Leviticus 21 - 22

The Holiness of the Priests

Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them: ‘No one shall defile himself for a dead person among his people, 2 except for his blood relatives who are nearest to him, his mother and his father and his son and his daughter and his brother, 3 also for his virgin sister, who is near to him because she has had no husband; for her he may defile himself. 4 He shall not defile himself as a relative by marriage among his people, and so profane himself. 5 They shall not make any baldness on their heads nor shave off the edges of their beards nor make any cuts in their flesh. 6 They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God, for they bring near the offerings to Yahweh by fire, the food of their God; so they shall be holy. 7 They shall not take a woman who is profaned by harlotry, nor shall they take a woman divorced from her husband; for he is holy to his God. 8 Therefore, you shall set him apart as holy, for he brings near the food of your God; he shall be holy to you; for I Yahweh, who makes you holy, am holy. 9 Also the daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by harlotry, she profanes her father; she shall be burned with fire. 10 ‘And the priest who is the highest among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil has been poured and who has been ordained to wear the garments, shall not uncover his head nor tear his clothes; 11 nor shall he approach any dead person nor defile himself even for his father or his mother; 12 nor shall he go out of the sanctuary nor profane the sanctuary of his God, for the dedication of the anointing oil of his God is on him; I am Yahweh. 13 And he shall take a wife in her virginity. 14 A widow or a divorced woman or one who is profaned by harlotry, these he may not take; but rather he shall take a virgin of his own people as a wife, 15 so that he will not profane his seed among his people; for I am Yahweh who makes him holy.’” 16 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 17 “Speak to Aaron, saying, ‘No man of your seed throughout their generations who has a defect shall come near to offer the food of his God. 18 For no one who has a defect shall come near: a blind man or a lame man or he who has a disfigured face or any deformed limb, 19 or a man who has a broken foot or broken hand, 20 or a hunchback or a dwarf, or one who has a defect in his eye or eczema or scabs or crushed testicles. 21 No man among the seed of Aaron the priest who has a defect shall approach to bring near the offerings to Yahweh by fire; since he has a defect, he shall not approach to bring near the food of his God. 22 He may eat the food of his God, both of the most holy and of the holy, 23 only he shall not go in to the veil or approach the altar because he has a defect, so that he will not profane My sanctuaries. For I am Yahweh who makes them holy.’” 24 So Moses spoke to Aaron and to his sons and to all the sons of Israel.

Various Statutes for Priests

Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Tell Aaron and his sons to be careful with the holy gifts of the sons of Israel, which they set apart to Me as holy, so as not to profane My holy name; I am Yahweh. 3 Say to them, ‘If any man among all your seed throughout your generations comes near to the holy gifts which the sons of Israel set apart as holy to Yahweh, and he has an uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from before Me; I am Yahweh. 4 No man of the seed of Aaron, who is a leper or who has a discharge, may eat of the holy gifts until he is clean. And if one touches anything made unclean by a corpse, or if a man has a seminal emission, 5 or if a man touches any teeming things by which he is made unclean or any man by whom he is made unclean, whatever his uncleanness, 6 a person who touches any such thing shall be unclean until evening and shall not eat of the holy gifts unless he has bathed his body in water. 7 But the sun will set, and he will be clean. And afterward he shall eat of the holy gifts, for it is his food. 8 He shall not eat an animal which dies or is torn by beasts, becoming unclean by it; I am Yahweh. 9 They shall therefore keep My charge so that they will not bear sin because of it and die thereby because they profane it; I am Yahweh who makes them holy. 10 ‘No layman, however, is to eat the holy gift; a foreign resident with the priest or a hired man shall not eat of the holy gift. 11 But if a priest buys a person as his property with his money, that one may eat of it, and those who are born in his house may eat of his food. 12 If a priest’s daughter is married to a layman, she shall not eat of the contribution of the holy gifts. 13 But if a priest’s daughter becomes a widow or divorced, and has no seed, and returns to her father’s house as in her youth, she shall eat of her father’s food; but no layman shall eat of it. 14 But if a man eats a holy gift unintentionally, then he shall add to it a fifth of it and shall give the holy gift to the priest. 15 They shall not profane the holy gifts of the sons of Israel which they raise up to Yahweh, 16 and so cause them to bear punishment for guilt by eating their holy gifts; for I am Yahweh who makes them holy.’”

Offerings Without Blemish

17 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 18 “Speak to Aaron and to his sons and to all the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘Any man of the house of Israel or of the sojourners in Israel who brings near his offering, whether it is any of their votive or any of their freewill offerings, which they bring near to Yahweh for a burnt offering— 19 for you to be accepted—it must be a male without blemish from the cattle, the sheep, or the goats. 20 Whatever has a defect, you shall not bring it near, for it will not be accepted for you. 21 And when a man brings a sacrifice of peace offerings near to Yahweh to fulfill a special vow or for a freewill offering, of the herd or of the flock, it must be without blemish to be accepted; there shall be no defect in it. 22 Those that are blind or fractured or maimed or have a running sore or eczema or scabs, you shall not bring near to Yahweh nor make of them an offering by fire on the altar to Yahweh. 23 Now in respect to an ox or a lamb which has an overgrown or stunted member, you may offer it for a freewill offering, but for a votive offering it will not be accepted. 24 Also anything with its testicles bruised or crushed or torn or cut, you shall not bring near to Yahweh, and you shall not do thus in your land, 25 nor shall you bring near any such thing from the hand of a foreigner for offering as the food of your God; for their corruption is in them, they have a defect; they shall not be accepted for you.’” 26 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 27 “When an ox or a sheep or a goat is born, it shall remain seven days with its mother, and from the eighth day on it shall be accepted as a sacrifice of an offering by fire to Yahweh. 28 But, whether it is an ox or a sheep, you shall not slaughter both it and its young in one day. 29 And when you sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving to Yahweh, you shall sacrifice it so that you may be accepted. 30 It shall be eaten on the same day; you shall leave none of it until morning; I am Yahweh. 31 So you shall keep My commandments and do them; I am Yahweh. 32 “And you shall not profane My holy name, but I will be treated as holy among the sons of Israel; I am Yahweh who makes you holy, 33 who brought you out from the land of Egypt to be your God; I am Yahweh.”

Acts 14:8 - 15:41

In Lystra and Derbe

8 And at Lystra a man was sitting who had no strength in his feet, lame from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. 9 This man listened to Paul as he spoke, who, when he fixed his gaze on him and saw that he had faith to be saved from being lame, 10 said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he leaped up and began to walk. 11 And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us.” 12 And they began calling Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and was wanting to offer sacrifice with the crowds. 14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out 15 and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men of the same nature as you, proclaiming the gospel to you that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. 16 In the generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go their own ways; 17 and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.” 18 And saying these things, with difficulty they restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them. 19 But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and after winning over the crowds and stoning Paul, they were dragging him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. 20 But while the disciples stood around him, he rose up and entered the city. The next day he went away with Barnabas to Derbe. 21 And after they had proclaimed the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many afflictions we must enter the kingdom of God.” 23 And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

The Return to Antioch

24 And when they passed through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia. 25 And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. 26 And from there they sailed to Antioch, from where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. 27 And when they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they spent not a little time with the disciples.

The Jerusalem Council

Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 And when Paul and Barnabas had not a little dissension and debate with them, the brothers determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue. 3 Therefore, being sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, recounting in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all the brothers. 4 When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. 5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the Law of Moses.” 6 Both the apostles and the elders came together to look into this matter. 7 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; 9 and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.” 12 And all the multitude kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

James Issues a Judgment

13 Now after they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name. 15 And with this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, 16

‘After these things I will return,

And I will rebuild the fallen booth of David,

And I will rebuild its ruins,

And I will restore it,

So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,

And all the Gentiles who are called by My name,’

Says the Lord, who makes these things known from long ago.

19 Therefore I judge that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, 20 but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from sexual immorality and from what is strangled and from blood. 21 For from ancient generations, Moses has those who preach him in every city, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.” 22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them—Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers—to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, 23 and they sent this letter by them,

“The apostles and the brothers who are elders, to the brothers in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, greetings.

Since we have heard that some of us, to whom we gave no instruction, have gone out and disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls,

it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, and they themselves will report the same things by word of mouth.

For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials:

that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from sexual immorality, from which if you keep yourselves, you will do well. Farewell.”

30 So when they were sent away, they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31 And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. 32 And both Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with a lengthy message. 33 And after they had spent time there, they were sent away from the brothers in peace to those who had sent them. 34 [But it seemed good to Silas to remain there.] 35 But Paul and Barnabas spent a long time in Antioch, teaching and preaching with many others also, the word of the Lord.

Disagreement Between Paul and Barnabas

36 Now after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” 37 And Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also. 38 But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39 And there was such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. 40 But Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41 And he was traveling through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Psalm 85

Turn Us Back, O God

For the choir director. Of the sons of Korah. A Psalm.

O Yahweh, You showed favor to Your land;

You returned the fortunes of Jacob.

You forgave the iniquity of Your people;

You covered all their sin. Selah.

You withdrew all Your fury;

You turned back from Your burning anger.

Turn us back, O God of our salvation,

And cause Your vexation toward us to cease.

Will You be angry with us forever?

Will You prolong Your anger from generation to generation?

Will You not Yourself return to revive us,

That Your people may be glad in You?

Show us, O Yahweh, Your lovingkindness,

And give us Your salvation.

Let me hear what the God, Yahweh, will speak;

For He will speak peace to His people, to His holy ones;

But let them not turn back to folly.

Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,

That glory may dwell in our land.

Lovingkindness and truth have met together;

Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

Truth springs up from the earth,

And righteousness looks down from heaven.

Indeed, Yahweh will give what is good,

And our land will yield its produce.

Righteousness will go before Him

And will establish the way of His steps.