birds. He will also order someone to bring him some cedar wood, bright red yarn and branches of a hyssop plant. All these things will be used to make the person ‘clean.’ The priest will order someone to kill one of the birds. It must be killed over fresh water in a clay pot. Then the priest must take the live bird. He must dip it into the blood of the bird killed over the fresh water. He must dip it into the blood together with the cedar wood, the bright red yarn and the hyssop plant. The priest will sprinkle the blood on the person who had the skin disease. That will make them ‘clean.’ The priest must sprinkle them seven times. Then the priest must announce that they are ‘clean.’ After that, the priest must let the live bird go free in the open fields.

“The person must also wash their clothes to be made ‘clean.’ They must shave off all their hair. They must take a bath. Then they will be ‘clean.’ After that, they may come into the camp. But they must stay outside their tent for seven days. On the seventh day they must shave off all their hair. They must shave their head. They must shave off their beard. They must also shave off their eyebrows and the rest of their hair. They must wash their clothes. They must take a bath. Then they will be ‘clean.’

“On the eighth day they must bring two male lambs and one female lamb as an offering. The female must be a year old. The lambs must not have any flaws. They must also bring 11 pounds of the finest flour as a grain offering. They must mix it with olive oil. They must also bring 11 ounces of oil. The priest who announces that the person is ‘clean’ must bring them and their offerings to me. He must do it at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

“Then the priest must take one of the male lambs. He must offer it as a guilt offering. He must offer it along with 11 ounces of oil. He must lift all of it up and wave it in front of me as a wave offering. He must kill the lamb in the holy area where sin offerings and burnt offerings are killed. The guilt offering belongs to the priest, just as the sin offering does. The guilt offering is very holy. The priest must take some of the blood from the guilt offering and put it on the person’s right earlobe. He must put some on the thumb of their right hand. He must also put some on the big toe of their right foot. Then the priest must take some of the oil and pour it into his own left hand. He must dip his right forefinger into the oil in his hand. He must use his finger to sprinkle some of the oil in front of me seven times. The priest must put some of the oil in his hand on the same places he put the blood of the guilt offering. He must put some on the person’s right earlobe. He must put some on the thumb of their right hand. He must put some on the big toe of their right foot. He must put on their head the rest of the oil in his hand. It will pay for the person’s sin in my sight.

“Then the priest must sacrifice the sin offering. It will pay for the person’s sin. They will be made ‘clean’ after being ‘unclean.’ After that, the priest will kill the burnt offering. He will offer it on the altar. He will offer it together with the grain offering. It will pay for the person’s sin. Then they will be ‘clean.’

“But suppose they are poor. Suppose they can’t afford all these offerings. Then they must bring one male lamb as a guilt offering. It must be lifted up and waved in front of me to pay for their sin. They must also bring three and a half pounds of the finest flour along with the lamb. They must mix the flour with olive oil. It is a grain offering. They must offer it along with 11 ounces of oil. They must also bring two doves or two young pigeons that they can afford. One is for a sin offering. The other is for a burnt offering.

“On the eighth day they must bring them to the priest so they can be made ‘clean.’ They must bring them to the entrance to the tent of meeting. They must do it in my sight. The priest must take the lamb for the guilt offering. He must take it together with the 11 ounces of oil. He must lift all of it up and wave it in front of me as a wave offering. He must kill the lamb for the guilt offering. He must take some of its blood and put it on the person’s right earlobe. He must put some on the thumb of their right hand. He must also put some on the big toe of their right foot. The priest must pour some of the oil into his own left hand. He must dip his right forefinger into the oil in his hand. He must use his finger to sprinkle some of it seven times in front of me. Here is what he must do with some of the oil in his hand. He must put it on the same places where he put the blood of the guilt offering. He must put some on the person’s right earlobe. He must put some on the thumb of their right hand. He must also put some on the big toe of their right foot. He must put on their head the rest of the oil in his hand. It will pay for the person’s sin in my sight. The priest will sacrifice the doves or the young pigeons that the person can afford. One is for a sin offering. The other is for a burnt offering. The priest must offer them together with the grain offering. In that way he will pay for the person’s sin in my sight. He will do it to make them ‘clean.’ ”

These are the rules for anyone who has a skin disease. They are for people who can’t afford the regular offerings that are required to make them “clean.”

The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron. He told them to say to the people, “You will enter the land of Canaan. I am giving it to you as your own. When you enter it, suppose I put mold in one of your houses. And suppose the mold spreads. Then the owner of that house must go and speak to the priest. He must say, ‘I’ve seen something that looks like mold in my house.’ The priest must order everything to be taken out of the house. It must be done before he goes in to look carefully at the mold. If it is not done, the priest must announce that everything in the house is ‘unclean.’ After the house is empty the priest must go in and check it. He must look carefully at the mold on the walls. Suppose it looks as if it has green or red dents in it. And suppose the dents look as if they are behind the surface of the wall. Then the priest must go out the door. He must close the house up for seven days. On the seventh day the priest will return to check the house. Suppose the mold on the walls has spread. Then he must order someone to tear out the stones that have mold on them. He must have them thrown into an ‘unclean’ place outside the town. He must have all the inside walls of the house scraped. Everything scraped off must be dumped into an ‘unclean’ place outside the town. Then other stones must be put in the place of the stones that had mold on them. The inside walls of the house must be coated with new clay.

“Suppose the stones have been torn out. The house has been scraped. And the walls have been coated with new clay. But the mold appears again. Then the priest must go and look things over carefully. Suppose the mold has spread in the house. Then it is the kind of mold that destroys things. The house is not ‘clean.’ It must be torn down. The stones, the wood and all the clay coating must be torn out. All of it must be taken out of the town to an ‘unclean’ place.

“Suppose someone goes into the house while it is closed up. Then they will be ‘unclean’ until evening. If they sleep or eat in the house, they must wash their clothes.

“But suppose the priest comes to look things over carefully. And suppose the mold has not spread after the walls had been coated with new clay. Then he will announce that the house is ‘clean.’ The mold is gone. To make the house pure, the priest must get two birds. He must also get some cedar wood, bright red yarn and branches of a hyssop plant. He must kill one of the birds over fresh water in a clay pot. Then he must take the cedar wood, the hyssop plant, the bright red yarn and the live bird. He must dip all of them into the blood of the dead bird. He must also dip them into the fresh water. He must sprinkle the house seven times. The priest will use the blood and the water to make the house pure. He will use the live bird to make it pure. He will also use the cedar wood, the hyssop plant and the bright red yarn to make it pure. Then he must let the live bird go free in the open fields outside the town. In that way he will make the house pure. It will be ‘clean.’ ”

These are the rules for skin diseases. They apply to sores. They apply to mold in clothes or in houses. They also apply to swellings, rashes or shiny red spots on the skin. Use these rules to decide whether something is “clean” or not.

These are the rules for skin diseases and for mold.

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Matthew 26 – New International Reader’s Version

SEPTEMBER 20 (Year One)

Jesus finished saying all these things. Then he said to his disciples, “As you know, the Passover Feast is two days away. The Son of Man will be handed over to be nailed to a cross.”

Then the chief priests met with the elders of the people. They met in the palace of Caiaphas, the high priest. They made plans to arrest Jesus secretly. They wanted to kill him. “But not during the feast,” they said. “The people may stir up trouble.”

Jesus was in Bethany. He was in the home of Simon, who had a skin disease. A woman came to Jesus with a special sealed jar of very expensive perfume. She poured the perfume on his head while he was at the table.

When the disciples saw this, they became angry. “Why this waste?” they asked. “The perfume could have been sold at a high price. The money could have been given to poor people.”

Jesus was aware of this. So he said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. You will always have poor people with you. But you will not always have me. She poured the perfume on my body to prepare me to be buried. What I’m about to tell you is true. What she has done will be told anywhere this good news is preached all over the world. It will be told in memory of her.”

One of the 12 disciples went to the chief priests. His name was Judas Iscariot. He asked, “What will you give me if I hand Jesus over to you?” So they counted out 30 silver coins for him. From then on, Judas watched for the right time to hand Jesus over to them.

It was the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The disciples came to Jesus. They asked, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover meal?”

He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man. Tell him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover at your house with my disciples.” ’ ” So the disciples did what Jesus had told them to do. They prepared the Passover meal.

When evening came, Jesus was at the table with his 12 disciples. While they were eating, he said, “What I’m about to tell you is true. One of you will hand me over to my enemies.”

The disciples became very sad. One after the other, they began to say to him, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord, do you?”

Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will hand me over. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But how terrible it will be for the one who hands over the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

Judas was the one who was going to hand him over. He said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Teacher, do you?”

Jesus answered, “You have said so.”

While they were eating, Jesus took bread. He gave thanks and broke it. He handed it to his disciples and said, “Take this and eat it. This is my body.”

Then he took a cup. He gave thanks and handed it to them. He said, “All of you drink from it. This is my blood of the covenant. It is poured out to forgive the sins of many people. Here is what I tell you. From now on, I won’t drink wine with you again until the day I drink it with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus told them, “This very night you will all turn away because of me. It is written that the Lord said,

“ ‘I will strike the shepherd down.
    Then the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ (Zechariah 13:7)

But after I rise from the dead, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

Peter replied, “All the others may turn away because of you. But I never will.”

“What I’m about to tell you is true,” Jesus answered. “It will happen tonight. Before the rooster crows, you will say three times that you don’t know me.”

But Peter said, “I may have to die with you. But I will never say I don’t know you.” And all the other disciples said the same thing.

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane. He said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him. He began to be sad and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is very sad. I feel close to death. Stay here. Keep watch with me.”

He went a little farther. Then he fell with his face to the ground. He prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, take this cup of suffering away from me. But let what you want be done, not what I want.”

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray. Then you won’t fall into sin when you are tempted. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

Jesus went away a second time. He prayed, “My Father, is it possible for this cup to be taken away? But if I must drink it, may what you want be done.”

Then he came back. Again he found them sleeping. They couldn’t keep their eyes open. So he left them and went away once more. For the third time he prayed the same thing.

Then he returned to the disciples. He said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look! The hour has come. The Son of Man is about to be handed over to sinners. Get up! Let us go! Here comes the one who is handing me over to them!”

While Jesus was still speaking, Judas arrived. He was one of the 12 disciples. A large crowd was with him. They were carrying swords and clubs. The chief priests and the elders of the people had sent them. Judas, who was going to hand Jesus over, had arranged a signal with them. “The one I kiss is the man,” he said. “Arrest him.” So Judas went to Jesus at once. He said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him.

Jesus replied, “Friend, do what you came to do.”

Then the men stepped forward. They grabbed Jesus and arrested him. At that moment, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword. He pulled it out and struck the slave of the high priest with it. He cut off the slave’s ear.

“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him. “All who use the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I can’t ask my Father for help? He would send an army of more than 70,000 angels right away. But then how would the Scriptures come true? They say it must happen in this way.”

At that time Jesus spoke to the crowd. “Am I leading a band of armed men against you?” he asked. “Do you have to come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courtyard teaching. And you didn’t arrest me. But all this has happened so that the words of the prophets would come true.” Then all the disciples left him and ran away.

Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas, the high priest. The teachers of the law and the elders had come together there. Not too far away, Peter followed Jesus. He went right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see what would happen.

The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for something to use against Jesus. They wanted to put him to death. But they did not find any proof, even though many false witnesses came forward.

Finally, two other witnesses came forward. They said, “This fellow claimed, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God. I can build it again in three days.’ ”

Then the high priest stood up. He asked Jesus, “Aren’t you going to answer? What are these charges that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent.

The high priest said to him, “I am commanding you in the name of the living God. May he judge you if you don’t tell the truth. Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”

“You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But here is what I say to all of you. From now on, you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One. You will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Then the high priest tore his clothes. He said, “He has spoken a very evil thing against God! Why do we need any more witnesses? You have heard him say this evil thing. What do you think?”

“He must die!” they answered.

Then they spit in his face. They hit him with their fists. Others slapped him. They said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah! Who hit you?”

Peter was sitting out in the courtyard. A female servant came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.

But in front of all of them, Peter said he was not. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.

Then he went out to the gate leading into the courtyard. There another servant saw him. She said to the people, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

Again he said he was not. With a curse he said, “I don’t know the man!”

After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter. “You must be one of them,” they said. “The way you talk gives you away.”

Then Peter began to curse and said to them, “I don’t know the man!”

Right away a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said. “The rooster will crow,” Jesus had told him. “Before it does, you will say three times that you don’t know me.” Peter went outside. He broke down and cried.

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Matthew 25 – New International Reader’s Version

SEEPTEMBER 18 (Year One)

25 “Here is what the kingdom of heaven will be like at that time. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. 2 Five of them were foolish. Five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but didn’t take any olive oil with them. 4 The wise ones took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The groom did not come for a long time. So the bridesmaids all grew tired and fell asleep.

6 “At midnight someone cried out, ‘Here’s the groom! Come out to meet him!’

7 “Then all the bridesmaids woke up and got their lamps ready. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your oil. Our lamps are going out.’

9 “ ‘No,’ they replied. ‘There may not be enough for all of us. Instead, go to those who sell oil. Buy some for yourselves.’

10 “So they went to buy the oil. But while they were on their way, the groom arrived. The bridesmaids who were ready went in with him to the wedding dinner. Then the door was shut.

11 “Later, the other bridesmaids also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’

12 “But he replied, ‘What I’m about to tell you is true. I don’t know you.’

13 “So keep watch. You do not know the day or the hour that the groom will come.

14 “Again, here is what the kingdom of heaven will be like. A man was going on a journey. He sent for his slaves and put them in charge of his money. 15 He gave five bags of gold to one. He gave two bags to another. And he gave one bag to the third. The man gave each slave the amount of money he knew the slave could take care of. Then he went on his journey. 16 The slave who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work. He earned five bags more. 17 The one with the two bags of gold earned two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went and dug a hole in the ground. He hid his master’s money in it.

19 “After a long time the master of those slaves returned. He wanted to collect all the money they had earned. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you trusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have earned five more.’

21 “His master replied, ‘You have done well, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you trusted me with two bags of gold. See, I have earned two more.’

23 “His master replied, ‘You have done well, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man. You harvest where you have not planted. You gather crops where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid. I went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

26 “His master replied, ‘You evil, lazy slave! So you knew that I harvest where I have not planted? You knew that I gather crops where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money in the bank. When I returned, I would have received it back with interest.’

28 “Then his master commanded the other slaves, ‘Take the bag of gold from him. Give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 Everyone who has will be given more. They will have more than enough. And what about anyone who doesn’t have? Even what they have will be taken away from them. 30 Throw that worthless slave outside. There in the darkness, people will weep and grind their teeth.’

31 “The Son of Man will come in all his glory. All the angels will come with him. Then he will sit in glory on his throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered in front of him. He will separate the people into two groups. He will be like a shepherd who separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep to his right and the goats to his left.

34 “Then the King will speak to those on his right. He will say, ‘My Father has blessed you. Come and take what is yours. It is the kingdom prepared for you since the world was created. 35 I was hungry. And you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty. And you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger. And you invited me in. 36 I needed clothes. And you gave them to me. I was sick. And you took care of me. I was in prison. And you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the people who have done what is right will answer him. ‘Lord,’ they will ask, ‘when did we see you hungry and feed you? When did we see you thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you as a stranger and invite you in? When did we see you needing clothes and give them to you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘What I’m about to tell you is true. Anything you did for one of the least important of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘You are cursed! Go away from me into the fire that burns forever. It has been prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 I was hungry. But you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty. But you gave me nothing to drink. 43 I was a stranger. But you did not invite me in. I needed clothes. But you did not give me any. I was sick and in prison. But you did not take care of me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty and not help you? When did we see you as a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison and not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘What I’m about to tell you is true. Anything you didn’t do for one of the least important of these, you didn’t do for me.’

46 “Then they will go away to be punished forever. But those who have done what is right will receive eternal life.”

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Psalm 19 – New International Reader’s Version

SEPTEMBER 2 (Year One)

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

The heavens tell about the glory of God.
    The skies show that his hands created them.
Day after day they speak about it.
    Night after night they make it known.
But they don’t speak or use words.
    No sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into the whole earth.
    Their words go out from one end of the world to the other.

God has set up a tent in the heavens for the sun.
    The sun is like a groom leaving the room of his wedding night.
    The sun is like a great runner who takes delight in running a race.
It rises at one end of the heavens.
    Then it moves across to the other end.
    Everything enjoys its warmth.

The law of the Lord is perfect.
    It gives us new strength.
The laws of the Lord can be trusted.
    They make childish people wise.
The rules of the Lord are right.
    They give joy to our hearts.
The commands of the Lord shine brightly.
    They give light to our minds.
The law that brings respect for the Lord is pure.
    It lasts forever.
The commands the Lord gives are true.
    All of them are completely right.
They are more priceless than gold.
    They have greater value than huge amounts of pure gold.
They are sweeter than honey
    that is taken from the honeycomb.
Your servant is warned by them.
    When people obey them, they are greatly rewarded.

But who can know their own mistakes?
    Forgive my hidden faults.
Also keep me from the sins I want to commit.
    May they not be my master.
Then I will be without blame.
    I will not be guilty of any great sin against your law.

Lord, may these words of my mouth please you.
And may these thoughts of my heart please you also.
    You are my Rock and my Redeemer.

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Amos 6 – New International Reader’s Version

AUGUST 24 (Year One)

How terrible it will be for you men
    who are so contented on Mount Zion!
How terrible for you who feel secure
    on the hill of Samaria!
You are famous men from the greatest nation.
    The people of Israel come to you
    for help and advice.
Go and look at the city of Kalneh.
    Go from there to the great city of Hamath.
    Then go down to Gath in Philistia.
Are those places better off than your two kingdoms?
    Is their land larger than yours?
You are trying to avoid the time
    when trouble will come.
But you are only bringing closer
    the Assyrian rule of terror.
You lie down on beds
    that are decorated with ivory.
    You rest on your couches.
You eat the best lambs
    and the fattest calves.
You pluck away on your harps as David did.
    You play new songs on musical instruments.
You drink wine by the bowlful.
    You use the finest lotions.
But Joseph’s people will soon be destroyed.
    And you aren’t even sad about it.
So you will be among the first
    to be taken away as prisoners.
You won’t be able to enjoy good food.
    You won’t lie around on couches anymore.

The Lord and King has made a promise in his own name. He is the Lord God who rules over all. He announces,

“I hate the pride of Jacob’s people.
    I can’t stand their forts.
I will hand the city of Samaria
    and everything in it over to their enemies.”

Ten people might be left in one house. If they are, they will die there. Relatives might come to burn the dead bodies. If they do, they’ll have to carry them out of the house first. They might ask someone still hiding there, “Is anyone else here with you?” If the answer is no, the relatives will go on to say, “Be quiet! We must not pray in the Lord’s name.”

That’s because the Lord has already given an order.
    He will smash large houses to pieces.
    He will crush small houses to bits.

Horses don’t run on rocky ground.
    People don’t plow the sea with oxen.
But you have turned fair treatment into poison.
    You have turned the fruit of right living into bitterness.
You are happy because you captured the town of Lo Debar.
    You say, “We were strong enough to take Karnaim too.”

But the Lord God rules over all. He announces, “People of Israel,
    I will stir up a nation against you.
They will crush you from Lebo Hamath
    all the way down to the Arabah Valley.”

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Exodus 38-39 – New International Reader’s Version

AUGUSGT 14 (Year One)

The workers built the altar for burnt offerings out of acacia wood. It was four feet six inches high and seven feet six inches square. They made a horn stick out from each of its four upper corners. They covered the altar with bronze. They made all its tools out of bronze. They made its pots, shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks, and pans for carrying ashes. They made a bronze grate for the altar. They put the grate halfway up the altar on the inside. They made a bronze ring for each of the four corners of the grate. They made poles out of acacia wood. They covered them with bronze. They put the poles through the rings. The poles were on two sides of the altar for carrying it. The workers made the altar out of boards. They left it hollow.

The workers made the large bronze bowl and its bronze stand. They made them out of bronze mirrors. The mirrors belonged to the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

Next, the workers made the courtyard. The south side was 150 feet long. It had curtains made out of finely twisted linen. The curtains had 20 posts and 20 bronze bases. The posts had silver hooks and bands on them. The north side was also 150 feet long. Its curtains had 20 posts and 20 bronze bases. The posts had silver hooks and bands on them.

The west end was 75 feet wide. It had curtains with ten posts and ten bases. The posts had silver hooks and bands on them. The east end, toward the sunrise, was also 75 feet wide. Curtains 22 feet six inches long were on one side of the entrance to the courtyard. They were hung on three posts. Each post had a base. Curtains 22 feet six inches long were also on the other side of the entrance. They were hung on three posts. Each post had a base. All the curtains around the courtyard were made out of finely twisted linen. The bases for the posts were made out of bronze. The hooks and bands on the posts were made out of silver. Their tops were covered with silver. So all the posts of the courtyard had silver bands.

The curtain for the courtyard entrance was made out of blue, purple and bright red yarn and finely twisted linen. A person who sewed skillfully made it. It was 30 feet long. Like the curtains of the courtyard, it was seven feet six inches high. It had four posts and four bronze bases. Their hooks and bands were made out of silver. Their tops were covered with silver. All the tent stakes of the holy tent were made out of bronze. So were all the stakes of the courtyard around it.

Here are the amounts of the metals used for the holy tent, where the tablets of the covenant law were kept. Moses commanded the Levites to record the amounts. The Levites did the work under the direction of Ithamar. Ithamar was the son of Aaron the priest. Bezalel, the son of Uri, made everything the Lord had commanded Moses. Uri was the son of Hur. Bezalel was from the tribe of Judah. Oholiab, the son of Ahisamak, helped Bezalel. Oholiab was from the tribe of Dan. He could carve things and make patterns. And he could sew skillfully with blue, purple and bright red yarn and on fine linen. The total weight of the gold from the wave offering was more than a ton. It was weighed out in keeping with the standard weights used in the sacred tent. The gold was used for all the work done in connection with the sacred tent.

The silver received from the men in the community who were listed and counted weighed almost four tons. It was weighed out in keeping with the weights used in the sacred tent. It amounted to a fifth of an ounce for each person. It was weighed out in keeping with the weights used in the sacred tent. The silver was received from the men who had been listed and counted. All of them were 20 years old or more. Their total number was 603,550. The four tons of silver were used to make the bases for the holy tent and for the curtain. The 100 bases were made from the four tons. Each base used more than 75 pounds of silver. The workers used 45 pounds to make the hooks for the posts, to cover the tops of the posts, and to make their bands.

The bronze from the wave offering weighed two and a half tons. The workers used some of it to make the bases for the entrance to the tent of meeting. They used some for the bronze altar for burnt offerings and its bronze grate and all its tools. They used some for the bases for the courtyard around the holy tent. They used some for the bases for the courtyard entrance. And they used the rest to make all the tent stakes for the holy tent and the courtyard around it.

The workers made clothes from the blue, purple and bright red yarn. The clothes were worn by the priests who served in the holy tent. The workers also made sacred clothes for Aaron. They made them just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

The workers made the linen apron. They made it out of thin gold wire, and of blue, purple and bright red yarn, and of finely twisted linen. They hammered out thin sheets of gold. They cut it into thin wire. Then they sewed it into the blue, purple and bright red yarn and fine linen. Skilled workers made it. The workers made shoulder straps for the apron. The straps were joined to two of its corners. Its skillfully made waistband was made like the apron. The waistband was part of the apron itself. It was made out of thin gold wire, and out of blue, purple and bright red yarn, and out of finely twisted linen. The workers made it just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

They put the onyx stones in fancy gold settings. They carved the names of the sons of Israel on the stones. They did it the way a jewel cutter would carve them. Then they connected them to the shoulder straps of the linen apron. The stones stood for the sons of Israel and were a constant reminder for them. The workers did those things just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Skilled workers made the chest cloth. They made it like the linen apron. They used thin gold wire, and blue, purple and bright red yarn, and finely twisted linen. The chest cloth was nine inches square. It was folded in half. The workers put four rows of valuable jewels on it. Carnelian, chrysolite and beryl were in the first row. Turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald were in the second row. Jacinth, agate and amethyst were in the third row. And topaz, onyx and jasper were in the fourth row. The workers put them in fancy gold settings. They used a total of 12 stones. There was one stone for each of the names of the sons of Israel. Each stone was carved with the name of one of the 12 tribes.

The workers made braided chains out of pure gold for the chest cloth. They made them like ropes. They made two fancy gold settings and two gold rings. They connected them to two corners of the chest cloth. They joined the two gold chains to the rings at the corners of the chest cloth. They joined the other ends of the chains to the two settings. They joined them to the shoulder straps on the front of the linen apron. The workers made two gold rings. They connected them to the other two corners of the chest cloth. They put them on the inside edge next to the apron. Then they made two more gold rings. They connected them to the bottom of the shoulder straps on the front of the apron. They put them close to the seam. They put them right above the waistband of the apron. They tied the rings of the chest cloth to the rings of the apron with blue cord. That connected it to the waistband. Then the chest cloth would not swing out from the linen apron. The workers did those things just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

The workers made the outer robe of the linen apron completely out of blue cloth. The cloth was made by a skillful person. The workers made an opening in the center of the robe. They made an edge like a collar around the opening. Then it couldn’t tear. They made pomegranates out of blue, purple and bright red yarn and finely twisted linen. They sewed them around the hem of the robe. They made bells out of pure gold. They sewed them around the hem between the pomegranates. They sewed a bell between every two pomegranates all around the hem of the robe. Aaron had to wear the robe when he served as priest. That’s what the Lord commanded Moses.

The workers made inner robes out of fine linen for Aaron and his sons. The linen cloth was made by a skillful person. The workers also made the turban out of fine linen. And they made the caps and the underwear out of finely twisted linen. The belt was made out of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and bright red yarn. A person who sewed skillfully made it. The workers did those things just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

They made the plate out of pure gold. It was a sacred crown. On the plate, they carved the words

set apart for the Lord.

Then they tied the plate to the turban with a blue cord. They did those things just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

So all the work on the holy tent, the tent of meeting, was completed. The Israelites did everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses. Then they brought the holy tent to Moses along with everything that belonged to it. Here are the things they brought:

hooks, frames, crossbars, posts and bases;

the covering of ram skins dyed red, the covering of another kind of strong leather and the curtain that hides the ark;

the ark where the tablets of the covenant law are kept, the poles and the cover for the ark;

the table for the holy bread with all its things and the holy bread;

the pure gold lampstand with its row of lamps and everything used with it, and the olive oil that gives light;

the gold altar for burning incense, the anointing oil and the sweet-smelling incense

the curtain for the entrance to the tent;

the bronze altar for burnt offerings with its bronze grate, its poles and all its tools;

the large bowl with its stand;

the curtains of the courtyard with their posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard;

the ropes and tent stakes for the courtyard;

everything that belongs to the holy tent, the tent of meeting;

and the sacred clothes for Aaron the priest and the clothes for his sons when they serve as priests.

The Israelites had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses. Moses looked over the work carefully. He saw that the workers had done it just as the Lord had commanded. So Moses gave them his blessing.

Yesterday’s Reading

The 6 Year Plan

Tomorrow’s Reading

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