Rules for Priests

21 The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron,^(A) and say to them: ‘A priest must not make himself ceremonially unclean^(B) for any of his people who die,^{(C) 2} except for a close relative, such as his mother or father,^(D) his son or daughter, his brother, ³ or an unmarried sister who is dependent on him since she has no husband—for her he may make himself unclean.^{(E) 4} He must not make himself unclean for people related to him by marriage,^[a] and so defile himself.

⁵ “‘Priests must not shave^(F) their heads or shave off the edges of their beards^(G) or cut their bodies.^{(H) 6} They must be holy to their God^(I) and must not profane the name of their God.^(J) Because they present the food offerings to the Lord,^(K) the food of their God,^(L) they are to be holy.^(M)

⁷ “‘They must not marry women defiled by prostitution or divorced from their husbands,^(N) because priests are holy to their God.^{(O) 8} Regard them as holy,^(P) because they offer up the food of your God.^(Q) Consider them holy, because I the Lord am holy—I who make you holy.^(R)

⁹ “‘If a priest’s daughter defiles herself by becoming a prostitute, she disgraces her father; she must be burned in the fire.^(S)

¹⁰ “‘The high priest, the one among his brothers who has had the anointing oil poured on his head^(T) and who has been ordained to wear the priestly garments,^(U) must not let his hair become unkempt^[b] or tear his clothes.^{(V) 11} He must not enter a place where there is a dead body.^(W) He must not make himself unclean,^(X) even for his father or mother,^{(Y) 12} nor leave the sanctuary^(Z) of his God or desecrate it, because he has been dedicated by the anointing oil^(AA) of his God. I am the Lord.

¹³ “‘The woman he marries must be a virgin.^{(AB) 14} He must not marry a widow, a divorced woman, or a woman defiled by prostitution, but only a virgin from his own people, ¹⁵ so that he will not defile his offspring among his people. I am the Lord, who makes him holy.’”

¹⁶ The Lord said to Moses, ¹⁷ “Say to Aaron: ‘For the generations to come none of your descendants who has a defect^(AC) may come near to offer the food of his God.^{(AD) 18} No man who has any defect^(AE) may come near: no man who is blind^(AF) or lame,^(AG) disfigured or deformed; ¹⁹ no man with a crippled foot or hand, ²⁰ or who is a hunchback or a dwarf, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles.^{(AH) 21} No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any defect^(AI) is to come near to present the food offerings to the Lord.^(AJ) He has a defect; he must not come near to offer the food of his God.^{(AK) 22} He may eat the most holy food of his God,^(AL) as well as the holy food; ²³ yet because of his defect,^(AM) he must not go near the curtain or approach the altar, and so desecrate my sanctuary.^(AN) I am the Lord, who makes them holy.^(AO)’”

²⁴ So Moses told this to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites.

22 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Tell Aaron and his sons to treat with respect the sacred offerings^(A) the Israelites consecrate to me, so they will not profane my holy name.^(B) I am the Lord.^(C)

³ “Say to them: ‘For the generations to come, if any of your descendants is ceremonially unclean and yet comes near the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the Lord,^(D) that person must be cut off from my presence.^(E) I am the Lord.

⁴ “‘If a descendant of Aaron has a defiling skin disease^[a] or a bodily discharge,^(F) he may not eat the sacred offerings until he is cleansed. He will also be unclean if he touches something defiled by a corpse^(G) or by anyone who has an emission of semen, ⁵ or if he touches any crawling thing^(H) that makes him unclean, or any person^(I) who makes him unclean, whatever the uncleanness may be. ⁶ The one who touches any such thing will be unclean^(J) till evening.^(K) He must not eat any of the sacred offerings unless he has bathed himself with water.^{(L) 7} When the sun goes down, he will be clean, and after that he may eat the sacred offerings, for they are his food.^{(M) 8} He must not eat anything found dead^(N) or torn by wild animals,^(O) and so become unclean^(P) through it. I am the Lord.^(Q)

⁹ “‘The priests are to perform my service^(R) in such a way that they do not become guilty^(S) and die^(T) for treating it with contempt. I am the Lord, who makes them holy.^(U)

¹⁰ “‘No one outside a priest’s family may eat the sacred offering, nor may the guest of a priest or his hired worker eat it.^{(V) 11} But if a priest buys a slave with money, or if slaves are born in his household, they may eat his food.^{(W) 12} If a priest’s daughter marries anyone other than a priest, she may not eat any of the sacred contributions. ¹³ But if a priest’s daughter becomes a widow or is divorced, yet has no children, and she returns to live in her father’s household as in her youth, she may eat her father’s food. No unauthorized person, however, may eat it.

¹⁴ “‘Anyone who eats a sacred offering by mistake^(X) must make restitution to the priest for the offering and add a fifth of the value^(Y) to it. ¹⁵ The priests must not desecrate the sacred offerings^(Z) the Israelites present to the Lord^{(AA) 16} by allowing them to eat^(AB) the sacred offerings and so bring upon them guilt^(AC) requiring payment.^(AD) I am the Lord, who makes them holy.^(AE)’”

Unacceptable Sacrifices

¹⁷ The Lord said to Moses, ¹⁸ “Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites and say to them: ‘If any of you—whether an Israelite or a foreigner residing in Israel^(AF)—presents a gift^(AG) for a burnt offering to the Lord, either to fulfill a vow^(AH) or as a freewill offering,^{(AI) 19} you must present a male without defect^(AJ) from the cattle, sheep or goats in order that it may be accepted on your behalf.^{(AK) 20} Do not bring anything with a defect,^(AL) because it will not be accepted on your behalf.^{(AM) 21} When anyone brings from the herd or flock^(AN) a fellowship offering^(AO) to the Lord to fulfill a special vow or as a freewill offering,^(AP) it must be without defect or blemish^(AQ) to be acceptable.^{(AR) 22} Do not offer to the Lord the blind, the injured or the maimed, or anything with warts or festering or running sores. Do not place any of these on the altar as a food offering presented to the Lord. ²³ You may, however, present as a freewill offering an ox^[b] or a sheep that is deformed or stunted, but it will not be accepted in fulfillment of a vow. ²⁴ You must not offer to the Lord an animal whose testicles are bruised, crushed, torn or cut.^(AS) You must not do this in your own land, ²⁵ and you must not accept such animals from the hand of a foreigner and offer them as the food of your God.^(AT) They will not be accepted on your behalf, because they are deformed and have defects.^(AU)’”

²⁶ The Lord said to Moses, ²⁷ “When a calf, a lamb or a goat^(AV) is born, it is to remain with its mother for seven days.^(AW) From the eighth day^(AX) on, it will be acceptable^(AY) as a food offering presented to the Lord. ²⁸ Do not slaughter a cow or a sheep and its young on the same day.^(AZ)

²⁹ “When you sacrifice a thank offering^(BA) to the Lord, sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf. ³⁰ It must be eaten that same day; leave none of it till morning.^(BB) I am the Lord.^(BC)

³¹ “Keep^(BD) my commands and follow them.^(BE) I am the Lord. ³² Do not profane my holy name,^(BF) for I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites.^(BG) I am the Lord, who made you holy^{(BH) 33} and who brought you out of Egypt^(BI) to be your God.^(BJ) I am the Lord.”

The Appointed Festivals

23 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘These are my appointed festivals,^(A) the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies.^(B)

The Sabbath

³ “‘There are six days when you may work,^(C) but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest,^(D) a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work;^(E) wherever you live, it is a sabbath to the Lord.

The Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread^(F)

⁴ “‘These are the Lord’s appointed festivals, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times:^{(G) 5} The Lord’s Passover^(H) begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month.^{(I) 6} On the fifteenth day of that month the Lord’s Festival of Unleavened Bread^(J) begins; for seven days^(K) you must eat bread made without yeast. ⁷ On the first day hold a sacred assembly^(L) and do no regular work. ⁸ For seven days present a food offering to the Lord.^(M) And on the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.’”

Offering the Firstfruits

⁹ The Lord said to Moses, ¹⁰ “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you^(N) and you reap its harvest,^(O) bring to the priest a sheaf^(P) of the first grain you harvest.^{(Q) 11} He is to wave the sheaf before the Lord^(R) so it will be accepted^(S) on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath. ¹² On the day you wave the sheaf, you must sacrifice as a burnt offering to the Lord a lamb a year old^(T) without defect,^{(U) 13} together with its grain offering^(V) of two-tenths of an ephah^[a](W) of the finest flour mixed with olive oil—a food offering presented to the Lord, a pleasing aroma—and its drink offering^(X) of a quarter of a hin^[b] of wine.^{(Y) 14} You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain,^(Z) until the very day you bring this offering to your God.^(AA) This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come,^(AB) wherever you live.^(AC)

The Festival of Weeks^(AD)

¹⁵ “‘From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. ¹⁶ Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath,^(AE) and then present an offering of new grain to the Lord. ¹⁷ From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah^(AF) of the finest flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of firstfruits^(AG) to the Lord. ¹⁸ Present with this bread seven male lambs, each a year old and without defect, one young bull and two rams. They will be a burnt offering to the Lord, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings^(AH)—a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. ¹⁹ Then sacrifice one male goat for a sin offering^[c] and two lambs, each a year old, for a fellowship offering. ²⁰ The priest is to wave the two lambs before the Lord as a wave offering,^(AI) together with the bread of the firstfruits. They are a sacred offering to the Lord for the priest. ²¹ On that same day you are to proclaim a sacred assembly^(AJ) and do no regular work.^(AK) This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.

²² “‘When you reap the harvest^(AL) of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.^(AM) Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you.^(AN) I am the Lord your God.’”

The Festival of Trumpets^(AO)

²³ The Lord said to Moses, ²⁴ “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of sabbath rest, a sacred assembly^(AP) commemorated with trumpet blasts.^{(AQ) 25} Do no regular work,^(AR) but present a food offering to the Lord.^(AS)’”

The Day of Atonement^(AT)

²⁶ The Lord said to Moses, ²⁷ “The tenth day of this seventh month^(AU) is the Day of Atonement.^(AV) Hold a sacred assembly^(AW) and deny yourselves,^[d] and present a food offering to the Lord. ²⁸ Do not do any work^(AX) on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the Lord your God. ²⁹ Those who do not deny themselves on that day must be cut off from their people.^{(AY) 30} I will destroy from among their people^(AZ) anyone who does any work on that day. ³¹ You shall do no work at all. This is to be a lasting ordinance^(BA) for the generations to come, wherever you live. ³² It is a day of sabbath rest^(BB) for you, and you must deny yourselves. From the evening of the ninth day of the month until the following evening you are to observe your sabbath.”^(BC)

The Festival of Tabernacles^(BD)

³³ The Lord said to Moses, ³⁴ “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh^(BE) month the Lord’s Festival of Tabernacles^(BF) begins, and it lasts for seven days. ³⁵ The first day is a sacred assembly;^(BG) do no regular work.^{(BH) 36} For seven days present food offerings to the Lord, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly^(BI) and present a food offering to the Lord.^(BJ) It is the closing special assembly; do no regular work.

³⁷ (“‘These are the Lord’s appointed festivals, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies for bringing food offerings to the Lord—the burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings^(BK) required for each day. ³⁸ These offerings^(BL) are in addition to those for the Lord’s Sabbaths^(BM) and^[e] in addition to your gifts and whatever you have vowed and all the freewill offerings^(BN) you give to the Lord.)

³⁹ “‘So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival^(BO) to the Lord for seven days;^(BP) the first day is a day of sabbath rest, and the eighth day also is a day of sabbath rest. ⁴⁰ On the first day you are to take branches^(BQ) from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and other leafy trees^(BR)—and rejoice^(BS) before the Lord your God for seven days. ⁴¹ Celebrate this as a festival to the Lord for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. ⁴² Live in temporary shelters^(BT) for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters ⁴³ so your descendants will know^(BU) that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’”

⁴⁴ So Moses announced to the Israelites the appointed festivals of the Lord.

Jesus Anointed at Bethany^(A)(B)(C)

14 Now the Passover^(D) and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.^{(E) 2} “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.”

³ While he was in Bethany,^(F) reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.^(G)

⁴ Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? ⁵ It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages^[a] and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

⁶ “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ⁷ The poor you will always have with you,^[b] and you can help them any time you want.^(H) But you will not always have me. ⁸ She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.^{(I) 9} Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world,^(J) what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

¹⁰ Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve,^(K) went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them.^{(L) 11} They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

The Last Supper^(M)(N)

¹² On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb,^(O) Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

¹³ So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. ¹⁴ Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ ¹⁵ He will show you a large room upstairs,^(P) furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.”

¹⁶ The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.

¹⁷ When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. ¹⁸ While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.”

¹⁹ They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, “Surely you don’t mean me?”

²⁰ “It is one of the Twelve,” he replied, “one who dips bread into the bowl with me.^{(Q) 21} The Son of Man^(R) will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

²² While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it^(S) and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.”

²³ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.^(T)

²⁴ “This is my blood of the^[c] covenant,^(U) which is poured out for many,” he said to them. ²⁵ “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”^(V)

²⁶ When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.^(W)

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial^(X)

²⁷ “You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written:

²⁸ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”^(Z)

²⁹ Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”

³⁰ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice^[e] you yourself will disown me three times.”^(AA)

³¹ But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you,^(AB) I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.

Gethsemane^(AC)

³² They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” ³³ He took Peter, James and John^(AD) along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. ³⁴ “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,”^(AE) he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”

³⁵ Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour^(AF) might pass from him. ³⁶ “Abba,^[f] Father,”^(AG) he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup^(AH) from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”^(AI)

³⁷ Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? ³⁸ Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.^(AJ) The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”^(AK)

³⁹ Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. ⁴⁰ When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.

⁴¹ Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour^(AL) has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. ⁴² Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Jesus Arrested^(AM)

⁴³ Just as he was speaking, Judas,^(AN) one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders.

⁴⁴ Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.” ⁴⁵ Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Rabbi!”^(AO) and kissed him. ⁴⁶ The men seized Jesus and arrested him. ⁴⁷ Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

⁴⁸ “Am I leading a rebellion,” said Jesus, “that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? ⁴⁹ Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts,^(AP) and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.”^{(AQ) 50} Then everyone deserted him and fled.^(AR)

⁵¹ A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, ⁵² he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin^(AS)(AT)

⁵³ They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law came together. ⁵⁴ Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest.^(AU) There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.^(AV)

⁵⁵ The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin^(AW) were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. ⁵⁶ Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.

⁵⁷ Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: ⁵⁸ “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days will build another,^(AX) not made with hands.’” ⁵⁹ Yet even then their testimony did not agree.

⁶⁰ Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” ⁶¹ But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.^(AY)

Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”^(AZ)

⁶² “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”^(BA)

⁶³ The high priest tore his clothes.^(BB) “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. ⁶⁴ “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”

They all condemned him as worthy of death.^{(BC) 65} Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him.^(BD)

Peter Disowns Jesus^(BE)

⁶⁶ While Peter was below in the courtyard,^(BF) one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. ⁶⁷ When she saw Peter warming himself,^(BG) she looked closely at him.

“You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,”^(BH) she said.

⁶⁸ But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,”^(BI) he said, and went out into the entryway.^[g]

⁶⁹ When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.” ⁷⁰ Again he denied it.^(BJ)

After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.”^(BK)

⁷¹ He began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.”^(BL)

⁷² Immediately the rooster crowed the second time.^[h] Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice^[i] you will disown me three times.”^(BM) And he broke down and wept.