Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

The Lord is holy!^[a]

Moses checks the tabernacle

³² So the workers finished making everything for the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting. The Israelites made everything exactly as the Lord had commanded Moses. ³³ Then they brought the tabernacle to Moses. They brought the tent and all the things that would be in it. They brought the hooks, boards, sticks, poles and bases. ³⁴ They brought the red leather from sheep's skins, and the other kinds of good leather that covered the tent. They also brought the curtain that hid the Most Holy Place. ³⁵ They brought the Covenant Box with its poles and its special lid. ³⁶ They brought the special table with all its dishes, and the special bread to put on the table for the Lord.

³⁷ They brought the gold lampstand with its lamps, and the oil and the tools to make the lamps give light. ³⁸ They brought the gold altar, the special oil, the sweet incense and the curtain for the entrance of the tabernacle. ³⁹ They brought the bronze altar and its bronze net, with its poles and all its tools. They brought the large bowl for water and its base. ⁴⁰ They brought the curtains for the yard and the curtain for the entrance to the yard, with their poles and their bases. They brought all the ropes and the pegs to fix those things to the ground. They brought everything that the priests needed to serve the Lord in the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting.

⁴¹ They also brought the special clothes for Aaron and his sons to wear when they served the Lord as priests in the Holy Place.

⁴² The Israelites did all the work in the way that the Lord had commanded Moses. ⁴³ Moses carefully checked all the work. He saw that the workers had done it exactly as the Lord had commanded them.

When Moses saw this, he blessed the people.

Herod's soldiers kill John the Baptist

14 At that time, people told Herod about the things that Jesus was doing.^{[a] 2} Herod said to his servants, ‘That man Jesus is really John the Baptist. John died but he has become alive again. That is the reason why this man can do these very powerful things.’

³ Before that, Herod had commanded his soldiers, ‘Take hold of John. Tie his hands and feet and put him in prison.’ Herod had done this because of his wife Herodias. Before Herod married her, she was the wife of Herod's brother Philip. ⁴ John had said to Herod, ‘Herodias was your brother's wife. So it is not right for you to have her as your wife.’^[b]

⁵ Herod wanted to tell his soldiers that they must kill John. But the people thought that John was a prophet from God. So Herod was afraid to kill him.

⁶ One day, when it was Herod's birthday, he asked people to come to a special meal. The daughter of Herodias danced in front of him and his visitors. Her dance caused Herod to become very happy. ⁷ He said to the girl, ‘Ask me for anything that you want. I make a strong promise that I will give it to you.’ ⁸ Herodias suggested to her daughter, ‘Ask Herod to give you John's head.’ So the girl said to Herod, ‘Give me the head of John the Baptist on a plate.’ ⁹ Then Herod felt sad. But he had made a special promise to the girl, and his visitors had heard him. So he sent his men to do what she had asked for. ¹⁰ He said to a soldier, ‘Go to the prison and cut off John's head.’ ¹¹ The soldier did this. Then he brought the head on a plate and he gave it to the girl. The girl took it and gave it to her mother.

¹² After this, John's disciples went to the prison. They took away John's body and they buried it. Then they went and they told Jesus what had happened.