With God We Shall Do Valiantly

A Song. A Psalm of David.

The Glory of the Lord Fills the Temple

43 Then he led me to ^(A)the gate, the gate facing east. ² And behold, ^(B)the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. And ^(C)the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters, and ^(D)the earth shone with his glory. ³ And ^(E)the vision I saw was just like the vision that I had seen ^(F)when he^[a] came to destroy the city, and just like ^(G)the vision that I had seen ^(H)by the Chebar canal. And ^(I)I fell on my face. ⁴ As ^(J)the glory of the Lord ^(K)entered the temple by the gate facing east, ^5 (L)the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into ^(M)the inner court; and behold, ^(N)the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

^6 (O)While the man was standing beside me, ^(P)I heard one speaking to me out of the temple, ⁷ and he said to me, ^(Q)“Son of man, this is ^(R)the place of my throne and ^(S)the place of the soles of my feet, ^(T)where I will dwell in the midst of the people of Israel forever. And the house of Israel shall no more ^(U)defile my holy name, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoring and by the dead bodies^[b] of their kings at their high places,^{[c] 8} by setting their threshold by my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with ^(V)only a wall between me and them. They have ^(W)defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed, so I have consumed them in my anger. ⁹ Now let them put away their whoring and the dead bodies of their kings far from me, ^(X)and I will dwell in their midst forever.

¹⁰ “As for you, ^(Y)son of man, ^(Z)describe to the house of Israel the temple, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and they shall measure the plan. ¹¹ And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, ^(AA)make known to them the design of the temple, its arrangement, ^(AB)its exits and its entrances, that is, its whole design; and make known to them as well all its statutes and its whole design and all its laws, and write it down ^(AC)in their sight, so that they may observe all its laws and all its statutes and carry them out. ¹² This is the law of the temple: the whole territory on the top of ^(AD)the mountain ^(AE)all around shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the temple.

The Earthly Holy Place

9 Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and ^(A)an earthly place of holiness. ² For ^(B)a tent^[a] was prepared, the first section, in which were ^(C)the lampstand and ^(D)the table and ^(E)the bread of the Presence.^[b] It is called the Holy Place. ³ Behind ^(F)the second curtain was a second section^[c] called the Most Holy Place, ⁴ having the golden ^(G)altar of incense and ^(H)the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was ^(I)a golden urn holding the manna, and ^(J)Aaron's staff that budded, and ^(K)the tablets of the covenant. ⁵ Above it were ^(L)the cherubim of glory overshadowing ^(M)the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

⁶ These preparations having thus been made, ^(N)the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, ⁷ but into the second only ^(O)the high priest goes, and he but ^(P)once a year, and not without taking blood, ^(Q)which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. ⁸ By this the Holy Spirit indicates that ^(R)the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing ⁹ (which is symbolic for the present age).^[d] According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered ^(S)that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, ¹⁰ but deal only with ^(T)food and drink and ^(U)various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.

Redemption Through the Blood of Christ

¹¹ But when Christ appeared as a high priest ^(V)of the good things that have come,^[e] then through ^(W)the greater and more perfect tent (^(X)not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) ¹² he ^(Y)entered ^(Z)once for all into the holy places, not by means of ^(AA)the blood of goats and calves but ^(AB)by means of his own blood, ^(AC)thus securing an eternal redemption. ¹³ For if ^(AD)the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with ^(AE)the ashes of a heifer, sanctify^[f] for the purification of the flesh, ¹⁴ how much more will ^(AF)the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit ^(AG)offered himself without blemish to God, ^(AH)purify our^[g] conscience ^(AI)from dead works ^(AJ)to serve the living God.

Jesus and Beelzebul

^14 (A)Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. ¹⁵ But some of them said, “He casts out demons ^(B)by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” ¹⁶ while others, ^(C)to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. ^17 (D)But he, ^(E)knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. ¹⁸ And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. ¹⁹ And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, ^(F)by whom do ^(G)your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. ²⁰ But if it is by ^(H)the finger of God that I cast out demons, then ^(I)the kingdom of God has come upon you. ²¹ When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; ^22 (J)but when one stronger than he attacks him and ^(K)overcomes him, he takes away his ^(L)armor in which he trusted and ^(M)divides his spoil. ^23 (N)Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.