Olive Oil and Bread Set Before the Lord^(A)

24 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning continually. ³ Outside the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law in the tent of meeting, Aaron is to tend the lamps before the Lord from evening till morning, continually. This is to be a lasting ordinance^(B) for the generations to come. ⁴ The lamps on the pure gold lampstand^(C) before the Lord must be tended continually.

⁵ “Take the finest flour and bake twelve loaves of bread,^(D) using two-tenths of an ephah^[a](E) for each loaf. ⁶ Arrange them in two stacks, six in each stack, on the table of pure gold^(F) before the Lord. ⁷ By each stack put some pure incense^(G) as a memorial^[b] portion^(H) to represent the bread and to be a food offering presented to the Lord. ⁸ This bread is to be set out before the Lord regularly,^(I) Sabbath after Sabbath,^(J) on behalf of the Israelites, as a lasting covenant. ⁹ It belongs to Aaron and his sons,^(K) who are to eat it in the sanctuary area,^(L) because it is a most holy^(M) part of their perpetual share of the food offerings presented to the Lord.”

A Blasphemer Put to Death

¹⁰ Now the son of an Israelite mother and an Egyptian father went out among the Israelites, and a fight broke out in the camp between him and an Israelite. ¹¹ The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name^(N) with a curse;^(O) so they brought him to Moses.^(P) (His mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri the Danite.)^{(Q) 12} They put him in custody until the will of the Lord should be made clear to them.^(R)

¹³ Then the Lord said to Moses: ¹⁴ “Take the blasphemer outside the camp. All those who heard him are to lay their hands on his head, and the entire assembly is to stone him.^{(S) 15} Say to the Israelites: ‘Anyone who curses their God^(T) will be held responsible;^{(U) 16} anyone who blasphemes^(V) the name of the Lord is to be put to death.^(W) The entire assembly must stone them. Whether foreigner or native-born, when they blaspheme the Name they are to be put to death.

¹⁷ “‘Anyone who takes the life of a human being is to be put to death.^{(X) 18} Anyone who takes the life of someone’s animal must make restitution^(Y)—life for life. ¹⁹ Anyone who injures their neighbor is to be injured in the same manner: ²⁰ fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth.^(Z) The one who has inflicted the injury must suffer the same injury. ²¹ Whoever kills an animal must make restitution,^(AA) but whoever kills a human being is to be put to death.^{(AB) 22} You are to have the same law for the foreigner^(AC) and the native-born.^(AD) I am the Lord your God.’”

²³ Then Moses spoke to the Israelites, and they took the blasphemer outside the camp and stoned him.^(AE) The Israelites did as the Lord commanded Moses.

The Sabbath Year

25 The Lord said to Moses at Mount Sinai,^{(A) 2} “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the Lord. ³ For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops.^{(B) 4} But in the seventh year the land is to have a year of sabbath rest,^(C) a sabbath to the Lord. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards.^{(D) 5} Do not reap what grows of itself^(E) or harvest the grapes^(F) of your untended vines.^(G) The land is to have a year of rest. ⁶ Whatever the land yields during the sabbath year^(H) will be food for you—for yourself, your male and female servants, and the hired worker and temporary resident who live among you, ⁷ as well as for your livestock and the wild animals^(I) in your land. Whatever the land produces may be eaten.

The Year of Jubilee^(J)(K)

⁸ “‘Count off seven sabbath years—seven times seven years—so that the seven sabbath years amount to a period of forty-nine years. ⁹ Then have the trumpet^(L) sounded everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month;^(M) on the Day of Atonement^(N) sound the trumpet throughout your land. ¹⁰ Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty^(O) throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee^(P) for you; each of you is to return to your family property^(Q) and to your own clan. ¹¹ The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee^(R) for you; do not sow and do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the untended vines.^{(S) 12} For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you; eat only what is taken directly from the fields.

¹³ “‘In this Year of Jubilee^(T) everyone is to return to their own property.

¹⁴ “‘If you sell land to any of your own people or buy land from them, do not take advantage of each other.^{(U) 15} You are to buy from your own people on the basis of the number of years^(V) since the Jubilee. And they are to sell to you on the basis of the number of years left for harvesting crops. ¹⁶ When the years are many, you are to increase the price, and when the years are few, you are to decrease the price,^(W) because what is really being sold to you is the number of crops. ¹⁷ Do not take advantage of each other,^(X) but fear your God.^(Y) I am the Lord your God.^(Z)

¹⁸ “‘Follow my decrees and be careful to obey my laws,^(AA) and you will live safely in the land.^{(AB) 19} Then the land will yield its fruit,^(AC) and you will eat your fill and live there in safety.^{(AD) 20} You may ask, “What will we eat in the seventh year^(AE) if we do not plant or harvest our crops?” ²¹ I will send you such a blessing^(AF) in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years.^{(AG) 22} While you plant during the eighth year, you will eat from the old crop and will continue to eat from it until the harvest of the ninth year comes in.^(AH)

²³ “‘The land^(AI) must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine^(AJ) and you reside in my land as foreigners^(AK) and strangers. ²⁴ Throughout the land that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption^(AL) of the land.

²⁵ “‘If one of your fellow Israelites becomes poor and sells some of their property, their nearest relative^(AM) is to come and redeem^(AN) what they have sold. ²⁶ If, however, there is no one to redeem it for them but later on they prosper^(AO) and acquire sufficient means to redeem it themselves, ²⁷ they are to determine the value for the years^(AP) since they sold it and refund the balance to the one to whom they sold it; they can then go back to their own property.^{(AQ) 28} But if they do not acquire the means to repay, what was sold will remain in the possession of the buyer until the Year of Jubilee. It will be returned^(AR) in the Jubilee, and they can then go back to their property.^(AS)

²⁹ “‘Anyone who sells a house in a walled city retains the right of redemption a full year after its sale. During that time the seller may redeem it. ³⁰ If it is not redeemed before a full year has passed, the house in the walled city shall belong permanently to the buyer and the buyer’s descendants. It is not to be returned in the Jubilee. ³¹ But houses in villages without walls around them are to be considered as belonging to the open country. They can be redeemed, and they are to be returned in the Jubilee.

³² “‘The Levites always have the right to redeem their houses in the Levitical towns,^(AT) which they possess. ³³ So the property of the Levites is redeemable—that is, a house sold in any town they hold—and is to be returned in the Jubilee, because the houses in the towns of the Levites are their property among the Israelites. ³⁴ But the pastureland belonging to their towns must not be sold; it is their permanent possession.^(AU)

³⁵ “‘If any of your fellow Israelites become poor^(AV) and are unable to support themselves among you, help them^(AW) as you would a foreigner and stranger, so they can continue to live among you. ³⁶ Do not take interest^(AX) or any profit from them, but fear your God,^(AY) so that they may continue to live among you. ³⁷ You must not lend them money at interest^(AZ) or sell them food at a profit. ³⁸ I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan^(BA) and to be your God.^(BB)

³⁹ “‘If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and sell themselves to you, do not make them work as slaves.^{(BC) 40} They are to be treated as hired workers^(BD) or temporary residents among you; they are to work for you until the Year of Jubilee. ⁴¹ Then they and their children are to be released, and they will go back to their own clans and to the property^(BE) of their ancestors.^{(BF) 42} Because the Israelites are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt,^(BG) they must not be sold as slaves. ⁴³ Do not rule over them ruthlessly,^(BH) but fear your God.^(BI)

⁴⁴ “‘Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. ⁴⁵ You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. ⁴⁶ You can bequeath them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly.

⁴⁷ “‘If a foreigner residing among you becomes rich and any of your fellow Israelites become poor and sell themselves^(BJ) to the foreigner or to a member of the foreigner’s clan, ⁴⁸ they retain the right of redemption^(BK) after they have sold themselves. One of their relatives^(BL) may redeem them: ⁴⁹ An uncle or a cousin or any blood relative in their clan may redeem them. Or if they prosper,^(BM) they may redeem themselves. ⁵⁰ They and their buyer are to count the time from the year they sold themselves up to the Year of Jubilee.^(BN) The price for their release is to be based on the rate paid to a hired worker^(BO) for that number of years. ⁵¹ If many years remain, they must pay for their redemption a larger share of the price paid for them. ⁵² If only a few years remain until the Year of Jubilee, they are to compute that and pay for their redemption accordingly.^{(BP) 53} They are to be treated as workers hired from year to year; you must see to it that those to whom they owe service do not rule over them ruthlessly.^(BQ)

⁵⁴ “‘Even if someone is not redeemed in any of these ways, they and their children are to be released in the Year of Jubilee, ⁵⁵ for the Israelites belong to me as servants. They are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt.^(BR) I am the Lord your God.^(BS)

Jesus Anointed at Bethany^(A)

12 Six days before the Passover,^(B) Jesus came to Bethany,^(C) where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. ² Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served,^(D) while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. ³ Then Mary took about a pint^[a] of pure nard, an expensive perfume;^(E) she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair.^(F) And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

⁴ But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him,^(G) objected, ⁵ “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.^[b]” ⁶ He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag,^(H) he used to help himself to what was put into it.

⁷ “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.^{(I) 8} You will always have the poor among you,^[c](J) but you will not always have me.”

⁹ Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.^{(K) 10} So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, ¹¹ for on account of him^(L) many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.^(M)

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King^(N)

¹² The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. ¹³ They took palm branches^(O) and went out to meet him, shouting,

¹⁴ Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:

¹⁶ At first his disciples did not understand all this.^(S) Only after Jesus was glorified^(T) did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.

¹⁷ Now the crowd that was with him^(U) when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. ¹⁸ Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign,^(V) went out to meet him. ¹⁹ So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”^(W)

Jesus Predicts His Death

²⁰ Now there were some Greeks^(X) among those who went up to worship at the festival. ²¹ They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida^(Y) in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” ²² Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

²³ Jesus replied, “The hour^(Z) has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.^{(AA) 24} Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies,^(AB) it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. ²⁵ Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it^(AC) for eternal life.^{(AD) 26} Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.^(AE) My Father will honor the one who serves me.

²⁷ “Now my soul is troubled,^(AF) and what shall I say? ‘Father,^(AG) save me from this hour’?^(AH) No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. ²⁸ Father, glorify your name!”

Then a voice came from heaven,^(AI) “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” ²⁹ The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

³⁰ Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit,^(AJ) not mine. ³¹ Now is the time for judgment on this world;^(AK) now the prince of this world^(AL) will be driven out. ³² And I, when I am lifted up^[g] from the earth,^(AM) will draw all people to myself.”^{(AN) 33} He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.^(AO)

³⁴ The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law^(AP) that the Messiah will remain forever,^(AQ) so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man^(AR) must be lifted up’?^(AS) Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”

³⁵ Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light^(AT) just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light,^(AU) before darkness overtakes you.^(AV) Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. ³⁶ Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.”^(AW) When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.^(AX)

Belief and Unbelief Among the Jews

³⁷ Even after Jesus had performed so many signs^(AY) in their presence, they still would not believe in him. ³⁸ This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:

³⁹ For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:

⁴¹ Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory^(BB) and spoke about him.^(BC)

⁴² Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him.^(BD) But because of the Pharisees^(BE) they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue;^{(BF) 43} for they loved human praise^(BG) more than praise from God.^(BH)

⁴⁴ Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me.^{(BI) 45} The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me.^{(BJ) 46} I have come into the world as a light,^(BK) so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

⁴⁷ “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.^{(BL) 48} There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them^(BM) at the last day. ⁴⁹ For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me^(BN) to say all that I have spoken. ⁵⁰ I know that his command leads to eternal life.^(BO) So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”^(BP)