Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
Teth
65 You have handled Your servant well,
O Eternal One, as You promised.
66 Help me to learn good judgment and knowledge
because I believe Your commandments.
67 Before I had trouble, I strayed from the true path, the path of righteousness,
but now I live according to Your word.
68 You are truly good, and Your acts are too;
teach me what You require.
69 The proud smear me with their lies;
I will keep Your instructions wholeheartedly.
70 Their hearts are dull and callous;
I am delighted to study Your teaching.
71 It is a good thing that I was humbled
because it helped me learn Your limits.
72 Your teachings are more valuable to me
than a fortune in gold and silver.
27-28 If a common person among you unwittingly commits a sin by violating any of My directives, once he realizes his guilt or the sin he committed is brought to his attention, then he should offer an unblemished female goat for his wrong. 29 He must place his hand on the head of the purification offering for sin and slaughter it in the same spot where the burnt offerings are slaughtered. 30 The priest will then dip his finger in some of its blood, put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and then pour the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. 31 The priest is then to remove its fat in the same manner that the fat is removed from the peace offerings. The priest must offer up the fat on the altar, and the smoke of the sacrifice will rise and be a pleasant aroma to Me. This is how the priest will cover the sins of common people and how they will be forgiven.
14 The Eternal One then told Moses about the guilt offering.
Eternal One: 15 If anyone violates his covenant duties and unwittingly commits a sin against any of My sacred objects, then that person must bring Me an unblemished ram from the flock or its value in silver (according to the sanctuary standards) for a guilt offering.
A guilt offering provides a remedy for offenses when there is some type of financial restitution with 20 percent interest.
16 The guilty person must offer restitution for the wrong he has committed against the sacred thing, add ⅕ of its value, and then give it to the priest. The priest will then make atonement for him by offering the ram to cover his guilt; and the guilty will be forgiven.
11 Beloved, remember you don’t belong in this world. You are resident aliens living in exile, so resist those desires of the flesh that battle against the soul. 12 Live honorably among the outsiders so that, even when some may be inclined to call you criminals, when they see your good works, they might give glory to God when He returns in judgment.
13 For the Lord’s sake, accept the decrees and laws of all the various human institutions, whether they come from the highest human ruler 14 or agents he sends to punish those who do wrong and to reward those who do well. 15 You see, it is God’s will that by doing what is right and good you should hush the gabbing ignorance of the foolish. 16 Live as those who are free and not as those who use their freedom as a pretext for evil, but live as God’s servants. 17 Respect everyone. Love the community of believers. Reverence God. Honor your ruler.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.