Old/New Testament
Offerings by Leaders
7 The same day that Moses finished setting up, anointing, and consecrating the tent and its utensils, he also anointed and consecrated the altar and its utensils. 2 Then the presiding leaders of Israel, as heads of the ancestral houses, brought an offering. They were the leaders of the tribes who supervised the census. 3 They brought their offering into the Lord’s presence, consisting of[a] six covered carts and twelve oxen—one cart each from two leaders and an ox from each one. After they presented them in front of the tent, 4 the Lord told Moses, 5 “Take these gifts from them and use them in service at the Tent of Meeting. Present them to the descendants of Levi, distributing them to each person according to his work.”
6 So Moses took the carts and the oxen and presented them to the descendants of Levi. 7 Two carts and four oxen were given to the descendants of Gershon for their work. 8 Four carts and eight oxen were given to the descendants of Merari for their work. 9 But he gave none of them to the descendants of Kohath, because their responsibility was to carry the holy things on their shoulders. 10 The leaders brought the offerings for the dedication of the altar the same day that it was anointed. After the leaders brought their offering to the altar, 11 the Lord told Moses, “They are to present their offerings, one leader per day,[b] for the dedication of the altar.”
Day One: Nahshon’s Offering
12 On the first day Amminadab’s son Nahshon, from the tribe of Judah, presented 13 as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both[c] filled with choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 14 one gold pan weighing ten shekels,[d] full of incense; 15 one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; 16 and one male goat for a sin offering. 17 Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of[e] two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Amminadab’s son Nahshon.
Day Two: Nathaniel’s Offering
18 On the second day, Zuar’s son Nethanel, leader of the descendants of Issachar, presented 19 as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 20 one gold pan weighing ten shekels, full of incense; 21 one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; 22 and one male goat for a sin offering. 23 Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Zuar’s son Nathaniel.
Day Three: Eliab’s Offering
24 On the third day, Helon’s son Eliab, leader of the descendants of Zebulun presented 25 as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 26 one gold pan weighing ten shekels, full of incense; 27 one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; 28 and one male goat for a sin offering. 29 Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Helon’s son Eliab.
Day Four: Elizur’s Offering
30 On the fourth day, Shedeur’s son Elizur, leader of the descendants of Reuben presented 31 as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 32 one gold pan weighing ten shekels, full of incense; 33 one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; 34 and one male goat for a sin offering. 35 Their sacrifice for a peace offering, two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Shedeur’s son Elizur.
Day Five: Shelumiel’s Offering
36 On the fifth day, Zurishaddai’s son Shelumiel, leader of the descendants of Simeon, presented 37 as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for grain offering; 38 one gold pan weighing ten shekels, full of incense; 39 one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; 40 and one male goat for a sin offering. 41 Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Zurishaddai’s son Shelumiel.
Day Six: Eliasaph’s Offering
42 On the sixth day, Deuel’s son Eliasaph, leader of the descendants of Gad, presented 43 as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 44 one gold pan weighing ten shekels full of incense; 45 one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; 46 and one male goat for a sin offering. 47 Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Deuel’s son Eliasaph.
Day Seven: Elishama’s Offering
48 On the seventh day, Ammihud’s son Elishama, leader of the descendants of Ephraim, presented 49 as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 50 one gold pan weighing ten shekels, full of incense; 51 one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; 52 and one male goat for a sin offering. 53 Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Ammihud’s son Elishama.
Day Eight: Gamaliel’s Offering
54 On the eighth day, Pedahzur’s son Gamaliel, leader of the descendants of Manasseh, presented 55 as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for grain offering; 56 one gold pan weighing ten shekels full of incense; 57 one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; 58 and one male goat for a sin offering. 59 Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Pedahzur’s son Gamaliel.
Day Nine: Abidan’s Offering
60 On the ninth day, Gideoni’s son Abidan, leader of the descendants of Benjamin, presented 61 as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for grain offering; 62 one gold pan weighing ten shekels, full of incense; 63 one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; 64 and one male goat for a sin offering. 65 Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Gideoni’s son Abidan.
Day Ten: Ahiezer’s Offering
66 On the tenth day, Ammishaddai’s son Ahiezer, leader of the descendants of Dan, presented 67 as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 68 one gold pan weighing ten shekels full of incense; 69 one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; 70 and one male goat for a sin offering. 71 Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Ammishaddai’s son Ahiezer.
Day Eleven: Pagiel’s Offering
72 On the eleventh day, Ochran’s son Pagiel, leader of the descendants of Asher, presented 73 as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 74 one gold pan weighing ten shekels, full of incense; 75 one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; 76 and one male goat for a sin offering. 77 Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Ochran’s son Pagiel.
Day Twelve: Ahira’s Offering
78 On the twelfth day, Enan’s son Ahira, leader of the descendants of Naphtali, presented 79 as his offering a silver dish weighing 130 shekels and a silver bowl weighing 70 shekels (calculated according to the shekel of the sanctuary), both filled with choice flour mixed with oil for grain offering; 80 one gold pan weighing ten shekels, full of incense; 81 one young bull, one ram, and a one year old male lamb for a burnt offering; 82 and one male goat for a sin offering. 83 Their sacrifice for a peace offering consisted of two bulls, five rams, five male goats, and five one year old lambs. These were the offerings presented by Enan’s son Ahira.
Summary of Offerings
84 This was what was presented at[f] the dedication of the altar from the leaders of Israel on the same day that it was anointed: twelve silver bowls, twelve silver basins, twelve gold ladles. 85 Each bowl weighed 130 silver shekels and each basin weighed 70 shekels. All the silver vessels weighed a total of 2,400 shekels, calculated according to the[g] shekel of the sanctuary. 86 Also, twelve gold ladles filled with incense were presented,[h] each ladle weighing ten shekels (calculated according to the shekel[i] of the sanctuary). All of the gold of the ladles weighed 120 shekels. 87 All the livestock for burnt offerings totaled twelve bulls, twelve rams, twelve sheep in their first year with corresponding meal offerings, and twelve male goats for sin offerings. 88 All the livestock for peace offerings totaled 24 bulls, 60 rams, 60 male goats, and 60 one year old lambs—all this was for the altar’s dedication after it was anointed.
God Speaks above the Mercy Seat
89 When Moses entered the Tent of Meeting to speak with the Lord,[j] he heard a voice speaking to him above the Mercy Seat[k] over the Ark of the Testimony. He spoke to him from between the two cherubim.
The Seven Lamps(A)
8 The Lord told Moses, 2 “Tell Aaron, ‘When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps will illuminate the area in[l] front of the lamp stand.’”[m] 3 So Aaron did so, setting up the lamps to illuminate the area in[n] front of the lamp stand, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 4 This was how the lamp stand was crafted from hammered gold: From its base to its flowers, it was made of hammered gold. Moses crafted the lamp stand just as the Lord had showed him.[o]
Purifying the Descendants of Levi
5 Then the Lord told Moses, 6 “Take the descendants of Levi from the Israelis and purify them. 7 This is what you are to do for them in order to purify them: Sprinkle purifying water over them, have them shave their skin, and then have them wash their garments, and they will be purified. 8 They are to take a young bull along with its meal offering made of flour mixed with oil. Then you are to take a second young bull as a sin offering. 9 Assemble the descendants of Levi in front of the appointed place of meeting, and assemble the whole congregation of Israel, too. 10 Bring the descendants of Levi into the Lord’s presence and have the Israelis lay their hands on the descendants of Levi.
11 “Then Aaron is to present the descendants of Levi as a wave offering before the Lord from the Israelis, because they are to work in the service of the Lord. 12 The descendants of Levi are then to lay their hands on the head of the bulls, offering one for a sin offering and the other one for a burnt offering to the Lord to atone for the descendants of Levi. 13 You are to make the descendants of Levi stand in the presence of Aaron and his sons. Then you are to wave them as wave offerings to the Lord. 14 This is how you are to separate the descendants of Levi from among the Israelis. The descendants of Levi belong to me.
15 “After this, the descendants of Levi are to come to serve at the appointed place of meeting, after you have purified them and presented them as wave offerings, 16 since they’ve been set apart for me from among the Israelis. I’ve taken them for myself instead of the first to open the womb—every firstborn of the Israelis, 17 since every firstborn of Israel belongs to me, from human beings to livestock. On the same day that I destroyed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated them to myself, 18 taking the descendants of Levi instead of every firstborn of the Israelis. 19 I’ve set the descendants of Levi apart from the Israelis so that Aaron and his sons would work in service at the appointed place of meeting, making atonement on behalf of the Israelis so that there won’t be a plague among the Israelis whenever they approach the sanctuary.”
20 So Moses and Aaron and the Israelis did this on behalf of the descendants of Levi. The Israelis did everything that the Lord commanded concerning the descendants of Levi. 21 The descendants of Levi therefore purified themselves, washed their clothes, and then Aaron presented them as wave offerings to the Lord. Aaron provided atonement for them to purify them. 22 After this, the descendants of Levi entered into their work of service at the appointed place, in the presence of Aaron and his sons. They did everything that the Lord commanded Moses concerning the descendants of Levi.
Age Restrictions for the Descendants of Levi
23 Later, the Lord told Moses, 24 “Now regarding a descendant of Levi who is 25 years and above, he is to enter work in the service at the appointed place of meeting, 25 but starting at 50 years of age, he is to retire from service and is no longer to work. 26 He may minister to his brothers at the Tent of Meeting by keeping watch, but he is not to engage in service. This is how you are to act with respect to the obligations of the descendants of Levi.”
A Light under a Basket(A)
21 Then Jesus[a] told them, “A lamp isn’t brought indoors to be put under a basket or under a bed, is it? It’s to be put on a lamp stand, isn’t it? 22 Nothing is hidden except for the purpose of having it revealed, and nothing is secret except for the purpose of having it come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen!
24 He went on to say to them, “Pay attention to what you’re hearing! You will be evaluated by the same standard with which you do your evaluating, and still more will be given to you, 25 because whoever has something, will have more given to him. But whoever has nothing, even what he has will be taken away.”
The Parable about a Growing Seed
26 He was also saying, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seeds on the ground. 27 He sleeps and gets up night and day while the seeds sprout and grow, although he doesn’t know how 28 the ground produces grain by itself—first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. 29 But when the grain is ripe, he immediately starts cutting with his sickle because the harvest time has come.”
The Parable about a Mustard Seed(B)
30 He was also saying, “How can we show what the kingdom of God is like, or what parable can we use to describe it? 31 It’s like a mustard seed planted in the ground. Although it’s the smallest of[b] all the seeds on earth, 32 when it’s planted it comes up and becomes larger than all the garden plants. It grows such large branches that the birds in the sky can nest in its shade.”
Why Jesus Used Parables(C)
33 With many other parables like these, Jesus[c] kept speaking his message to them according to their ability to understand. 34 He did not tell them anything without using[d] a parable, though he explained everything to his disciples in private.
Jesus Calms the Sea(D)
35 That day, when evening had come, he told them, “Let’s cross to the other side.” 36 So they left the crowd and took him away in a boat without making any special preparations.[e] Other boats were with him. 37 A violent windstorm came up, and the waves began breaking into the boat, so that the boat was rapidly[f] becoming swamped.
38 But Jesus[g] was in the back of the boat, asleep on a cushion. So they woke him up and asked him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to die?”
39 Then he got up, rebuked the wind, and told the sea, “Calm down! Be still!” Then the wind stopped blowing, and there was a great calm. 40 He asked them, “Why are you such cowards? Don’t you have any faith yet?”
41 Overcome with fear, they kept saying to one another, “Who is this man? Even the wind and the sea obey him!”
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