Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Psalm 30

A psalm. A song for the temple dedication. Of David.

Diagnosis of skin disease

13 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ² When a person has a swelling, a scab, or a shiny spot on their skin, and it becomes an infection of skin disease^[a] on their skin, they will be brought to the priests, either to Aaron or one of his sons. ³ The priest will examine the infection on the skin. If hair in the infected area has turned white and the infection appears to be deeper than the skin, then it is an infection of skin disease. Once the priest sees this, he will declare the person unclean. ⁴ But if the shiny spot on the skin is white and does not appear to be deeper than the skin and the hair has not turned white, the priest will quarantine the infected person for seven days. ⁵ On the seventh day the priest will again examine the infection. If he sees that it has remained the same—the infection has not spread on the skin—the priest will quarantine the person for seven more days. ⁶ On the seventh day the priest will examine it again. If the infection has faded and has not spread over the skin, the priest will declare the person clean; it is just a rash. The person must wash their clothes, then they will be clean again. ⁷ But if the rash continues to spread over the skin after they appeared before the priest for purification, they must again show themselves to the priest. ⁸ If the priest sees that the rash has spread over the skin, the priest will declare the person unclean; it is a case of skin disease.

⁹ Whenever someone has an infection of skin disease, they will be brought to the priest. ¹⁰ If the priest sees that there is a white swelling on the skin, it has turned the hair white, and there is a patch of raw flesh in the swelling, ¹¹ then it is a case of chronic skin disease on their skin. The priest will declare the person unclean. The priest will not quarantine such persons, because they are already unclean. ¹² But if the skin disease continues to break out so that the disease covers all of the infected person’s skin from head to toe, as far as the priest can tell— ¹³ then the priest will make an examination. If the skin disease has covered the person’s whole body, the priest will declare the infected person clean. The person has turned entirely white; he is clean. ¹⁴ But as soon as raw flesh appears in the swelling, they will be unclean. ¹⁵ When the priest sees the raw flesh, he will declare the person unclean. Raw flesh is unclean; it is a case of skin disease. ¹⁶ But if the raw flesh turns white again, the person will go back to the priest. ¹⁷ The priest will examine it. If the infection has turned white, the priest will declare the infected person clean; at that point, the person is clean.

⁷ Bear hardship for the sake of discipline. God is treating you like sons and daughters! What child isn’t disciplined by his or her father? ⁸ But if you don’t experience discipline, which happens to all children, then you are illegitimate and not real sons and daughters. ⁹ What’s more, we had human parents who disciplined us, and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live? ¹⁰ Our human parents disciplined us for a little while, as it seemed best to them, but God does it for our benefit so that we can share his holiness. ¹¹ No discipline is fun while it lasts, but it seems painful at the time. Later, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness for those who have been trained by it.

¹² So strengthen your drooping hands and weak knees! ¹³ Make straight paths for your feet so that if any part is lame, it will be healed rather than injured more seriously.