The Daily Audio Bible
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1 The Eternal One called Moses and addressed him from the congregation tent.
Eternal One: 2 Moses, I want you to go talk with the Israelites and tell them how to perform ritual offerings: Any time one of you brings an offering to Me, you must bring the offering from the animals of either the herd or the flock. 3 If you are bringing a burnt offering from your herd, then you are to pick an unblemished bull. No diseased, weak, or injured animals are allowed. Offer it at the entrance to the congregation tent so that I can accept it. 4 The person offering the sacrifice shall place his hand on the head of the living animal, and the offering will be accepted to atone for the person’s sins. 5 You shall slaughter the young bull in My presence. Aaron’s sons, the priests, will offer the blood and splatter it around the altar at the entrance of the congregation tent. 6 You shall then skin the burnt offering and cut the animal up into pieces. 7 The sons of Aaron the priest will place fire on the altar and arrange the pieces of wood. 8 Aaron’s sons, the priests, will place the head, the fat, and individual pieces of the sacrifice on the altar as the wood burns. 9 Wash the animal’s organs and legs with water so that unclean elements are not included in the offering. The priest will offer up the whole burnt offering on the altar, and the smoke of the offering will rise and be a pleasant aroma to Me.
10 If you give a burnt offering from the flock, either of sheep or goats, you are only to offer an unblemished male. No diseased, weak, or injured animals are allowed. 11 Slaughter it on the north side of the altar before Me. Aaron’s sons, the priests, will splatter the blood all around the altar. 12 Cut the sacrifice up into pieces. The priests will take the head, fat, and rest of the pieces and place them all on the altar as the fire burns. 13 Wash the animal’s organs and legs with water. The priest will offer up the whole burnt offering on the altar, and the smoke of the sacrifice will rise and be a pleasant aroma to Me.
14 But if you have no flock or herd of your own, then you may offer Me birds; your offering is to be turtledoves or young pigeons. 15 The priest will take it to the altar, pull off its head, and offer up the sacrifice as smoke on the altar. Its blood will be drained onto the side of the altar. 16 The priest will remove the crop and feathers and toss them on the eastern side of the altar in the ash pile. 17 Then the priest will tear the bird open by its wings without separating them completely from its body. The priest will offer up the burnt offering as smoke on the wood-fire of the altar, and the smoke of the sacrifice will rise and be a pleasant aroma to Me.
2 Eternal One: Any time one of you brings a grain offering to Me, it should be the finest flour mixed with olive oil and frankincense. 2 Give it to Aaron’s sons, the priests. One of the priests will take a handful of the fine flour mixed with olive oil and frankincense and offer up a memorial portion on the altar, and the smoke of the offering will rise and be a pleasant aroma to Me. 3 The rest of the grain offering is for Aaron and his sons. It is a most holy part of the fire-offerings dedicated to Me. No one other than the priests may eat it.
The sacrifices and offerings not only please God but they provide for the physical and spiritual needs of the people. All the priests are from the tribe of Levi and participate in the spiritual heritage of Aaron, Moses’ brother. With some of the offerings, God prescribes that the priests must share in the food brought by the people. By eating from their sacrifices, the priests participate in the lives of those who wish to approach God. Some sacrifices are described as “memorial” offerings to God. These are offerings that ask God to remember His people and keep them in His good favor.
Eternal One: 4 Any time one of you brings a grain offering that was prepared in an oven, it should be bread made without yeast from the finest flour mixed with oil or a wafer made without yeast spread with oil. 5 Any time one of you brings a grain offering that was prepared on a griddle, it should be made without yeast from the finest flour mixed with oil. 6 Separate it into pieces, pour oil on it, and present it as a grain offering. 7 Any time one of you brings a grain offering that was prepared in a pan, it should be made from the finest flour and mixed with oil. 8 Whenever you bring any of these grain offerings to Me, it should be given to the priest who will then take it to the altar. 9 The priest will offer up the memorial portion on the altar, and the smoke of the offering will rise and be a pleasant aroma to Me. 10 The rest of the grain offering is for Aaron and his sons. It is a most holy part of the fire-offerings dedicated to Me. No one other than the priests may eat it.
11 Every grain offering that is presented before Me must be made without yeast because it is forbidden to offer up any yeast or honey to Me by means of the fire-offering. 12 When you bring an offering of the first and finest part of the harvest to Me, you may bring yeast and honey but they must not be offered up in smoke as a pleasant aroma. 13 You must salt every grain offering you bring so that the salt of your covenant with God[a] will not be missing. You will season all of the offerings you present with salt.
In the ancient world, salt was a valuable substance. It was used for a variety of purposes: to preserve meats, promote healing, and seal friendships. When covenants were made, people celebrated with fine meals seasoned with salt and other spices. The permanence of salt symbolized the permanence of God’s covenant with His people (Numbers 18:19). Jesus echoes this covenant practice when He instructs His followers to be salt in the world (Matthew 5:13).
Eternal One: 14 If you present a grain offering from the first ripe grain of your harvest to Me, bring fresh new grain, crushed and roasted in the fire. 15 Also mix it with oil and frankincense because it is presented as a grain offering. 16 The priests will then offer up a memorial portion of the grain mixed with oil and all of the frankincense as a fire-offering to Me.
3 Eternal One: Any time one of you presents a sacrifice from the herd as a peace offering, you must offer only an unblemished cow or bull before Me.
In Leviticus there are many kinds of sacrifices. Some celebrate God’s covenant with His people. Some atone for sin. The peace offering is a meal in which the worshiper, his family, and the priests all participate. Some parts of the animal become part of the fire-offering. The rest is eaten by the priests and people. In a sense, God, the priests, and the worshipers all share a common meal.
Eternal One: 2 You will put your hand on the animal’s head and slaughter it at the entrance of the congregation tent. Aaron’s sons, the priests, will splatter its blood against the sides of the altar. 3 From the sacrifice of the peace offerings, you must bring to Me as a fire-offering the fat covering and surrounding the animal’s organs, 4 the two kidneys and also the fat on them from the loins, and the lobe of the liver (which will be removed along with the kidneys). 5 Aaron’s sons will offer this peace offering on top of the burnt offering on the altar, and the smoke of the sacrifice will rise and be a pleasant aroma to Me.
6 If the animal sacrifice for the peace offering to Me is of the flock, then you must offer an unblemished male or female. 7 If you bring a lamb as your offering before Me, 8 you must place your hand on the head of the offering and slaughter it at the entrance of the congregation tent. Aaron’s sons will then splatter the blood of the lamb against the sides of the altar. 9 From the peace offering, you must bring to Me as a fire-offering its fat, the tail (which is to be cut off near the backbone), the fat covering and surrounding the organs, 10 the two kidneys and the fat on them from the loins, and the lobe of the liver (which must be removed along with the kidneys). 11 The priest will then offer all these on the altar as a fire-offering to Me.
12 If you bring a goat as your offering before Me, 13 you must place your hand on its head and slaughter it at the entrance of the congregation tent. Aaron’s sons will then splatter its blood against the sides of the altar. 14 From this offering, you must bring to Me as a fire-offering the fat covering and surrounding the organs, 15 the two kidneys and the fat on them near the loins, and the lobe of the liver (which must be removed along with the kidneys). 16 The priest will then offer all these on the altar, and the smoke of the sacrifice will rise and be a pleasant aroma. All the fat belongs to Me.
17 Do not eat any fat or blood. This directive stands throughout all generations regardless of where you live.
29 Right after they left the synagogue, Jesus went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 They told Him about Simon’s mother-in-law who was there in bed, sick and feverish. 31 Jesus went to her side, took her hand, and lifted her up. As soon as He touched her, the fever left her and she felt well again—strong enough to bustle around the house taking care of her visitors.
32 Just before night fell, others had gathered all the sick, diseased, and demon-infested people they could find. 33 It seemed as if the whole town had gathered at Simon and Andrew’s door. 34 Jesus was kept busy healing people of every sort of ailment and casting out unclean spirits. He was very careful not to let the demons speak because they knew Him and could reveal to the people who He really was.
35 Early in the morning, Jesus got up, left the house while it was still dark outside, and went to a deserted place to pray. 36 Simon and the others traveling with Jesus looked for Him. 37 They finally tracked Him down.
Whenever possible, Jesus seeks out solitude so He can pray and meditate. Jesus reveals His humanity. In these silent and reflective moments, He seems to refuel mentally, physically, and spiritually because Jesus hears His Father speak during His time alone. Throughout Jesus’ ministry on earth, hearing from His Father seems to help Him focus on the mission at hand: redemption.
People: Everybody wants to know where You are!
Jesus: 38 It’s time we went somewhere else—the next village, maybe—so I can tell more people the good news about the kingdom of God. After all, that’s the reason I’m here.
39 So He traveled to the next village and the one after that, throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and casting out unclean spirits.
Jesus is confronted with a man who has leprosy—a skin disease that makes him ritually unclean according to Jewish law. This creates a problem with the authorities.
40 A leper walked right up to Jesus, dropped to his knees, and begged Him for help.
Leper: If You want to, You can make me clean.
41 Jesus was powerfully moved. He reached out and actually touched the leper.
Jesus: I do want to. Be clean.
42 And at that very moment, the disease left him; the leper was cleansed and made whole once again. 43 Jesus sent him away, but first He warned him strongly.
Jesus: 44 Don’t tell anybody how this happened. Just go and show yourself to the priest so that he can certify you’re clean. Perform the ceremony prescribed by Moses as proof of your cleansing, and then you may return home.
45 The man talked everywhere about how Jesus had healed him, until Jesus could no longer come into a town openly without the risk of being mobbed. So He remained on the outskirts. Even so, people still sought Him out from far and wide.
2 1-2 Some days later when Jesus came back to Capernaum, people heard that Jesus was back in town and many gathered at the house where He was staying. Soon the crowd overflowed from the house into the streets, and still more people pressed forward to hear Jesus teaching the message of God’s kingdom. 3 Four men tried to bring a crippled friend to Him; 4 but since the crowd prevented their carrying him close enough to get Jesus’ attention, they climbed up onto the roof, opened a hole in it, and lowered the paralyzed man on his mat down to Jesus.
5 Jesus recognized the faith of these men.
Jesus (to the paralyzed man): Son, your sins are forgiven.
6-7 Some scribes were sitting in the crowd, and they didn’t like what they were hearing.
Scribes (reasoning to themselves): What does this Jesus think He is doing? This kind of talk is blasphemy, an offense against the Most High! Only God can forgive sins.
8 At once Jesus realized what they were thinking. He turned to them.
Jesus: Why do My words trouble you so? 9 Think about this: is it easier to tell this paralyzed man, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to tell him, “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk”? 10 Still, I want to show you that the Son of Man has been given the authority on earth to forgive sins. (to the paralytic) 11 Get up, pick up your mat, and go home.
12 The man rose to his feet, immediately rolled up his mat, and walked out into the streets. Everyone in the crowd was amazed. All they could do was shake their heads, thank God for this miracle, and say to each other, “We’ve never seen anything like that!”
17 Lord, how long will You do nothing but watch?
Save me from their evil assaults, plots, and plunder;
rescue my life from these hungry beasts, these ruthless lions!
18 Then I will praise You and thank You at the great gathering,
in the company of the entire congregation.
19 Do not allow my enemies to boast at my expense,
for they despise me without any cause—[a]
yet they wink at me—malicious, taunting winks.
20 Their words have no ring of peace.
They plan evil rumors and incriminations
against those who live peacefully in the land.
21 They speak lying accusations against me;
they say, “Aha! Aha! We know what you’ve been up to.
We’ve seen it with our own eyes!”
22 You have seen what’s happening, Eternal One; don’t remain silent!
Lord, do not stay far away from me!
23 Wake up; come to my defense!
Fight for me, my Lord and my God!
24 Pass Your judgment, Eternal One, my True God;
do it by the standards of Your righteousness.
Do not allow my enemies to boast over me.
25 Do not allow them to gloat over me,
“Aha, we have won! We got what we wanted!”
Do not allow them to brag,
“We chewed him up and spit him out.”
26 Shame and confuse those who celebrate my suffering;
may those who exalt themselves above me be covered with shame—
wrapped in a cloak of dishonor!
27 As for those who desire my vindication,
may they be joyful and glad.
May they forever say,
“The Eternal is indeed great!
He takes pleasure when good things happen to His servant!”
28 That’s why I will speak of Your righteousness
and sing praises to You all day long.
13 Compared to Wisdom, the Lady Folly is rowdy and loud,
naive and ignorant.
14 She sits by the door of her house,
on a bench at the highest place in the city,
Lady Wisdom has built a house, prepared a feast, and now invites the young, the simple, and the naive to come to her party. She wants her house full of guests and spilling over with life, yet hers is not the only invitation. There is competition in the streets. Another woman vies for the attention of the young and impressionable. She, too, wants her house full, but of deceit and seduction; and when it is, death and misery join the revelry.
Wisdom addresses a broad audience. First, there are the wise who already know and worship the one True God, who do what is right in God’s eyes, and who experience the resulting benefits. They need only to be reminded about God’s ways. Second, there are the mockers and fools who reject God’s teaching and consistently do what is wrong in spite of its consequences. They need to be confronted and called to change their ways. Finally, there are the naive who straddle the fence, one day going this way, another day going that way. Wisdom extends herself to reach them, to point clearly toward the decision they have to make.
15 Crooning to passersby
who hurry straight on to their destinations:
16 Lady Folly: Whoever is young and gullible, turn in here.
You are welcome in this place!
Then, she turns to the naive.
17 Lady Folly: Stolen water tastes so much sweeter!
Bread secreted away is much more satisfying to eat!
18 But those who pause to listen to Lady Folly do not know death is the next stop,
that her guests are walking cadavers.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.