Purification after Childbirth

12 The Lord spoke to Moses: ² “Tell the Israelites: When a woman becomes pregnant and gives birth to a male child,^(A) she will be unclean seven days, as she is during the days of her menstrual impurity.^{(B) 3} The flesh of his foreskin^(C) must be circumcised^(D) on the eighth day.^{(E) 4} She will continue in purification^(F) from her bleeding^(G) for 33 days. She must not touch any holy thing or go into the sanctuary until completing her days of purification. ⁵ But if she gives birth to a female child, she will be unclean for two weeks as she is during her menstrual impurity. She will continue in purification from her bleeding for 66 days.

⁶ “When her days of purification are complete, whether for a son or daughter, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting a year-old male lamb for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin^[a] offering. ⁷ He will present them before the Lord and make atonement on her behalf; she will be clean from her discharge of blood. This is the law for a woman giving birth, whether to a male or female. ⁸ But if she doesn’t have sufficient means^[b](H) for a sheep, she may take two turtledoves or two young pigeons,^(I) one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin^[c] offering. Then the priest will make atonement on her behalf, and she will be clean.”

Skin Diseases

13 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron: ² “When a person has a swelling,^[d] scab,^[e] or spot on the skin of his body, and it becomes a disease on the skin^(J) of his body, he is to be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons, the priests. ³ The priest will examine the infection^(K) on the skin of his body. If the hair in the infection has turned white and the infection appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is a skin disease. After the priest examines him, he must pronounce him unclean. ⁴ But if the spot on the skin of his body is white and does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest must quarantine the infected person for seven days.^{(L) 5} The priest will then reexamine him on the seventh day. If he sees that the infection remains unchanged and has not spread on the skin, the priest must quarantine him for another seven days. ⁶ The priest will examine him again on the seventh day. If the infection has faded and has not spread on the skin, the priest is to pronounce him clean;^(M) it is a scab. The person is to wash his clothes and will become clean. ⁷ But if the scab spreads further on his skin after he has presented himself to the priest for his cleansing,^(N) he must present himself again to the priest. ⁸ The priest will examine him, and if the scab has spread on the skin, then the priest must pronounce him unclean; he has a skin disease.

⁹ “When a skin disease develops on a person, he is to be brought to the priest. ¹⁰ The priest will examine him. If there is a white swelling on the skin that has turned the hair white, and there is a patch of raw flesh in the swelling, ¹¹ it is a chronic disease on the skin of his body, and the priest must pronounce him unclean.^(O) He need not quarantine him, for he is unclean. ¹² But if the skin disease breaks out all over the skin so that it covers all the skin of the infected person from his head to his feet so far as the priest can see, ¹³ the priest will look, and if the skin disease has covered his entire body, he is to pronounce the infected person clean.^(P) Since he has turned totally white, he is clean. ¹⁴ But whenever raw flesh appears on him, he will be unclean. ¹⁵ When the priest examines the raw flesh, he must pronounce him unclean. Raw flesh is unclean; it is a skin disease. ¹⁶ But if the raw flesh changes^[f] and^[g] turns white, he must go to the priest. ¹⁷ The priest will examine him, and if the infection has turned white, the priest must pronounce the infected person clean; he is clean.

¹⁸ “When a boil appears on the skin^(Q) of one’s body^(R) and it heals, ¹⁹ and a white swelling or a reddish-white spot develops where the boil was, the person must present himself to the priest. ²⁰ The priest will make an examination, and if the spot seems to be beneath the skin and the hair in it has turned white, the priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a skin disease that has broken out in the boil. ²¹ But when the priest examines it, if there is no white hair in it, and it is not beneath the skin but is faded, the priest must quarantine him seven days. ²² If it spreads further on the skin, the priest must pronounce him unclean; it is an infection. ²³ But if the spot remains where it is and does not spread, it is only the scar from the boil. The priest is to pronounce him clean.

²⁴ “When there is a burn on the skin of one’s body produced by fire, and the patch made raw by the burn becomes reddish-white or white, ²⁵ the priest is to examine it. If the hair in the spot has turned white and the spot appears to be deeper than the skin, it is a skin disease that has broken out in the burn. The priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a skin disease. ²⁶ But when the priest examines it, if there is no white hair in the spot and it is not beneath the skin but is faded, the priest must quarantine him seven days. ²⁷ The priest will reexamine him on the seventh day. If it has spread further on the skin, the priest must pronounce him unclean; it is a skin disease. ²⁸ But if the spot has remained where it was and has not spread on the skin but is faded, it is the swelling from the burn. The priest is to pronounce him clean, for it is only the scar from the burn.

²⁹ “When a man or woman has an infection on the head or chin, ³⁰ the priest must examine the infection. If it appears to be deeper than the skin,^(S) and the hair in it is yellow and sparse, the priest must pronounce the person unclean. It is a scaly outbreak,^[h] a skin disease of the head or chin. ³¹ When the priest examines the scaly infection, if it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, the priest must quarantine the person with the scaly infection for seven days. ³² The priest will reexamine the infection on the seventh day. If the scaly outbreak has not spread and there is no yellow hair in it and it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, ³³ the person must shave himself^(T) but not shave the scaly area. Then the priest must quarantine the person who has the scaly outbreak for another seven days. ³⁴ The priest will examine the scaly outbreak on the seventh day, and if it has not spread on the skin and does not appear to be deeper than the skin, the priest is to pronounce the person clean. He is to wash his clothes, and he will be clean. ³⁵ But if the scaly outbreak spreads further on the skin after his cleansing, ³⁶ the priest is to examine the person. If the scaly outbreak has spread on the skin, the priest does not need to look for yellow hair; the person is unclean. ³⁷ But if as far as he can see, the scaly outbreak remains unchanged and black hair has grown in it, then it has healed; he is clean. The priest is to pronounce the person clean.

³⁸ “When a man or a woman has white spots on the skin of the body, ³⁹ the priest is to make an examination. If the spots on the skin of the body are dull white, it is only a rash^[i] that has broken out on the skin; the person is clean.

⁴⁰ “If a man loses the hair of his head, he is bald,^(U) but he is clean. ⁴¹ Or if he loses the hair at his hairline, he is bald on his forehead, but he is clean. ⁴² But if there is a reddish-white infection on the bald head or forehead, it is a skin disease breaking out on his head or forehead.^{(V) 43} The priest is to examine him, and if the swelling of the infection on his bald head or forehead is reddish-white, like the appearance of a skin disease on his body, ⁴⁴ the man is afflicted with a skin disease;^(W) he is unclean. The priest must pronounce him unclean; the infection is on his head.

⁴⁵ “The person afflicted with an infectious skin disease is to have his clothes torn^(X) and his hair hanging loose, and he must cover his mouth^(Y) and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’ ⁴⁶ He will remain unclean as long as he has the infection; he is unclean. He must live alone in a place outside the camp.^(Z)

Contaminated Fabrics

⁴⁷ “If a fabric is contaminated with mildew—in wool or linen fabric, ⁴⁸ in the warp or woof of linen or wool, or in leather or anything made of leather— ⁴⁹ and if the contamination is green or red in the fabric, the leather, the warp, the woof, or any leather article, it is a mildew contamination and is to be shown to the priest. ⁵⁰ The priest is to examine the contamination and quarantine the contaminated fabric for seven days. ⁵¹ The priest is to reexamine the contamination on the seventh day. If it has spread in the fabric, the warp, the woof, or the leather, regardless of how it is used, the contamination is harmful mildew; it is unclean.^{(AA) 52} He is to burn the fabric, the warp or woof in wool or linen, or any leather article, which is contaminated. Since it is harmful mildew it must be burned up.

⁵³ “When the priest examines it, if the contamination has not spread in the fabric, the warp or woof, or any leather article, ⁵⁴ the priest is to order whatever is contaminated to be washed and quarantined for another seven days. ⁵⁵ After it has been washed, the priest is to reexamine the contamination. If the appearance of the contaminated article has not changed, it is unclean. Even though the contamination has not spread, you must burn up the fabric. It is a fungus^[j] on the front or back of the fabric.

⁵⁶ “If the priest examines it, and the contamination has faded after it has been washed, he must cut the contaminated section out of the fabric, the leather, or the warp or woof. ⁵⁷ But if it reappears in the fabric, the warp or woof, or any leather article, it has broken out again. You must burn up whatever is contaminated. ⁵⁸ But if the contamination disappears from the fabric, the warp or woof, or any leather article, which have been washed, it is to be washed again, and it will be clean.

⁵⁹ “This is the law concerning a mildew contamination in wool or linen fabric, warp or woof, or any leather article, in order to pronounce it clean or unclean.”^(AB)

Sufficient Grace

12 Boasting is necessary. It is not profitable, but I will move on to visions^(A) and revelations^(B) of the Lord. ² I know a man in Christ who was caught up^(C) into the third heaven 14 years ago. Whether he was in the body or out of the body, I don’t know, God knows. ³ I know that this man—whether in the body or out of the body I don’t know, God knows— ⁴ was caught up into paradise.^(D) He heard inexpressible words, which a man is not allowed to speak. ⁵ I will boast about this person, but not about myself, except of my weaknesses. ⁶ For if I want to boast, I will not be a fool, because I will be telling the truth.^(E) But I will spare you, so that no one can credit me with something beyond what he sees in me or hears from me, ⁷ especially because of the extraordinary revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh^(F) was given to me, a messenger^[a] of Satan^(G) to torment me so I would not exalt myself. ⁸ Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me. ⁹ But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power^[b](H) is perfected in weakness.”^(I) Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. ¹⁰ So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ.^(J) For when I am weak, then I am strong.^(K)

Signs of an Apostle

¹¹ I have become a fool; you forced it on me. I should have been endorsed by you, since I am not in any way inferior to the “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.^{(L) 12} The signs^(M) of an apostle^(N) were performed with great endurance among you—not only signs but also wonders^(O) and miracles.^{(P) 13} So in what way were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I personally did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!

Paul’s Concern for the Corinthians

¹⁴ Now I am ready to come to you this third time.^(Q) I will not burden you, for I am not seeking what is yours, but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. ¹⁵ I will most gladly spend and be spent for you.^[c](R) If I love you more, am I to be loved less? ¹⁶ Now granted, I have not burdened^(S) you; yet sly as I am, I took you in by deceit!^{(T) 17} Did I take advantage of you by anyone I sent you? ¹⁸ I urged Titus^(U) to come, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Didn’t we walk in the same spirit^(V) and in the same footsteps?

¹⁹ You have thought all along that we were defending ourselves to you.^[d] No, in the sight of God we are speaking in Christ, and everything, dear friends, is for building you up.^{(W) 20} For I fear that perhaps when I come I will not find you to be what I want, and I may not be found by you to be what you want;^[e] there may be quarreling,^(X) jealousy,^(Y) outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions,^(Z) slander,^(AA) gossip, arrogance, and disorder.^{(AB) 21} I fear that when I come my God will again^[f] humiliate me in your presence, and I will grieve for many who sinned before and have not repented^(AC) of the moral impurity, sexual immorality,^(AD) and promiscuity^(AE) they practiced.