Psalm 40^[a](A)

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

²⁵ “‘When a woman has a discharge of blood for many days at a time other than her monthly period^(A) or has a discharge that continues beyond her period, she will be unclean as long as she has the discharge, just as in the days of her period. ²⁶ Any bed she lies on while her discharge continues will be unclean, as is her bed during her monthly period, and anything she sits on will be unclean, as during her period. ²⁷ Anyone who touches them will be unclean; they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.

²⁸ “‘When she is cleansed from her discharge, she must count off seven days, and after that she will be ceremonially clean. ²⁹ On the eighth day she must take two doves or two young pigeons^(B) and bring them to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ³⁰ The priest is to sacrifice one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. In this way he will make atonement for her before the Lord for the uncleanness of her discharge.^(C)

³¹ “‘You must keep the Israelites separate from things that make them unclean, so they will not die in their uncleanness for defiling my dwelling place,^[a](D) which is among them.’”

22 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Tell Aaron and his sons to treat with respect the sacred offerings^(A) the Israelites consecrate to me, so they will not profane my holy name.^(B) I am the Lord.^(C)

³ “Say to them: ‘For the generations to come, if any of your descendants is ceremonially unclean and yet comes near the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the Lord,^(D) that person must be cut off from my presence.^(E) I am the Lord.

⁴ “‘If a descendant of Aaron has a defiling skin disease^[a] or a bodily discharge,^(F) he may not eat the sacred offerings until he is cleansed. He will also be unclean if he touches something defiled by a corpse^(G) or by anyone who has an emission of semen, ⁵ or if he touches any crawling thing^(H) that makes him unclean, or any person^(I) who makes him unclean, whatever the uncleanness may be. ⁶ The one who touches any such thing will be unclean^(J) till evening.^(K) He must not eat any of the sacred offerings unless he has bathed himself with water.^{(L) 7} When the sun goes down, he will be clean, and after that he may eat the sacred offerings, for they are his food.^{(M) 8} He must not eat anything found dead^(N) or torn by wild animals,^(O) and so become unclean^(P) through it. I am the Lord.^(Q)

⁹ “‘The priests are to perform my service^(R) in such a way that they do not become guilty^(S) and die^(T) for treating it with contempt. I am the Lord, who makes them holy.^(U)

Warning Against Idolatry

¹⁴ Do not be yoked together^(A) with unbelievers.^(B) For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?^{(C) 15} What harmony is there between Christ and Belial^[a]?^(D) Or what does a believer^(E) have in common with an unbeliever?^{(F) 16} What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?^(G) For we are the temple^(H) of the living God.^(I) As God has said:

¹⁷ Therefore,

¹⁸ And,

7 Therefore, since we have these promises,^(O) dear friends,^(P) let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness^(Q) out of reverence for God.

Paul’s Joy Over the Church’s Repentance

² Make room for us in your hearts.^(R) We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one.