The Seven Lamps

Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and say to him, When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand.” And Aaron did so: he set up its lamps in front of the lampstand, as the Lord commanded Moses. And (A)this was the workmanship of the lampstand, hammered work of gold. From its base to its flowers, it was hammered work; according to the pattern that the Lord had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.

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Setting Up the Lamps

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

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

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A Genealogy of Saul

(A)Benjamin fathered Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, (B)Aharah the third, Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth. And Bela had sons: Addar, Gera, Abihud, Abishua, (C)Naaman, Ahoah, Gera, (D)Shephuphan, and Huram. These are the sons of Ehud (they were heads of fathers' houses of the inhabitants of Geba, and they were carried into exile to (E)Manahath): Naaman,[a] Ahijah, and Gera, that is, Heglam, who fathered[b] Uzza and Ahihud. And Shaharaim fathered sons in the country of Moab after he had sent away Hushim and Baara his wives. He fathered sons by Hodesh his wife: Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, 10 Jeuz, Sachia, and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of fathers' houses. 11 He also fathered sons by Hushim: Abitub and Elpaal. 12 The sons of Elpaal: Eber, Misham, and Shemed, who built (F)Ono and (G)Lod with its towns, 13 and Beriah and (H)Shema (they were heads of fathers' houses of the inhabitants of (I)Aijalon, who caused the inhabitants of Gath to flee); 14 and Ahio, Shashak, and Jeremoth.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 8:7 Hebrew and Naaman
  2. 1 Chronicles 8:7 Or Gera; he carried them into exile and fathered

The Genealogy of Saul the Benjamite(A)

Benjamin(B) was the father of Bela his firstborn,

Ashbel the second son, Aharah the third,

Nohah the fourth and Rapha the fifth.

The sons of Bela were:

Addar,(C) Gera, Abihud,[a] Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah,(D) Gera, Shephuphan and Huram.

These were the descendants of Ehud,(E) who were heads of families of those living in Geba and were deported to Manahath:

Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera, who deported them and who was the father of Uzza and Ahihud.

Sons were born to Shaharaim in Moab after he had divorced his wives Hushim and Baara. By his wife Hodesh he had Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malkam, 10 Jeuz, Sakia and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of families. 11 By Hushim he had Abitub and Elpaal.

12 The sons of Elpaal:

Eber, Misham, Shemed (who built Ono(F) and Lod with its surrounding villages), 13 and Beriah and Shema, who were heads of families of those living in Aijalon(G) and who drove out the inhabitants of Gath.(H)

14 Ahio, Shashak, Jeremoth,

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 8:3 Or Gera the father of Ehud

therefore, (A)as I live, declares the Lord God, I will prepare you for blood, and blood shall pursue you; (B)because you did not hate bloodshed, therefore blood shall pursue you. (C)I will make Mount Seir a waste (D)and a desolation, and I will cut off from it (E)all who come and go. And I will fill (F)its mountains with the slain. On your hills and in your valleys and in all (G)your ravines (H)those slain with the sword shall fall. (I)I will make you a perpetual desolation, and (J)your cities shall not be inhabited. Then (K)you will know that I am the Lord.

10 “Because you said, (L)‘These two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and (M)we will take possession of them’—although the (N)Lord was there— 11 therefore, (O)as I live, declares the Lord God, I will deal with you (P)according to the anger and (Q)envy that you showed because of your hatred against them. And (R)I will make myself known among them, when I judge you. 12 And you shall know that I am the Lord.

(S)“I have heard all the revilings that you uttered against the mountains of Israel, saying, ‘They are laid desolate; (T)they are given us to devour.’ 13 And (U)you magnified yourselves against me (V)with your mouth, and multiplied your words against me; I heard it. 14 Thus says the Lord God: (W)While the whole earth rejoices, I will make you desolate. 15 As you (X)rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel, because it was desolate, so I will deal with you; you shall be desolate, (Y)Mount Seir, and all Edom, all of it. Then (Z)they will know that I am the Lord.

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therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will give you over to bloodshed(A) and it will pursue you.(B) Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you. I will make Mount Seir a desolate waste(C) and cut off from it all who come and go.(D) I will fill your mountains with the slain; those killed by the sword will fall on your hills and in your valleys and in all your ravines.(E) I will make you desolate forever;(F) your towns will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the Lord.(G)

10 “‘Because you have said, “These two nations and countries will be ours and we will take possession(H) of them,” even though I the Lord was there, 11 therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will treat you in accordance with the anger(I) and jealousy you showed in your hatred of them and I will make myself known among them when I judge you.(J) 12 Then you will know that I the Lord have heard all the contemptible things you have said against the mountains of Israel. You said, “They have been laid waste and have been given over to us to devour.(K) 13 You boasted(L) against me and spoke against me without restraint, and I heard it.(M) 14 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: While the whole earth rejoices, I will make you desolate.(N) 15 Because you rejoiced(O) when the inheritance of Israel became desolate, that is how I will treat you. You will be desolate, Mount Seir,(P) you and all of Edom.(Q) Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”

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Deliver Me, O Lord

A Song of (A)Ascents.

120 In my distress I called to the Lord,
    and he answered me.
Deliver me, O Lord,
    from lying lips,
    from a deceitful tongue.

What shall be given to you,
    (B)and what more shall be done to you,
    you deceitful tongue?
(C)A warrior's (D)sharp arrows,
    with glowing (E)coals of the broom tree!

Woe to me, that I sojourn in (F)Meshech,
    that I dwell among (G)the tents of (H)Kedar!
Too long have I had my dwelling
    among those who hate peace.
(I)I am for peace,
    but when I speak, they are for war!

My Help Comes from the Lord

A Song of (J)Ascents.

121 I (K)lift up my eyes to (L)the hills.
    From where does my help come?
(M)My help comes from the Lord,
    who (N)made heaven and earth.

He will not (O)let your foot be moved;
    he who (P)keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper;
    the Lord is your (Q)shade on your (R)right hand.
(S)The sun shall not (T)strike you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

The Lord will (U)keep you from all evil;
    he will (V)keep your life.
The Lord will keep
    your (W)going out and your coming in
    from this time forth and forevermore.

Psalm 120

A song of ascents.

I call on the Lord(A) in my distress,(B)
    and he answers me.
Save me, Lord,
    from lying lips(C)
    and from deceitful tongues.(D)

What will he do to you,
    and what more besides,
    you deceitful tongue?
He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows,(E)
    with burning coals of the broom bush.

Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek,
    that I live among the tents of Kedar!(F)
Too long have I lived
    among those who hate peace.
I am for peace;
    but when I speak, they are for war.

Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven(G) and earth.(H)

He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches(I) over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over(J) you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun(K) will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm(L)
    he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore.(M)

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

He also told this parable to some (A)who trusted (B)in themselves that they were righteous, (C)and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men (D)went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, (E)standing by himself, prayed[a] (F)thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 (G)I fast twice a week; (H)I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, (I)standing far off, (J)would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but (K)beat his breast, saying, ‘God, (L)be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For (M)everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Let the Children Come to Me

15 (N)Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they (O)rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to him, saying, (P)“Let the children come to me, and (Q)do not hinder them, (R)for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 17 (S)Truly, I say to you, whoever does not (T)receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 18:11 Or standing, prayed to himself

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

To some who were confident of their own righteousness(A) and looked down on everyone else,(B) Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray,(C) one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself(D) and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast(E) twice a week and give a tenth(F) of all I get.’

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast(G) and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’(H)

14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”(I)

The Little Children and Jesus(J)

15 People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child(K) will never enter it.”

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But (A)sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness (B)must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be (C)no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, (D)which are out of place, but instead (E)let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that (F)everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous ((G)that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. (H)Let no one (I)deceive you with empty words, for because of these things (J)the wrath of God comes upon (K)the sons of disobedience. Therefore (L)do not become partners with them; for (M)at one time you were (N)darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. (O)Walk as children of light (for (P)the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and (Q)try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 (R)Take no part in the (S)unfruitful (T)works of darkness, but instead (U)expose them.

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But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality,(A) or of any kind of impurity, or of greed,(B) because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk(C) or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.(D) For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater(E)—has any inheritance(F) in the kingdom of Christ and of God.[a](G) Let no one deceive you(H) with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath(I) comes on those who are disobedient.(J) Therefore do not be partners with them.

For you were once(K) darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light(L) (for the fruit(M) of the light consists in all goodness,(N) righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord.(O) 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,(P) but rather expose them.

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 5:5 Or kingdom of the Messiah and God