The Ordination of Aaron and His Sons^(A)

8 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Bring Aaron and his sons,^(B) their garments,^(C) the anointing oil,^(D) the bull for the sin offering,^[a](E) the two rams^(F) and the basket containing bread made without yeast,^{(G) 3} and gather the entire assembly^(H) at the entrance to the tent of meeting.” ⁴ Moses did as the Lord commanded him, and the assembly gathered at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

⁵ Moses said to the assembly, “This is what the Lord has commanded to be done.^(I)” ⁶ Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward and washed them with water.^{(J) 7} He put the tunic on Aaron, tied the sash around him, clothed him with the robe and put the ephod on him. He also fastened the ephod with a decorative waistband, which he tied around him.^{(K) 8} He placed the breastpiece^(L) on him and put the Urim and Thummim^(M) in the breastpiece. ⁹ Then he placed the turban^(N) on Aaron’s head and set the gold plate, the sacred emblem,^(O) on the front of it, as the Lord commanded Moses.^(P)

¹⁰ Then Moses took the anointing oil^(Q) and anointed^(R) the tabernacle^(S) and everything in it, and so consecrated them. ¹¹ He sprinkled some of the oil on the altar seven times, anointing the altar and all its utensils and the basin with its stand, to consecrate them.^{(T) 12} He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed^(U) him to consecrate him.^{(V) 13} Then he brought Aaron’s sons^(W) forward, put tunics^(X) on them, tied sashes around them and fastened caps on them, as the Lord commanded Moses.^(Y)

¹⁴ He then presented the bull^(Z) for the sin offering,^(AA) and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head.^{(AB) 15} Moses slaughtered the bull and took some of the blood,^(AC) and with his finger he put it on all the horns of the altar^(AD) to purify the altar.^(AE) He poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. So he consecrated it to make atonement for it.^{(AF) 16} Moses also took all the fat around the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, and both kidneys and their fat, and burned it on the altar. ¹⁷ But the bull with its hide and its flesh and its intestines^(AG) he burned up outside the camp,^(AH) as the Lord commanded Moses.

¹⁸ He then presented the ram^(AI) for the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head. ¹⁹ Then Moses slaughtered the ram and splashed the blood against the sides of the altar. ²⁰ He cut the ram into pieces and burned the head, the pieces and the fat.^{(AJ) 21} He washed the internal organs and the legs with water and burned the whole ram on the altar. It was a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.

²² He then presented the other ram, the ram for the ordination,^(AK) and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head.^{(AL) 23} Moses slaughtered the ram and took some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron’s right ear, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot.^{(AM) 24} Moses also brought Aaron’s sons forward and put some of the blood on the lobes of their right ears, on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet. Then he splashed blood against the sides of the altar.^{(AN) 25} After that, he took the fat^(AO), the fat tail, all the fat around the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, both kidneys and their fat and the right thigh. ²⁶ And from the basket of bread made without yeast, which was before the Lord, he took one thick loaf, one thick loaf with olive oil mixed in, and one thin loaf,^(AP) and he put these on the fat portions and on the right thigh. ²⁷ He put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons, and they waved them before the Lord^(AQ) as a wave offering. ²⁸ Then Moses took them from their hands and burned them on the altar on top of the burnt offering as an ordination offering, a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord. ²⁹ Moses also took the breast, which was his share of the ordination ram,^(AR) and waved it before the Lord as a wave offering, as the Lord commanded Moses.

³⁰ Then Moses^(AS) took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood from the altar and sprinkled them on Aaron and his garments^(AT) and on his sons and their garments. So he consecrated^(AU) Aaron and his garments and his sons and their garments.

³¹ Moses then said to Aaron and his sons, “Cook the meat at the entrance to the tent of meeting^(AV) and eat it there with the bread from the basket of ordination offerings, as I was commanded: ‘Aaron and his sons are to eat it.’ ³² Then burn up the rest of the meat and the bread. ³³ Do not leave the entrance to the tent of meeting for seven days, until the days of your ordination are completed, for your ordination will last seven days.^{(AW) 34} What has been done today was commanded by the Lord^(AX) to make atonement for you. ³⁵ You must stay at the entrance to the tent of meeting day and night for seven days and do what the Lord requires,^(AY) so you will not die; for that is what I have been commanded.”

³⁶ So Aaron and his sons did everything the Lord commanded through Moses.

Psalm 9^[a][b]

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Death of the Son.” A psalm of David.

Saying 7

Saying 8

Saying 9

Saying 10

Saying 11

Saying 12

Saying 13

Saying 14

Saying 15

Saying 16

Saying 17

Saying 18

Saying 19

Paul’s Ministry in Thessalonica

2 You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you^(A) was not without results.^{(B) 2} We had previously suffered^(C) and been treated outrageously in Philippi,^(D) as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition.^{(E) 3} For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives,^(F) nor are we trying to trick you.^{(G) 4} On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.^(H) We are not trying to please people^(I) but God, who tests our hearts.^{(J) 5} You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed^(K)—God is our witness.^{(L) 6} We were not looking for praise from people,^(M) not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles^(N) of Christ we could have asserted our authority.^{(O) 7} Instead, we were like young children^[a] among you.

Just as a nursing mother cares for her children,^{(P) 8} so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God^(Q) but our lives as well.^{(R) 9} Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked^(S) night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone^(T) while we preached the gospel of God to you. ¹⁰ You are witnesses,^(U) and so is God,^(V) of how holy,^(W) righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. ¹¹ For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children,^{(X) 12} encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy^(Y) of God, who calls^(Z) you into his kingdom and glory.

¹³ And we also thank God continually^(AA) because, when you received the word of God,^(AB) which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. ¹⁴ For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators^(AC) of God’s churches in Judea,^(AD) which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people^(AE) the same things those churches suffered from the Jews ¹⁵ who killed the Lord Jesus^(AF) and the prophets^(AG) and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone ¹⁶ in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles^(AH) so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit.^(AI) The wrath of God has come upon them at last.^[b]

Paul’s Longing to See the Thessalonians

¹⁷ But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought),^(AJ) out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you.^{(AK) 18} For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan^(AL) blocked our way.^{(AM) 19} For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown^(AN) in which we will glory^(AO) in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes?^(AP) Is it not you? ²⁰ Indeed, you are our glory^(AQ) and joy.