Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

A special Davidic Psalm.^[a]

Trust in the Face of Death

²² Aaron raised his hand toward the people and blessed them. Then he came down from the altar after^[a] offering the sin, whole burnt, and peace offerings.

²³ Moses and Aaron entered the Tent of Meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. ²⁴ A fire came down from the Lord’s presence and consumed the burnt offering on the altar as well as the fat. When the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.

Nadab and Abihu^(A)

10 Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu each took his own censer, placed fire in it, covered it with incense, and brought it into the Lord’s presence as unauthorized fire that he had never prescribed for them. ² As a result, fire came out from the Lord’s presence and incinerated them. They died while in the Lord’s presence. ³ Moses spoke with Aaron about what the Lord had said: “Among those who are near me, I’ll show myself holy so that I’ll be glorified before all people.” So Aaron remained silent.

After the Deaths of Nadab and Abihu

⁴ Then Moses called on Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel, Aaron’s uncle, and said, “Come here and carry your brothers away from the sanctuary, outside the camp.” ⁵ So they approached to carry them in their tunics outside the camp, just as Moses had commanded.

⁶ Then Moses told Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “You are not to loosen the hair of your head and you are not to rend your clothes. That way, you won’t die and wrath won’t come on the entire congregation. Your brothers and the assembly^[b] of Israel will mourn because of the fire that the Lord kindled. ⁷ Also, you are not to leave the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Otherwise, you’ll die, since the Lord’s anointing oil remains on you.” So they followed Moses’ instructions.

Prohibitions against Drinking Wine

⁸ Then the Lord told Aaron, ⁹ “You and your sons with you are not to drink wine—that is, any intoxicating drink—when you enter the Tent of Meeting. That way, you won’t die. This is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations. ¹⁰ You are to differentiate between what’s sacred and common and between what’s unclean and clean. ¹¹ You are to teach the Israelis all the statutes that the Lord commanded you by the authority of Moses.”

⁵ Keep examining yourselves to see whether you are continuing in the faith. Test yourselves! You know, don’t you, that Jesus the Messiah^[a] lives in you? Could it be that you are failing the test? ⁶ I hope you will realize that we haven’t failed our test. ⁷ We pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not to show that we have not failed the test, but so that you may do what is right, even if we seem to have failed. ⁸ For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. ⁹ We are glad when we are weak and you are strong. That is what we are praying for—your maturity.

¹⁰ For this reason I am writing this while I am away from you: When I come I do not want to be severe in using the authority the Lord gave me to build you up and not to tear you down.