Bible Readings for February 15, 2017

Today our passages are Exodus 39:1–40:38; Mark 1:1-28; Psalm 35:1-16; and Proverbs 9:11-12. The readings are the Contemporary English Version. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below.

 

---

Exodus 39-40:38 (Contemporary English Version)

Exodus 39

Making the Priestly Clothes

(Exodus 28.1-14)

 ¹Beautiful priestly clothes were made of blue, purple, and red wool for Aaron to wear when he performed his duties in the holy place. This was done exactly as the LORD had commanded Moses.     ^2-3The entire priestly vest was made of fine linen, woven with blue, purple, and red wool. Thin sheets of gold were hammered out and cut into threads that were skillfully woven into the vest. ^4-5It had two shoulder straps to support it and a sash that fastened around the waist. ⁶Onyx ^[a] stones were placed in gold settings, and each one was engraved with the name of one of Israel's sons. ⁷Then these were attached to the shoulder straps of the vest, so the LORD would never forget his people. Everything was done exactly as the LORD had commanded Moses.

The Breastpiece

(Exodus 28.15-30)

 ⁸The breastpiece was made with the same materials and designs as the priestly vest. ⁹It was nine inches square and folded double ¹⁰with four rows of three precious stones: A carnelian, a chrysolite, and an emerald were in the first row; ¹¹a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond were in the second row; ¹²a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst were in the third row; ¹³and a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper ^[b] were in the fourth row. They were mounted in a delicate gold setting, ¹⁴and on each of them was engraved the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. ^15-18Two gold rings were attached to the upper front corners of the breastpiece and fastened with two braided gold chains to gold settings on the shoulder straps. ¹⁹Two other gold rings were attached to the lower inside corners next to the vest, ²⁰and two more near the bottom of the shoulder straps right above the sash. ²¹To keep the breastpiece in place, a blue cord was used to tie the two lower rings on the breastpiece to those on the vest. These things were done exactly as the LORD had commanded Moses.    

The Clothes for the Priests

(Exodus 28.31-43)

 ²²The priestly robe was made of blue wool ²³with an opening in the center for the head. The material around the collar was bound so as to keep it from raveling. ^24-26Along the hem of the robe were woven pomegranates ^[c] of blue, purple, and red wool with a bell of pure gold between each of them. This robe was to be worn by Aaron when he performed his duties. ^27-29Everything that Aaron and his sons wore was made of fine linen woven with blue, purple, and red wool, including their robes and turbans, their fancy caps and underwear, and even their sashes that were embroidered with needlework.     ³⁰" Dedicated to the LORD" was engraved on a narrow strip of pure gold, ³¹which was fastened to Aaron's turban. These things were done exactly as the LORD had commanded Moses.
   

The Work Is Completed

(Exodus 35.10-19)

 ³²So the people of Israel finished making everything the LORD had told Moses to make. ³³Then they brought it all to Moses: the sacred tent and its equipment, including the hooks, the framework and crossbars, and its posts and stands; ³⁴the covering of tanned ram skins and fine leather; the inside curtain; ³⁵the sacred chest with its carrying poles and the place of mercy; ³⁶the table with all that goes on it, including the sacred bread; ³⁷the lampstand of pure gold, together with its equipment and oil; ³⁸the gold-covered incense altar; the ordination oil and the sweet-smelling incense; the curtain for the entrance to the tent; ³⁹the bronze altar for sacrifices with its bronze grating, its carrying poles, and its equipment; the large bronze bowl with its stand; ⁴⁰the curtain with its posts and cords, and its pegs and stands that go around the courtyard; everything needed for the sacred tent; ⁴¹and the finely woven priestly clothes for Aaron and his sons.     ^42-43When Moses saw that the people had done everything exactly as the LORD had commanded, he gave them his blessing.
   

Exodus 40

The LORD's Tent Is Set Up

 ¹The LORD said to Moses:     ²Set up my tent on the first day of the year ^[d] ³and put the chest with the Ten Commandments behind the inside curtain ^[e] of the tent. ⁴Bring in the table and set on it those things that are made for it. Also bring in the lampstand and attach the lamps to it. ⁵Then place the gold altar of incense in front of the sacred chest and hang a curtain at the entrance to the tent. ⁶Set the altar for burning sacrifices in front of the entrance to my tent. ⁷Put the large bronze bowl between the tent and the altar and fill the bowl with water. ⁸Surround the tent and the altar with the wall of curtains and hang the curtain that was made for the entrance. ⁹Use the sacred olive oil to dedicate the tent and everything in it to me. ¹⁰Do the same thing with the altar for offering sacrifices and its equipment ¹¹and with the bowl and its stand. ¹²Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent and have them wash themselves. ¹³Dress Aaron in the priestly clothes, then use the sacred olive oil to ordain him and dedicate him to me as my priest. ¹⁴Put the priestly robes on Aaron's sons ¹⁵and ordain them in the same way, so they and their descendants will always be my priests.
    ¹⁶Moses followed the LORD's instructions. ¹⁷And on the first day of the first month ^[f] of the second year, the sacred tent was set up. ¹⁸The posts, stands, and framework were put in place, ¹⁹then the two layers of coverings were hung over them. ²⁰The stones with the Ten Commandments written on them were stored in the sacred chest, the place of mercy ^[g] was put on top of it, and the carrying poles were attached. ²¹The chest was brought into the tent and set behind the curtain in the most holy place. These things were done exactly as the LORD had commanded Moses. ²²The table for the sacred bread was put along the north wall of the holy place, ²³after which the bread was set on the table. ²⁴The lampstand was put along the south wall, ²⁵then the lamps were attached to it there in the presence of the LORD. ²⁶The gold incense altar was set up in front of the curtain, ²⁷and sweet-smelling incense was burned on it. These things were done exactly as the LORD had commanded Moses.
    ²⁸The curtain was hung at the entrance to the sacred tent. ²⁹Then the altar for offering sacrifices was put in front of the tent, and animal sacrifices and gifts of grain were offered there. ³⁰The large bronze bowl was placed between the altar and the entrance to the tent. It was filled with water, ³¹then Moses and Aaron, together with Aaron's sons, washed their hands and feet. ³²In fact, they washed each time before entering the tent or offering sacrifices at the altar. These things were done exactly as the LORD had commanded Moses.
    ³³Finally, Moses had the curtain hung around the courtyard.
   

The Glory of the LORD

 ³⁴Suddenly the sacred tent was covered by a thick cloud and filled with the glory of the LORD. ³⁵And so, Moses could not enter the tent. ³⁶Whenever the cloud moved from the tent, the people would break camp and follow; ³⁷then they would set up camp and stay there, until it moved again. ³⁸No matter where the people traveled, the LORD was with them. Each day his cloud was over the tent, and each night a fire could be seen in the cloud.    

Footnotes:

1. Exodus 39:6 Onyx: See the note at 25.7.
2. Exodus 39:13 jasper: For the stones mentioned in verses 10-13, see the note at 28.20.
3. Exodus 39:24 pomegranates: See the note at 28.33,34.
4. Exodus 40:2 first day of the year: See the note at 12.2.
5. Exodus 40:3 inside curtain: Separating the holy place from the most holy place.
6. Exodus 40:17 first month: See the note at 12.2.
7. Exodus 40:20 place of mercy: See the note at 26.34.

---

Mark 1:1-28 (Contemporary English Version)

Mark 1

The Preaching of John the Baptist

(Matthew 3.1-12; Luke 3.1-18; John 1.19-28)

 ¹This is the good news about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. ^[a] ²It began just as God had said in the book written by Isaiah the prophet,    "I am sending my messenger
   to get the way ready
   for you.
    ³In the desert
   someone is shouting,
   `Get the road ready
   for the Lord!
   Make a straight path
   for him.' "
    ⁴So John the Baptist showed up in the desert and told everyone, "Turn back to God and be baptized! Then your sins will be forgiven."
    ⁵From all Judea and Jerusalem crowds of people went to John. They told how sorry they were for their sins, and he baptized them in the Jordan River.
    ⁶John wore clothes made of camel's hair. He had a leather strap around his waist and ate grasshoppers and wild honey.
    ⁷John also told the people, "Someone more powerful is going to come. And I am not good enough even to stoop down and untie his sandals. ^[b] ⁸I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!"
   

The Baptism of Jesus

(Matthew 3.13-17; Luke 3.21,22)

 ⁹About that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. ¹⁰As soon as Jesus came out of the water, he saw the sky open and the Holy Spirit coming down to him like a dove. ¹¹A voice from heaven said, "You are my own dear Son, and I am pleased with you."    

Jesus and Satan

(Matthew 4.1-11; Luke 4.1-13)

 ¹²Right away God's Spirit made Jesus go into the desert. ¹³He stayed there for forty days while Satan tested him. Jesus was with the wild animals, but angels took care of him.    

Jesus Begins His Work

(Matthew 4.12-17; Luke 4.14,15)

 ¹⁴After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee and told the good news that comes from God. ^[c] ¹⁵He said, "The time has come! God's kingdom will soon be here. ^[d] Turn back to God and believe the good news!"    

Jesus Chooses Four Fishermen

(Matthew 4.18-22; Luke 5.1-11)

 ¹⁶As Jesus was walking along the shore of Lake Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were fishermen and were casting their nets into the lake. ¹⁷Jesus said to them, "Come with me! I will teach you how to bring in people instead of fish." ¹⁸Right then the two brothers dropped their nets and went with him.     ¹⁹Jesus walked on and soon saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat, mending their nets. ²⁰At once Jesus asked them to come with him. They left their father in the boat with the hired workers and went with him.
   

A Man with an Evil Spirit

(Luke 4.31-37)

 ²¹Jesus and his disciples went to the town of Capernaum. Then on the next Sabbath he went into the Jewish meeting place and started teaching. ²²Everyone was amazed at his teaching. He taught with authority, and not like the teachers of the Law of Moses. ²³Suddenly a man with an evil spirit ^[e] in him entered the meeting place and yelled, ²⁴"Jesus from Nazareth, what do you want with us? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are! You are God's Holy One."     ²⁵Jesus told the evil spirit, "Be quiet and come out of the man!" ²⁶The spirit shook him. Then it gave a loud shout and left.
    ²⁷Everyone was completely surprised and kept saying to each other, "What is this? It must be some new kind of powerful teaching! Even the evil spirits obey him." ²⁸News about Jesus quickly spread all over Galilee.
   

Footnotes:

1. Mark 1:1 the Son of God: These words are not in some manuscripts.
2. Mark 1:7 untie his sandals: This was the duty of a slave.
3. Mark 1:14 that comes from God: Or "that is about God."
4. Mark 1:15 will soon be here: Or "is already here."
5. Mark 1:23 evil spirit: A Jewish person who had an evil spirit was considered "unclean" and was not allowed to eat or worship with other Jewish people.

---

Psalm 35:1-16 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 35

(A psalm by David.)

A Prayer for Protection from Enemies

 ¹Fight my enemies, LORD!    Attack my attackers!
    ²Shield me and help me.
    ³Aim your spear at everyone
   who hunts me down,
   but promise to save me.
    ⁴Let all who want to kill me
   be disappointed
   and disgraced.
   Chase away and confuse
   all who plan to harm me.
    ⁵Send your angel after them
   and let them be like straw
   in the wind.
    ⁶Make them run in the dark
   on a slippery road,
   as your angel chases them.
    ⁷I did them no harm,
   but they hid a net
   to trap me,
   and they dug a deep pit
   to catch and kill me.
    ⁸Surprise them with disaster!
   Trap them in their own nets
   and let them fall and rot
   in the pits they have dug.
    ⁹I will celebrate and be joyful
   because you, LORD,
   have saved me.
    ¹⁰Every bone in my body
   will shout:
   "No one is like the LORD!"
   You protect the helpless
   from those in power;
   you save the poor and needy
   from those who hurt them.
    ¹¹Liars accuse me of crimes
   I know nothing about.
    ¹²They repay evil for good,
   and I feel all alone.
    ¹³When they were sick,
   I wore sackcloth ^[a] and went without food. ^[b] I truly prayed for them, ^[c] ¹⁴as I would for a friend
   or a relative.
   I was in sorrow and mourned,
   as I would for my mother.
    ¹⁵I have stumbled,
   and worthless liars
   I don't even know
   surround me and sneer.
    ¹⁶Worthless people make fun ^[d] and never stop laughing.
   

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 35:13 sackcloth: See the note at 30.11.
2. Psalm 35:13 went without food: People sometimes went without food (called " fasting" ) to show sorrow.
3. Psalm 35:13 I. . . them: Or " My prayer wasn't answered, but I prayed."
4. Psalm 35:16 Worthless. . . fun: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

---

Proverbs 9:11-12 (Contemporary English Version)

¹¹I am Wisdom.
   If you follow me,
   you will live a long time.
    ¹²Good sense is good for you,
   but if you brag,
   you hurt yourself.

---

Verse of the Day

“Real love isn't our love for God, but his love for us. God sent his Son to be the sacrifice by which our sins are forgiven.” - 1 John 4:10

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

---

 

Thought for the Day

American politician and soldier who served as the first President of the United States from 1789 to 1797 and was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, George Washington wrote, “The Constitution is the guide which I never will abandon.”