Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Give Glory to the Lord

Temple Furnishings^(A)

²³ Inside the inner sanctuary Solomon^[a] placed two cherubim crafted from olive wood, each ten cubits^[b] high. ²⁴ Each wing of one cherub was five cubits^[c] long, and each wing of the other cherub was five cubits^[d] long, so that the distance from the end of one wing to the end of the other wing was ten cubits.^{[e] 25} Each cherub was ten cubits^[f] high, and both were of the same size and shape, ²⁶ the height of one cherub being ten cubits,^[g] as was the height of the other.

²⁷ Solomon^[h] placed the cherubim in the middle of the inner sanctuary, with their wings spread in such a way that the wing of one was touching the one wall and the opposite wing of the other cherub was touching the opposite wall. Furthermore, their wings in the center of the wall were touching each other wing-to-wing. ²⁸ Each cherub was overlaid with gold.

²⁹ Solomon^[i] also inlaid all the inner walls of the Temple—both the inner and outer sanctuaries—with carved engravings of cherubim, palm trees, and blooming flowers. ³⁰ He also overlaid the floor of the Temple with gold in both the inner and outer sanctuaries.

³¹ Solomon^[j] also provided doors, lintels, and five-sided doorposts for the entrance to the inner sanctuary. ³² He installed two doors made of olive wood, inlaying them with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and blooming flowers, and overlaying them with gold. Then he added more gold to cover the cherubim and palm trees.

³³ Solomon^[k] also provided four-sided doorposts made of cypress wood for the entrance to the outer sanctuary, ³⁴ along with two doors of cypress wood, one door of which had two leaves that turned on hinges, as did the other door, which also had two leaves that turned on hinges.

³⁵ Solomon^[l] also inlaid the doors with^[m] cherubim, palm trees, and blooming flowers. He overlaid them with gold that was carefully^[n] applied on the engraved work. ³⁶ He constructed the inner court with three rows of precut stone and a row of cedar beams.

Temple Construction is Completed

³⁷ The foundation for the Lord’s Temple was laid in the month of Ziv during the fourth year of Solomon’s reign, ³⁸ and the Temple was completely finished according to its plans and specifications in the eighth month of the eleventh year of Solomon’s^[o] reign, that is, during the month of Bul. It took about seven years to build.

The Messiah’s Love Controls Us

¹¹ Therefore, since we know what it means to fear the Lord, we try to persuade people. We ourselves are perfectly known to God. I hope we are also really known to your consciences. ¹² We are not recommending ourselves to you again but are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so that you can answer those who are proud of outward things rather than inward character.^{[a] 13} So if we were crazy, it was for God; if we are sane, it is for you. ¹⁴ The love of the Messiah^[b] controls us, for we are convinced of this: that one person died for all people; therefore, all people have died. ¹⁵ He died for all people, so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for the one who died and rose for them.

¹⁶ So then, from now on we do not think of anyone from a human point of view.^[c] Even if we did think of the Messiah^[d] from a human point of view,^[e] we don’t think of him that way anymore. ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in the Messiah,^[f] he is a new creation. Old things have disappeared, and—look!—all things have become new!