Paul and the False Apostles

11 I hope you will put up with^(A) me in a little foolishness.^(B) Yes, please put up with me! ² I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband,^(C) to Christ, so that I might present you^(D) as a pure virgin to him. ³ But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning,^(E) your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. ⁴ For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached,^(F) or if you receive a different spirit^(G) from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel^(H) from the one you accepted, you put up with it^(I) easily enough.

⁵ I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.”^{[a](J) 6} I may indeed be untrained as a speaker,^(K) but I do have knowledge.^(L) We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. ⁷ Was it a sin^(M) for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God^(N) to you free of charge?^{(O) 8} I robbed other churches by receiving support from them^(P) so as to serve you. ⁹ And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed.^(Q) I have kept myself from being a burden to you^(R) in any way, and will continue to do so. ¹⁰ As surely as the truth of Christ is in me,^(S) nobody in the regions of Achaia^(T) will stop this boasting^(U) of mine. ¹¹ Why? Because I do not love you? God knows^(V) I do!^(W)

¹² And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. ¹³ For such people are false apostles,^(X) deceitful^(Y) workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.^{(Z) 14} And no wonder, for Satan^(AA) himself masquerades as an angel of light. ¹⁵ It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.^(AB)

Paul Boasts About His Sufferings

¹⁶ I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool.^(AC) But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting. ¹⁷ In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would,^(AD) but as a fool.^{(AE) 18} Since many are boasting in the way the world does,^(AF) I too will boast.^{(AG) 19} You gladly put up with^(AH) fools since you are so wise!^{(AI) 20} In fact, you even put up with^(AJ) anyone who enslaves you^(AK) or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. ²¹ To my shame I admit that we were too weak^(AL) for that!

Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about.^{(AM) 22} Are they Hebrews? So am I.^(AN) Are they Israelites? So am I.^(AO) Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I.^{(AP) 23} Are they servants of Christ?^(AQ) (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder,^(AR) been in prison more frequently,^(AS) been flogged more severely,^(AT) and been exposed to death again and again.^{(AU) 24} Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes^(AV) minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods,^(AW) once I was pelted with stones,^(AX) three times I was shipwrecked,^(AY) I spent a night and a day in the open sea, ²⁶ I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews,^(AZ) in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city,^(BA) in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.^{(BB) 27} I have labored and toiled^(BC) and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food;^(BD) I have been cold and naked. ²⁸ Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.^{(BE) 29} Who is weak, and I do not feel weak?^(BF) Who is led into sin,^(BG) and I do not inwardly burn?

³⁰ If I must boast, I will boast^(BH) of the things that show my weakness.^{(BI) 31} The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever,^(BJ) knows^(BK) that I am not lying. ³² In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me.^{(BL) 33} But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.^(BM)

Psalm 96^(A)

The Rooms for the Priests

42 Then the man led me northward into the outer court and brought me to the rooms^(A) opposite the temple courtyard^(B) and opposite the outer wall on the north side.^{(C) 2} The building whose door faced north was a hundred cubits long and fifty cubits wide.^{[a] 3} Both in the section twenty cubits^[b] from the inner court and in the section opposite the pavement of the outer court, gallery^(D) faced gallery at the three levels.^{(E) 4} In front of the rooms was an inner passageway ten cubits wide and a hundred cubits^[c] long.^[d] Their doors were on the north.^{(F) 5} Now the upper rooms were narrower, for the galleries took more space from them than from the rooms on the lower and middle floors of the building. ⁶ The rooms on the top floor had no pillars, as the courts had; so they were smaller in floor space than those on the lower and middle floors. ⁷ There was an outer wall parallel to the rooms and the outer court; it extended in front of the rooms for fifty cubits. ⁸ While the row of rooms on the side next to the outer court was fifty cubits long, the row on the side nearest the sanctuary was a hundred cubits long. ⁹ The lower rooms had an entrance^(G) on the east side as one enters them from the outer court.

¹⁰ On the south side^[e] along the length of the wall of the outer court, adjoining the temple courtyard^(H) and opposite the outer wall, were rooms^{(I) 11} with a passageway in front of them. These were like the rooms on the north; they had the same length and width, with similar exits and dimensions. Similar to the doorways on the north ¹² were the doorways of the rooms on the south. There was a doorway at the beginning of the passageway that was parallel to the corresponding wall extending eastward, by which one enters the rooms.

¹³ Then he said to me, “The north^(J) and south rooms^(K) facing the temple courtyard^(L) are the priests’ rooms, where the priests who approach the Lord will eat the most holy offerings. There they will put the most holy offerings—the grain offerings,^(M) the sin offerings^[f](N) and the guilt offerings^(O)—for the place is holy.^{(P) 14} Once the priests enter the holy precincts, they are not to go into the outer court until they leave behind the garments^(Q) in which they minister, for these are holy. They are to put on other clothes before they go near the places that are for the people.^(R)”

¹⁵ When he had finished measuring what was inside the temple area, he led me out by the east gate^(S) and measured the area all around: ¹⁶ He measured the east side with the measuring rod; it was five hundred cubits.^{[g][h] 17} He measured the north side; it was five hundred cubits^[i] by the measuring rod. ¹⁸ He measured the south side; it was five hundred cubits by the measuring rod. ¹⁹ Then he turned to the west side and measured; it was five hundred cubits by the measuring rod. ²⁰ So he measured^(T) the area^(U) on all four sides. It had a wall around it,^(V) five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide,^(W) to separate the holy from the common.^(X)

God’s Glory Returns to the Temple

43 Then the man brought me to the gate facing east,^{(Y) 2} and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters,^(Z) and the land was radiant with his glory.^{(AA) 3} The vision I saw was like the vision I had seen when he^[j] came to destroy the city and like the visions I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown. ⁴ The glory^(AB) of the Lord entered the temple through the gate facing east.^{(AC) 5} Then the Spirit^(AD) lifted me up^(AE) and brought me into the inner court, and the glory^(AF) of the Lord filled the temple.^(AG)

⁶ While the man was standing beside me, I heard someone speaking to me from inside the temple. ⁷ He said: “Son of man, this is the place of my throne^(AH) and the place for the soles of my feet. This is where I will live among the Israelites forever. The people of Israel will never again defile^(AI) my holy name—neither they nor their kings—by their prostitution and the funeral offerings^[k] for their kings at their death.^{[l](AJ) 8} When they placed their threshold next to my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with only a wall between me and them, they defiled my holy name by their detestable practices. So I destroyed them in my anger. ⁹ Now let them put away from me their prostitution and the funeral offerings for their kings, and I will live among them forever.^(AK)

¹⁰ “Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed^(AL) of their sins. Let them consider its perfection, ¹¹ and if they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the design of the temple—its arrangement, its exits and entrances—its whole design and all its regulations^[m] and laws. Write these down before them so that they may be faithful to its design and follow all its regulations.^(AM)

¹² “This is the law of the temple: All the surrounding area^(AN) on top of the mountain will be most holy.^(AO) Such is the law of the temple.

The Great Altar Restored

¹³ “These are the measurements of the altar^(AP) in long cubits,^[n] that cubit being a cubit and a handbreadth: Its gutter is a cubit deep and a cubit wide, with a rim of one span^[o] around the edge. And this is the height of the altar: ¹⁴ From the gutter on the ground up to the lower ledge that goes around the altar it is two cubits high, and the ledge is a cubit wide.^[p] From this lower ledge to the upper ledge that goes around the altar it is four cubits high, and that ledge is also a cubit wide.^{[q] 15} Above that, the altar hearth^(AQ) is four cubits high, and four horns^(AR) project upward from the hearth. ¹⁶ The altar hearth is square, twelve cubits^[r] long and twelve cubits wide.^{(AS) 17} The upper ledge^(AT) also is square, fourteen cubits^[s] long and fourteen cubits wide. All around the altar is a gutter of one cubit with a rim of half a cubit.^[t] The steps^(AU) of the altar face east.^(AV)”

¹⁸ Then he said to me, “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: These will be the regulations for sacrificing burnt offerings^(AW) and splashing blood^(AX) against the altar when it is built: ¹⁹ You are to give a young bull^(AY) as a sin offering^[u] to the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok,^(AZ) who come near^(BA) to minister before me, declares the Sovereign Lord. ²⁰ You are to take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar^(BB) and on the four corners of the upper ledge^(BC) and all around the rim, and so purify the altar^(BD) and make atonement for it. ²¹ You are to take the bull for the sin offering and burn it in the designated part of the temple area outside the sanctuary.^(BE)

²² “On the second day you are to offer a male goat without defect for a sin offering, and the altar is to be purified as it was purified with the bull. ²³ When you have finished purifying it, you are to offer a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect.^{(BF) 24} You are to offer them before the Lord, and the priests are to sprinkle salt^(BG) on them and sacrifice them as a burnt offering to the Lord.

²⁵ “For seven days^(BH) you are to provide a male goat daily for a sin offering; you are also to provide a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect.^{(BI) 26} For seven days they are to make atonement for the altar and cleanse it; thus they will dedicate it. ²⁷ At the end of these days, from the eighth day^(BJ) on, the priests are to present your burnt offerings^(BK) and fellowship offerings^(BL) on the altar. Then I will accept you, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

The Priesthood Restored

44 Then the man brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, the one facing east,^(BM) and it was shut. ² The Lord said to me, “This gate is to remain shut. It must not be opened; no one may enter through it.^(BN) It is to remain shut because the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered through it. ³ The prince himself is the only one who may sit inside the gateway to eat in the presence^(BO) of the Lord. He is to enter by way of the portico of the gateway and go out the same way.^(BP)”

⁴ Then the man brought me by way of the north gate^(BQ) to the front of the temple. I looked and saw the glory of the Lord filling the temple^(BR) of the Lord, and I fell facedown.^(BS)

⁵ The Lord said to me, “Son of man, look carefully, listen closely and give attention to everything I tell you concerning all the regulations and instructions regarding the temple of the Lord. Give attention to the entrance^(BT) to the temple and all the exits of the sanctuary.^{(BU) 6} Say to rebellious Israel,^(BV) ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Enough of your detestable practices, people of Israel! ⁷ In addition to all your other detestable practices, you brought foreigners uncircumcised in heart^(BW) and flesh into my sanctuary, desecrating my temple while you offered me food, fat and blood, and you broke my covenant.^{(BX) 8} Instead of carrying out your duty in regard to my holy things, you put others in charge of my sanctuary.^{(BY) 9} This is what the Sovereign Lord says: No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh is to enter my sanctuary, not even the foreigners who live among the Israelites.^(BZ)

¹⁰ “‘The Levites who went far from me when Israel went astray^(CA) and who wandered from me after their idols must bear the consequences of their sin.^{(CB) 11} They may serve in my sanctuary, having charge of the gates of the temple and serving in it; they may slaughter the burnt offerings^(CC) and sacrifices for the people and stand before the people and serve them.^{(CD) 12} But because they served them in the presence of their idols and made the people of Israel fall^(CE) into sin, therefore I have sworn with uplifted hand^(CF) that they must bear the consequences of their sin, declares the Sovereign Lord.^{(CG) 13} They are not to come near to serve me as priests or come near any of my holy things or my most holy offerings; they must bear the shame^(CH) of their detestable practices.^{(CI) 14} And I will appoint them to guard the temple for all the work that is to be done in it.^(CJ)

¹⁵ “‘But the Levitical priests, who are descendants of Zadok^(CK) and who guarded my sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from me, are to come near to minister before me; they are to stand before me to offer sacrifices of fat^(CL) and blood, declares the Sovereign Lord.^{(CM) 16} They alone are to enter my sanctuary; they alone are to come near my table^(CN) to minister before me and serve me as guards.^(CO)

¹⁷ “‘When they enter the gates of the inner court, they are to wear linen clothes;^(CP) they must not wear any woolen garment while ministering at the gates of the inner court or inside the temple. ¹⁸ They are to wear linen turbans^(CQ) on their heads and linen undergarments^(CR) around their waists. They must not wear anything that makes them perspire.^{(CS) 19} When they go out into the outer court where the people are, they are to take off the clothes they have been ministering in and are to leave them in the sacred rooms, and put on other clothes, so that the people are not consecrated^(CT) through contact with their garments.^(CU)

²⁰ “‘They must not shave^(CV) their heads or let their hair grow long, but they are to keep the hair of their heads trimmed.^{(CW) 21} No priest is to drink wine when he enters the inner court.^{(CX) 22} They must not marry widows or divorced women; they may marry only virgins of Israelite descent or widows of priests.^{(CY) 23} They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common^(CZ) and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean.^(DA)

²⁴ “‘In any dispute, the priests are to serve as judges^(DB) and decide it according to my ordinances. They are to keep my laws and my decrees for all my appointed festivals,^(DC) and they are to keep my Sabbaths holy.^(DD)

²⁵ “‘A priest must not defile himself by going near a dead person; however, if the dead person was his father or mother, son or daughter, brother or unmarried sister, then he may defile himself.^{(DE) 26} After he is cleansed, he must wait seven days.^{(DF) 27} On the day he goes into the inner court of the sanctuary^(DG) to minister in the sanctuary, he is to offer a sin offering^[v](DH) for himself, declares the Sovereign Lord.

²⁸ “‘I am to be the only inheritance^(DI) the priests have. You are to give them no possession in Israel; I will be their possession. ²⁹ They will eat^(DJ) the grain offerings, the sin offerings and the guilt offerings; and everything in Israel devoted^[w] to the Lord^(DK) will belong to them.^{(DL) 30} The best of all the firstfruits^(DM) and of all your special gifts will belong to the priests. You are to give them the first portion of your ground meal^(DN) so that a blessing^(DO) may rest on your household.^{(DP) 31} The priests must not eat anything, whether bird or animal, found dead^(DQ) or torn by wild animals.^(DR)