The Priestly Garments

28 “Have your brother Aaron, with his sons, come to you from the Israelites to serve me as priest—Aaron, his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.^{(A) 2} Make holy garments^(B) for your brother Aaron, for glory and beauty. ³ You are to instruct all the skilled artisans,^[a](C) whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, to make Aaron’s garments for consecrating him to serve me as priest. ⁴ These are the garments that they must make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a specially woven tunic,^[b] a turban, and a sash. They are to make holy garments for your brother Aaron and his sons so that they may serve me as priests. ⁵ They should use^[c] gold; blue, purple, and scarlet yarn; and fine linen.

The Ephod

⁶ “They^(D) are to make the ephod of finely spun linen embroidered^[d] with gold, and with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn. ⁷ It must have two shoulder pieces attached to its two edges so that it can be joined together. ⁸ The artistically woven waistband that is on the ephod^[e] must be of one piece,^[f] according to the same workmanship of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely spun linen.

⁹ “Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of Israel’s sons: ¹⁰ six of their names on the first stone and the remaining six names on the second stone, in the order of their birth. ¹¹ Engrave the two stones with the names of Israel’s sons as a gem cutter engraves a seal. Mount them, surrounded with gold filigree settings. ¹² Fasten both stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the Israelites. Aaron will carry their names on his two shoulders before the Lord as a reminder.^{(E) 13} Fashion gold filigree settings ¹⁴ and two chains of pure gold; you will make them of braided cord work, and attach the cord chains to the settings.

The Breastpiece

¹⁵ “You^(F) are to make an embroidered breastpiece for making decisions.^[g] Make it with the same workmanship as the ephod; make it of gold, of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and of finely spun linen. ¹⁶ It must be square and folded double, nine inches long and nine inches wide.^{[h] 17} Place a setting of gemstones^[i] on it, four rows of stones:

They should be adorned with gold filigree in their settings. ²¹ The twelve stones are to correspond to the names of Israel’s sons. Each stone must be engraved like a seal, with one of the names of the twelve tribes.

²² “You are to make braided chains^[n] of pure gold cord work for the breastpiece. ²³ Fashion two gold rings for the breastpiece and attach them to its two corners. ²⁴ Then attach the two gold cords to the two gold rings at the corners of the breastpiece. ²⁵ Attach the other ends of the two cords to the two filigree settings, and in this way attach them to the ephod’s shoulder pieces in the front. ²⁶ Make two other gold rings and put them at the two other corners of the breastpiece on the edge that is next to the inner border of the ephod. ²⁷ Make two more gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the ephod’s two shoulder pieces on its front, close to its seam,^[o] and above the ephod’s woven waistband. ²⁸ The artisans are to tie the breastpiece from its rings to the rings of the ephod with a cord of blue yarn, so that the breastpiece is above the ephod’s waistband and does not come loose from the ephod.

²⁹ “Whenever he enters the sanctuary, Aaron is to carry the names of Israel’s sons over his heart on the breastpiece for decisions, as a continual reminder before the Lord. ³⁰ Place the Urim and Thummim^(G) in the breastpiece for decisions, so that they will also be over Aaron’s heart whenever he comes before the Lord. Aaron will continually carry the means of decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord.

The Robe

³¹ “You^(H) are to make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue yarn. ³² There should be an opening at its top in the center of it. Around the opening, there should be a woven collar with an opening like that of body armor^[p] so that it does not tear. ³³ Make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn on its lower hem and all around it. Put gold bells between them all the way around, ³⁴ so that gold bells and pomegranates alternate around the lower hem of the robe. ³⁵ The robe will be worn by Aaron whenever he ministers, and its sound will be heard when he enters the sanctuary before the Lord and when he exits, so that he does not die.

The Turban

³⁶ “You are to make a pure gold medallion and engrave it, like the engraving of a seal:^(I) Holy to the Lord. ³⁷ Fasten it to a cord of blue yarn so it can be placed on the turban; the medallion is to be on the front of the turban. ³⁸ It will be on Aaron’s forehead so that Aaron may bear the guilt^(J) connected with the holy offerings that the Israelites consecrate as all their holy gifts. It is always to be on his forehead, so that they may find acceptance with the Lord.

Other Priestly Garments

³⁹ “You are to weave the tunic from fine linen, make a turban of fine linen, and make an embroidered sash. ⁴⁰ Make tunics, sashes, and headbands for Aaron’s sons to give them glory and beauty.^{(K) 41} Put these on your brother Aaron and his sons; then anoint,^(L) ordain,^[q] and consecrate^(M) them, so that they may serve me as priests. ⁴² Make them linen undergarments^(N) to cover their naked bodies; they must extend from the waist to the thighs. ⁴³ These must be worn by Aaron and his sons whenever they enter the tent of meeting or approach the altar to minister in the sanctuary area, so that they do not incur guilt^(O) and die. This is to be a permanent statute^(P) for Aaron and for his future descendants.

Instructions about Consecration

29 “This is what you are to do for them to consecrate them to serve me as priests. Take a young bull and two unblemished rams, ² with unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers coated with oil. Make them out of fine wheat flour,^{(Q) 3} put them in a basket, and bring them in the basket, along with the bull and two rams. ⁴ Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting and wash them with water.^{(R) 5} Then take the garments and clothe Aaron with the tunic, the robe for the ephod, the ephod itself, and the breastpiece; fasten the ephod on him with its woven waistband.^{(S) 6} Put the turban on his head and place the holy diadem^(T) on the turban. ⁷ Take the anointing oil, pour it on his head, and anoint^(U) him. ⁸ You must also bring his sons and clothe them with tunics. ⁹ Tie the sashes on Aaron and his sons and fasten headbands on them. The priesthood is to be theirs by a permanent statute. This is the way you will ordain Aaron and^[r] his sons.^(V)

¹⁰ “You are to bring the bull to the front of the tent of meeting, and Aaron and his sons must lay their hands on the bull’s head.^{(W) 11} Slaughter the bull before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ¹² Take some of the bull’s blood and apply it to the horns^(X) of the altar with your finger; then pour out all the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. ¹³ Take all the fat^(Y) that covers the entrails, the fatty lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat on them, and burn them on the altar. ¹⁴ But burn the bull’s flesh, its hide, and its waste outside the camp;^(Z) it is a sin offering.

¹⁵ “Take one ram, and Aaron and his sons are to lay their hands on the ram’s head.^{(AA) 16} You are to slaughter the ram, take its blood, and splatter it on all sides of the altar. ¹⁷ Cut the ram into pieces. Wash its entrails and legs, and place them with its head and its pieces on the altar. ¹⁸ Then burn the whole ram on the altar; it is a burnt offering to the Lord. It is a pleasing aroma,^(AB) a food offering to the Lord.

¹⁹ “You are to take the second ram, and Aaron and his sons must lay their hands on the ram’s head.^{(AC) 20} Slaughter the ram, take some of its blood, and put it on Aaron’s right earlobe, on his sons’ right earlobes, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Splatter the remaining blood on all sides of the altar. ²¹ Take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the anointing oil,^(AD) and sprinkle them on Aaron and his garments, as well as on his sons and their garments. So he and his garments will be holy, as well as his sons and their garments.

²² “Take the fat from the ram, the fat tail, the fat covering the entrails, the fatty lobe of the liver, the two kidneys and the fat on them, and the right thigh (since this is a ram for ordination^[s]); ²³ take one loaf of bread, one cake of bread made with oil, and one wafer from the basket of unleavened bread that is before the Lord; ²⁴ and put all of them in the hands of Aaron and his^[t] sons and present them as a presentation offering before the Lord.^{(AE) 25} Take them from their hands and burn them on the altar on top of the burnt offering, as a pleasing aroma before the Lord; it is a food offering to the Lord.

²⁶ “Take the breast from the ram of Aaron’s ordination and present it as a presentation offering before the Lord; it is to be your portion.^{(AF) 27} Consecrate for Aaron and his sons^(AG) the breast of the presentation offering that is presented and the thigh of the contribution that is lifted up from the ram of ordination. ²⁸ This will belong to Aaron and his sons as a regular portion from the Israelites, for it is a contribution. It will be the Israelites’ contribution from their fellowship sacrifices, their contribution to the Lord.

²⁹ “The holy garments that belong to Aaron are to belong to his sons after him, so that they can be anointed and ordained^[u] in them.^{(AH) 30} Any priest who is one of his sons and who succeeds him and enters the tent of meeting to minister in the sanctuary must wear them for seven days.^(AI)

³¹ “You are to take the ram of ordination and boil its flesh in a holy place. ³² Aaron and his sons are to eat the meat of the ram and the bread that is in the basket at the entrance to the tent of meeting.^{(AJ) 33} They must eat those things by which atonement was made at the time of their ordination^[v] and consecration. An unauthorized person must not eat^(AK) them, for these things are holy. ³⁴ If any of the meat of ordination or any of the bread is left until morning, burn what is left over. It must not be eaten because it is holy.

³⁵ “This is what you are to do for Aaron and his sons based on all I have commanded you. Take seven days to ordain them. ³⁶ Sacrifice a bull as a sin offering each day for atonement. Purify^[w] the altar when you make atonement for it, and anoint it in order to consecrate it.^{(AL) 37} For seven days you must make atonement for the altar and consecrate it. The altar will be especially holy. Whatever touches the altar will be consecrated.^(AM)

³⁸ “This is what you are to offer regularly on the altar every day: two year-old lambs.^{(AN) 39} In the morning offer one lamb, and at twilight offer the other lamb.^{(AO) 40} With the first lamb offer two quarts^[x] of fine flour mixed with one quart^[y] of oil from crushed olives, and a drink offering of one quart of wine. ⁴¹ You are to offer the second lamb at twilight. Offer a grain offering and a drink offering with it, like the one in the morning, as a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord. ⁴² This will be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance to the tent of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet you^[z] to speak with you.^{(AP) 43} I will also meet with the Israelites there, and that place will be consecrated by my glory.^{(AQ) 44} I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar; I will also consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests. ⁴⁵ I will dwell^(AR) among the Israelites and be their God.^{(AS) 46} And they will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.^(AT)

The Incense Altar

30 “You are to make an altar for the burning of incense; make it of acacia wood.^{(AU) 2} It must be square, eighteen inches long and eighteen inches wide;^[aa] it must be thirty-six inches high.^[ab] Its horns must be of one piece with it. ³ Overlay its top, all around its sides, and its horns with pure gold; make a gold molding all around it. ⁴ Make two gold rings for it under the molding on two of its sides; put these on opposite sides of it to be holders for the poles to carry it with. ⁵ Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.

⁶ “You are to place the altar in front of the curtain by the ark of the testimony—in front of the mercy seat that is over the testimony—where I will meet with you. ⁷ Aaron must burn fragrant incense on it; he must burn it every morning when he tends the lamps.^{(AV) 8} When Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he must burn incense. There is to be an incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations. ⁹ You must not offer unauthorized incense on it,^(AW) or a burnt or grain offering; you are not to pour a drink offering on it.

¹⁰ “Once a year Aaron is to perform the atonement ceremony for the altar. Throughout your generations he is to perform the atonement ceremony for^[ac] it once a year, with the blood of the sin offering for atonement on the horns.^(AX) The altar is especially holy to the Lord.”

The Atonement Money

¹¹ The Lord spoke to Moses: ¹² “When you take a census^(AY) of the Israelites to register them, each of the men must pay a ransom^(AZ) for his life to the Lord as they are registered. Then no plague^(BA) will come on them as they are registered. ¹³ Everyone who is registered must pay half a shekel^[ad] according to the sanctuary shekel (twenty gerahs to the shekel). This half shekel is a contribution to the Lord.^{(BB) 14} Each man who is registered, twenty years old or more, must give this contribution to the Lord. ¹⁵ The wealthy may not give more and the poor may not give less^(BC) than half a shekel when giving the contribution to the Lord to atone for^[ae] your lives. ¹⁶ Take the atonement price^[af] from the Israelites and use it for the service of the tent of meeting. It will serve as a reminder for the Israelites before the Lord to atone for your lives.”^(BD)

The Bronze Basin

¹⁷ The Lord spoke to Moses: ¹⁸ “Make a bronze basin^(BE) for washing and a bronze stand for it. Set it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. ¹⁹ Aaron and his sons must wash their hands and feet from the basin. ²⁰ Whenever they enter the tent of meeting or approach the altar to minister by burning a food offering to the Lord, they must wash with water so that they will not die. ²¹ They must wash their hands and feet so that they will not die; this is to be a permanent statute^(BF) for them, for Aaron and his descendants throughout their generations.”

The Anointing Oil

²² The Lord spoke to Moses: ²³ “Take for yourself the finest spices:^(BG) 12½ pounds^[ag] of liquid myrrh, half as much (6¼ pounds^[ah]) of fragrant cinnamon, 6¼ pounds of fragrant cane, ²⁴ 12½ pounds of cassia (by the sanctuary shekel), and a gallon^[ai] of olive oil.^{(BH) 25} Prepare from these a holy anointing oil, a scented blend, the work of a perfumer; it will be holy anointing oil.^(BI)

²⁶ “With it you are to anoint^(BJ) the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony, ²⁷ the table with all its utensils, the lampstand with its utensils, the altar of incense, ²⁸ the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin with its stand. ²⁹ Consecrate them and they will be especially holy. Whatever touches them will be consecrated. ³⁰ Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate^(BK) them to serve me as priests.

³¹ “Tell the Israelites: This will be my holy anointing oil throughout your generations. ³² It must not be used for ordinary anointing on a person’s body, and you must not make anything like it using its formula. It is holy, and it must be holy to you. ³³ Anyone who blends something like it or puts some of it on an unauthorized person must be cut off^(BL) from his people.”

The Sacred Incense

³⁴ The Lord said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices: stacte, onycha, and galbanum; the spices and pure frankincense are to be in equal measures. ³⁵ Prepare expertly blended incense from these; it is to be seasoned with salt, pure and holy. ³⁶ Grind some of it into a fine powder and put some in front of the testimony in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. It must be especially holy^(BM) to you. ³⁷ As for the incense you are making, you must not make any for yourselves using its formula. It is to be regarded by you as holy—belonging to the Lord. ³⁸ Anyone who makes something like it to smell its fragrance must be cut off from his people.”

God’s Provision of the Skilled Workers

31 The Lord also spoke to Moses: ² “Look, I have appointed by name Bezalel^(BN) son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. ³ I have filled him with God’s Spirit, with wisdom, understanding, and ability in every craft^{(BO) 4} to design artistic works in gold, silver, and bronze, ⁵ to cut gemstones for mounting, and to carve wood for work in every craft. ⁶ I have also selected Oholiab^[aj] son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to be with him. I have put wisdom in the heart of every skilled artisan^[ak] in order to make all that I have commanded you: ⁷ the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony, the mercy seat that is on top of it, and all the other furnishings of the tent^(BP)— ⁸ the table with its utensils, the pure gold lampstand with all its utensils, the altar of incense, ⁹ the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, the basin with its stand— ¹⁰ the specially woven^[al] garments, both the holy garments for the priest Aaron and the garments for his sons to serve as priests, ¹¹ the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense for the sanctuary. They must make them according to all that I have commanded you.”^(BQ)

Observing the Sabbath

¹² The Lord said to Moses, ¹³ “Tell the Israelites: You must observe my Sabbaths, for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, so that you will know that I am the Lord who consecrates you.^{(BR) 14} Observe the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Whoever profanes it must be put to death. If anyone does work on it, that person must be cut off from his people.^{(BS) 15} Work may be done for six days, but on the seventh day there must be a Sabbath of complete rest,^(BT) holy to the Lord. Anyone who does work on the Sabbath day must be put to death. ¹⁶ The Israelites must observe the Sabbath, celebrating it throughout their generations as a permanent covenant. ¹⁷ It is a sign forever between me and the Israelites, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.”

The Two Stone Tablets

¹⁸ When he finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the testimony, stone tablets inscribed by the finger of God.^(BU)

Christian Humility

2 If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love,^(A) if any fellowship with the Spirit,^(B) if any affection and mercy,^{(C) 2} make my joy complete by thinking the same way,^(D) having the same love,^(E) united in spirit, intent on one^(F) purpose. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition^(G) or conceit,^(H) but in humility^(I) consider others as more important^(J) than yourselves. ⁴ Everyone should look not to his own interests,^(K) but rather to the interests of others.^(L)

Christ’s Humility and Exaltation

⁵ Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,

Lights in the World

¹² Therefore, my dear friends,^(X) just as you have always obeyed,^(Y) so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. ¹³ For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose. ¹⁴ Do everything without grumbling^(Z) and arguing,^{(AA) 15} so that you may be blameless^(AB) and pure,^(AC) children of God who are faultless^(AD) in a crooked^(AE) and perverted^(AF) generation,^(AG) among whom you shine like stars in the world, ¹⁶ by holding firm to the word^(AH) of life. Then I can boast^(AI) in the day of Christ^(AJ) that I didn’t run or labor for nothing. ¹⁷ But even if I am poured out^(AK) as a drink offering^(AL) on the sacrificial service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. ¹⁸ In the same way you should also be glad and rejoice with me.

Timothy and Epaphroditus

¹⁹ Now I hope in the Lord Jesus^(AM) to send Timothy^(AN) to you soon so that I too may be encouraged by news about you. ²⁰ For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; ²¹ all seek their own interests,^(AO) not those of Jesus Christ.^{(AP) 22} But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father. ²³ Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. ²⁴ I am confident in the Lord that I myself will also come soon.^(AQ)

²⁵ But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus^(AR)—my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need^(AS)— ²⁶ since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick. ²⁷ Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁸ For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice again when you see him and I may be less anxious. ²⁹ Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with great joy and hold people like him in honor, ³⁰ because he came close to death for the work^(AT) of Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me.