The Day of Atonement^(A)

16 The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron who died when they approached the Lord.^{(B) 2} The Lord said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses^(C) into the Most Holy Place^(D) behind the curtain^(E) in front of the atonement cover^(F) on the ark, or else he will die. For I will appear^(G) in the cloud^(H) over the atonement cover.

³ “This is how Aaron is to enter the Most Holy Place:^(I) He must first bring a young bull^(J) for a sin offering^[a] and a ram for a burnt offering.^{(K) 4} He is to put on the sacred linen tunic,^(L) with linen undergarments next to his body; he is to tie the linen sash around him and put on the linen turban.^(M) These are sacred garments;^(N) so he must bathe himself with water^(O) before he puts them on.^{(P) 5} From the Israelite community^(Q) he is to take two male goats^(R) for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.

⁶ “Aaron is to offer the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household.^{(S) 7} Then he is to take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ⁸ He is to cast lots^(T) for the two goats—one lot for the Lord and the other for the scapegoat.^{[b](U) 9} Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the Lord and sacrifice it for a sin offering. ¹⁰ But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord to be used for making atonement^(V) by sending it into the wilderness as a scapegoat.

¹¹ “Aaron shall bring the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household,^(W) and he is to slaughter the bull for his own sin offering. ¹² He is to take a censer full of burning coals^(X) from the altar before the Lord and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense^(Y) and take them behind the curtain. ¹³ He is to put the incense on the fire before the Lord, and the smoke of the incense will conceal the atonement cover^(Z) above the tablets of the covenant law, so that he will not die.^{(AA) 14} He is to take some of the bull’s blood^(AB) and with his finger sprinkle it on the front of the atonement cover; then he shall sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before the atonement cover.^(AC)

¹⁵ “He shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people^(AD) and take its blood behind the curtain^(AE) and do with it as he did with the bull’s blood: He shall sprinkle^(AF) it on the atonement cover and in front of it. ¹⁶ In this way he will make atonement^(AG) for the Most Holy Place^(AH) because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been. He is to do the same for the tent of meeting,^(AI) which is among them in the midst of their uncleanness. ¹⁷ No one is to be in the tent of meeting from the time Aaron goes in to make atonement in the Most Holy Place until he comes out, having made atonement for himself, his household and the whole community of Israel.

¹⁸ “Then he shall come out to the altar^(AJ) that is before the Lord and make atonement for it. He shall take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on all the horns of the altar.^{(AK) 19} He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleanse it and to consecrate it from the uncleanness of the Israelites.^(AL)

²⁰ “When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall bring forward the live goat.^{(AM) 21} He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat^(AN) and confess^(AO) over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. ²² The goat will carry on itself all their sins^(AP) to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness.

²³ “Then Aaron is to go into the tent of meeting and take off the linen garments^(AQ) he put on before he entered the Most Holy Place, and he is to leave them there.^{(AR) 24} He shall bathe himself with water in the sanctuary area^(AS) and put on his regular garments.^(AT) Then he shall come out and sacrifice the burnt offering for himself and the burnt offering for the people,^(AU) to make atonement for himself and for the people.^{(AV) 25} He shall also burn the fat of the sin offering on the altar.

²⁶ “The man who releases the goat as a scapegoat^(AW) must wash his clothes^(AX) and bathe himself with water;^(AY) afterward he may come into the camp. ²⁷ The bull and the goat for the sin offerings, whose blood was brought into the Most Holy Place to make atonement, must be taken outside the camp;^(AZ) their hides, flesh and intestines are to be burned up. ²⁸ The man who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may come into the camp.^(BA)

²⁹ “This is to be a lasting ordinance^(BB) for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month^(BC) you must deny yourselves^[c](BD) and not do any work^(BE)—whether native-born^(BF) or a foreigner residing among you— ³⁰ because on this day atonement will be made^(BG) for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the Lord, you will be clean from all your sins.^{(BH) 31} It is a day of sabbath rest, and you must deny yourselves;^(BI) it is a lasting ordinance.^{(BJ) 32} The priest who is anointed and ordained^(BK) to succeed his father as high priest is to make atonement. He is to put on the sacred linen garments^{(BL) 33} and make atonement for the Most Holy Place, for the tent of meeting and the altar, and for the priests and all the members of the community.^(BM)

³⁴ “This is to be a lasting ordinance^(BN) for you: Atonement is to be made once a year^(BO) for all the sins of the Israelites.”

And it was done, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Treasures in Heaven^(A)

¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,^(B) where moths and vermin destroy,^(C) and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,^(D) where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.^{(E) 21} For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.^(F)

²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good^(A) of those who love him, who^[a] have been called^(B) according to his purpose.^{(C) 29} For those God foreknew^(D) he also predestined^(E) to be conformed to the image of his Son,^(F) that he might be the firstborn^(G) among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those he predestined,^(H) he also called;^(I) those he called, he also justified;^(J) those he justified, he also glorified.^(K)

More Than Conquerors

³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things?^(L) If God is for us,^(M) who can be against us?^{(N) 32} He who did not spare his own Son,^(O) but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³ Who will bring any charge^(P) against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns?^(Q) No one. Christ Jesus who died^(R)—more than that, who was raised to life^(S)—is at the right hand of God^(T) and is also interceding for us.^{(U) 35} Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?^(V) Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?^{(W) 36} As it is written:

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors^(Y) through him who loved us.^{(Z) 38} For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[c] neither the present nor the future,^(AA) nor any powers,^{(AB) 39} neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God^(AC) that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.^(AD)

The Incarnation of the Word of Life

1 That which was from the beginning,^(A) which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes,^(B) which we have looked at and our hands have touched^(C)—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. ² The life appeared;^(D) we have seen it and testify to it,^(E) and we proclaim to you the eternal life,^(F) which was with the Father and has appeared to us. ³ We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard,^(G) so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.^{(H) 4} We write this^(I) to make our^[a] joy complete.^(J)