Duties of Priests and Levites

18 The Lord said to Aaron, “You, your sons and your family are to bear the responsibility for offenses connected with the sanctuary,^(A) and you and your sons alone are to bear the responsibility for offenses connected with the priesthood. ² Bring your fellow Levites from your ancestral tribe to join you and assist you when you and your sons minister^(B) before the tent of the covenant law. ³ They are to be responsible to you^(C) and are to perform all the duties of the tent,^(D) but they must not go near the furnishings of the sanctuary or the altar. Otherwise both they and you will die.^{(E) 4} They are to join you and be responsible for the care of the tent of meeting—all the work at the tent—and no one else may come near where you are.^(F)

⁵ “You are to be responsible for the care of the sanctuary and the altar,^(G) so that my wrath will not fall on the Israelites again. ⁶ I myself have selected your fellow Levites from among the Israelites as a gift to you,^(H) dedicated to the Lord to do the work at the tent of meeting.^{(I) 7} But only you and your sons may serve as priests in connection with everything at the altar and inside the curtain.^(J) I am giving you the service of the priesthood as a gift.^(K) Anyone else who comes near the sanctuary is to be put to death.^(L)”

Offerings for Priests and Levites

⁸ Then the Lord said to Aaron, “I myself have put you in charge of the offerings presented to me; all the holy offerings the Israelites give me I give to you and your sons as your portion,^(M) your perpetual share.^{(N) 9} You are to have the part of the most holy offerings^(O) that is kept from the fire. From all the gifts they bring me as most holy offerings, whether grain^(P) or sin^[a](Q) or guilt offerings,^(R) that part belongs to you and your sons. ¹⁰ Eat it as something most holy; every male shall eat it.^(S) You must regard it as holy.^(T)

¹¹ “This also is yours: whatever is set aside from the gifts of all the wave offerings^(U) of the Israelites. I give this to you and your sons and daughters as your perpetual share.^(V) Everyone in your household who is ceremonially clean^(W) may eat it.

¹² “I give you all the finest olive oil and all the finest new wine and grain^(X) they give the Lord^(Y) as the firstfruits of their harvest.^{(Z) 13} All the land’s firstfruits that they bring to the Lord will be yours.^(AA) Everyone in your household who is ceremonially clean may eat it.^(AB)

¹⁴ “Everything in Israel that is devoted^[b] to the Lord^(AC) is yours. ¹⁵ The first offspring of every womb, both human and animal, that is offered to the Lord is yours.^(AD) But you must redeem^(AE) every firstborn^(AF) son and every firstborn male of unclean animals.^{(AG) 16} When they are a month old,^(AH) you must redeem them at the redemption price set at five shekels^[c](AI) of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel,^(AJ) which weighs twenty gerahs.^(AK)

¹⁷ “But you must not redeem the firstborn of a cow, a sheep or a goat; they are holy.^(AL) Splash their blood^(AM) against the altar and burn their fat^(AN) as a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.^{(AO) 18} Their meat is to be yours, just as the breast of the wave offering^(AP) and the right thigh are yours.^{(AQ) 19} Whatever is set aside from the holy^(AR) offerings the Israelites present to the Lord I give to you and your sons and daughters as your perpetual share. It is an everlasting covenant of salt^(AS) before the Lord for both you and your offspring.”

²⁰ The Lord said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them;^(AT) I am your share and your inheritance^(AU) among the Israelites.

²¹ “I give to the Levites all the tithes^(AV) in Israel as their inheritance^(AW) in return for the work they do while serving at the tent of meeting.^{(AX) 22} From now on the Israelites must not go near the tent of meeting, or they will bear the consequences of their sin and will die.^{(AY) 23} It is the Levites who are to do the work at the tent of meeting and bear the responsibility for any offenses they commit against it. This is a lasting ordinance^(AZ) for the generations to come.^(BA) They will receive no inheritance^(BB) among the Israelites.^{(BC) 24} Instead, I give to the Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as an offering to the Lord.^(BD) That is why I said concerning them: ‘They will have no inheritance among the Israelites.’”

²⁵ The Lord said to Moses, ²⁶ “Speak to the Levites and say to them: ‘When you receive from the Israelites the tithe I give you^(BE) as your inheritance, you must present a tenth of that tithe as the Lord’s offering.^{(BF) 27} Your offering will be reckoned^(BG) to you as grain from the threshing floor^(BH) or juice from the winepress.^{(BI) 28} In this way you also will present an offering to the Lord from all the tithes^(BJ) you receive from the Israelites. From these tithes you must give the Lord’s portion to Aaron the priest. ²⁹ You must present as the Lord’s portion the best and holiest part of everything given to you.’

³⁰ “Say to the Levites: ‘When you present the best part, it will be reckoned to you as the product of the threshing floor or the winepress.^{(BK) 31} You and your households may eat the rest of it anywhere, for it is your wages for your work at the tent of meeting.^{(BL) 32} By presenting the best part^(BM) of it you will not be guilty in this matter;^(BN) then you will not defile the holy offerings^(BO) of the Israelites, and you will not die.’”

The Water of Cleansing

19 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: ² “This is a requirement of the law that the Lord has commanded: Tell the Israelites to bring you a red heifer^(BP) without defect or blemish^(BQ) and that has never been under a yoke.^{(BR) 3} Give it to Eleazar^(BS) the priest; it is to be taken outside the camp^(BT) and slaughtered in his presence. ⁴ Then Eleazar the priest is to take some of its blood on his finger and sprinkle^(BU) it seven times toward the front of the tent of meeting. ⁵ While he watches, the heifer is to be burned—its hide, flesh, blood and intestines.^{(BV) 6} The priest is to take some cedar wood, hyssop^(BW) and scarlet wool^(BX) and throw them onto the burning heifer. ⁷ After that, the priest must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water.^(BY) He may then come into the camp, but he will be ceremonially unclean till evening. ⁸ The man who burns it must also wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he too will be unclean till evening.

⁹ “A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer^(BZ) and put them in a ceremonially clean place^(CA) outside the camp. They are to be kept by the Israelite community for use in the water of cleansing;^(CB) it is for purification from sin.^{(CC) 10} The man who gathers up^(CD) the ashes of the heifer must also wash his clothes, and he too will be unclean till evening.^(CE) This will be a lasting ordinance^(CF) both for the Israelites and for the foreigners residing among them.^(CG)

¹¹ “Whoever touches a human corpse^(CH) will be unclean for seven days.^{(CI) 12} They must purify themselves with the water on the third day and on the seventh day;^(CJ) then they will be clean. But if they do not purify themselves on the third and seventh days, they will not be clean.^{(CK) 13} If they fail to purify themselves after touching a human corpse,^(CL) they defile the Lord’s tabernacle.^(CM) They must be cut off from Israel.^(CN) Because the water of cleansing has not been sprinkled on them, they are unclean;^(CO) their uncleanness remains on them.

¹⁴ “This is the law that applies when a person dies in a tent: Anyone who enters the tent and anyone who is in it will be unclean for seven days, ¹⁵ and every open container^(CP) without a lid fastened on it will be unclean.

¹⁶ “Anyone out in the open who touches someone who has been killed with a sword or someone who has died a natural death,^(CQ) or anyone who touches a human bone^(CR) or a grave,^(CS) will be unclean for seven days.^(CT)

¹⁷ “For the unclean person, put some ashes^(CU) from the burned purification offering into a jar and pour fresh water^(CV) over them. ¹⁸ Then a man who is ceremonially clean is to take some hyssop,^(CW) dip it in the water and sprinkle^(CX) the tent and all the furnishings and the people who were there. He must also sprinkle anyone who has touched a human bone or a grave^(CY) or anyone who has been killed or anyone who has died a natural death. ¹⁹ The man who is clean is to sprinkle^(CZ) those who are unclean on the third and seventh days, and on the seventh day he is to purify them.^(DA) Those who are being cleansed must wash their clothes^(DB) and bathe with water, and that evening they will be clean. ²⁰ But if those who are unclean do not purify themselves, they must be cut off from the community, because they have defiled^(DC) the sanctuary of the Lord.^(DD) The water of cleansing has not been sprinkled on them, and they are unclean.^{(DE) 21} This is a lasting ordinance^(DF) for them.

“The man who sprinkles the water of cleansing must also wash his clothes, and anyone who touches the water of cleansing will be unclean till evening. ²² Anything that an unclean^(DG) person touches becomes unclean, and anyone who touches it becomes unclean till evening.”

Water From the Rock

20 In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin,^(DH) and they stayed at Kadesh.^(DI) There Miriam^(DJ) died and was buried.

² Now there was no water^(DK) for the community,^(DL) and the people gathered in opposition^(DM) to Moses and Aaron. ³ They quarreled^(DN) with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead^(DO) before the Lord!^{(DP) 4} Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness,^(DQ) that we and our livestock should die here?^{(DR) 5} Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates.^(DS) And there is no water to drink!^(DT)”

⁶ Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting^(DU) and fell facedown,^(DV) and the glory of the Lord^(DW) appeared to them. ⁷ The Lord said to Moses, ⁸ “Take the staff,^(DX) and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water.^(DY) You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”

⁹ So Moses took the staff^(DZ) from the Lord’s presence,^(EA) just as he commanded him. ¹⁰ He and Aaron gathered the assembly together^(EB) in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”^{(EC) 11} Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water^(ED) gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

¹² But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy^(EE) in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”^(EF)

¹³ These were the waters of Meribah,^[d](EG) where the Israelites quarreled^(EH) with the Lord and where he was proved holy among them.^(EI)

Edom Denies Israel Passage

¹⁴ Moses sent messengers from Kadesh^(EJ) to the king of Edom,^(EK) saying:

¹⁸ But Edom^(EV) answered:

¹⁹ The Israelites replied:

²⁰ Again they answered:

Then Edom^(FA) came out against them with a large and powerful army. ²¹ Since Edom refused to let them go through their territory,^(FB) Israel turned away from them.^(FC)

The Death of Aaron

²² The whole Israelite community set out from Kadesh^(FD) and came to Mount Hor.^{(FE) 23} At Mount Hor, near the border of Edom,^(FF) the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ²⁴ “Aaron will be gathered to his people.^(FG) He will not enter the land I give the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against my command^(FH) at the waters of Meribah.^{(FI) 25} Get Aaron and his son Eleazar and take them up Mount Hor.^{(FJ) 26} Remove Aaron’s garments^(FK) and put them on his son Eleazar, for Aaron will be gathered to his people;^(FL) he will die there.”

²⁷ Moses did as the Lord commanded: They went up Mount Hor^(FM) in the sight of the whole community. ²⁸ Moses removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar.^(FN) And Aaron died there^(FO) on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain, ²⁹ and when the whole community learned that Aaron had died,^(FP) all the Israelites mourned for him^(FQ) thirty days.

The Birth of Jesus

2 In those days Caesar Augustus^(A) issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.^{(B) 2} (This was the first census that took place while^[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.)^{(C) 3} And everyone went to their own town to register.

⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem^(D) the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him^(E) and was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel^(F) of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.^(G) I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior^(H) has been born to you; he is the Messiah,^(I) the Lord.^{(J) 12} This will be a sign^(K) to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.^{(M) 17} When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.^{(N) 20} The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God^(O) for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

²¹ On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child,^(P) he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.^(Q)

Jesus Presented in the Temple

²² When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses,^(R) Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”^[b]),^{(S) 24} and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”^[c](T)

²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout.^(U) He was waiting for the consolation of Israel,^(V) and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷ Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,^{(W) 28} Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

³³ The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother:^(AB) “This child is destined to cause the falling^(AC) and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, ³⁵ so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

³⁶ There was also a prophet,^(AD) Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷ and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.^[e](AE) She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.^{(AF) 38} Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.^(AG)

³⁹ When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.^{(AH) 40} And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.^(AI)

The Boy Jesus at the Temple

⁴¹ Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.^{(AJ) 42} When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. ⁴³ After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. ⁴⁴ Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. ⁴⁵ When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. ⁴⁶ After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ Everyone who heard him was amazed^(AK) at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸ When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother^(AL) said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father^(AM) and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

⁴⁹ “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”^{[f](AN) 50} But they did not understand what he was saying to them.^(AO)

⁵¹ Then he went down to Nazareth with them^(AP) and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.^{(AQ) 52} And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.^(AR)