Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

To the Director: A Davidic Psalm.

Prayer for Help and Praise to God

²⁵ “When a woman has a continuous discharge of blood many days beyond the time of her menstrual uncleanness, or if she has a discharge that lasts beyond the days of her menstrual uncleanness, her uncleanness is to be treated like the days of her menstruation—she’s unclean. ²⁶ Every bed on which she sleeps the whole time she has the discharge will be her own unclean bed, so that every object on which she sits becomes unclean like her menstrual uncleanness. ²⁷ Whoever touches them will become unclean. He is to wash his clothes and bathe with water and he will remain unclean until evening.

²⁸ “If she becomes clean with her discharge, then she is to count for herself seven days, after which she becomes clean. ²⁹ On the eighth day, she is to take for herself two turtledoves or two young pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. ³⁰ Then the priest is to offer one for a sin offering and the other for a whole burnt offering. This is how the priest will make atonement in the Lord’s presence for her regarding her unclean discharge.

³¹ “So separate the Israelis from their uncleanness so that they won’t die in their uncleanness if they defile my tent that is in their midst.

Holy Offerings

22 Later on, the Lord told Moses, ² “Tell Aaron and his sons that they are to separate themselves for the sacred things of the Israelis and that they are not to defile my holy name. I am the Lord. ³ Tell them that whoever among your descendants throughout your generations approaches the sacred things that the Israelis had consecrated to the Lord while still remaining unclean is to be eliminated from my presence. I am the Lord. ⁴ If one of Aaron’s descendants has an infectious skin disease or a discharge, he is not to eat anything sacred until he has been cleansed. Anyone who touches an unclean thing on account of the dead, or who has a seminal discharge, ⁵ or who becomes unclean by touching a creeping creature or another human being, whatever the uncleanness may be— ⁶ such a person^[a] who comes in contact with anything like this will become unclean until evening. As a result, he is not to eat the sacred things unless he has bathed himself^[b] with water. ⁷ When the sun has gone down and he has been cleansed, he may eat of the sacred things, since that’s his food. ⁸ He is not to eat the carcass of an animal that was torn by animals,^[c] thereby defiling himself with it. I am the Lord. ⁹ They are to keep my charge. By doing so, they won’t bear the punishment of sin because of it and therefore die if they’ve been defiled by it. I am the Lord, who sets them apart.”

Relating with Unbelievers

¹⁴ Stop becoming^[a] unevenly yoked with unbelievers. What partnership can righteousness have with lawlessness? What fellowship can light have with darkness? ¹⁵ What harmony exists between the Messiah^[b] and Beliar,^[c] or what do a believer and an unbeliever have in common? ¹⁶ What agreement can a temple of God make with idols? For we^[d] are the temple of the living God, just as God said:

¹⁷ Therefore,

Cleanse Yourselves in Holiness

7 Since we have these promises, dear friends, let’s cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit by becoming mature in our holy fear of God.

Encouraged by the Corinthians

² Make room for us in your hearts!^[i] We have not treated anyone unjustly, harmed anyone, or cheated anyone.