Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

A miktam of David.

²² Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people. He gave them a blessing. He had already sacrificed the sin offering, the burnt offering and the friendship offering. So he stepped down from the altar.

²³ Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting. When they came out, they gave the people a blessing. The glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. ²⁴ The Lord sent fire on the altar. The fire burned up the burnt offering along with the fat parts. All the people saw it. Then they shouted for joy. They fell with their faces to the ground.

The Lord Kills Nadab and Abihu

10 Nadab and Abihu were two of Aaron’s sons. They got their shallow cups for burning incense. They put fire in them. They added incense to it. They made an offering to the Lord by using fire that wasn’t allowed. They did it against his command. ² So the Lord sent fire on them. It burned them up. They died in front of the Lord. ³ Then Moses spoke to Aaron. He said, “That’s what the Lord was talking about when he said,

So Aaron remained silent.

⁴ Moses sent for Mishael and Elzaphan. They were sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel. Moses said to them, “Come here. Carry the bodies of your cousins outside the camp. Take them away from in front of the Holy Room.” ⁵ So they came and carried them outside the camp. It was just as Moses had ordered. The bodies of Nadab and Abihu still had their inner robes on them.

⁶ Moses spoke to Aaron and to Eleazar and Ithamar. They were Aaron’s sons. Moses said, “Don’t let your hair hang loose. Don’t tear your clothes. If you do, you will die. And the Lord will be angry with the whole community. But all the Israelites are allowed to show they are sad. They are your relatives. They may mourn for those the Lord has destroyed with fire. ⁷ Don’t leave the entrance to the tent of meeting. If you do, you will die. That’s because the Lord’s anointing oil has made you holy.” So they did what Moses told them to do.

⁸ Then the Lord spoke to Aaron. He said, ⁹ “You and your sons will go into the tent of meeting. When you do, you must not drink any kind of wine. If you do, you will die. This is a law that will last for all time to come. ¹⁰ This is so that you can tell the difference between what is holy and what is not. You must be able to tell the difference between what is ‘clean’ and what is not. ¹¹ Then you will be able to teach the Israelites all the rules I have given them through Moses.”

⁵ Take a good look at yourselves to see if you are really believers. Test yourselves. Don’t you realize that Christ Jesus is in you? Unless, of course, you fail the test! ⁶ I hope you will discover that I haven’t failed the test. ⁷ I pray to God that you won’t do anything wrong. I don’t pray so that people will see that I have passed the test. Instead, I pray this so that you will do what is right, even if it seems I have failed. ⁸ I can’t do anything to stop the truth. I can only work for the truth. ⁹ I’m glad when I am weak but you are strong. I pray that there will be no more problems among you. ¹⁰ That’s why I write these things before I come to you. Then when I do come, I won’t have to be hard on you when I use my authority. The Lord gave me the authority to build you up. He didn’t give it to me to tear you down.