Bible Readings for February 16, 2015

Today our passages are Leviticus 1:1–3:17; Mark 1:29–2:12; Psalm 35:17-28; and Proverbs 9:13-18. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.  

---

 

Leviticus 1-3:17 (Contemporary English Version)

Leviticus 1

 ^1-3The LORD spoke to Moses from the sacred tent and gave him instructions for the community of Israel to follow when they offered sacrifices.    Sacrifices to please me ^[a] must be completely burned on the bronze altar. ^[b] Bulls or rams or goats ^[c] are the animals to be used for these sacrifices. If the animal is a bull, it must not have anything wrong with it. Lead it to the entrance of the sacred tent, and I will let you know if it is ^[d] acceptable to me.

Sacrifices To Please the LORD

The LORD said:

 ⁴Lay your hand on its head, and I will accept the animal as a sacrifice for taking away your sins. ⁵After the bull is killed in my presence, some priests from Aaron's family will offer its blood to me by splattering it against the four sides of the altar.     ⁶Skin the bull and cut it up, ⁷while the priests pile wood on the altar fire to make it start blazing. ^8-9Wash the bull's insides and hind legs, so the priests can lay them on the altar with the head, the fat, and the rest of the animal. A priest will then send all of it up in smoke with a smell that pleases me.
    ¹⁰If you sacrifice a ram or a goat, it must not have anything wrong with it. ¹¹Lead the animal to the north side of the altar, where it is to be killed in my presence. Then some of the priests will splatter its blood against the four sides of the altar.
    ^12-13Cut up the animal and wash its insides and hind legs. A priest will put these parts on the altar with the head, the fat, and the rest of the animal. Then he will send all of it up in smoke with a smell that pleases me.
    ¹⁴If you offer a bird for this kind of sacrifice, it must be a dove or a pigeon. ¹⁵A priest will take the bird to the bronze altar, where he will wring its neck and put its head on the fire. Then he will drain out its blood on one side of the altar, ¹⁶remove the bird's craw with what is in it, ^[e] and throw them on the ash heap at the east side of the altar. ^{[f] 17}Finally, he will take the bird by its wings, tear it partially open, ^[g] and send it up in smoke with a smell that pleases me.

Leviticus 2

Sacrifices To Give Thanks to the LORD

The LORD said:

 ¹When you offer sacrifices to give thanks to me, ^[h] you must use only your finest flour. Put it in a dish, sprinkle olive oil and incense on the flour, ²and take it to the priests from Aaron's family. One of them will scoop up the incense together with a handful of the flour and oil. Then, to show that the whole offering belongs to me, the priest will lay this part on the bronze altar and send it up in smoke with a smell that pleases me. ³The rest of this sacrifice is for the priests; it is very holy because it was offered to me. ⁴If you bake bread in an oven for this sacrifice, use only your finest flour, but without any yeast. You may make the flour into a loaf mixed with olive oil, or you may make it into thin wafers and brush them with oil.     ⁵If you cook bread in a shallow pan for this sacrifice, use only your finest flour. Mix it with olive oil, but do not use any yeast. ⁶Then break the bread into small pieces and sprinkle them with oil. ⁷If you cook your bread in a pan with a lid on it, you must also use the finest flour mixed with oil.
    ⁸You may prepare sacrifices to give thanks in any of these three ways. Bring your sacrifice to a priest, and he will take it to the bronze altar. ⁹Then, to show that the whole offering belongs to me, the priest will lay part of it on the altar and send it up in smoke with a smell that pleases me. ¹⁰The rest of this sacrifice is for the priests; it is very holy because it was offered to me.
    ¹¹Yeast and honey must never be burned on the altar, so don't ever mix either of these in a grain sacrifice. ¹²You may offer either of them separately, ^[i] when you present the first part of your harvest to me, but they must never be burned on the altar. ¹³Salt is offered when you make an agreement with me, so sprinkle salt on these sacrifices.
    ¹⁴Freshly cut grain, either roasted or coarsely ground, ^[j] must be used when you offer the first part of your grain harvest. ¹⁵You must mix in some olive oil and put incense on top, because this is a grain sacrifice. ¹⁶A priest will sprinkle all of the incense and some of the grain and oil on the altar and send them up in smoke to show that the whole offering belongs to me.

Leviticus 3

Sacrifices To Ask the LORD's Blessing

The LORD said:

 ¹When you offer sacrifices to ask my blessing, ^[k] you may offer either a bull or a cow, but there must be nothing wrong with the animal. ²Lead it to the entrance of the sacred tent, lay your hand on its head, and have it killed there. A priest from Aaron's family will splatter its blood against the four sides of the altar. ³Offer all of the fat on the animal's insides, ⁴as well as the lower part of the liver and the two kidneys with their fat. ⁵Some of the priests will lay these pieces on the altar and send them up in smoke with a smell that pleases me, together with the sacrifice that is offered to please me. ^{[l] 6}Instead of a bull or a cow, you may offer any sheep or goat that has nothing wrong with it. ⁷If you offer a sheep, you must present it to me at the entrance to the sacred tent. ⁸Lay your hand on its head and have it killed there. A priest will then splatter its blood against the four sides of the altar.     ⁹Offer the fat on the tail, the tailbone, and the insides, ¹⁰as well as the lower part of the liver and the two kidneys with their fat. ¹¹One of the priests will lay these pieces on the altar and send them up in smoke as a food offering for me.
    ¹²If you offer a goat, you must also present it to me ¹³at the entrance to the sacred tent. Lay your hand on its head and have it killed there. A priest will then splatter its blood against the four sides of the altar.
    ¹⁴Offer all of the fat on the animal's insides, ¹⁵as well as the lower part of the liver and the two kidneys with their fat. ¹⁶One of the priests will put these pieces on the altar and send them up in smoke as a food offering with a smell that pleases me.
   All fat belongs to me. ¹⁷So you and your descendants must never eat any fat or any blood, not even in the privacy of your own homes. ^[m] This law will never change.

Footnotes:

1. Leviticus 1:1 Sacrifices to please me: These sacrifices have traditionally been called " whole burnt offerings" because the whole animal was burned on the altar. A main purpose of such sacrifices was to please the LORD with the smell of the sacrifice, and so in the CEV they are often called " sacrifices to please the LORD."
2. Leviticus 1:1 bronze altar: This altar for offering sacrifices was in front of the entrance to the sacred tent; it was made of acacia wood covered with bronze. A smaller altar for offering incense was inside the tent; it was made of acacia wood covered with gold.
3. Leviticus 1:1 goats: Hebrew " male goats."
4. Leviticus 1:1 if it is: Or " if you are."
5. Leviticus 1:16 with what is in it: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
6. Leviticus 1:16 ash heap at the east side of the altar: Ashes were piled here, then once a day they were taken to the ash heap outside the camp (see 4.11,12; 6.10,11).
7. Leviticus 1:17 tear it partially open: Or " tear it open without pulling off the wings."
8. Leviticus 2:1 sacrifices to give thanks to me: These sacrifices have traditionally been called " grain offerings." A main purpose of such sacrifices was to thank the LORD with a gift of grain, and so in the CEV they are sometimes called " sacrifices to give thanks to the LORD."
9. Leviticus 2:12 You. . . separately: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
10. Leviticus 2:14 either. . . ground: Or " roasted and coarsely ground."
11. Leviticus 3:1 sacrifices to ask my blessing: These sacrifices have traditionally been called " peace offerings" or " offerings of well-being." A main purpose was to ask for the LORD's blessing, and so in the CEV they are sometimes called " sacrifices to ask the LORD's blessing."
12. Leviticus 3:5 sacrifice. . . to please me: See the note at 1.1-3.
13. Leviticus 3:17 not even. . . homes: Or " no matter where you live."

---

Mark 1:29-2:12 (Contemporary English Version)

Jesus Heals Many People

(Matthew 8.14-17; Luke 4.38-41)

 ²⁹As soon as Jesus left the meeting place with James and John, they went home with Simon and Andrew. ³⁰When they got there, Jesus was told that Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with fever. ³¹Jesus went to her. He took hold of her hand and helped her up. The fever left her, and she served them a meal.     ³²That evening after sunset, ^[a] all who were sick or had demons in them were brought to Jesus. ³³In fact, the whole town gathered around the door of the house. ³⁴Jesus healed all kinds of terrible diseases and forced out a lot of demons. But the demons knew who he was, and he did not let them speak.
    ³⁵Very early the next morning, Jesus got up and went to a place where he could be alone and pray. ³⁶Simon and the others started looking for him. ³⁷And when they found him, they said, "Everyone is looking for you!"
    ³⁸Jesus replied, "We must go to the nearby towns, so that I can tell the good news to those people. This is why I have come." ³⁹Then Jesus went to Jewish meeting places everywhere in Galilee, where he preached and forced out demons.
   

Jesus Heals a Man

(Matthew 8.1-4; Luke 5.12-16)

 ⁴⁰A man with leprosy ^[b] came to Jesus and knelt down. ^[c] He begged, "You have the power to make me well, if only you wanted to."     ⁴¹Jesus felt sorry for ^[d] the man. So he put his hand on him and said, "I want to! Now you are well." ⁴²At once the man's leprosy disappeared, and he was well.
    ⁴³After Jesus strictly warned the man, he sent him on his way. ⁴⁴He said, "Don't tell anyone about this. Just go and show the priest that you are well. Then take a gift to the temple as Moses commanded, and everyone will know that you have been healed." ^{[e]
    45}The man talked about it so much and told so many people, that Jesus could no longer go openly into a town. He had to stay away from the towns, but people still came to him from everywhere.
   

Mark 2

Jesus Heals a Crippled Man

(Matthew 9.1-8; Luke 5.17-26)

 ¹Jesus went back to Capernaum, and a few days later people heard that he was at home. ^{[f] 2}Then so many of them came to the house that there wasn't even standing room left in front of the door.    Jesus was still teaching ³when four people came up, carrying a crippled man on a mat. ⁴But because of the crowd, they could not get him to Jesus. So they made a hole in the roof ^[g] above him and let the man down in front of everyone.
    ⁵When Jesus saw how much faith they had, he said to the crippled man, "My friend, your sins are forgiven."
    ⁶Some of the teachers of the Law of Moses were sitting there. They started wondering, ⁷"Why would he say such a thing? He must think he is God! Only God can forgive sins."
    ⁸Right away, Jesus knew what they were thinking, and he said, "Why are you thinking such things? ⁹Is it easier for me to tell this crippled man that his sins are forgiven or to tell him to get up and pick up his mat and go on home? ¹⁰I will show you that the Son of Man has the right to forgive sins here on earth." So Jesus said to the man, ¹¹"Get up! Pick up your mat and go on home."
    ¹²The man got right up. He picked up his mat and went out while everyone watched in amazement. They praised God and said, "We have never seen anything like this!"
   

Footnotes:

1. Mark 1:32 after sunset: The Sabbath was over, and a new day began at sunset.
2. Mark 1:40 leprosy: In biblical times the word "leprosy" was used for many different kinds of skin diseases.
3. Mark 1:40 and knelt down: These words are not in some manuscripts.
4. Mark 1:41 felt sorry for: Some manuscripts have "was angry with."
5. Mark 1:44 everyone will know that you have been healed: People with leprosy had to be examined by a priest and told that they were well (that is, "clean") before they could once again live a normal life in the Jewish community. The gift that Moses commanded was the sacrifice of some lambs together with flour mixed with olive oil.
6. Mark 2:1 at home: Or "in the house" (perhaps Simon Peter's home).
7. Mark 2:4 roof: In Palestine the houses usually had a flat roof. Stairs on the outside led up to the roof that was made of beams and boards covered with packed earth.

---

Psalm 35:17-28 (Contemporary English Version)

¹⁷But all you do is watch!
   When will you do something?
   Save me from the attack
   of those vicious lions.
    ¹⁸And when your people meet,
   I will praise you
   and thank you, Lord,
   in front of them all.
    ¹⁹Don't let my brutal enemies
   be glad because of me.
   They hate me for no reason.
   Don't let them wink
   behind my back.
    ²⁰They say hurtful things,
   and they lie to people
   who want to live in peace.
    ²¹They are quick to accuse me.
   They say, "You did it!
   We saw you ourselves."
    ²²You see everything, LORD!
   Please don't keep silent
   or stay so far away.
    ²³Fight to defend me, Lord God,
    ²⁴and prove that I am right
   by your standards.
   Don't let them laugh at me
    ²⁵or say to each other,
   "Now we've got what we want!
   We'll gobble him down!"
    ²⁶Disappoint and confuse
   all who are glad
   to see me in trouble,
   but disgrace and embarrass
   my proud enemies
   who say to me,
   "You are nothing!"
    ²⁷Let all who want me to win
   be happy and joyful.
   From now on let them say,
   "The LORD is wonderful!
   God is glad when all goes well
   for his servant."
    ²⁸Then I will shout all day,
   "Praise the LORD God!
   He did what was right."

---

Proverbs 9:13-18 (Contemporary English Version)

A Foolish Invitation

 ¹³Stupidity ^[a] is reckless, senseless, and foolish.     ¹⁴She sits in front of her house
   and on the highest hills
   in the town.
    ¹⁵She shouts to everyone
   who passes by,
    ¹⁶"If you are stupid,
   come on inside!"
   And to every fool she says,
    ¹⁷"Stolen water tastes best,
   and the food you eat in secret
   tastes best of all."
    ¹⁸None who listen to Stupidity
   understand
   that her guests
   are as good as dead.
   

Footnotes:

1. Proverbs 9:13 Stupidity: Or " A foolish woman."

---

 

Verse of the Day

 

“[Love Each Other]From the beginning you were told that we must love each other.” - 1 John 3:11

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

---

 

Thought for the Day

 

First President of the United States (1789–1797), the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, George Washington wrote, “Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth.”