Bible Readings for March 14, 2011

Today our passages are Numbers 21:1–22:20; Luke 1:26-56; Psalm 57:1-11; and Proverbs 11:9-11. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version.

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Numbers 21-22:20 (Contemporary English Version)

Numbers 21

Israel Defeats the Canaanites at Hormah

1The Canaanite king of Arad lived in the Southern Desert of Canaan, and when he heard that the Israelites were on their way to the village of Atharim, he attacked and took some of them hostage.

2The Israelites prayed, " Our LORD, if you will help us defeat these Canaanites, we will completely destroy their towns and everything in them, to show that they belong to you." [a] 3The LORD answered their prayer and helped them wipe out the Canaanite army and completely destroy their towns. That's why one of the towns is named Hormah, which means " Destroyed Place."

Moses Makes a Bronze Snake

4The Israelites had to go around the territory of Edom, so when they left Mount Hor, they headed south toward the Red Sea. [b] But along the way, the people became so impatient 5that they complained against God and said to Moses, " Did you bring us out of Egypt, just to let us die in the desert? There's no water out here, and we can't stand this awful food!" 6Then the LORD sent poisonous snakes that bit and killed many of them.

7Some of the people went to Moses and admitted, " It was wrong of us to insult you and the LORD. Now please ask him to make these snakes go away."

Moses prayed, 8and the LORD answered, " Make a snake out of bronze and place it on top of a pole. Anyone who gets bitten can look at the snake and won't die."

9Moses obeyed the LORD. And all of those who looked at the bronze snake lived, even though they had been bitten by the poisonous snakes.

Israel's Journey to Moab

10As the Israelites continued their journey to Canaan, they camped at Oboth, 11then at Iye-Abarim in the desert east of Moab, 12and then in the Zered Gorge. 13After that, they crossed the Arnon River gorge and camped in the Moabite desert bordering Amorite territory. The Arnon was the border between the Moabites and the Amorites. 14A song in The Book of the LORD's Battles [c] mentions the town of Waheb with its creeks in the territory of Suphah. It also mentions the Arnon River, 15with its valleys that lie alongside the Moabite border and extend to the town of Ar. 16From the Arnon, the Israelites went to the well near the town of Beer, where the LORD had said to Moses, " Call the people together, and I will give them water to drink."

17That's also the same well the Israelites sang about in this song:

Let's celebrate!
The well has given us water.
18With their royal scepters,
our leaders pointed out
where to dig the well.

The Israelites left the desert and camped near the town of Mattanah, 19then at Nahaliel, and then at Bamoth. 20Finally, they reached Moabite territory, where they camped near Mount Pisgah [d] in a valley overlooking the desert north of the Dead Sea.

Israel Defeats King Sihon the Amorite
(Deuteronomy 2.26-37)

21The Israelites sent this message to King Sihon of the Amorites:

22Please let us pass through your territory. We promise to stay away from your fields and vineyards, and we won't drink any water from your wells. As long as we're in your land, we won't get off the main road. [e] 23But Sihon refused to let Israel travel through his land. Instead, he called together his entire army and marched into the desert to attack Israel near the town of Jahaz. 24Israel defeated them and took over the Amorite territory from the Arnon River gorge in the south to the Jabbok River gorge in the north. Beyond the Jabbok was the territory of the Ammonites, who were much stronger than Israel.

25The Israelites settled in the Amorite towns, including the capital city of Heshbon with its surrounding villages. 26King Sihon had ruled from Heshbon, after defeating the Moabites and taking over their land north of the Arnon River gorge. 27That's why the Amorites had written this poem about Heshbon:

Come and rebuild Heshbon,
King Sihon's capital city!
28His armies marched out
like fiery flames,
burning down the town of Ar
and destroying [f]
the hills along the Arnon River.
29You Moabites are done for!
Your god Chemosh
deserted your people;
they were captured, taken away
by King Sihon the Amorite.
30We completely defeated Moab.
The towns of Heshbon and Dibon,
of Nophah and Medeba
are ruined and gone. [g]

31After the Israelites had settled in the Amorite territory, 32Moses sent some men to explore the town of Jazer. Later, the Israelites captured the villages surrounding it and forced out the Amorites who lived there.

Israel Defeats King Og of Bashan
(Deuteronomy 3.1-11)

33The Israelites headed toward the region of Bashan, where King Og ruled, and he led his entire army to Edrei to meet Israel in battle.

34The LORD said to Moses, " Don't be afraid of Og. I will help you defeat him and his army, just as you did King Sihon who ruled in Heshbon. Og's territory will be yours."

35So the Israelites wiped out Og, his family, and his entire army--there were no survivors. Then Israel took over the land of Bashan.

Numbers 22

1Israel moved from there to the hills of Moab, where they camped across the Jordan River from the town of Jericho.

King Balak of Moab Hires Balaam To Curse Israel

2-3When King Balak [h] of Moab and his people heard how many Israelites there were and what they had done to the Amorites, he and the Moabites were terrified and panicked. 4They said to the Midianite leaders, " That bunch of Israelites will wipe out everything in sight, like a bull eating grass in a field." So King Balak 5sent a message to Balaam son of Beor who lived among his relatives in the town of Pethor near the Euphrates River. It said:

I need your help. A huge group of people has come here from Egypt and settled near my territory. 6They are too powerful for us to defeat, so would you come and place a curse on them? Maybe then we can run them off. I know that anyone you bless will be successful, but anyone you curse will fail.

7The leaders of Moab and Midian left and took along money to pay Balaam for his work. When they got to his house, they gave him Balak's message.

8" Spend the night here," Balaam replied, " and tomorrow I will tell you the LORD's answer." So the officials stayed at his house.

9During the night, God asked Balaam, " Who are these people at your house?"

10" They are messengers from King Balak of Moab," Balaam answered. " He sent them 11to ask me to go to Moab and place a curse on the people who have come there from Egypt. They have settled everywhere around him, and he wants to run them off."

12But God replied, " Don't go with Balak's messengers. I have blessed those people who have come from Egypt, so don't curse them."

13The next morning, Balaam said to Balak's officials, " Go on back home. The LORD says I cannot go with you."

14The officials left and told Balak that Balaam refused to come.

15Then Balak sent a larger group of officials, who were even more important than the first ones. 16They went to Balaam and told him that Balak had said, " Balaam, if you come to Moab, 17I'll pay you very well and do whatever you ask. Just come and place a curse on these people."

18Balaam answered, " Even if Balak offered me a palace full of silver or gold, I wouldn't do anything to disobey the LORD my God. 19You are welcome to spend the night here, just as the others did. I will find out if the LORD has something else to say about this."

20That night, God said, " Balaam, I'll let you go to Moab with Balak's messengers, but do only what I say."

Footnotes:
Numbers 21:2 completely destroy. . . belong to you: The complete destruction of a town and everything in it, including its people and animals, showed that the town belonged to the LORD and could no longer be used by humans.
Numbers 21:4 Red Sea: See the note at 14.25.
Numbers 21:14 The Book of the LORD's Battles: This may have been a collection of ancient war songs.
Numbers 21:20 Mount Pisgah: This probably refers to the highest peak in the Abarim Mountains in Moab.
Numbers 21:22 the main road: See the note at 20.17.
Numbers 21:28 destroying: One ancient translation; Hebrew " the rulers of."
Numbers 21:30 gone: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 30.
Numbers 22:2 Balak: Hebrew " Balak son of Zippor."


Luke 1:26-56 (Contemporary English Version)

An Angel Tells about the Birth of Jesus

26One month later God sent the angel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth in Galilee 27with a message for a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to Joseph from the family of King David. 28The angel greeted Mary and said, "You are truly blessed! The Lord is with you."

29Mary was confused by the angel's words and wondered what they meant. 30Then the angel told Mary, "Don't be afraid! God is pleased with you, 31and you will have a son. His name will be Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of God Most High. The Lord God will make him king, as his ancestor David was. 33He will rule the people of Israel forever, and his kingdom will never end."

34Mary asked the angel, "How can this happen? I am not married!"

35The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come down to you, and God's power will come over you. So your child will be called the holy Son of God. 36Your relative Elizabeth is also going to have a son, even though she is old. No one thought she could ever have a baby, but in three months she will have a son. 37Nothing is impossible for God!"

38Mary said, "I am the Lord's servant! Let it happen as you have said." And the angel left her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39A short time later Mary hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea. 40She went into Zechariah's home, where she greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, her baby moved within her.
The Holy Spirit came upon Elizabeth. 42Then in a loud voice she said to Mary:

God has blessed you more than any other woman! He has also blessed the child you will have. 43Why should the mother of my Lord come to me? 44As soon as I heard your greeting, my baby became happy and moved within me. 45The Lord has blessed you because you believed that he will keep his promise.

Mary's Song of Praise

46Mary said:

With all my heart
I praise the Lord,
47and I am glad
because of God my Savior.
48He cares for me,
his humble servant.
From now on,
all people will say
God has blessed me.
49God All-Powerful has done
great things for me,
and his name is holy.
50He always shows mercy
to everyone
who worships him.
51The Lord has used
his powerful arm
to scatter those
who are proud.
52He drags strong rulers
from their thrones
and puts humble people
in places of power.
53God gives the hungry
good things to eat,
and sends the rich away
with nothing.
54He helps his servant Israel
and is always merciful
to his people.
55The Lord made this promise
to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his family
forever!

56Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months. Then she went back home.


Psalm 57:1-11 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 57
(For the music leader. To the tune "Don't Destroy." (Psalm 57; 58 Don't Destroy: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.) A special psalm by David when he was in the cave while running from Saul.)

Praise and Trust in Times of Trouble

1God Most High, have pity on me!

Have mercy.

I run to you
for safety.

In the shadow of your wings,
I seek protection
till danger dies down.

2I pray to you, my protector.

3You will send help from heaven
and save me,
but you will bring trouble
on my attackers.

You are faithful,
and you can be trusted.

4I live among lions,
who gobble down people!

They have spears and arrows
instead of teeth,
and they have sharp swords
instead of tongues.

5May you, my God, be honored
above the heavens;
may your glory be seen
everywhere on earth.

6Enemies set traps for my feet
and struck me down.

They dug a pit in my path,
but fell in it themselves.

7I am faithful to you,
and you can trust me.

I will sing and play music
for you, my God.

8I feel wide awake!

I will wake up my harp
and wake up the sun.

9I will praise you, Lord,
for everyone to hear,
and I will sing hymns to you
in every nation.

10Your love reaches higher
than the heavens;
your loyalty extends
beyond the clouds.

11May you, my God, be honored
above the heavens;
may your glory be seen
everywhere on earth.


Proverbs 11:9-11 (Contemporary English Version)

9Dishonest people use gossip
to destroy their neighbors;
good people are protected
by their own good sense.

10When honest people prosper
and the wicked disappear,
the whole city celebrates.

11When God blesses his people,
their city prospers,
but deceitful liars
can destroy a city.

Bible Readings for March 13, 2011

Today our passages are Numbers 19:1 - 20:29; Luke 1:1-25; Psalm 56:1-13; and Proverbs 11:8. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version.

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Numbers 19-20:29 (Contemporary English Version)

Numbers 19

The Ceremony To Wash Away Sin

1-2The LORD gave Moses and Aaron the following law:

The people of Israel must bring Moses a reddish-brown cow that has nothing wrong with it and that has never been used for plowing. 3Moses will give it to Eleazar the priest, then it will be led outside the camp and killed while Eleazar watches. 4He will dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle it seven times in the direction of the sacred tent. 5Then the whole cow, including its skin, meat, blood, and insides must be burned. 6A priest [a] is to throw a stick of cedar wood, a hyssop [b] branch, and a piece of red yarn into the fire. 7After the ceremony, the priest is to take a bath and wash his clothes. Only then can he go back into the camp, but he remains unclean and unfit for worship until evening. 8The man who burned the cow must also wash his clothes and take a bath, but he is also unclean until evening.

9A man who isn't unclean must collect the ashes of the burnt cow and store them outside the camp in a clean place. The people of Israel can mix these ashes with the water used in the ceremony to wash away sin. 10The man who collects the ashes must wash his clothes, but will remain unclean until evening. This law must always be obeyed by the people of Israel and the foreigners living among them.

What Must Be Done after Touching a Dead Body

The LORD said:

11If you touch a dead body, you will be unclean for seven days. 12But if you wash with the water mixed with the cow's ashes on the third day and again on the seventh day, you will be clean and acceptable for worship. You must wash yourself on those days; if you don't, you will remain unclean. 13Suppose you touch a dead body, but refuse to be made clean by washing with the water mixed with ashes. You will be guilty of making my sacred tent unclean and will no longer belong to the people of Israel.

14If someone dies in a tent while you are there, you will be unclean for seven days. And anyone who later enters the tent will also be unclean. 15Any open jar in the tent is unclean.

16If you touch the body of someone who was killed or who died of old age, or if you touch a human bone or a grave, you will be unclean for seven days.

17-18Before you can be made clean, someone who is clean must take some of the ashes from the burnt cow and stir them into a pot of spring water. That same person must dip a hyssop branch in the water and ashes, then sprinkle it on the tent and everything in it, including everyone who was inside. If you have touched a human bone, a grave, or a dead body, you must be sprinkled with that water. 19If this is done on the third day and on the seventh day, you will be clean. Then after you take a bath and wash your clothes, you can worship that evening.

20If you are unclean and refuse to be made clean by washing with the water mixed with ashes, you will be guilty of making my sacred tent unclean, and you will no longer belong to the people of Israel. 21These laws will never change.

The man who sprinkled the water and the ashes on you when you were unclean must also wash his clothes. And whoever touches this water is unclean until evening. 22When you are unclean, everything you touch becomes unclean, and anyone who touches you will be unclean until evening.

Numbers 20

Water from a Rock
(Exodus 17.1-7)

1The people of Israel arrived at the Zin Desert during the first month [c] and set up camp near the town of Kadesh. It was there that Miriam died and was buried. 2The Israelites had no water, so they went to Moses and Aaron 3and complained, " Moses, we'd be better off if we had died along with the others in front of the LORD's sacred tent. [d] 4You brought us into this desert, and now we and our livestock are going to die! 5Egypt was better than this horrible place. At least there we had grain and figs and grapevines and pomegranates. [e] But now we don't even have any water." 6Moses and Aaron went to the entrance to the sacred tent, where they bowed down. The LORD appeared to them in all of his glory 7-8and said, " Moses, get your walking stick. [f] Then you and Aaron call the people together and command that rock to give you water. That's how you will provide water for the people of Israel and their livestock." 9Moses obeyed and took his stick from the sacred tent. 10After he and Aaron had gathered the people around the rock, he said, " Look, you rebellious people, and you will see water flow from this rock!" 11He raised his stick in the air and struck the rock two times. At once, water gushed from the rock, and the people and their livestock had water to drink.

12But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, " Because you refused to believe in my power, these people did not respect me. And so, you will not be the ones to lead them into the land I have promised."

13The Israelites had complained against the LORD, and he had shown them his holy power by giving them water to drink. So they named the place Meribah, which means " Complaining."

Israel Isn't Allowed To Go through Edom

14Moses sent messengers from Israel's camp near Kadesh with this message for the king of Edom:
We are Israelites, your own relatives, and we're sure you have heard the terrible things that have happened to us. 15Our ancestors settled in Egypt and lived there a long time. But later the Egyptians were cruel to us, 16and when we begged our LORD for help, he answered our prayer and brought us out of that land.

Now we are camped at the border of your territory, near the town of Kadesh. 17Please let us go through your country. We won't go near your fields and vineyards, and we won't drink any water from your wells. We will stay on the main road [g] until we leave your territory. 18But the Edomite king answered, " No, I won't let you go through our country! And if you try, we will attack you."

19Moses sent back this message: " We promise to stay on the main road, and if any of us or our livestock drink your water, we will pay for it. We just want to pass through."

20But the Edomite king insisted, " You can't go through our land!"

Then Edom sent out its strongest troops 21to keep Israel from passing through its territory. So the Israelites had to go in another direction.

Aaron Dies

22After the Israelites had left Kadesh and had gone as far as Mount Hor 23on the Edomite border, the LORD said, 24" Aaron, this is where you will die. You and Moses disobeyed me at Meribah, and so you will not enter the land I promised the Israelites. 25Moses, go with Aaron and his son Eleazar to the top of the mountain. 26Then take Aaron's priestly robe from him and place it on Eleazar. Aaron will die there."

27Moses obeyed, and everyone watched as he and Aaron and Eleazar walked to the top of Mount Hor. 28Moses then took the priestly robe from Aaron and placed it on Eleazar. Aaron died there.

When Moses and Eleazar came down, 29the people knew that Aaron had died, and they mourned his death for thirty days.

Footnotes:
Numbers 19:6 A priest: Or " Eleazar."
Numbers 19:6 hyssop: A plant with small clusters of blue flowers and sweet-smelling leaves.
Numbers 20:1 first month: See the note at 9.3.
Numbers 20:3 if we had died. . . sacred tent: See 16.41-49.
Numbers 20:5 pomegranates: See the note at 13.23,24.
Numbers 20:7 walking stick: A symbol of his authority.
Numbers 20:17 the main road: The Hebrew text has " the King's Highway," which was an important trade route through what is today the country of Jordan. It connected the city of Damascus in Syria with the Gulf of Aqaba in southern Jordan.


Luke 1:1-25 (Contemporary English Version)

Luke 1

1Many people have tried to tell the story of what God has done among us. 2They wrote what we had been told by the ones who were there in the beginning and saw what happened. 3So I made a careful study [a] of everything and then decided to write and tell you exactly what took place. Honorable Theophilus, 4I have done this to let you know the truth about what you have heard.

An Angel Tells about the Birth of John

5When Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest by the name of Zechariah from the priestly group of Abijah. His wife Elizabeth was from the family of Aaron. [b] 6Both of them were good people and pleased the Lord God by obeying all that he had commanded. 7But they did not have children. Elizabeth could not have any, and both Zechariah and Elizabeth were already old. 8One day Zechariah's group of priests were on duty, and he was serving God as a priest. 9According to the custom of the priests, he had been chosen to go into the Lord's temple that day and to burn incense, [c] 10while the people stood outside praying. 11All at once an angel from the Lord appeared to Zechariah at the right side of the altar. 12Zechariah was confused and afraid when he saw the angel. 13But the angel told him:

Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayers. Your wife Elizabeth will have a son, and you must name him John. 14His birth will make you very happy, and many people will be glad. 15Your son will be a great servant of the Lord. He must never drink wine or beer, and the power of the Holy Spirit will be with him from the time he is born.

16John will lead many people in Israel to turn back to the Lord their God. 17He will go ahead of the Lord with the same power and spirit that Elijah [d] had. And because of John, parents will be more thoughtful of their children. And people who now disobey God will begin to think as they ought to. That is how John will get people ready for the Lord. 18Zechariah said to the angel, "How will I know this is going to happen? My wife and I are both very old."

19The angel answered, "I am Gabriel, God's servant, and I was sent to tell you this good news. 20You have not believed what I have said. So you will not be able to say a thing until all this happens. But everything will take place when it is supposed to."

21The crowd was waiting for Zechariah and kept wondering why he was staying so long in the temple. 22When he did come out, he could not speak, and they knew he had seen a vision. He motioned to them with his hands, but did not say a thing.

23When Zechariah's time of service in the temple was over, he went home. 24Soon after that, his wife was expecting a baby, and for five months she did not leave the house. She said to herself, 25"What the Lord has done for me will keep people from looking down on me." [e]

Footnotes:
Luke 1:3 a careful study: Or " a study from the beginning."
Luke 1:5 Aaron: The brother of Moses and the first priest.
Luke 1:9 burn incense: This was done twice a day, once in the morning and again in the late afternoon.
Luke 1:17 Elijah: The prophet Elijah was known for his power to work miracles.
Luke 1:25 keep people from looking down on me: When a married woman could not have children, it was thought that the Lord was punishing her.


Psalm 56:1-13 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 56
(For the music leader. To the tune "A Silent Dove in the Distance." (Psalm 56 A Silent. . . Distance: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.) A special psalm by David when the Philistines captured him in Gath.)

A Prayer of Trust in God

1Have pity, God Most High!

My enemies chase me all day.

2Many of them are pursuing
and attacking me,
3but even when I am afraid,
I keep on trusting you.

4I praise your promises!

I trust you and am not afraid.

No one can harm me.

5Enemies spend the whole day
finding fault with me;
all they think about
is how to do me harm.

6They attack from ambush,
watching my every step
and hoping to kill me.

7They won't get away [a]
with these crimes, God,
because when you get angry,
you destroy people.

8You have kept record
of my days of wandering.

You have stored my tears
in your bottle
and counted each of them.

9When I pray, LORD God,
my enemies will retreat,
because I know for certain
that you are with me.

10I praise your promises!

11I trust you and am not afraid.

No one can harm me.

12I will keep my promises
to you, my God,
and bring you gifts.

13You protected me from death
and kept me from stumbling,
so that I would please you
and follow the light
that leads to life.

Footnotes:
Psalm 56:7 They. . . away: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.


Proverbs 11:8 (Contemporary English Version)

8Trouble goes right past
the LORD's people
and strikes the wicked.

Bible Readings for March 12, 2011

Today our passages are Numbers 16:41-18:32; Mark 16:1-20; Psalm 55:1-23; and Proverbs 11:7. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version.

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Numbers 16:41-18:32 (Contemporary English Version)

The Israelites Rebel and Are Punished

41The next day the people of Israel again complained against Moses and Aaron, " The two of you killed some of the LORD's people!"

42As the people crowded around them, Moses and Aaron turned toward the sacred tent, and the LORD appeared in his glory in the cloud covering the tent. 43So Moses and Aaron walked to the front of the tent, 44where the LORD said to them, 45" Stand back! I am going to wipe out these Israelites once and for all."

They immediately bowed down and prayed. 46Then Moses told Aaron, " Grab your fire pan and fill it with hot coals from the altar. Put incense in it, then quickly take it to where the people are and offer it to the LORD, so they can be forgiven. The LORD is very angry, and people have already started dying!"

47-48Aaron did exactly what he had been told. He ran over to the crowd of people and stood between the dead bodies and the people who were still alive. He placed the incense on the pan, then offered it to the LORD and asked him to forgive the people's sin. The disease immediately stopped spreading, and no one else died from it. 49But fourteen thousand seven hundred Israelites were dead, not counting those who had died with Korah and his followers.

50Aaron walked back and stood with Moses at the sacred tent.

Numbers 17

Aaron's Walking Stick Blooms and Produces Almonds

1The LORD told Moses:

2-3Call together the twelve tribes of Israel and tell the leader of each tribe to write his name on the walking stick he carries as a symbol of his authority. Make sure Aaron's name is written on the one from the Levi tribe, then collect all the sticks.

4Place these sticks in the tent right in front of the sacred chest where I appear to you. 5I will then choose a man to be my priest, and his stick will sprout. After that happens, I won't have to listen to any more complaints about you.

6Moses told the people what the LORD had commanded, and they gave him the walking sticks from the twelve tribal leaders, including Aaron's from the Levi tribe. 7Moses took them and placed them in the LORD's sacred tent.

8The next day when Moses went into the tent, flowers and almonds were already growing on Aaron's stick. 9Moses brought the twelve sticks out of the tent and showed them to the people. Each of the leaders found his own and took it.

10But the LORD told Moses, " Put Aaron's stick back! Let it stay near the sacred chest as a warning to anyone who might think about rebelling. If these people don't stop their grumbling about me, I will wipe them out." 11Moses did what he was told.

12The Israelites cried out to Moses, " We're done for 13and doomed if we even get near the sacred tent!"

Numbers 18

The Duties of the Priests and Levites

1The LORD said to Aaron:

You, your sons, and the other Levites of the Kohath clan, are responsible for what happens at the sacred tent. [a] And you and your sons will be responsible for what the priests do. 2The Levites are your relatives and are here to help you in your service at the tent. 3You must see that they perform their duties. But if they go near any of the sacred objects or the altar, all of you will die. 4No one else is allowed to take care of the sacred tent or to do anything connected with it. 5Follow these instructions, so I won't become angry and punish the Israelites ever again. 6I alone chose the Levites from all the other tribes to belong to me, and I have given them to you as your helpers. 7But only you and your sons can serve as priests at the altar and in the most holy place. Your work as priests is a gift from me, and anyone else who tries to do that work must be put to death.

The Priests' Share of Offerings Given to the LORD
(Deuteronomy 18.1-8)

8-9The LORD said to Aaron:

I have put you in charge of the sacred gifts and sacrifices that the Israelites bring to me. And from now on, you, your sons, and your descendants will receive part of the sacrifices for sin, as well as part of the grain sacrifices, and the sacrifices to make things right. Your share of these sacrifices will be the parts not burned on the altar. 10Since these things are sacred, they must be eaten near the sacred tent, but only men are allowed to eat them.

11You will also receive part of the special gifts and offerings that the Israelites bring to me. Any member of your family who is clean and acceptable for worship can eat these things. 12For example, when the Israelites bring me the first batches of oil, wine, and grain, you can have the best parts of those gifts. 13And the first part of the crops from their fields and vineyards also belongs to you. The people will offer this to me, then anyone in your family who is clean may have some of it.

14Everything in Israel that has been completely dedicated to me [b] will now belong to you. 15The first-born son in every Israelite family, as well as the first-born males of their flocks and herds, belong to me. But a first-born son and every first-born donkey [c] must be bought back from me. 16The price for a first-born son who is at least one month old will be five pieces of silver, weighed according to the official standards. 17However, all first-born cattle, sheep, and goats belong to me and cannot be bought back. Splatter their blood on the altar and send their fat up in smoke, so I can smell it and be pleased. 18You are allowed to eat the meat of those animals, just as you can eat the choice ribs and the right hind leg of the special sacrifices. 19From now on, the sacred offerings that the Israelites give to me will belong to you, your sons, and your daughters. This is my promise to you and your descendants, and it will never change.

20You will not receive any land in Israel as your own. I am the LORD, and I will give you whatever you need.

What the Levites Receive

The LORD said to Aaron:

21Ten percent of the Israelites' crops and one out of every ten of their newborn animals belong to me. But I am giving all this to the Levites as their pay for the work they do at the sacred tent. 22-23They are the only ones allowed to work at the tent, and they must not let anyone else come near it. Those who do must be put to death, and the Levites will also be punished. This law will never change.
Since the Levites won't be given any land in Israel as their own, 24they will be given the crops and newborn animals that the Israelites offer to me.

What the Levites Must Give

25The LORD told Moses 26to say to the Levites:

When you receive from the people of Israel ten percent of their crops and newborn animals, you must offer a tenth of that to me. 27Just as the Israelites give me part of their grain and wine, you must set aside part of what you receive 28as an offering to me. That amount must then be given to Aaron, 29so the best of what you receive will be mine.

30After you have dedicated the best parts to me, you can eat the rest, just as the Israelites eat part of their grain and wine after offering them to me. [d] 31Your share may be eaten anywhere by anyone in your family, because it is your pay for working at the sacred tent. 32You won't be punished for eating it, as long as you have already offered the best parts to me. The gifts and sacrifices brought by the people must remain sacred, and if you eat any part of them before they are offered to me, you will be put to death.

Footnotes:
Numbers 18:1 are responsible. . . sacred tent: Or " are to make sure that no one gets near the sacred tent."
Numbers 18:14 that has been completely dedicated to me: This translates a Hebrew word that describes property and things that were taken away from humans and given to God forever. Sometimes such things had to be completely destroyed (see Joshua 6.15-19).
Numbers 18:15 donkey: The Hebrew text has " unclean animal," which probably refers to a donkey (see Exodus 13.13; 34.20).
Numbers 18:30 just as the Israelites. . . to me: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.


Mark 16:1-20 (Contemporary English Version)

Mark 16

Jesus Is Alive
(Matthew 28.1-8; Luke 24.1-12; John 20.1-10)

1After the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene, Salome, and Mary the mother of James bought some spices to put on Jesus' body. 2Very early on Sunday morning, just as the sun was coming up, they went to the tomb. 3On their way, they were asking one another, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance for us?" 4But when they looked, they saw that the stone had already been rolled away. And it was a huge stone!

5The women went into the tomb, and on the right side they saw a young man in a white robe sitting there. They were alarmed.

6The man said, "Don't be alarmed! You are looking for Jesus from Nazareth, who was nailed to a cross. God has raised him to life, and he isn't here. You can see the place where they put his body. 7Now go and tell his disciples, and especially Peter, that he will go ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you."

8When the women ran from the tomb, they were confused and shaking all over. They were too afraid to tell anyone what had happened.

ONE OLD ENDING TO MARK'S GOSPEL [a]

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
(Matthew 28.9,10; John 20.11-18)

9Very early on the first day of the week, after Jesus had risen to life, he appeared to Mary Magdalene. Earlier he had forced seven demons out of her. 10She left and told his friends, who were crying and mourning. 11Even though they heard that Jesus was alive and that Mary had seen him, they would not believe it.

Jesus Appears to Two Disciples
(Luke 24.13-35)

12Later, Jesus appeared in another form to two disciples, as they were on their way out of the city. 13But when these disciples told what had happened, the others would not believe.

What Jesus' Followers Must Do
(Matthew 28.16-20; Luke 24.36-49; John 20.19-23; Acts 1.6-8)

14Afterwards, Jesus appeared to his eleven disciples as they were eating. He scolded them because they were too stubborn to believe the ones who had seen him after he had been raised to life. 15Then he told them:

Go and preach the good news to everyone in the world. 16Anyone who believes me and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe me will be condemned. 17Everyone who believes me will be able to do wonderful things. By using my name they will force out demons, and they will speak new languages. 18They will handle snakes and will drink poison and not be hurt. They will also heal sick people by placing their hands on them.

Jesus Returns to Heaven
(Luke 24.50-53; Acts 1.9-11)

19After the Lord Jesus had said these things to the disciples, he was taken back up to heaven where he sat down at the right side [b] of God. 20Then the disciples left and preached everywhere. The Lord was with them, and the miracles they worked proved that their message was true.

ANOTHER OLD ENDING TO MARK'S GOSPEL [c]

9-10The women quickly told Peter and his friends what had happened. Later, Jesus sent the disciples to the east and to the west with his sacred and everlasting message of how people can be saved forever.

Footnotes:
Mark 16:9 One Old Ending to Mark's Gospel: Verses 9-20 are not in some manuscripts.
Mark 16:19 right side: See the note at 12.36.
Mark 16:9 Another Old Ending to Mark's Gospel: Some manuscripts and early translations have both this shorter ending and the longer one (verses 9-20).


Psalm 55:1-23 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 55
(A special psalm by David for the music leader. Use with stringed instruments.)

Betrayed by a Friend

1Listen, God, to my prayer!
Don't reject my request.

2Please listen and help me.
My thoughts are troubled,
and I keep groaning
3because my loud enemies
shout and attack.

They treat me terribly
and hold angry grudges.

4My heart is racing fast,
and I am afraid of dying.

5I am trembling with fear,
completely terrified.

6I wish I had wings
like a dove,
so I could fly far away
and be at peace.

7I would go and live
in some distant desert.

8I would quickly find shelter
from howling winds
and raging storms.

9Confuse my enemies, Lord!

Upset their plans.

Cruelty and violence
are all I see in the city,
10and they are like guards
on patrol day and night.

The city is full of trouble,
evil, 11and corruption.

Troublemakers and liars
freely roam the streets.

12My enemies are not the ones
who sneer and make fun.

I could put up with that
or even hide from them.

13But it was my closest friend,
the one I trusted most.

14We enjoyed being together,
and we went with others
to your house, our God.

15All who hate me are controlled
by the power of evil.

Sentence them to death
and send them down alive
to the world of the dead.

16I ask for your help, LORD God,
and you will keep me safe.

17Morning, noon, and night
you hear my concerns
and my complaints.

18I am attacked from all sides,
but you will rescue me
unharmed by the battle.

19You have always ruled,
and you will hear me.

You will defeat my enemies
because they won't turn
and worship you.

20My friend turned against me
and broke his promise.

21His words were smoother
than butter,
and softer
than olive oil.

But hatred filled his heart,
and he was ready to attack
with a sword.

22Our LORD, we belong to you.

We tell you what worries us,
and you won't let us fall.

23But what about those people
who are cruel and brutal?

You will throw them down
into the deepest pit
long before their time.

I trust you, LORD!


Proverbs 11:7 (Contemporary English Version)

7When the wicked die,
their hopes die with them.

Bible Readings for March 11, 2011

Today our passages are Numbers 15:17–16:40; Mark 15:1-47; Psalm 54:1-7; and Proverbs 11:5-6. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version.

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Numbers 15:17-16:40 (Contemporary English Version)

17-19When you eat food in the land that I am giving you, remember to set aside some of it as an offering to me. 20From the first batch of bread dough that you make after each new grain harvest, make a loaf of bread and offer it to me, just as you offer grain. 21All your descendants must follow this law and offer part of the first batch of bread dough.

22-23The LORD also told Moses to tell the people what must be done if they ever disobey his laws:

24If all of you disobey one of my laws without meaning to, you must offer a bull as a sacrifice to please me, together with a grain sacrifice, a wine offering, and a goat as a sacrifice for sin. 25Then the priest will pray and ask me to forgive you. And since you did not mean to do wrong, and you offered sacrifices, 26the sin of everyone--both Israelites and foreigners among you--will be forgiven.

27But if one of you does wrong without meaning to, you must sacrifice a year-old female goat as a sacrifice for sin. 28The priest will then ask me to forgive you, and your sin will be forgiven.

29The law will be the same for anyone who does wrong without meaning to, whether an Israelite or a foreigner living among you.

30-31But if one of you does wrong on purpose, whether Israelite or foreigner, you have sinned against me by disobeying my laws. You will be sent away and will no longer live among the people of Israel.

A Man Put to Death for Gathering Firewood on the Sabbath

32Once, while the Israelites were traveling through the desert, a man was caught gathering firewood on the Sabbath. a] 33He was taken to Moses, Aaron, and the rest of the community. 34But no one knew what to do with him, so he was not allowed to leave. 35Then the LORD said to Moses, " Tell the people to take that man outside the camp and stone him to death!" 36So he was killed, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

The Tassels on the People's Clothes

37The LORD told Moses 38to say to the people of Israel, " Sew tassels onto the bottom edge of your clothes and tie a purple string to each tassel. 39-40These will remind you that you must obey my laws and teachings. And when you do, you will be dedicated to me and won't follow your own sinful desires. 41I am the LORD your God who led you out of Egypt."

Numbers 16

Korah, Dathan, and Abiram Lead a Rebellion

1-2Korah son of Izhar was a Levite from the Kohathite clan. One day he called together Dathan, Abiram, and On b] from the Reuben tribe, and the four of them decided to rebel against Moses. So they asked two hundred fifty respected Israelite leaders for their support, and together they went to Moses 3and Aaron and said, " Why do you think you're so much better than anyone else? We're part of the LORD's holy people, and he's with all of us. What makes you think you're the only ones in charge?" 4When Moses heard this, he knelt down to pray. c] 5Then he said to Korah and his followers: Tomorrow morning the LORD will show us the person he has chosen to be his priest, and that man will faithfully serve him.

6-7Korah, now here is what you and your followers must do: Get some fire pans, fill them with coals and incense, and place them near the sacred tent. And the man the LORD chooses will be his priest. d] Korah, this time you Levites have gone too far! 8-9You know that the God of Israel has chosen you Levites from all Israel to serve him by being in charge of the sacred tent and by helping the community to worship in the proper way. What more do you want? 10The LORD has given you a special responsibility, and now, Korah, you think you should also be his priest. 11You and your followers have rebelled against the LORD, not against Aaron.

12Then Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram, but they sent back this message: " We won't come! 13It's bad enough that you took us from our rich farmland in Egypt to let us die here in the desert. Now you also want to boss us around! 14You keep promising us rich farmlands with fertile fields and vineyards--but where are they? Stop trying to trick these people. No, we won't come to see you."

15Moses was very angry and said to the LORD, " Don't listen to these men! I haven't done anything wrong to them. I haven't taken as much as a donkey."

16Then he said to Korah, " Tomorrow you and your followers must go with Aaron to the LORD's sacred tent. 17Each of you take along your fire pan with incense in it and offer the incense to the LORD."

18The next day the men placed incense and coals in their fire pans and stood with Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the sacred tent. 19Meanwhile, Korah had convinced the rest of the Israelites to rebel against their two leaders.

When that happened, the LORD appeared in all his glory 20and said to Moses and Aaron, 21" Get away from the rest of the Israelites so I can kill them right now!"

22But the two men bowed down and prayed, " Our God, you gave these people life. Why would you punish everyone here when only one man has sinned?"

23The LORD answered Moses, 24" Tell the people to stay away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram."

25Moses walked over to Dathan and Abiram, and the other leaders of Israel followed. 26Then Moses warned the people, " Get away from the tents of these sinful men! Don't touch anything that belongs to them or you'll be wiped out." 27So everyone moved away from those tents, except Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and their families.

28Moses said to the crowd, " The LORD has chosen me and told me to do these things--it wasn't my idea. And here's how you will know: 29If these men die a natural death, it means the LORD hasn't chosen me. 30But suppose the LORD does something that has never been done before. For example, what if a huge crack appears in the ground, and these men and their families fall into it and are buried alive, together with everything they own? Then you will know they have turned their backs on the LORD!"

31As soon as Moses said this, the ground under the men opened up 32-33and swallowed them alive, together with their families and everything they owned. Then the ground closed back up, and they were gone.

34The rest of the Israelites heard their screams, so they ran off, shouting, " We don't want that to happen to us!"

35Suddenly the LORD sent a fire that burned up the two hundred fifty men who had offered incense to him.

36Then the LORD said to Moses, 37" Tell Aaron's son Eleazar to take the fire pans from the smoldering fire and scatter the coals. The pans are now sacred, 38because they were used for offering incense to me. Have them hammered into a thin layer of bronze as a covering for the altar. Those men died because of their sin, and now their fire pans will become a warning for the rest of the community."

39Eleazar collected the pans and had them hammered into a thin layer of bronze as a covering for the altar, 40just as the LORD had told Moses. The pans were a warning to the Israelites that only Aaron's descendants would be allowed to offer incense to the LORD. Anyone else who tried would be punished like Korah and his followers.

Footnotes:
Numbers 15:32 a man. . . Sabbath: No work was to be done on the Sabbath (see Exodus 31.12-17).
Numbers 16:1 Dathan, Abiram, and On: Hebrew " Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth."
Numbers 16:4 he knelt down to pray: Or " he fell to his knees in sorrow."
Numbers 16:6 Get some fire pans. . . his priest: Only priests could offer incense at the sacred altar; anyone else who tried would be killed. In this case, the man who lived would be the one the LORD had chosen.


Mark 15:1-47 (Contemporary English Version)


Mark 15

Pilate Questions Jesus
(Matthew 27.1,2,11-14; Luke 23.1-5; John 18.28-38)

1Early the next morning the chief priests, the nation's leaders, and the teachers of the Law of Moses met together with the whole Jewish council. They tied up Jesus and led him off to Pilate.

2He asked Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?"

"Those are your words," Jesus answered.

3The chief priests brought many charges against Jesus. 4Then Pilate questioned him again, "Don't you have anything to say? Don't you hear what crimes they say you have done?" 5But Jesus did not answer, and Pilate was amazed.

The Death Sentence
(Matthew 27.15-26; Luke 23.13-25; John 18.39--19.16)

6During Passover, Pilate always freed one prisoner chosen by the people. 7And at that time there was a prisoner named Barabbas. He and some others had been arrested for murder during a riot. 8The crowd now came and asked Pilate to set a prisoner free, just as he usually did.

9Pilate asked them, "Do you want me to free the king of the Jews?" 10Pilate knew that the chief priests had brought Jesus to him because they were jealous.

11But the chief priests told the crowd to ask Pilate to free Barabbas.

12Then Pilate asked the crowd, "What do you want me to do with this man you say is a] the king of the Jews?"

13They yelled, "Nail him to a cross!"

14Pilate asked, "But what crime has he done?"

"Nail him to a cross!" they yelled even louder.

15Pilate wanted to please the crowd. So he set Barabbas free. Then he ordered his soldiers to beat Jesus with a whip and nail him to a cross.

Soldiers Make Fun of Jesus
(Matthew 27.27-30; John 19.2,3)

16The soldiers led Jesus inside the courtyard of the fortress b] and called together the rest of the troops. 17They put a purple robe c] on him, and on his head they placed a crown that they had made out of thorn branches. 18They made fun of Jesus and shouted, "Hey, you king of the Jews!" 19Then they beat him on the head with a stick. They spit on him and knelt down and pretended to worship him.

20When the soldiers had finished making fun of Jesus, they took off the purple robe. They put his own clothes back on him and led him off to be nailed to a cross. 21Simon from Cyrene happened to be coming in from a farm, and they forced him to carry Jesus' cross. Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus.

Jesus Is Nailed to a Cross
(Matthew 27.31-44; Luke 23.27-43; John 19.17-27)

22The soldiers took Jesus to Golgotha, which means "Place of a Skull." d] 23There they gave him some wine mixed with a drug to ease the pain, but he refused to drink it.

24They nailed Jesus to a cross and gambled to see who would get his clothes. 25It was about nine o'clock in the morning when they nailed him to the cross. 26On it was a sign that told why he was nailed there. It read, "This is the King of the Jews." 27-28The soldiers also nailed two criminals on crosses, one to the right of Jesus and the other to his left. e]

29People who passed by said terrible things about Jesus. They shook their heads and shouted, "Ha! So you're the one who claimed you could tear down the temple and build it again in three days. 30Save yourself and come down from the cross!"

31The chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses also made fun of Jesus. They said to each other, "He saved others, but he can't save himself. 32If he is the Messiah, the king of Israel, let him come down from the cross! Then we will see and believe." The two criminals also said cruel things to Jesus.

The Death of Jesus
(Matthew 27.45-56; Luke 23.44-49; John 19.28-30)

33About noon the sky turned dark and stayed that way until around three o'clock. 34Then about that time Jesus shouted, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" f] which means, "My God, my God, why have you deserted me?"

35Some of the people standing there heard Jesus and said, "He is calling for Elijah." g] 36One of them ran and grabbed a sponge. After he had soaked it in wine, he put it on a stick and held it up to Jesus. He said, "Let's wait and see if Elijah will come h] and take him down!" 37Jesus shouted and then died.

38At once the curtain in the temple i] tore in two from top to bottom.

39A Roman army officer was standing in front of Jesus. When the officer saw how Jesus died, he said, "This man really was the Son of God!"

40-41Some women were looking on from a distance. They had come with Jesus to Jerusalem. But even before this they had been his followers and had helped him while he was in Galilee. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joseph were two of these women. Salome was also one of them.

Jesus Is Buried
(Matthew 27.57-61; Luke 23.50-56; John 19.38-42)

42It was now the evening before the Sabbath, and the Jewish people were getting ready for that sacred day. 43A man named Joseph from Arimathea was brave enough to ask Pilate for the body of Jesus. Joseph was a highly respected member of the Jewish council, and he was also waiting for God's kingdom to come.

44Pilate was surprised to hear that Jesus was already dead, and he called in the army officer to find out if Jesus had been dead very long. 45After the officer told him, Pilate let Joseph have Jesus' body.

46Joseph bought a linen cloth and took the body down from the cross. He had it wrapped in the cloth, and he put it in a tomb that had been cut into solid rock. Then he rolled a big stone against the entrance to the tomb.

47Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph were watching and saw where the body was placed.

Footnotes:
Mark 15:12 this man you say is: These words are not in some manuscripts.
Mark 15:16 fortress: The place where the Roman governor stayed. It was probably at Herod's palace west of Jerusalem, though it may have been Fortress Antonia, north of the temple, where the Roman troops were stationed.
Mark 15:17 purple robe: This was probably a Roman soldier's robe.
Mark 15:22 Place of a Skull: The place was probably given this name because it was near a large rock in the shape of a human skull.
Mark 15:27 left: Some manuscripts add, "So the Scriptures came true which say, `He was accused of being a criminal.' "
Mark 15:34 Eloi. . . sabachthani: These words are in Aramaic, a language spoken in Palestine during the time of Jesus.
Mark 15:35 Elijah: The name "Elijah" sounds something like "Eloi," which means "my God."
Mark 15:36 see if Elijah will come: See the note at 6.15.
Mark 15:38 curtain in the temple: There were two curtains in the temple. One was at the entrance, and the other separated the holy place from the most holy place that the Jewish people thought of as God's home on earth. The second curtain is probably the one which is meant.


Psalm 54:1-7 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 54
(For the music leader. Use with stringed instruments. A special psalm that David wrote when the people of Ziph went to Saul and said, "David is hiding here with us.")

Trusting God in Times of Trouble

1Save me, God, by your power
and prove that I am right.

2Listen to my prayer
and hear what I say.

3Cruel strangers have attacked
and want me dead.

Not one of them cares
about you.

4You will help me, Lord God,
and keep me from falling;
5you will punish my enemies
for their evil deeds.

Be my faithful friend
and destroy them.

6I will bring a gift
and offer a sacrifice
to you, LORD.

I will praise your name
because you are good.

7You have rescued me
from all of my troubles,
and my own eyes have seen
my enemies fall.


Proverbs 11:5-6 (Contemporary English Version)

5If you are truly good,
you will do right;
if you are wicked,
you will be destroyed
by your own sin.

6Honesty can keep you safe,
but if you can't be trusted,
you trap yourself.

Bible Readings for March 10, 2011

Today our passages are Numbers 14:1 – 15:16; Mark 14:53-72; Psalm 53:1-6; and Proverbs 11:4. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version.

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Numbers 14-15:16 (Contemporary English Version)

Numbers 14

The Israelites Rebel against Moses

1After the Israelites heard the report from the twelve men who had explored Canaan, the people cried all night 2and complained to Moses and Aaron, " We wish we had died in Egypt or somewhere out here in the desert! 3Is the LORD leading us into Canaan, just to have us killed and our women and children captured? We'd be better off in Egypt." 4Then they said to one another, " Let's choose our own leader and go back."

5Moses and Aaron bowed down to pray in front of the crowd. 6Joshua and Caleb tore their clothes in sorrow 7and said:

We saw the land ourselves, and it's very good. 8If we obey the LORD, he will surely give us that land rich with milk and honey. 9So don't rebel. We have no reason to be afraid of the people who live there. The LORD is on our side, and they won't stand a chance against us!

10The crowd threatened to stone Moses and Aaron to death. But just then, the LORD appeared in a cloud at the sacred tent.

Moses Prays for the People

11The LORD said to Moses, " I have done great things for these people, and they still reject me by refusing to believe in my power. 12So they will no longer be my people. I will destroy them, but I will make you the ancestor of a nation even stronger than theirs."

13-16Moses replied:

With your mighty power you rescued your people from Egypt, so please don't destroy us here in the desert. If you do, the Egyptians will hear about it and tell the people of Canaan. Those Canaanites already know that we are your people, and that we see you face to face. And they have heard how you lead us with a thick cloud during the day and flaming fire at night. But if you kill us, they will claim it was because you weren't powerful enough to lead us into Canaan as you promised.

17Show us your great power, LORD. You promised 18that you love to show mercy and kindness. And you said that you are very patient, but that you will punish everyone guilty of doing wrong--not only them but their children and grandchildren as well.

19You are merciful, and you treat people better than they deserve. So please forgive these people, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt.

20Then the LORD said to Moses:

In answer to your prayer, I do forgive them. 21But as surely as I live and my power has no limit, 22-23I swear that not one of these Israelites will enter the land I promised to give their ancestors. These people have seen my power in Egypt and in the desert, but they will never see Canaan. They have disobeyed and tested me too many times.

24But my servant Caleb isn't like the others. So because he has faith in me, I will allow him to cross into Canaan, and his descendants will settle there.

25Now listen, Moses! The Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valleys of Canaan. a] And tomorrow morning, you'll need to turn around and head back into the desert toward the Red Sea. b]

The Israelites Are Punished for Complaining

26The LORD told Moses and Aaron 27-28to give this message to the people of Israel:

You sinful people have complained against me too many times! Now I swear by my own life that I will give you exactly what you wanted. c] 29You will die right here in the desert, and your dead bodies will cover the ground. You have insulted me, and none of you men who are over twenty years old 30will enter the land that I solemnly promised to give you as your own--only Caleb and Joshua d] will go in. 31You were worried that your own children would be captured. But I, the LORD, will let them enter the land you have rejected. 32You will die here in the desert! 33Your children will wander around in this desert forty years, suffering because of your sins, until all of you are dead. 34I will cruelly punish you every day for the next forty years--one year for each day that the land was explored. 35You sinful people who ganged up against me will die here in the desert.

36Ten of the men sent to explore the land had brought back bad news and had made the people complain against the LORD. 37So he sent a deadly disease that killed those men, 38but he let Joshua and Caleb live.

The Israelites Fail To Enter Canaan
(Deuteronomy 1.41-45)

39The people of Israel were very sad after Moses gave them the LORD's message. 40So they got up early the next morning and got ready to head toward the hill country of Canaan. They said, " We were wrong to complain about the LORD. Let's go into the land that he promised us."

41But Moses replied, " You're disobeying the LORD! Your plan won't work, 42-43so don't even try it. The LORD refuses to help you, because you turned your backs on him. The Amalekites and the Canaanites are your enemies, and they will attack and defeat you."

44But the Israelites ignored Moses e] and marched toward the hill country, even though the sacred chest and Moses did not go with them. 45The Amalekites and the Canaanites came down from the hill country, defeated the Israelites, and chased them as far as the town of Hormah.

Numbers 15

Laws about Sacrifices

1The LORD told Moses 2to give the Israelites the following laws about offering sacrifices:

3Bulls or rams or goats f] are the animals that you may burn on the altar as sacrifices to please me. g] You may also offer sacrifices voluntarily or because you made a promise, or because they are part of your regular religious ceremonies. The smell of the smoke from these sacrifices is pleasing to me. 4-5If you sacrifice a young ram or goat, you must also offer two pounds of your finest flour mixed with a quart of olive oil as a grain sacrifice. A quart of wine must also be poured on the altar.

6-7And if the animal is a full-grown ram, you must offer four pounds of flour mixed with one and a half quarts of olive oil. One and a half quarts of wine must also be poured on the altar. The smell of this smoke is pleasing to me.

8If a bull is offered as a sacrifice to please me or to ask my blessing, h] 9you must offer six pounds of flour mixed with two quarts of olive oil. 10Two quarts of wine must also be poured on the altar. The smell of this smoke is pleasing to me. 11-13If you are a native Israelite, you must obey these rules each time you offer a bull, a ram, or a goat as a sacrifice. 14And the foreigners who live among you must also follow these rules. 15-16This law will never change. I am the LORD, and I consider all people the same, whether they are Israelites or foreigners living among you.

Footnotes:
Numbers 14:25 The Amalekites and the Canaanites. . . valleys of Canaan: That is, all possible ways into Canaan were blocked.
Numbers 14:25 Red Sea: Hebrew yam suph, here referring to the Gulf of Aqaba, since the term is extended to include the northeastern arm of the Red Sea (see also the note at Exodus 13.18).
Numbers 14:27 wanted: See verse 2.
Numbers 14:30 Caleb and Joshua: Hebrew " Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun."
Numbers 14:44 ignored Moses: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Numbers 15:3 goats: See the note at 7.12-83.
Numbers 15:3 sacrifices to please me: See the note at 6.11.
Numbers 15:8 to ask my blessing: See the note at 6.14.


Mark 14:53-72 (Contemporary English Version)

Jesus Is Questioned by the Council
(Matthew 26.57-68; Luke 22.54,55,63-71; John 18.13,14,19-24)

53Jesus was led off to the high priest. Then the chief priests, the nation's leaders, and the teachers of the Law of Moses all met together. 54Peter had followed at a distance. And when he reached the courtyard of the high priest's house, he sat down with the guards to warm himself beside a fire.

55The chief priests and the whole council tried to find someone to accuse Jesus of a crime, so they could put him to death. But they could not find anyone to accuse him. 56Many people did tell lies against Jesus, but they did not agree on what they said. 57Finally, some men stood up and lied about him. They said, 58"We heard him say he would tear down this temple that we built. He also claimed that in three days he would build another one without any help." 59But even then they did not agree on what they said.

60The high priest stood up in the council and asked Jesus, "Why don't you say something in your own defense? Don't you hear the charges they are making against you?" 61But Jesus kept quiet and did not say a word. The high priest asked him another question, "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the glorious God?" a]

62"Yes, I am!" Jesus answered.

"Soon you will see
the Son of Man
sitting at the right side b]
of God All-Powerful,
and coming with the clouds
of heaven."

63At once the high priest ripped his robe apart and shouted, "Why do we need more witnesses? 64You heard him claim to be God! What is your decision?" They all agreed that he should be put to death.

65Some of the people started spitting on Jesus. They blindfolded him, hit him with their fists, and said, "Tell us who hit you!" Then the guards took charge of Jesus and beat him.

Peter Says He Doesn't Know Jesus
(Matthew 26.69-75; Luke 22.56-62; John 18.15-18,25-27)

66While Peter was still in the courtyard, a servant girl of the high priest came up 67and saw Peter warming himself by the fire. She stared at him and said, "You were with Jesus from Nazareth!"

68Peter replied, "That isn't true! I don't know what you're talking about. I don't have any idea what you mean." He went out to the gate, and a rooster crowed. c]

69The servant girl saw Peter again and said to the people standing there, "This man is one of them!"

70"No, I'm not!" Peter replied.

A little while later some of the people said to Peter, "You certainly are one of them. You're a Galilean!"

71This time Peter began to curse and swear, "I don't even know the man you're talking about!"

72Right away the rooster crowed a second time. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had told him, "Before a rooster crows twice, you will say three times that you don't know me." So Peter started crying.

Footnotes:
Mark 14:61 Son of the glorious God: "Son of God" was one of the titles used for the kings of Israel.
Mark 14:62 right side: See the note at 12.36.
Mark 14:68 a rooster crowed: These words are not in some manuscripts.


Psalm 53:1-6 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 53
(A special psalm by David for the music leader. To the tune "Mahalath." (Psalm 53 Mahalath: Or " For flutes," one possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.) )

No One Can Ignore God

1Only a fool would say,
"There is no God!"
People like that are worthless!

They are heartless and cruel
and never do right.

2From heaven God
looks down to see
if anyone is wise enough
to search for him.

3But all of them
are crooked and corrupt.

Not one of them does right.

4Won't you lawbreakers learn?

You refuse to pray,
and you gobble down
the people of God.

5But you will be terrified
worse than ever before.

God will scatter the bones
of his enemies,
and you will be ashamed
when God rejects you.

6I long for someone from Zion
to come and save Israel!

Our God, when you bless
your people again,
Jacob's family will be glad,
and Israel will celebrate.


Proverbs 11:4 (Contemporary English Version)

4When God is angry,
money won't help you.
Obeying God is the only way
to be saved from death.

Bible Readings for March 9, 2011

Today our passages are Numbers 11:24 – 13:33; Mark 14:22-52; Psalm 52:1-9; and Proverbs 11:1-3. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version.

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Numbers 11:24-13:33 (Contemporary English Version)

24Moses told the people what the LORD had said. Then he chose seventy respected leaders and went with them to the sacred tent. While the leaders stood in a circle around the tent, Moses went inside, 25and the LORD spoke with him. Then the LORD took some authority a] from Moses and gave it to the seventy leaders. And when the LORD's Spirit took control of them, they started shouting like prophets. But they did it only this one time. 26Eldad and Medad were two leaders who had not gone to the tent. But when the Spirit took control of them, they began shouting like prophets right there in camp. 27A boy ran to Moses and told him about Eldad and Medad.

28Joshua b] was there helping Moses, as he had done since he was young. And he said to Moses, " Sir, you must stop them!" 29But Moses replied, " Are you concerned what this might do to me? I wish the LORD would give his Spirit to all his people so everyone could be a prophet." 30Then Moses and the seventy leaders went back to camp.

The LORD Sends Quails

31Some time later the LORD sent a strong wind that blew quails in from the sea until Israel's camp was completely surrounded with birds, piled up about three feet high for miles in every direction. 32The people picked up quails for two days--each person filled at least fifty bushels. Then they spread them out to dry. 33But before the meat could be eaten, the LORD became angry and sent a disease through the camp.
34After they had buried the people who had been so greedy for meat, they called the place " Graves for the Greedy." c] 35Israel then broke camp and traveled to Hazeroth.

Numbers 12

Miriam and Aaron Are Jealous of Moses

1-3Although Moses was the most humble person in all the world, Miriam and Aaron started complaining, " Moses had no right to marry that woman from Ethiopia! d] Who does he think he is? The LORD has spoken to us, not just to him." The LORD heard their complaint 4and told Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to come to the entrance of the sacred tent. 5There the LORD appeared in a cloud and told Aaron and Miriam to come closer. 6Then after commanding them to listen carefully, he said:

" I, the LORD, speak to prophets
in visions and dreams.
7But my servant Moses
is the leader of my people.
8He sees me face to face,
and everything I say to him
is perfectly clear.
You have no right to criticize
my servant Moses."

9The LORD became angry at Aaron and Miriam. And after the LORD left 10and the cloud disappeared from over the sacred tent, Miriam's skin turned white with leprosy. e] When Aaron saw what had happened to her, 11he said to Moses, " Sir, please don't punish us for doing such a foolish thing. 12Don't let Miriam's flesh rot away like a child born dead!" 13Moses prayed, " LORD God, please heal her."

14But the LORD replied, " Miriam would be disgraced for seven days if her father had punished her by spitting in her face. So make her stay outside the camp for seven days, before coming back."

15The people of Israel did not move their camp until Miriam returned seven days later. 16Then they left Hazeroth and set up camp in the Paran Desert.

Numbers 13

Twelve Men Are Sent into Canaan
(Deuteronomy 1.19-33)

1The LORD said to Moses, 2" Choose a leader from each tribe and send them into Canaan to explore the land I am giving you."

3So Moses sent twelve tribal leaders from Israel's camp in the Paran Desert 4-16with orders to explore the land of Canaan. And here are their names:

Shammua son of Zaccur
from Reuben,
Shaphat son of Hori
from Simeon,
Caleb son of Jephunneh
from Judah,
Igal son of Joseph
from Issachar,
Joshua son of Nun
from Ephraim, f]
Palti son of Raphu
from Benjamin,
Gaddiel son of Sodi
from Zebulun,
Gaddi son of Susi
from Manasseh,
Ammiel son of Gemalli
from Dan,
Sethur son of Michael
from Asher,
Nahbi son of Vophsi
from Naphtali,
and Geuel son of Machi
from Gad.

17Before Moses sent them into Canaan, he said:

After you go through the Southern Desert of Canaan, continue north into the hill country 18and find out what those regions are like. Be sure to remember how many people live there, how strong they are, 19-20and if they live in open towns or walled cities. See if the land is good for growing crops and find out what kinds of trees grow there. It's time for grapes to ripen, so try to bring back some of the fruit that grows there.

21The twelve men left to explore Canaan from the Zin Desert in the south all the way to the town of Rehob near Lebo-Hamath in the north. 22As they went through the Southern Desert, they came to the town of Hebron, which was seven years older than the Egyptian town of Zoan. In Hebron, they saw the three Anakim g] clans of Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai. 23-24When they got to Bunch Valley, h] they cut off a branch with such a huge bunch of grapes, that it took two men to carry it on a pole. That's why the place was called Bunch Valley. Along with the grapes, they also took back pomegranates i] and figs.

The Men Report Back to the People

25After exploring the land of Canaan forty days, 26the twelve men returned to Kadesh in the Paran Desert and told Moses, Aaron, and the people what they had seen. They showed them the fruit 27and said:
Look at this fruit! The land we explored is rich with milk and honey. 28But the people who live there are strong, and their cities are large and walled. We even saw the three Anakim j] clans. 29Besides that, the Amalekites live in the Southern Desert; the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites are in the hill country; and the Canaanites k] live along the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. 30Caleb calmed down the crowd and said, " Let's go and take the land. I know we can do it!"

31But the other men replied, " Those people are much too strong for us." 32Then they started spreading rumors and saying, " We won't be able to grow anything in that soil. And the people are like giants. 33In fact, we saw the Nephilim who are the ancestors of the Anakim. They were so big that we felt as small as grasshoppers."

Footnotes:
Numbers 11:25 some authority: Or " some of the Spirit's power."
Numbers 11:28 Joshua: Hebrew " Joshua son of Nun."
Numbers 11:34 Graves for the Greedy: Or " Kibroth-Hattaavah."
Numbers 12:1 Ethiopia: The Hebrew text has " Cush," which was a region south of Egypt that included parts of the present countries of Ethiopia and Sudan.
Numbers 12:10 leprosy: See the note at 5.2,3.
Numbers 13:4 Joshua. . . Ephraim: Hebrew " Hoshea son of Nun from Ephraim; Moses renamed him Joshua."
Numbers 13:22 Anakim: Perhaps a group of very large people (see Deuteronomy 2.10,11,20,21).
Numbers 13:23 Bunch Valley: Or " Eshcol Valley."
Numbers 13:23 pomegranates: A bright red fruit that looks like an apple.
Numbers 13:28 Anakim: See the note at verse 22.
Numbers 13:29 Amalekites. . . Hittites. . . Jebusites. . . Amorites. . . Canaanites: These people lived in Canaan before the Israelites.


Mark 14:22-52 (Contemporary English Version)

The Lord's Supper
(Matthew 26.26-30; Luke 22.14-23; 1 Corinthians 11.23-25)

22During the meal Jesus took some bread in his hands. He blessed the bread and broke it. Then he gave it to his disciples and said, "Take this. It is my body."

23Jesus picked up a cup of wine and gave thanks to God. He gave it to his disciples, and they all drank some. 24Then he said, "This is my blood, which is poured out for many people, and with it God makes his agreement. 25From now on I will not drink any wine, until I drink new wine in God's kingdom." 26Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.

Peter's Promise
(Matthew 26.31-35; Luke 22.31-34; John 13.36-38)

27Jesus said to his disciples, "All of you will reject me, as the Scriptures say,

`I will strike down
the shepherd,
and the sheep
will be scattered.'

28But after I am raised to life, I will go ahead of you to Galilee."

29Peter spoke up, "Even if all the others reject you, I never will!"

30Jesus replied, "This very night before a rooster crows twice, you will say three times that you don't know me."

31But Peter was so sure of himself that he said, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never say that I don't know you!"

All the others said the same thing.

Jesus Prays
(Matthew 26.36-46; Luke 22.39-46)

32Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he told them, "Sit here while I pray."

33Jesus took along Peter, James, and John. He was sad and troubled and 34told them, "I am so sad that I feel as if I am dying. Stay here and keep awake with me."

35-36Jesus walked on a little way. Then he knelt down on the ground and prayed, "Father, a] if it is possible, don't let this happen to me! Father, you can do anything. Don't make me suffer by having me drink from this cup. b] But do what you want, and not what I want."

37When Jesus came back and found the disciples sleeping, he said to Simon Peter, "Are you asleep? Can't you stay awake for just one hour? 38Stay awake and pray that you won't be tested. You want to do what is right, but you are weak."

39Jesus went back and prayed the same prayer. 40But when he returned to the disciples, he found them sleeping again. They simply could not keep their eyes open, and they did not know what to say.

41When Jesus returned to the disciples the third time, he said, "Are you still sleeping and resting? c] Enough of that! The time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to sinners. 42Get up! Let's go. The one who will betray me is already here."

Jesus Is Arrested
(Matthew 26.47-56; Luke 22.47-53; John 18.3-12)

43Jesus was still speaking, when Judas the betrayer came up. He was one of the twelve disciples, and a mob of men armed with swords and clubs were with him. They had been sent by the chief priests, the nation's leaders, and the teachers of the Law of Moses. 44Judas had told them ahead of time, "Arrest the man I greet with a kiss. d] Tie him up tight and lead him away."

45Judas walked right up to Jesus and said, "Teacher!" Then Judas kissed him, 46and the men grabbed Jesus and arrested him.

47Someone standing there pulled out a sword. He struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.

48Jesus said to the mob, "Why do you come with swords and clubs to arrest me like a criminal? 49Day after day I was with you and taught in the temple, and you didn't arrest me. But what the Scriptures say must come true."

50All of Jesus' disciples ran off and left him. 51One of them was a young man who was wearing only a linen cloth. And when the men grabbed him, 52he left the cloth behind and ran away naked.

Footnotes:
Mark 14:35 Father: The Greek text has "Abba," which is an Aramaic word meaning "father."
Mark 14:35 by having me drink from this cup: See the note at 10.38.
Mark 14:41 Are you still sleeping and resting: Or "You may as well keep on sleeping and resting."
Mark 14:44 greet with a kiss: It was the custom for people to greet each other with a kiss on the cheek.


Psalm 52:1-9 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 52
(A special psalm by David for the music leader. He wrote this when Doeg from Edom went to Saul and said, "David has gone to Ahimelech's house.")

God Is in Control

1You people may be strong
and brag about your sins,
but God can be trusted
day after day.

2You plan brutal crimes,
and your lying words cut
like a sharp razor.

3You would rather do evil
than good,
and tell lies
than speak the truth.

4You love to say cruel things,
and your words are a trap.

5God will destroy you forever!

He will grab you and drag you
from your homes.

You will be uprooted
and left to die.

6When good people see
this fearsome sight,
they will laugh and say,

7"Just look at them now!

Instead of trusting God,
they trusted their wealth
and their cruelty."

8But I am like an olive tree
growing in God's house,
and I can count on his love
forever and ever.

9I will always thank God
for what he has done;
I will praise his good name
when his people meet.


Proverbs 11:1-3 (Contemporary English Version)

Proverbs 11

Watch What You Say and Do

1The LORD hates anyone
who cheats,
but he likes everyone
who is honest.

2Too much pride
can put you to shame.
It's wiser to be humble.

3If you do the right thing,
honesty will be your guide.
But if you are crooked,
you will be trapped
by your own dishonesty.

Bible Readings for March 8, 2011

Today our passages are Numbers 10:1 – 11:23; Mark 14:1-21; Psalm 51:1-19; and Proverbs 10:31-32. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version.

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Numbers 10-11:23 (Contemporary English Version)

Numbers 10

The Silver Trumpets

1The LORD told Moses:

2Have someone make two trumpets out of hammered silver. These will be used to call the people together and to give the signal for moving your camp. 3If both trumpets are blown, everyone is to meet with you at the entrance to the sacred tent. 4But if just one is blown, only the twelve tribal leaders need to come together.

5-6Give a signal on a trumpet when it is time to break camp. The first blast will be the signal for the tribes camped on the east side, and the second blast will be the signal for those on the south. 7But when you want everyone to come together, sound a different signal on the trumpet. 8The priests of Aaron's family will be the ones to blow the trumpets, and this law will never change.

9Whenever you go into battle against an enemy attacking your land, give a warning signal on the trumpets. Then I, the LORD, will hear it and rescue you. 10During the celebration of the New Moon Festival and other religious festivals, sound the trumpets while you offer sacrifices. This will be a reminder that I am the LORD your God.

The Israelites Begin Their Journey

11On the twentieth day of the second month [a] of that same year, the cloud over the sacred tent moved on. 12So the Israelites broke camp and left the Sinai Desert. And some time later, the cloud stopped in the Paran Desert. [b] 13This was the first time the LORD had told Moses to command the people of Israel to move on. 14Judah and the tribes that camped alongside it marched out first, carrying their banner. Nahshon son of Amminadab was the leader of the Judah tribe, 15Nethanel son of Zuar was the leader of the Issachar tribe, 16and Eliab son of Helon was the leader of the Zebulun tribe.

17The sacred tent had been taken down, and the Gershonites and the Merarites carried it, marching behind the Judah camp.

18Reuben and the tribes that camped alongside it marched out second, carrying their banner. Elizur son of Shedeur was the leader of the Reuben tribe, 19Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was the leader of the Simeon tribe, 20and Eliasaph son of Deuel was the leader of the Gad tribe.

21Next were the Kohathites, carrying the objects for the sacred tent, which was to be set up before they arrived at the new camp.

22Ephraim and the tribes that camped alongside it marched next, carrying their banner. Elishama son of Ammihud was the leader of the Ephraim tribe, 23Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was the leader of the Manasseh tribe, 24and Abidan son of Gideoni was the leader of the Benjamin tribe.

25Dan and the tribes that camped alongside it were to protect the Israelites against an attack from behind, and so they marched last, carrying their banner. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai was the leader of the tribe of Dan, 26Pagiel son of Ochran was the leader of the Asher tribe, 27and Ahira son of Enan was the leader of the Naphtali tribe.

28This was the order in which the Israelites marched each time they moved their camp.

29Hobab [c] the Midianite, the father-in-law of Moses, was there. And Moses said to him, " We're leaving for the place the LORD has promised us. He has said that all will go well for us. So come along, and we will make sure that all goes well for you." 30" No, I won't go," Hobab answered. " I'm returning home to be with my own people."

31" Please go with us!" Moses said. " You can be our guide because you know the places to camp in the desert. 32Besides that, if you go, we will give you a share of the good things the LORD gives us."

33The people of Israel began their journey from Mount Sinai. [d] They traveled three days, and the Levites who carried the sacred chest led the way, so the LORD could show them where to camp. 34And the cloud always stayed with them. 35Each day as the Israelites began their journey, Moses would pray, " Our LORD, defeat your enemies and make them run!" 36And when they stopped to set up camp, he would pray, " Our LORD, stay close to Israel's thousands and thousands of people."

Numbers 11

The Israelites Complain

1One day the Israelites started complaining about their troubles. The LORD heard them and became so angry that he destroyed the outer edges of their camp with fire.

2When the people begged Moses to help, he prayed, and the fire went out. 3They named the place " Burning," [e] because in his anger the LORD had set their camp on fire.

The People Grumble about Being Hungry

4One day some worthless foreigners among the Israelites became greedy for food, and even the Israelites themselves began moaning, " We don't have any meat! 5In Egypt we could eat all the fish we wanted, and there were cucumbers, melons, onions, and garlic. 6But we're starving out here, and the only food we have is this manna."

7The manna was like small whitish seeds 8-9and tasted like something baked with sweet olive oil. It appeared at night with the dew. In the morning the people would collect the manna, grind or crush it into flour, then boil it and make it into thin wafers.

10The Israelites stood around their tents complaining. Moses heard them and was upset that they had made the LORD angry. 11He prayed:

I am your servant, LORD, so why are you doing this to me? What have I done to deserve this? You've made me responsible for all these people, 12but they're not my children. You told me to nurse them along and to carry them to the land you promised their ancestors. 13They keep whining for meat, but where can I get meat for them? 14This job is too much for me. How can I take care of all these people by myself? 15If this is the way you're going to treat me, just kill me now and end my miserable life!

Seventy Leaders Are Chosen To Help Moses

16The LORD said to Moses:

Choose seventy of Israel's respected leaders and go with them to the sacred tent. 17While I am talking with you there, I will give them some of your authority, so they can share responsibility for my people. You will no longer have to care for them by yourself.

18As for the Israelites, I have heard them complaining about not having meat and about being better off in Egypt. So tell them to make themselves acceptable to me, because tomorrow they will have meat. 19-20In fact, they will have meat day after day for a whole month--not just a few days, or even ten or twenty. They turned against me and wanted to return to Egypt. Now they will eat meat until they get sick of it.

21Moses replied, " At least six hundred thousand grown men are here with me. How can you say there will be enough meat to feed them and their families for a whole month? 22Even if we butchered all of our sheep and cattle, or caught every fish in the sea, we wouldn't have enough to feed them."

23The LORD answered, " I can do anything! Watch and you'll see my words come true."

Footnotes:
Numbers 10:11 second month: See the note at 1.1.
Numbers 10:12 the Paran Desert: Probably a general name for the northernmost part of the Sinai Desert.
Numbers 10:29 Hobab: Hebrew " Hobab son of Reuel."
Numbers 10:33 Mount Sinai: Hebrew " the LORD's mountain."
Numbers 11:3 Burning: Or " Taberah."


Mark 14:1-21 (Contemporary English Version)

Mark 14

A Plot To Kill Jesus
(Matthew 26.1-5; Luke 22.1,2; John 11.45-53)

1It was now two days before Passover and the Festival of Thin Bread. The chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses were planning how they could sneak around and have Jesus arrested and put to death. 2They were saying, "We must not do it during the festival, because the people will riot."

At Bethany
(Matthew 26.6-13; John 12.1-8)

3Jesus was eating in Bethany at the home of Simon, who once had leprosy, [a] when a woman came in with a very expensive bottle of sweet-smelling perfume. [b] After breaking it open, she poured the perfume on Jesus' head. 4This made some of the guests angry, and they complained, "Why such a waste? 5We could have sold this perfume for more than three hundred silver coins and given the money to the poor!" So they started saying cruel things to the woman.

6But Jesus said:

Leave her alone! Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing for me. 7You will always have the poor with you. And whenever you want to, you can give to them. But you won't always have me here with you. 8She has done all she could by pouring perfume on my body to prepare it for burial. 9You may be sure that wherever the good news is told all over the world, people will remember what she has done. And they will tell others.

Judas and the Chief Priests
(Matthew 26.14-16; Luke 22.3-6)

10Judas Iscariot [c] was one of the twelve disciples. He went to the chief priests and offered to help them arrest Jesus. 11They were glad to hear this, and they promised to pay him. So Judas started looking for a good chance to betray Jesus.

Jesus Eats with His Disciples
(Matthew 26.17-25; Luke 22.7-14,21-23; John 13.21-30)

12It was the first day of the Festival of Thin Bread, and the Passover lambs were being killed. Jesus' disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal?"

13Jesus said to two of the disciples, "Go into the city, where you will meet a man carrying a jar of water. [d] Follow him, 14and when he goes into a house, say to the owner, `Our teacher wants to know if you have a room where he can eat the Passover meal with his disciples.' 15The owner will take you upstairs and show you a large room furnished and ready for you to use. Prepare the meal there."

16The two disciples went into the city and found everything just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover meal.

17-18While Jesus and the twelve disciples were eating together that evening, he said, "The one who will betray me is now eating with me."

19This made the disciples sad, and one after another they said to Jesus, "You surely don't mean me!"

20He answered, "It is one of you twelve men who is eating from this dish with me. 21The Son of Man will die, just as the Scriptures say. But it is going to be terrible for the one who betrays me. That man would be better off if he had never been born."

Footnotes:
Mark 14:3 leprosy: In biblical times the word "leprosy" was used for many different skin diseases.
Mark 14:3 sweet-smelling perfume: The Greek text has "perfume made of pure spikenard," a plant used to make perfume.
Mark 14:10 Iscariot: See the note at 3.19.
Mark 14:13 a man carrying a jar of water: A male slave carrying water could mean that the family was rich.


Psalm 51:1-19 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 51

(For the music leader. A psalm by David when the prophet Nathan came to him after David had been with Bathsheba.)

A Prayer for Forgiveness

1You are kind, God!
Please have pity on me.

You are always merciful!

Please wipe away my sins.

2Wash me clean from all
of my sin and guilt.

3I know about my sins,
and I cannot forget
my terrible guilt.

4You are really the one
I have sinned against;
I have disobeyed you
and have done wrong.

So it is right and fair for you
to correct and punish me.

5I have sinned and done wrong
since the day I was born.

6But you want complete honesty,
so teach me true wisdom.

7Wash me with hyssop [a] until I am clean
and whiter than snow.

8Let me be happy and joyful!

You crushed my bones,
now let them celebrate.

9Turn your eyes from my sin
and cover my guilt.

10Create pure thoughts in me
and make me faithful again.

11Don't chase me away from you
or take your Holy Spirit
away from me.

12Make me as happy as you did
when you saved me;
make me want to obey!

13I will teach sinners your Law,
and they will return to you.

14Keep me from any deadly sin.

Only you can save me!

Then I will shout and sing
about your power to save.

15Help me to speak,
and I will praise you, Lord.

16Offerings and sacrifices
are not what you want.

17The way to please you
is to feel sorrow
deep in our hearts.

This is the kind of sacrifice
you won't refuse.

18Please be willing, Lord,
to help the city of Zion
and to rebuild its walls.

19Then you will be pleased
with the proper sacrifices,
and we will offer bulls
on your altar once again.

Footnotes:
Psalm 51:7 hyssop: A small bush with bunches of small, white flowers. It was sometimes used as a symbol for making a person clean from sin.


Proverbs 10:31-32 (Contemporary English Version)

31Honest people speak sensibly,
but deceitful liars
will be silenced.

32If you obey the Lord,
you will always know
the right thing to say.

But no one will trust you
if you tell lies.