God’s Provision of the Skilled Workers

31 The Lord also spoke to Moses: ² “Look, I have appointed by name Bezalel^(A) 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^{(B) 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^[a] son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to be with him. I have put wisdom in the heart of every skilled artisan^[b] 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^(C)— 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^[c] 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.”^(D)

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.^{(E) 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.^{(F) 15} Work may be done for six days, but on the seventh day there must be a Sabbath of complete rest,^(G) 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.^(H)

The New Covenant

³¹ “Look, the days are coming”^(A)—this is the Lord’s declaration—“when I will make a new covenant^(B) with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. ³² This one will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt—my covenant that they broke even though I am their master”^[a](C)—the Lord’s declaration. ³³ “Instead, this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days”—the Lord’s declaration. “I will put my teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. ³⁴ No longer will one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’^(D) for they will all know me, from the least to the greatest of them”^(E)—this is the Lord’s declaration. “For I will forgive their iniquity^(F) and never again remember their sin.

Living Letters

3 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some, letters of recommendation to you or from you? ² You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.^{(A) 3} You show that you are Christ’s letter,^(B) delivered^[a] by us, not written with ink but with the Spirit of the living God^(C)—not on tablets of stone^(D) but on tablets of human hearts.^[b](E)

¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created^(A) in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time^(B) for us to do.