The Tabernacle

26 “You^(A) are to construct the tabernacle itself with ten curtains. You must make them of finely spun linen, and blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, with a design of cherubim worked into them. ² Each curtain should be forty-two feet^[a] long and six feet^[b] wide; all the curtains are to have the same measurements. ³ Five of the curtains should be joined together, and the other five curtains joined together. ⁴ Make loops of blue yarn on the edge of the last curtain in the first set, and do the same on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set. ⁵ Make fifty loops on the one curtain and make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain in the second set, so that the loops line up together. ⁶ Also make fifty gold clasps and join the curtains together with the clasps, so that the tabernacle may be a single unit.

⁷ “You are to make curtains of goat hair for a tent over the tabernacle; make eleven of these curtains. ⁸ Each curtain should be forty-five feet^[c] long and six feet wide. All eleven curtains are to have the same measurements. ⁹ Join five of the curtains by themselves, and the other six curtains by themselves. Then fold the sixth curtain double at the front of the tent. ¹⁰ Make fifty loops on the edge of one curtain, the outermost in the first set, and make fifty loops on the edge of the corresponding curtain of the second set. ¹¹ Make fifty bronze clasps; put the clasps through the loops and join the tent together so that it is a single unit. ¹² As for the flap that remains from the tent curtains, the leftover half curtain is to hang over the back of the tabernacle. ¹³ What remains along the length of the tent curtains—a half yard^[d] on one side and a half yard on the other side—should hang over the sides of the tabernacle on either side to cover it. ¹⁴ Make a covering for the tent from ram skins dyed red^(B) and a covering of fine leather^[e] on top of that.

¹⁵ “You are to make upright supports^[f] of acacia wood^(C) for the tabernacle. ¹⁶ Each support is to be fifteen feet^[g] long and twenty-seven^[h] inches wide. ¹⁷ Each support will have two tenons for joining. Do the same for all the supports of the tabernacle. ¹⁸ Make the supports for the tabernacle as follows: twenty supports for the south side, ¹⁹ and make forty silver bases under the twenty supports, two bases under the first support for its two tenons, and two bases under the next support for its two tenons; ²⁰ twenty supports for the second side of the tabernacle, the north side, ²¹ along with their forty silver bases, two bases under the first support and two bases under each support; ²² and make six supports for the west side of the tabernacle. ²³ Make two additional supports for the two back corners of the tabernacle. ²⁴ They are to be paired at the bottom, and joined together^[i] at the top in a single ring. So it should be for both of them; they will serve as the two corners. ²⁵ There are to be eight supports with their silver bases: sixteen bases; two bases under the first support and two bases under each support.

²⁶ “You are to make five crossbars of acacia wood for the supports on one side of the tabernacle, ²⁷ five crossbars for the supports on the other side of the tabernacle, and five crossbars for the supports on the back side of the tabernacle on the west. ²⁸ The central crossbar is to run through the middle of the supports from one end to the other. ²⁹ Then overlay the supports with gold, and make their rings of gold as the holders for the crossbars. Also overlay the crossbars with gold. ³⁰ You are to set up the tabernacle according to the plan for it that you have been shown on the mountain.^(D)

³¹ “You are to make a curtain of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen with a design of cherubim worked into it.^{(E) 32} Hang it on four gold-plated pillars of acacia wood that have gold hooks and that stand on four silver bases. ³³ Hang the curtain under the clasps^[j] and bring the ark of the testimony there behind the curtain, so the curtain will make a separation for you between the holy place^(F) and the most holy place. ³⁴ Put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.^{(G) 35} Place the table outside the curtain and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle, opposite the table; put the table on the north side.^(H)

³⁶ “For the entrance to the tent you are to make a screen embroidered^[k] with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen. ³⁷ Make five pillars of acacia wood for the screen and overlay them with gold; their hooks are to be gold, and you are to cast five bronze bases for them.

Paul Selects Timothy

16 Paul went on to Derbe and Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy,^(A) the son of a believing Jewish woman,^(B) but his father was a Greek. ² The brothers and sisters at Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him.^{(C) 3} Paul wanted Timothy to go with him; so he took him and circumcised^(D) him because of the Jews who were in those places, since they all knew that his father was a Greek. ⁴ As they traveled through the towns, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem for the people to observe.^{(E) 5} So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.^(F)

Evangelization of Europe

⁶ They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia; they had been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.^{(G) 7} When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus^(H) did not allow them. ⁸ Passing by Mysia they went down to Troas.^{(I) 9} During the night Paul had a vision in which a Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him, “Cross over to Macedonia and help us!” ^{(J) 10} After^(K) he had seen the vision, we immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Lydia’s Conversion

¹¹ From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, the next day to Neapolis, ¹² and from there to Philippi,^(L) a Roman colony and a leading city of the district of Macedonia. We stayed in that city for several days. ¹³ On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate by the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women gathered there. ¹⁴ A God-fearing woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying.^{(M) 15} After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.”^(N) And she persuaded us.

Paul and Silas in Prison

¹⁶ Once, as we were on our way to prayer, a slave girl met us who had a spirit by which she predicted the future.^(O) She made a large profit for her owners by fortune-telling. ¹⁷ As she followed Paul and us she cried out, “These men, who are proclaiming to you^[a] a way of salvation, are the servants of the Most High God.” ¹⁸ She did this for many days.

Paul was greatly annoyed. Turning to the spirit, he said, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out right away.^(P)

¹⁹ When her owners realized that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas^(Q) and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. ²⁰ Bringing them before the chief magistrates, they said, “These men are seriously disturbing our city. They are Jews ²¹ and are promoting customs that are not legal for us as Romans to adopt or practice.”^{(R) 22} The crowd joined in the attack against them, and the chief magistrates stripped off their clothes and ordered them to be beaten with rods.^{(S) 23} After they had severely flogged them, they threw them in jail, ordering the jailer to guard them carefully. ²⁴ Receiving such an order, he put them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks.^(T)

A Midnight Deliverance

²⁵ About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶ Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the jail were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains came loose.^{(U) 27} When the jailer woke up and saw the doors of the prison standing open, he drew his sword and was going to kill himself, since he thought the prisoners had escaped.

²⁸ But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Don’t harm yourself, because we’re all here!”

²⁹ The jailer called for lights, rushed in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. ³⁰ He escorted them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” ^(V)

³¹ They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”^{(W) 32} And they spoke the word of the Lord to him along with everyone in his house. ³³ He took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds. Right away he and all his family were baptized. ³⁴ He brought them into his house, set a meal before them, and rejoiced because he had come to believe in God with his entire household.^(X)

An Official Apology

³⁵ When daylight came, the chief magistrates sent the police to say, “Release those men.”

³⁶ The jailer reported these words to Paul: “The magistrates have sent orders for you to be released. So come out now and go in peace.”^(Y)

³⁷ But Paul said to them, “They beat us in public without a trial, although we are Roman citizens, and threw us in jail. And now are they going to send us away secretly? Certainly not! On the contrary, let them come themselves and escort us out.”^(Z)

³⁸ The police reported these words to the magistrates. They were afraid when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. ³⁹ So they came to appease them, and escorting them from prison, they urged them to leave town. ⁴⁰ After leaving the jail, they came to Lydia’s house, where they saw and encouraged the brothers and sisters, and departed.^(AA)

Psalm 118

Thanksgiving for Victory