Bible Readings for March 5, 2016

Today our passages are Numbers 6:1–7:89; Mark 12:38–13:13; Psalm 49:1-20; and Proverbs 10:27-28. The readings are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson.  If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal.

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Numbers 6-7:89 (The Message)

Numbers 6

Nazirite Vows

 ^1-4 God spoke to Moses: "Speak to the People of Israel; tell them, If any of you, man or woman, wants to make a special Nazirite vow, consecrating yourself totally to God, you must not drink any wine or beer, no intoxicating drink of any kind, not even the juice of grapes—in fact, you must not even eat grapes or raisins. For the duration of the consecration, nothing from the grapevine—not even the seeds, not even the skin—may be eaten.  ⁵ "Also, for the duration of the consecration you must not have your hair cut. Your long hair will be a continuing sign of holy separation to God.
 ^6-7 "Also, for the duration of the consecration to God, you must not go near a corpse. Even if it's the body of your father or mother, brother or sister, you must not ritually defile yourself because the sign of consecration to God is on your head.
 ⁸ "For the entire duration of your consecration you are holy to God.
 ^9-12 "If someone should die suddenly in your presence, so that your consecrated head is ritually defiled, you must shave your head on the day of your purifying, that is, the seventh day. Then on the eighth day bring two doves or two pigeons to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. The priest will offer one for the Absolution-Offering and one for the Whole-Burnt-Offering, purifying you from the ritual contamination of the corpse. You resanctify your hair on that day and reconsecrate your Nazirite consecration to God by bringing a yearling lamb for a Compensation-Offering. You start over; the previous days don't count because your consecration was ritually defiled.
 ^13-17 "These are the instructions for the time set when your special consecration to God is up. First, you are to be brought to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Then you will present your offerings to God: a healthy yearling lamb for the Whole-Burnt-Offering, a healthy yearling ewe for an Absolution-Offering, a healthy ram for a Peace-Offering, a basket of unraised bread made of fine flour, loaves mixed with oil, and crackers spread with oil, along with your Grain-Offerings and Drink-Offerings. The priest will approach God and offer up your Absolution-Offering and Whole-Burnt-Offering. He will sacrifice the ram as a Peace-Offering to God with the basket of unraised bread, and, last of all, the Grain-Offering and Drink-Offering.
 ¹⁸ "At the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, shave off the hair you consecrated and put it in the fire that is burning under the Peace-Offering.
 ^19-20 "After you have shaved the hair of your consecration, the priest will take a shoulder from the ram, boiled, and a piece of unraised bread and a cracker from the basket and place them in your hands. The priest will then wave them before God, a Wave-Offering. They are holy and belong to the priest, along with the breast that was waved and the thigh that was offered.
   "Now you are free to drink wine.
 ²¹ "These are the instructions for Nazirites as they bring offerings to God in their vow of consecration, beyond their other offerings. They must carry out the vow they have vowed following the instructions for the Nazirite."

The Aaronic Blessing

^22-23 God spoke to Moses: "Tell Aaron and his sons, This is how you are to bless the People of Israel. Say to them,

 ²⁴ God bless you and keep you,

 ²⁵ God smile on you and gift you,

 ²⁶ God look you full in the face
      and make you prosper.
²⁷ In so doing, they will place my name on the People of Israel—
   I will confirm it by blessing them."

Numbers 7

Offerings for the Dedication

 ¹ When Moses finished setting up The Dwelling, he anointed it and consecrated it along with all that went with it. At the same time he anointed and consecrated the Altar and its accessories.  ^2-3 The leaders of Israel, the heads of the ancestral tribes who had carried out the census, brought offerings. They presented before God six covered wagons and twelve oxen, a wagon from each pair of leaders and an ox from each leader.
 ^4-5 God spoke to Moses: ''Receive these so that they can be used to transport the Tent of Meeting. Give them to the Levites according to what they need for their work."
 ^6-9 Moses took the wagons and oxen and gave them to the Levites. He gave two wagons and four oxen to the Gershonites for their work and four wagons and eight oxen to the Merarites for their work. They were all under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest. Moses didn't give any to the Kohathites because they had to carry the holy things for which they were responsible on their shoulders.
 ^10-11 When the Altar was anointed, the leaders brought their offerings for its dedication and presented them before the Altar because God had instructed Moses, "Each day one leader is to present his offering for the dedication of the Altar."
 ^12-13 On the first day, Nahshon son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah, brought his offering. His offering was:
   a silver plate weighing three and a quarter pounds and a silver bowl weighing one and three-quarter pounds (according to the standard Sanctuary weights), each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a Grain-Offering;
 ¹⁴ a gold vessel weighing four ounces, filled with incense;
 ¹⁵ a young bull, a ram, and a yearling lamb for a Whole-Burnt-Offering;
 ¹⁶ a he-goat for an Absolution-Offering;
   two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs to be sacrificed as a Peace-Offering.
 ¹⁷ This was the offering of Nahshon son of Amminadab.
 ^18-23 On the second day, Nethanel son of Zuar, the leader of Issachar, brought his offering. His offering was:
   a silver plate weighing three and a quarter pounds and a silver bowl weighing one and three-quarter pounds (according to the standard Sanctuary weights), each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a Grain-Offering;
   a gold vessel weighing four ounces, filled with incense;
   a young bull, a ram, and a yearling lamb for a Whole-Burnt-Offering;
   a he-goat for an Absolution-Offering;
   two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs to be sacrificed as a Peace-Offering.
   This was the offering of Nethanel son of Zuar.
 ^24-29 On the third day, Eliab son of Helon, the leader of the people of Zebulun, brought his offering. His offering was:
   a silver plate weighing three and a quarter pounds and a silver bowl weighing one and three-quarter pounds (according to the standard Sanctuary weights), each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a Grain-Offering;
   a gold vessel weighing four ounces, filled with incense;
   a young bull, a ram, and a yearling lamb for a Whole-Burnt-Offering;
   a he-goat for an Absolution-Offering;
   two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs to be sacrificed as a Peace-Offering.
   This was the offering of Eliab son of Helon.
 ^30-35 On the fourth day, Elizur son of Shedeur, the leader of the people of Reuben, brought his offering. His offering was:
   a silver plate weighing three and a quarter pounds and a silver bowl weighing one and three-quarter pounds (according to the standard Sanctuary weights), each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a Grain-Offering;
   a gold vessel weighing four ounces, filled with incense;
   a young bull, a ram, and a yearling lamb for a Whole-Burnt-Offering;
   a he-goat for an Absolution-Offering;
   two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs to be sacrificed as a Peace-Offering.
   This was the offering of Elizur son of Shedeur.
 ^36-41 On the fifth day, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, the leader of the people of Simeon, brought his offering. His offering was:
   a silver plate weighing three and a quarter pounds and a silver bowl weighing one and three-quarter pounds (according to the standard Sanctuary weights), each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a Grain-Offering;
   a gold vessel weighing four ounces, filled with incense;
   a young bull, a ram, and a yearling lamb for a Whole-Burnt-Offering;
   a he-goat for an Absolution-Offering;
   two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs to be sacrificed as a Peace-Offering.
   This was the offering of Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.
 ^42-47 On the sixth day, Eliasaph son of Deuel, the leader of the people of Gad, brought his offering. His offering was:
   a silver plate weighing three and a quarter pounds and a silver bowl weighing one and three-quarter pounds (according to the standard Sanctuary weights), each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a Grain-Offering;
   a gold vessel weighing four ounces, filled with incense;
   a young bull, a ram, and a yearling lamb for a Whole-Burnt-Offering;
   a he-goat for an Absolution-Offering;
   two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs to be sacrificed as a Peace-Offering.
   This was the offering of Eliasaph son of Deuel.
 ^48-53 On the seventh day, Elishama son of Ammihud, the leader of the people of Ephraim, brought his offering. His offering was:
   a silver plate weighing three and a quarter pounds and a silver bowl weighing one and three-quarter pounds (according to the standard Sanctuary weights), each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a Grain-Offering;
   a gold vessel weighing four ounces, filled with incense;
   a young bull, a ram, and a yearling lamb for a Whole-Burnt-Offering;
   a he-goat for an Absolution-Offering;
   two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs to be sacrificed as a Peace-Offering.
   This was the offering of Elishama son of Ammihud.
 ^54-59 On the eighth day, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, the leader of the people of Manasseh, brought his offering. His offering was:
   a silver plate weighing three and a quarter pounds and a silver bowl weighing one and three-quarter pounds (according to the standard Sanctuary weights), each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a Grain-Offering;
   a gold vessel weighing four ounces, filled with incense;
   a young bull, a ram, and a yearling lamb for a Whole-Burnt-Offering;
   a he-goat for an Absolution-Offering;
   two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs to be sacrificed as a Peace-Offering.
   This was the offering of Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.
 ^60-65 On the ninth day, Abidan son of Gideoni, the leader of the people of Benjamin, brought his offering. His offering was:
   a silver plate weighing three and a quarter pounds and a silver bowl weighing one and three-quarter pounds (according to the standard Sanctuary weights), each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a Grain-Offering;
   a gold vessel weighing four ounces, filled with incense;
   a young bull, a ram, and a yearling lamb for a Whole-Burnt-Offering;
   a he-goat for an Absolution-Offering;
   two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs to be sacrificed as a Peace-Offering.
   This was the offering of Abidan son of Gideoni.
 ^66-71 On the tenth day, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai, the leader of the people of Dan, brought his offering. His offering was:
   a silver plate weighing three and a quarter pounds and a silver bowl weighing one and three-quarter pounds (according to the standard Sanctuary weights), each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a Grain-Offering;
   a gold vessel weighing four ounces, filled with incense;
   a young bull, a ram, and a yearling lamb for a Whole-Burnt-Offering;
   a he-goat for an Absolution-Offering;
   two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs to be sacrificed as a Peace-Offering.
   This was the offering of Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.
 ^72-77 On the eleventh day, Pagiel son of Ocran, the leader of the people of Asher, brought his offering. His offering was:
   a silver plate weighing three and a quarter pounds and a silver bowl weighing one and three-quarter pounds (according to the standard Sanctuary weights), each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a Grain-Offering;
   a gold vessel weighing four ounces, filled with incense;
   a young bull, a ram, and a yearling lamb for a Whole-Burnt-Offering;
   a he-goat for an Absolution-Offering;
   two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs to be sacrificed as a Peace-Offering.
   This was the offering of Pagiel son of Ocran.
 ^78-83 On the twelfth day, Ahira son of Enan, the leader of the people of Naphtali, brought his offering. His offering was:
   a silver plate weighing three and a quarter pounds and a silver bowl weighing one and three-quarter pounds (according to the standard Sanctuary weights), each filled with fine flour mixed with oil as a Grain-Offering;
   a gold vessel weighing four ounces, filled with incense;
   a young bull, a ram, and a yearling lamb for a Whole-Burnt-Offering;
   a he-goat for an Absolution-Offering;
   two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs to be sacrificed as a Peace-Offering.
   This was the offering of Ahira son of Enan.
 ⁸⁴ These were the dedication offerings of the leaders of Israel for the anointing of the Altar:

      twelve silver plates,
      twelve silver bowls,
      twelve gold vessels.
 ^85-86 Each plate weighed three and a quarter pounds and each bowl one and three-quarter pounds. All the plates and bowls together weighed about sixty pounds (using the official Sanctuary weight). The twelve gold vessels filled with incense weighed four ounces each (using the official Sanctuary weight). Altogether the gold vessels weighed about three pounds.
 ⁸⁷ The sum total of animals used for the Whole-Burnt-Offering together with the Grain-Offering:

      twelve bulls,
      twelve rams,
      twelve yearling lambs.
   For the Absolution-Offering:

      twelve he-goats.
 ⁸⁸ The sum total of animals used for the sacrifice of the Peace-Offering:

      twenty-four bulls,
      sixty rams,
      sixty he-goats,
      sixty yearling lambs.
   These were the offerings for the dedication of the Altar after it was anointed.
 ⁸⁹ When Moses entered the Tent of Meeting to speak with God, he heard the Voice speaking to him from between the two angel-cherubim above the Atonement-Cover on the Chest of The Testimony. He spoke with him.

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Mark 12:38-13:13 (The Message)

 ^38-40He continued teaching. "Watch out for the religion scholars. They love to walk around in academic gowns, preening in the radiance of public flattery, basking in prominent positions, sitting at the head table at every church function. And all the time they are exploiting the weak and helpless. The longer their prayers, the worse they get. But they'll pay for it in the end."

 ^41-44Sitting across from the offering box, he was observing how the crowd tossed money in for the collection. Many of the rich were making large contributions. One poor widow came up and put in two small coins—a measly two cents. Jesus called his disciples over and said, "The truth is that this poor widow gave more to the collection than all the others put together. All the others gave what they'll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford—she gave her all."

Mark 13

Doomsday Deceivers

 ¹ As he walked away from the Temple, one of his disciples said, "Teacher, look at that stonework! Those buildings!"

 ²Jesus said, "You're impressed by this grandiose architecture? There's not a stone in the whole works that is not going to end up in a heap of rubble." ^3-4Later, as he was sitting on Mount Olives in full view of the Temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew got him off by himself and asked, "Tell us, when is this going to happen? What sign will we get that things are coming to a head?"

 ^5-8Jesus began, "Watch out for doomsday deceivers. Many leaders are going to show up with forged identities claiming, 'I'm the One.' They will deceive a lot of people. When you hear of wars and rumored wars, keep your head and don't panic. This is routine history, and no sign of the end. Nation will fight nation and ruler fight ruler, over and over. Earthquakes will occur in various places. There will be famines. But these things are nothing compared to what's coming.

 ^9-10"And watch out! They're going to drag you into court. And then it will go from bad to worse, dog-eat-dog, everyone at your throat because you carry my name. You're placed there as sentinels to truth. The Message has to be preached all across the world.

 ¹¹"When they bring you, betrayed, into court, don't worry about what you'll say. When the time comes, say what's on your heart—the Holy Spirit will make his witness in and through you.

 ^12-13"It's going to be brother killing brother, father killing child, children killing parents. There's no telling who will hate you because of me.

   "Stay with it—that's what is required. Stay with it to the end. You won't be sorry; you'll be saved.

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Psalm 49:1-20 (The Message)

Psalm 49

A Psalm of the Sons of Korah

 ^1-2 Listen, everyone, listen— earth-dwellers, don't miss this.
   All you haves
      and have-nots,
   All together now: listen.

 ^3-4 I set plainspoken wisdom before you,
      my heart-seasoned understandings of life.
   I fine-tuned my ear to the sayings of the wise,
      I solve life's riddle with the help of a harp.

 ^5-6 So why should I fear in bad times,
      hemmed in by enemy malice,
   Shoved around by bullies,
      demeaned by the arrogant rich?

 ^7-9 Really! There's no such thing as self-rescue,
      pulling yourself up by your bootstraps.
   The cost of rescue is beyond our means,
      and even then it doesn't guarantee
   Life forever, or insurance
      against the Black Hole.

 ^10-11 Anyone can see that the brightest and best die,
      wiped out right along with fools and dunces.
   They leave all their prowess behind,
      move into their new home, The Coffin,
   The cemetery their permanent address.
      And to think they named counties after themselves!

 ¹² We aren't immortal. We don't last long.
      Like our dogs, we age and weaken. And die.

 ^13-15 This is what happens to those who live for the moment,
      who only look out for themselves:
   Death herds them like sheep straight to hell;
      they disappear down the gullet of the grave;
   They waste away to nothing—
      nothing left but a marker in a cemetery.
   But me? God snatches me from the clutch of death,
      he reaches down and grabs me.

 ^16-19 So don't be impressed with those who get rich
      and pile up fame and fortune.
   They can't take it with them;
      fame and fortune all get left behind.
   Just when they think they've arrived
      and folks praise them because they've made good,
   They enter the family burial plot
      where they'll never see sunshine again.

 ²⁰ We aren't immortal. We don't last long.
      Like our dogs, we age and weaken. And die.

 

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Proverbs 10:27-28 (The Message)

 ²⁷ The Fear-of-God expands your life;
   a wicked life is a puny life.

 ²⁸ The aspirations of good people end in celebration;
   the ambitions of bad people crash.

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Verse of the Day

“Memorize his laws and tell them to your children over and over again. Talk about them all the time, whether you're at home or walking along the road or going to bed at night, or getting up in the morning.” - Deuteronomy 6: 6-7

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

American magician, juggler, comedian, musician, inventor, actor, and best-selling author known for his work with fellow magician Teller in the team Penn & Teller, Penn Jillette wrote, “Two things have always been true about human beings. One, the world is always getting better. Two, the people living at that time think it`s getting worse. It's because you get older, your responsibilities are different. Now I'm taking care of children instead of being a child. It makes the world look scarier. That happens to everyone.”

Bible Readings for March 4, 2016

Today our passages are Numbers 2:1–3:51; Mark 11:27–12:17; Psalm 47:1-9; and Proverbs 10:24-25. The readings are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal.

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Numbers 2-3:51 (The Message)

Numbers 2

Marching Orders

 ^1-2 God spoke to Moses and Aaron. He said, "The People of Israel are to set up camp circling the Tent of Meeting and facing it. Each company is to camp under its distinctive tribal flag."  ^3-4 To the east toward the sunrise are the companies of the camp of Judah under its flag, led by Nahshon son of Amminadab. His troops number 74,600.
 ^5-6 The tribe of Issachar will camp next to them, led by Nethanel son of Zuar. His troops number 54,400.
 ^7-8 And the tribe of Zebulun is next to them, led by Eliab son of Helon. His troops number 57,400.
 ⁹ The total number of men assigned to Judah, troop by troop, is 186,400. They will lead the march.
 ^10-11 To the south are the companies of the camp of Reuben under its flag, led by Elizur son of Shedeur. His troops number 46,500.
 ^12-13 The tribe of Simeon will camp next to them, led by Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. His troops number 59,300.
 ^14-15 And the tribe of Gad is next to them, led by Eliasaph son of Deuel. His troops number 45,650.
 ¹⁶ The total number of men assigned to Reuben, troop by troop, is 151,450. They are second in the order of the march.
 ¹⁷ The Tent of Meeting with the camp of the Levites takes its place in the middle of the march. Each tribe will march in the same order in which they camped, each under its own flag.
 ^18-19 To the west are the companies of the camp of Ephraim under its flag, led by Elishama son of Ammihud. His troops number 40,500.
 ^20-21 The tribe of Manasseh will set up camp next to them, led by Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. His troops number 32,200.
 ^22-23 And next to him is the camp of Benjamin, led by Abidan son of Gideoni. His troops number 35,400.
 ²⁴ The total number of men assigned to the camp of Ephraim, troop by troop, is 108,100. They are third in the order of the march.
 ^25-26 To the north are the companies of the camp of Dan under its flag, led by Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. His troops number 62,700.
 ^27-28 The tribe of Asher will camp next to them, led by Pagiel son of Ocran. His troops number 41,500.
 ^29-30 And next to them is the tribe of Naphtali, led by Ahira son of Enan. His troops number 53,400.
 ³¹ The total number of men assigned to the camp of Dan number 157,600. They will set out, under their flags, last in the line of the march.
 ^32-33 These are the People of Israel, counted according to their ancestral families. The total number in the camps, counted troop by troop, comes to 603,550. Following God's command to Moses, the Levites were not counted in with the rest of Israel.
 ³⁴ The People of Israel did everything the way God commanded Moses: They camped under their respective flags; they marched by tribe with their ancestral families.

Numbers 3

The Levites

 ¹ This is the family tree of Aaron and Moses at the time God spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.  ^2-4 The names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar—anointed priests ordained to serve as priests. But Nadab and Abihu fell dead in the presence of God when they offered unauthorized sacrifice to him in the Wilderness of Sinai. They left no sons, and so only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father, Aaron. ^5-10 God spoke to Moses. He said, "Bring forward the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron so they can help him. They shall work for him and the whole congregation at the Tent of Meeting by doing the work of The Dwelling. Their job is to be responsible for all the furnishings of The Dwelling, ministering to the affairs of The Dwelling as the People of Israel come to perform their duties. Turn the Levites over to Aaron and his sons; they are the ones assigned to work full time for him. Appoint Aaron and his sons to minister as priests; anyone else who tries to elbow his way in will be put to death."
 ^11-13 God spoke to Moses: "I have taken the Levites from among the People of Israel as a stand-in for every Israelite mother's firstborn son. The Levites belong to me. All the firstborn are mine—when I killed all the firstborn in Egypt, I consecrated for my own use every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They belong to me. I am God."
 ^14-16 God spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai: "Count the Levites by their ancestral families and clans. Count every male a month old and older." Moses counted them just as he was instructed by the mouth of God.
 ¹⁷ These are the names of the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
 ¹⁸ These are the names of the Gershonite clans: Libni and Shimei.
 ¹⁹ The sons of Kohath by clan: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
 ²⁰ The sons of Merari by clan: Mahli and Mushi.
   These are the clans of Levi, family by family.
 ^21-26 Gershon was ancestor to the clans of the Libnites and Shimeites, known as the Gershonite clans. All the males who were one month and older numbered 7,500. The Gershonite clans camped on the west, behind The Dwelling, led by Eliasaph son of Lael. At the Tent of Meeting the Gershonites were in charge of maintaining The Dwelling and its tent, its coverings, the screen at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the hangings of the Courtyard, the screen at the entrance to the Courtyard that surrounded The Dwelling and Altar, and the cords—in short, everything having to do with these things.
 ^27-32 Kohath was ancestor to the clans of the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites, and Uzzielites. These were known as the Kohathite clans. All the males who were one month and older numbered 8,600. The Kohathites were in charge of the Sanctuary. The Kohathite clans camped on the south side of The Dwelling, led by Elizaphan son of Uzziel. They were in charge of caring for the Chest, the Table, the Lampstand, the Altars, the articles of the Sanctuary used in worship, and the screen—everything having to do with these things. Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, supervised the leaders of the Levites and those in charge of the Sanctuary.
 ^33-37 Merari was ancestor to the clans of the Mahlites and the Mushites, known as the Merarite clans. The males who were one month and older numbered 6,200. They were led by Zuriel son of Abihail and camped on the north side of The Dwelling. The Merarites were in charge of the frames of The Dwelling, its crossbars, posts, bases, and all its equipment—everything having to do with these things, as well as the posts of the surrounding Courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and cords.
 ³⁸ Moses and Aaron and his sons camped to the east of The Dwelling, toward the rising sun, in front of the Tent of Meeting. They were in charge of maintaining the Sanctuary for the People of Israel and the rituals of worship. Anyone else who tried to perform these duties was to be put to death.
 ³⁹ The sum total of Levites counted at God's command by Moses and Aaron, clan by clan, all the males one month and older, numbered 22,000.
 ^40-41 God spoke to Moses: "Count all the firstborn males of the People of Israel who are one month and older. List their names. Then set apart for me the Levites—remember, I am God—in place of all the firstborn among the People of Israel, also the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. I am God."
 ^42-43 So, just as God commanded him, Moses counted all the firstborn of the People of Israel. The total of firstborn males one month and older, listed by name, numbered 22,273.
 ^44-48 Again God spoke to Moses. He said, "Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites are mine, I am God. Redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who exceed the number of Levites by collecting five shekels for each one, using the Sanctuary shekel (the shekel weighing twenty gerahs). Give that money to Aaron and his sons for the redemption of the excess number of Israelites."
 ^49-51 So Moses collected the redemption money from those who exceeded the number redeemed by the Levites. From the 273 firstborn Israelites he collected silver weighing 1,365 shekels according to the Sanctuary shekel. Moses turned over the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, as he was commanded by the word of God.

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Mark 11:27-12:17 (The Message)

His Credentials

 ^27-28Then when they were back in Jerusalem once again, as they were walking through the Temple, the high priests, religion scholars, and leaders came up and demanded, "Show us your credentials. Who authorized you to speak and act like this?"

 ^29-30Jesus responded, "First let me ask you a question. Answer my question and then I'll present my credentials. About the baptism of John—who authorized it: heaven or humans? Tell me."

 ^31-33They were on the spot, and knew it. They pulled back into a huddle and whispered, "If we say 'heaven,' he'll ask us why we didn't believe John; if we say 'humans,' we'll be up against it with the people because they all hold John up as a prophet." They decided to concede that round to Jesus. "We don't know," they said.

   Jesus replied, "Then I won't answer your question either."

Mark 12

The Story About a Vineyard

 ^1-2 Then Jesus started telling them stories. "A man planted a vineyard. He fenced it, dug a winepress, erected a watchtower, turned it over to the farmhands, and went off on a trip. At the time for harvest, he sent a servant back to the farmhands to collect his profits.

 ^3-5"They grabbed him, beat him up, and sent him off empty-handed. So he sent another servant. That one they tarred and feathered. He sent another and that one they killed. And on and on, many others. Some they beat up, some they killed.

 ⁶"Finally there was only one left: a beloved son. In a last-ditch effort, he sent him, thinking, 'Surely they will respect my son.'

 ^7-8"But those farmhands saw their chance. They rubbed their hands together in greed and said, 'This is the heir! Let's kill him and have it all for ourselves.' They grabbed him, killed him, and threw him over the fence.

 ^9-11"What do you think the owner of the vineyard will do? Right. He'll come and clean house. Then he'll assign the care of the vineyard to others. Read it for yourselves in Scripture:

   That stone the masons threw out
      is now the cornerstone!
   This is God's work;
      we rub our eyes—we can hardly believe it!"

 ¹²They wanted to lynch him then and there but, intimidated by public opinion, held back. They knew the story was about them. They got away from there as fast as they could.

Paying Taxes to Caesar

 ^13-14They sent some Pharisees and followers of Herod to bait him, hoping to catch him saying something incriminating. They came up and said, "Teacher, we know you have integrity, that you are indifferent to public opinion, don't pander to your students, and teach the way of God accurately. Tell us: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"

 ^15-16He knew it was a trick question, and said, "Why are you playing these games with me? Bring me a coin and let me look at it." They handed him one.

   "This engraving—who does it look like? And whose name is on it?"

   "Caesar," they said.

 ¹⁷Jesus said, "Give Caesar what is his, and give God what is his."

   Their mouths hung open, speechless.

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Psalm 47:1-9 (The Message)

Psalm 47

A Psalm of the Sons of Korah

 ^1-9 Applause, everyone. Bravo, bravissimo! Shout God-songs at the top of your lungs!
   God Most High is stunning,
      astride land and ocean.
   He crushes hostile people,
      puts nations at our feet.
   He set us at the head of the line,
      prize-winning Jacob, his favorite.
   Loud cheers as God climbs the mountain,
      a ram's horn blast at the summit.
   Sing songs to God, sing out!
      Sing to our King, sing praise!
   He's Lord over earth,
      so sing your best songs to God.
   God is Lord of godless nations—
      sovereign, he's King of the mountain.
   Princes from all over are gathered,
      people of Abraham's God.
   The powers of earth are God's—
      he soars over all.

 

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Proverbs 10:24-25 (The Message)

 ²⁴ The nightmares of the wicked come true;
   what the good people desire, they get.

 ²⁵ When the storm is over, there's nothing left of the wicked;
   good people, firm on their rock foundation, aren't even fazed.

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Verse of the Day

“The LORD says: "My thoughts and my ways are not like yours. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, my thoughts and my ways are higher than yours.” - Isaiah 55:8-9

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

English theatre critic and writer, Kenneth Tynan wrote, “How far should one accept the rules of the society in which one lives? To put it another way: at what point does conformity become corruption? Only by answering such questions does the conscience truly define itself.”

Bible Readings for March 3, 2016

Today our passages are Leviticus 27:14–Numbers 1:54; Mark 11:1-25; Psalm 46:1-11; and Proverbs 10:23. The readings are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal.

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Leviticus 27:14 - Numbers 1:54 (The Message)

 ^14-15 "If a man dedicates his house to God, into the possession of the Sanctuary, the priest assesses its value, setting it either high or low. Whatever value the priest sets, that's what it is. If the man wants to buy it back, he must add twenty percent to its price and then it's his again.
 ^16-21 "If a man dedicates to God part of his family land, its value is to be set according to the amount of seed that is needed for it at the rate of fifty shekels of silver to six bushels of barley seed. If he dedicates his field during the year of Jubilee, the set value stays. But if he dedicates it after the Jubilee, the priest will compute the value according to the years left until the next Jubilee, reducing the value proportionately. If the one dedicating it wants to buy it back, he must add twenty percent to its valuation, and then it's his again. But if he doesn't redeem it or sells the field to someone else, it can never be bought back. When the field is released in the Jubilee, it becomes holy to God, the possession of the Sanctuary, God's field. It goes into the hands of the priests.
 ^22-25 "If a man dedicates to God a field he has bought, a field which is not part of the family land, the priest will compute its proportionate value in relation to the next year of Jubilee. The man must pay its value on the spot as something that is now holy to God, belonging to the Sanctuary. In the year of Jubilee it goes back to its original owner, the man from whom he bought it. The valuations will be reckoned by the Sanctuary shekel, at twenty gerahs to the shekel.
 ^26-27 "No one is allowed to dedicate the firstborn of an animal; the firstborn, as firstborn, already belongs to God. No matter if it's cattle or sheep, it already belongs to God. If it's one of the ritually unclean animals, he can buy it back at its assessed value by adding twenty percent to it. If he doesn't redeem it, it is to be sold at its assessed value.
 ²⁸ "But nothing that a man irrevocably devotes to God from what belongs to him, whether human or animal or family land, may be either sold or bought back. Everything devoted is holy to the highest degree; it's God's inalienable property.
 ²⁹ "No human who has been devoted to destruction can be redeemed. He must be put to death.

^30-33 "A tenth of the land's produce, whether grain from the ground or fruit from the trees, is God's. It is holy to God. If a man buys back any of the tenth he has given, he must add twenty percent to it. A tenth of the entire herd and flock, every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd's rod, is holy to God. He is not permitted to pick out the good from the bad or make a substitution. If he dishonestly makes a substitution, both animals, the original and the substitute, become the possession of the Sanctuary and cannot be redeemed."
 ³⁴ These are the commandments that God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai for the People of Israel.

Numbers 1

Census in the Wilderness of Sinai

 ^1-5 God spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai at the Tent of Meeting on the first day of the second month in the second year after they had left Egypt. He said, "Number the congregation of the People of Israel by clans and families, writing down the names of every male. You and Aaron are to register, company by company, every man who is twenty years and older who is able to fight in the army. Pick one man from each tribe who is head of his family to help you. These are the names of the men who will help you:

   from Reuben: Elizur son of Shedeur

 ⁶ from Simeon: Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai

 ⁷ from Judah: Nahshon son of Amminadab

 ⁸ from Issachar: Nethanel son of Zuar

 ⁹ from Zebulun: Eliab son of Helon

 ¹⁰ from the sons of Joseph,
      from Ephraim: Elishama son of Ammihud
      from Manasseh: Gamaliel son of Pedahzur

 ¹¹ from Benjamin: Abidan son of Gideoni

 ¹² from Dan: Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai

 ¹³ from Asher: Pagiel son of Ocran

 ¹⁴ from Gad: Eliasaph son of Deuel

 ¹⁵ from Naphtali: Ahira son of Enan."  ¹⁶ These were the men chosen from the congregation, leaders of their ancestral tribes, heads of Israel's military divisions.
 ^17-19 Moses and Aaron took these men who had been named to help and gathered the whole congregation together on the first day of the second month. The people registered themselves in their tribes according to their ancestral families, putting down the names of those who were twenty years old and older, just as God commanded Moses. He numbered them in the Wilderness of Sinai.
 ^20-21 The line of Reuben, Israel's firstborn: The men were counted off head by head, every male twenty years and older who was able to fight in the army, registered by tribes according to their ancestral families. The tribe of Reuben numbered 46,500.
 ^22-23 The line of Simeon: The men were counted off head by head, every male twenty years and older who was able to fight in the army, registered by clans and families. The tribe of Simeon numbered 59,300.
 ^24-25 The line of Gad: The men were counted off head by head, every male twenty years and older who was able to fight in the army, registered by clans and families. The tribe of Gad numbered 45,650.
 ^26-27 The line of Judah: The men were counted off head by head, every male twenty years and older who was able to fight in the army, registered by clans and families. The tribe of Judah numbered 74,600.
 ^28-29 The line of Issachar: The men were counted off head by head, every male twenty years and older who was able to fight in the army, registered by clans and families. The tribe of Issachar numbered 54,400.
 ^30-31 The line of Zebulun: The men were counted off head by head, every male twenty years and older who was able to fight in the army, registered by clans and families. The tribe of Zebulun numbered 57,400.
 ^32-33 The line of Joseph: From son Ephraim the men were counted off head by head, every male twenty years and older who was able to fight in the army, registered by clans and families. The tribe of Ephraim numbered 40,500.
 ^34-35 And from son Manasseh the men were counted off head by head, every male twenty years and older who was able to fight in the army, registered by clans and families. The tribe of Manasseh numbered 32,200.
 ^36-37 The line of Benjamin: The men were counted off head by head, every male twenty years and older who was able to fight in the army, registered by clans and families. The tribe of Benjamin numbered 35,400.
 ^38-39 The line of Dan: The men were counted off head by head, every male twenty years and older who was able to fight in the army, registered by clans and families. The tribe of Dan numbered 62,700.
 ^40-41 The line of Asher: The men were counted off head by head, every male twenty years and older who was able to fight in the army, registered by clans and families. The tribe of Asher numbered 41,500.
 ^42-43 The line of Naphtali: The men were counted off head by head, every male twenty years and older who was able to fight in the army, registered by clans and families. The tribe of Naphtali numbered 53,400.
 ^44-46 These are the numbers of those registered by Moses and Aaron, registered with the help of the leaders of Israel, twelve men, each representing his ancestral family. The sum total of the People of Israel twenty years old and over who were able to fight in the army, counted by ancestral family, was 603,550.
 ^47-51 The Levites, however, were not counted by their ancestral family along with the others. God had told Moses, "The tribe of Levi is an exception: Don't register them. Don't count the tribe of Levi; don't include them in the general census of the People of Israel. Instead, appoint the Levites to be in charge of The Dwelling of The Testimony—over all its furnishings and everything connected with it. Their job is to carry The Dwelling and all its furnishings, maintain it, and camp around it. When it's time to move The Dwelling, the Levites will take it down, and when it's time to set it up, the Levites will do it. Anyone else who even goes near it will be put to death.
 ^52-53 "The rest of the People of Israel will set up their tents in companies, every man in his own camp under its own flag. But the Levites will set up camp around The Dwelling of The Testimony so that wrath will not fall on the community of Israel. The Levites are responsible for the security of The Dwelling of The Testimony."
 ⁵⁴ The People of Israel did everything that God commanded Moses. They did it all.

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Mark 11:1-25 (The Message)

Mark 11

Entering Jerusalem on a Colt

 ^1-3When they were nearing Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany on Mount Olives, he sent off two of the disciples with instructions: "Go to the village across from you. As soon as you enter, you'll find a colt tethered, one that has never yet been ridden. Untie it and bring it. If anyone asks, 'What are you doing?' say, 'The Master needs him, and will return him right away.'"

 ^4-7They went and found a colt tied to a door at the street corner and untied it. Some of those standing there said, "What are you doing untying that colt?" The disciples replied exactly as Jesus had instructed them, and the people let them alone. They brought the colt to Jesus, spread their coats on it, and he mounted.

 ^8-10The people gave him a wonderful welcome, some throwing their coats on the street, others spreading out rushes they had cut in the fields. Running ahead and following after, they were calling out,

   Hosanna!
   Blessed is he who comes in God's name!
   Blessed the coming kingdom of our father David!
   Hosanna in highest heaven!

 ¹¹He entered Jerusalem, then entered the Temple. He looked around, taking it all in. But by now it was late, so he went back to Bethany with the Twelve.

The Cursed Fig Tree

 ^12-14As they left Bethany the next day, he was hungry. Off in the distance he saw a fig tree in full leaf. He came up to it expecting to find something for breakfast, but found nothing but fig leaves. (It wasn't yet the season for figs.) He addressed the tree: "No one is going to eat fruit from you again—ever!" And his disciples overheard him.

 ^15-17They arrived at Jerusalem. Immediately on entering the Temple Jesus started throwing out everyone who had set up shop there, buying and selling. He kicked over the tables of the bankers and the stalls of the pigeon merchants. He didn't let anyone even carry a basket through the Temple. And then he taught them, quoting this text:

   My house was designated a house of prayer for the nations;
   You've turned it into a hangout for thieves.

 ¹⁸The high priests and religion scholars heard what was going on and plotted how they might get rid of him. They panicked, for the entire crowd was carried away by his teaching.

 ¹⁹At evening, Jesus and his disciples left the city.

 ^20-21In the morning, walking along the road, they saw the fig tree, shriveled to a dry stick. Peter, remembering what had happened the previous day, said to him, "Rabbi, look—the fig tree you cursed is shriveled up!"

 ^22-25Jesus was matter-of-fact: "Embrace this God-life. Really embrace it, and nothing will be too much for you. This mountain, for instance: Just say, 'Go jump in the lake'—no shuffling or shilly-shallying—and it's as good as done. That's why I urge you to pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large. Include everything as you embrace this God-life, and you'll get God's everything. And when you assume the posture of prayer, remember that it's not all asking. If you have anything against someone, forgive—only then will your heavenly Father be inclined to also wipe your slate clean of sins."

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Psalm 46:1-11 (The Message)

Psalm 46

A Song of the Sons of Korah

 ^1-3 God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him.
   We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom,
      courageous in seastorm and earthquake,
   Before the rush and roar of oceans,
      the tremors that shift mountains.    Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
      God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.

 ^4-6 River fountains splash joy, cooling God's city,
      this sacred haunt of the Most High.
   God lives here, the streets are safe,
      God at your service from crack of dawn.
   Godless nations rant and rave, kings and kingdoms threaten,
      but Earth does anything he says.

 ⁷ Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
      God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.

 ^8-10 Attention, all! See the marvels of God!
      He plants flowers and trees all over the earth,
   Bans war from pole to pole,
      breaks all the weapons across his knee.
   "Step out of the traffic! Take a long,
      loving look at me, your High God,
      above politics, above everything."

 ¹¹ Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,
      God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.

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Proverbs 10:23 (The Message)

 ²³ An empty-head thinks mischief is fun,
   but a mindful person relishes wisdom.

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Verse of the Day

“But he knows what I am doing, and when he tests me, I will be pure as gold. I have never refused to follow any of his commands,” - Job 23:10-11

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

French philosopher, journalist, and pacifist, Émile Chartier wrote, “One must preach life, not death; spread hope, not fear and cultivate joy, man's most valuable treasure. That is the secret of the greatest of the wise, and it wil be the light of tomorrow.”

Bible Talk: The Lectionary Passages for Sunday, March 6, 2016 ...

Bible Talk: The Lectionary Passages for Sunday, March 6, 2016 ...: Below are NRSV translations of the lessons from the Old Testament ( Joshua 5:9-12 ), the Psalms ( Psalm 32 ), the Letters ( 2 Corinthians 5:...

Bible Readings for March 2, 2016

Today our passages are Leviticus 25:47–27:13; Mark 10:32-52; Psalm 45:1-17; and Proverbs 10:22. The readings are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal.

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Leviticus 25:47-27:13 (The Message)

 ^47-53 "If a foreigner or temporary resident among you becomes rich and one of your brothers becomes poor and sells himself to the foreigner who lives among you or to a member of the foreigner's clan, he still has the right of redemption after he has sold himself. One of his relatives may buy him back. An uncle or cousin or any close relative of his extended family may redeem him. Or, if he gets the money together, he can redeem himself. What happens then is that he and his owner count out the time from the year he sold himself to the year of Jubilee; the buy-back price is set according to the wages of a hired hand for that number of years. If many years remain before the Jubilee, he must pay back a larger share of his purchase price, but if only a few years remain until the Jubilee, he is to calculate his redemption price accordingly. He is to be treated as a man hired from year to year. You must make sure that his owner does not tyrannize him.
 ^54-55 "If he is not redeemed in any of these ways, he goes free in the year of Jubilee, he and his children, because the People of Israel are my servants, my servants whom I brought out of Egypt. I am God, your God.

Leviticus 26

 ¹ "Don't make idols for yourselves; don't set up an image or a sacred pillar for yourselves, and don't place a carved stone in your land that you can bow down to in worship. I am God, your God.  ² "Keep my Sabbaths; treat my Sanctuary with reverence. I am God.

"If You Live by My Decrees..."

^3-5 "If you live by my decrees and obediently keep my commandments, I will send the rains in their seasons, the ground will yield its crops and the trees of the field their fruit. You will thresh until the grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting time; you'll have more than enough to eat and will live safe and secure in your land.  ^6-10 "I'll make the country a place of peace—you'll be able to go to sleep at night without fear; I'll get rid of the wild beasts; I'll eliminate war. You'll chase out your enemies and defeat them: Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand and do away with them. I'll give you my full attention: I'll make sure you prosper, make sure you grow in numbers, and keep my covenant with you in good working order. You'll still be eating from last year's harvest when you have to clean out the barns to make room for the new crops.
 ^11-13 "I'll set up my residence in your neighborhood; I won't avoid or shun you; I'll stroll through your streets. I'll be your God; you'll be my people. I am God, your personal God who rescued you from Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians. I ripped off the harness of your slavery so that you can move about freely.

"But If You Refuse to Obey Me..."

^14-17 "But if you refuse to obey me and won't observe my commandments, despising my decrees and holding my laws in contempt by your disobedience, making a shambles of my covenant, I'll step in and pour on the trouble: debilitating disease, high fevers, blindness, your life leaking out bit by bit. You'll plant seed but your enemies will eat the crops. I'll turn my back on you and stand by while your enemies defeat you. People who hate you will govern you. You'll run scared even when there's no one chasing you.  ^18-20 "And if none of this works in getting your attention, I'll discipline you seven times over for your sins. I'll break your strong pride: I'll make the skies above you like a sheet of tin and the ground under you like cast iron. No matter how hard you work, nothing will come of it: No crops out of the ground, no fruit off the trees.
 ^21-22 "If you defy me and refuse to listen, your punishment will be seven times more than your sins: I'll set wild animals on you; they'll rob you of your children, kill your cattle, and decimate your numbers until you'll think you are living in a ghost town.
 ^23-26 "And if even this doesn't work and you refuse my discipline and continue your defiance, then it will be my turn to defy you. I, yes I, will punish you for your sins seven times over: I'll let war loose on you, avenging your breaking of the covenant; when you huddle in your cities for protection, I'll send a deadly epidemic on you and you'll be helpless before your enemies; when I cut off your bread supply, ten women will bake bread in one oven and ration it out. You'll eat, but barely—no one will get enough.
 ^27-35 "And if this—even this!—doesn't work and you still won't listen, still defy me, I'll have had enough and in hot anger will defy you, punishing you for your sins seven times over: famine will be so severe that you'll end up cooking and eating your sons in stews and your daughters in barbecues; I'll smash your sex-and-religion shrines and all the paraphernalia that goes with them, and then stack your corpses and the idol-corpses in the same piles—I'll abhor you; I'll turn your cities into rubble; I'll clean out your sanctuaries; I'll hold my nose at the "pleasing aroma" of your sacrifices. I'll turn your land into a lifeless moonscape—your enemies who come in to take over will be shocked at what they see. I'll scatter you all over the world and keep after you with the point of my sword in your backs. There'll be nothing left in your land, nothing going on in your cities. With you gone and dispersed in the countries of your enemies, the land, empty of you, will finally get a break and enjoy its Sabbath years. All the time it's left there empty, the land will get rest, the Sabbaths it never got when you lived there.
 ^36-39 "As for those among you still alive, I'll give them over to fearful timidity —even the rustle of a leaf will throw them into a panic. They'll run here and there, back and forth, as if running for their lives even though no one is after them, tripping and falling over one another in total confusion. You won't stand a chance against an enemy. You'll perish among the nations; the land of your enemies will eat you up. Any who are left will slowly rot away in the enemy lands. Rot. And all because of their sins, their sins compounded by their ancestors' sins.

"On the Other Hand, If They Confess..."

^40-42 "On the other hand, if they confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors, their treacherous betrayal, the defiance that set off my defiance that sent them off into enemy lands; if by some chance they soften their hard hearts and make amends for their sin, I'll remember my covenant with Jacob, I'll remember my covenant with Isaac, and, yes, I'll remember my covenant with Abraham. And I'll remember the land.  ^43-45 "The land will be empty of them and enjoy its Sabbaths while they're gone. They'll pay for their sins because they refused my laws and treated my decrees with contempt. But in spite of their behavior, while they are among their enemies I won't reject or abhor or destroy them completely. I won't break my covenant with them: I am God, their God. For their sake I will remember the covenant with their ancestors whom I, with all the nations watching, brought out of Egypt in order to be their God. I am God."
 ⁴⁶ These are the decrees, laws, and instructions that God established between himself and the People of Israel through Moses at Mount Sinai.

Leviticus 27

Vows, Dedications, and Redemptions

 ^1-8 God spoke to Moses: He said, "Speak to the People of Israel. Tell them, If anyone wants to vow the value of a person to the service of God, set the value of a man between the ages of twenty and sixty at fifty shekels of silver, according to the Sanctuary shekel. For a woman the valuation is thirty shekels. If the person is between the ages of five and twenty, set the value at twenty shekels for a male and ten shekels for a female. If the person is between one month and five years, set the value at five shekels of silver for a boy and three shekels of silver for a girl. If the person is over sixty, set the value at fifteen shekels for a man and ten shekels for a woman. If anyone is too poor to pay the stated amount, he is to present the person to the priest, who will then set the value for him according to what the person making the vow can afford.  ^9-13 "If he vowed an animal that is acceptable as an offering to God, the animal is given to God and becomes the property of the Sanctuary. He must not exchange or substitute a good one for a bad one, or a bad one for a good one; if he should dishonestly substitute one animal for another, both the original and the substitute become property of the Sanctuary. If what he vowed is a ritually unclean animal, one that is not acceptable as an offering to God, the animal must be shown to the priest, who will set its value, either high or low. Whatever the priest sets will be its value. If the owner changes his mind and wants to redeem it, he must add twenty percent to its value.

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Mark 10:32-52 (The Message)

 ^32-34Back on the road, they set out for Jerusalem. Jesus had a head start on them, and they were following, puzzled and not just a little afraid. He took the Twelve and began again to go over what to expect next. "Listen to me carefully. We're on our way up to Jerusalem. When we get there, the Son of Man will be betrayed to the religious leaders and scholars. They will sentence him to death. Then they will hand him over to the Romans, who will mock and spit on him, give him the third degree, and kill him. After three days he will rise alive."

The Highest Places of Honor

 ³⁵James and John, Zebedee's sons, came up to him. "Teacher, we have something we want you to do for us."  ³⁶"What is it? I'll see what I can do."
 ³⁷"Arrange it," they said, "so that we will be awarded the highest places of honor in your glory—one of us at your right, the other at your left."
 ³⁸Jesus said, "You have no idea what you're asking. Are you capable of drinking the cup I drink, of being baptized in the baptism I'm about to be plunged into?"
 ^39-40"Sure," they said. "Why not?"
   Jesus said, "Come to think of it, you will drink the cup I drink, and be baptized in my baptism. But as to awarding places of honor, that's not my business. There are other arrangements for that."
 ^41-45When the other ten heard of this conversation, they lost their tempers with James and John. Jesus got them together to settle things down. "You've observed how godless rulers throw their weight around," he said, "and when people get a little power how quickly it goes to their heads. It's not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not to be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for many who are held hostage."
 ^46-48They spent some time in Jericho. As Jesus was leaving town, trailed by his disciples and a parade of people, a blind beggar by the name of Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, was sitting alongside the road. When he heard that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by, he began to cry out, "Son of David, Jesus! Mercy, have mercy on me!" Many tried to hush him up, but he yelled all the louder, "Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!"
 ^49-50Jesus stopped in his tracks. "Call him over."
   They called him. "It's your lucky day! Get up! He's calling you to come!" Throwing off his coat, he was on his feet at once and came to Jesus.
 ⁵¹Jesus said, "What can I do for you?"
   The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."
 ⁵²"On your way," said Jesus. "Your faith has saved and healed you."
   In that very instant he recovered his sight and followed Jesus down the road.

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Psalm 45:1-17 (The Message)

Psalm 45

A Wedding Song of the Sons of Korah

 ¹ My heart bursts its banks, spilling beauty and goodness.
   I pour it out in a poem to the king,
      shaping the river into words:  

 ^2-4 "You're the handsomest of men;
      every word from your lips is sheer grace,
      and God has blessed you, blessed you so much.
   Strap your sword to your side, warrior!
      Accept praise! Accept due honor!
      Ride majestically! Ride triumphantly!
   Ride on the side of truth!
      Ride for the righteous meek!

 ^4-5 "Your instructions are glow-in-the-dark;
      you shoot sharp arrows
   Into enemy hearts; the king's
      foes lie down in the dust, beaten.

 ^6-7 "Your throne is God's throne,
      ever and always;
   The scepter of your royal rule
      measures right living.
   You love the right
      and hate the wrong.
   And that is why God, your very own God,
      poured fragrant oil on your head,
   Marking you out as king
      from among your dear companions.

 ^8-9 "Your ozone-drenched garments
      are fragrant with mountain breeze.
   Chamber music—from the throne room—
      makes you want to dance.
   Kings' daughters are maids in your court,
      the Bride glittering with golden jewelry.
 ^10-12 "Now listen, daughter, don't miss a word:
      forget your country, put your home behind you.
   Be here—the king is wild for you.
      Since he's your lord, adore him.
   Wedding gifts pour in from Tyre;
      rich guests shower you with presents."

 ^13-15 (Her wedding dress is dazzling,
      lined with gold by the weavers;
   All her dresses and robes
      are woven with gold.
   She is led to the king,
      followed by her virgin companions.
   A procession of joy and laughter!
      a grand entrance to the king's palace!)

 ^16-17 "Set your mind now on sons—
      don't dote on father and grandfather.
   You'll set your sons up as princes
      all over the earth.
   I'll make you famous for generations;
      you'll be the talk of the town
      for a long, long time."

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Proverbs 10:22 (The Message)

Fear-of-God Expands Your Life

 ²² God's blessing makes life rich;
   nothing we do can improve on God.

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Verse for the Day

“In heaven I have only you, and on this earth you are all I want. My body and mind may fail, but you are my strength and my choice forever.” - Psalm 73:25-26

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

American writer and illustrator best known for authoring popular children's books under the pen name Dr. Seuss, Theodor Seuss Geisel wrote, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.”

Bible Readings for March 1, 2016

Today our passages are Leviticus 24:1–25:46; Mark 10:13-31; Psalm 44:9-26; and Proverbs 10:20-21. The readings are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal.

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Leviticus 24-25:46 (The Message)

Leviticus 24

Light and Bread

 ^1-4 God spoke to Moses: "Order the People of Israel to bring you virgin olive oil for light so that the lamps may be kept burning continually. Aaron is in charge of keeping these lamps burning in front of the curtain that screens The Testimony in the Tent of Meeting from evening to morning continually before God. This is a perpetual decree down through the generations. Aaron is responsible for keeping the lamps burning continually on the Lampstand of pure gold before God.  ^5-9 "Take fine flour and bake twelve loaves of bread, using about four quarts of flour to a loaf. Arrange them in two rows of six each on the Table of pure gold before God. Along each row spread pure incense, marking the bread as a memorial; it is a gift to God. Regularly, every Sabbath, this bread is to be set before God, a perpetual covenantal response from Israel. The bread then goes to Aaron and his sons, who are to eat it in a Holy Place. It is their most holy share from the gifts to God. This is a perpetual decree."

^10-12 One day the son of an Israelite mother and an Egyptian father went out among the Israelites. A fight broke out in the camp between him and an Israelite. The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name of God and cursed. They brought him to Moses. His mother's name was Shelomith, daughter of Dibri of the tribe of Dan. They put him in custody waiting for God's will to be revealed to them.
 ^13-16 Then God spoke to Moses: "Take the blasphemer outside the camp. Have all those who heard him place their hands on his head; then have the entire congregation stone him. Then tell the Israelites, Anyone who curses God will be held accountable; anyone who blasphemes the Name of God must be put to death. The entire congregation must stone him. It makes no difference whether he is a foreigner or a native, if he blasphemes the Name, he will be put to death.
 ^17-22 "Anyone who hits and kills a fellow human must be put to death. Anyone who kills someone's animal must make it good—a life for a life. Anyone who injures his neighbor will get back the same as he gave: fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. What he did to hurt that person will be done to him. Anyone who hits and kills an animal must make it good, but whoever hits and kills a fellow human will be put to death. And no double standards: the same rule goes for foreigners and natives. I am God, your God."
 ²³ Moses then spoke to the People of Israel. They brought the blasphemer outside the camp and stoned him. The People of Israel followed the orders God had given Moses.

Leviticus 25

"The Land Will Observe a Sabbath to God"

 ^1-7 God spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai: "Speak to the People of Israel. Tell them, When you enter the land which I am going to give you, the land will observe a Sabbath to God. Sow your fields, prune your vineyards, and take in your harvests for six years. But the seventh year the land will take a Sabbath of complete and total rest, a Sabbath to God; you will not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. Don't reap what grows of itself; don't harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land gets a year of complete and total rest. But you can eat from what the land volunteers during the Sabbath year—you and your men and women servants, your hired hands, and the foreigners who live in the country, and, of course, also your livestock and the wild animals in the land can eat from it. Whatever the land volunteers of itself can be eaten.

"The Fiftieth Year Shall Be a Jubilee for You"

^8-12 "Count off seven Sabbaths of years—seven times seven years: Seven Sabbaths of years adds up to forty-nine years. Then sound loud blasts on the ram's horn on the tenth day of the seventh month, the Day of Atonement. Sound the ram's horn all over the land. Sanctify the fiftieth year; make it a holy year. Proclaim freedom all over the land to everyone who lives in it—a Jubilee for you: Each person will go back to his family's property and reunite with his extended family. The fiftieth year is your Jubilee year: Don't sow; don't reap what volunteers itself in the fields; don't harvest the untended vines because it's the Jubilee and a holy year for you. You're permitted to eat from whatever volunteers itself in the fields.  ¹³ "In this year of Jubilee everyone returns home to his family property.
 ^14-17 "If you sell or buy property from one of your countrymen, don't cheat him. Calculate the purchase price on the basis of the number of years since the Jubilee. He is obliged to set the sale price on the basis of the number of harvests remaining until the next Jubilee. The more years left, the more money; you can raise the price. But the fewer years left, the less money; decrease the price. What you are buying and selling in fact is the number of crops you're going to harvest. Don't cheat each other. Fear your God. I am God, your God.
 ^18-22 "Keep my decrees and observe my laws and you will live secure in the land. The land will yield its fruit; you will have all you can eat and will live safe and secure. Do I hear you ask, 'What are we going to eat in the seventh year if we don't plant or harvest?' I assure you, I will send such a blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years. While you plant in the eighth year, you will eat from the old crop and continue until the harvest of the ninth year comes in.
 ^23-24 "The land cannot be sold permanently because the land is mine and you are foreigners—you're my tenants. You must provide for the right of redemption for any of the land that you own.
 ^25-28 "If one of your brothers becomes poor and has to sell any of his land, his nearest relative is to come and buy back what his brother sold. If a man has no one to redeem it but he later prospers and earns enough for its redemption, he is to calculate the value since he sold it and refund the balance to the man to whom he sold it; he can then go back to his own land. If he doesn't get together enough money to repay him, what he sold remains in the possession of the buyer until the year of Jubilee. In the Jubilee it will be returned and he can go back and live on his land.
 ^29-31 "If a man sells a house in a walled city, he retains the right to buy it back for a full year after the sale. At any time during that year he can redeem it. But if it is not redeemed before the full year has passed, it becomes the permanent possession of the buyer and his descendants. It is not returned in the Jubilee. However, houses in unwalled villages are treated the same as fields. They can be redeemed and have to be returned at the Jubilee.
 ^32-34 "As to the Levitical cities, houses in the cities owned by the Levites are always subject to redemption. Levitical property is always redeemable if it is sold in a town that they hold and reverts to them in the Jubilee, because the houses in the towns of the Levites are their property among the People of Israel. The pastures belonging to their cities may not be sold; they are their permanent possession.
 ^35-38 "If one of your brothers becomes indigent and cannot support himself, help him, the same as you would a foreigner or a guest so that he can continue to live in your neighborhood. Don't gouge him with interest charges; out of reverence for your God help your brother to continue to live with you in the neighborhood. Don't take advantage of his plight by running up big interest charges on his loans, and don't give him food for profit. I am your God who brought you out of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.
 ^39-43 "If one of your brothers becomes indigent and has to sell himself to you, don't make him work as a slave. Treat him as a hired hand or a guest among you. He will work for you until the Jubilee, after which he and his children are set free to go back to his clan and his ancestral land. Because the People of Israel are my servants whom I brought out of Egypt, they must never be sold as slaves. Don't tyrannize them; fear your God.
 ^44-46 "The male and female slaves which you have are to come from the surrounding nations; you are permitted to buy slaves from them. You may also buy the children of foreign workers who are living among you temporarily and from their clans which are living among you and have been born in your land. They become your property. You may will them to your children as property and make them slaves for life. But you must not tyrannize your brother Israelites.

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Mark 10:13-31 (The Message)

 ^13-16The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: "Don't push these children away. Don't ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in." Then, gathering the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them.

To Enter God's Kingdom

 ¹⁷As he went out into the street, a man came running up, greeted him with great reverence, and asked, "Good Teacher, what must I do to get eternal life?"

 ^18-19Jesus said, "Why are you calling me good? No one is good, only God. You know the commandments: Don't murder, don't commit adultery, don't steal, don't lie, don't cheat, honor your father and mother."

 ²⁰He said, "Teacher, I have—from my youth—kept them all!"

 ²¹Jesus looked him hard in the eye—and loved him! He said, "There's one thing left: Go sell whatever you own and give it to the poor. All your wealth will then be heavenly wealth. And come follow me."

 ²²The man's face clouded over. This was the last thing he expected to hear, and he walked off with a heavy heart. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and not about to let go.

 ^23-25Looking at his disciples, Jesus said, "Do you have any idea how difficult it is for people who 'have it all' to enter God's kingdom?" The disciples couldn't believe what they were hearing, but Jesus kept on: "You can't imagine how difficult. I'd say it's easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for the rich to get into God's kingdom."

 ²⁶That set the disciples back on their heels. "Then who has any chance at all?" they asked.

 ²⁷Jesus was blunt: "No chance at all if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you let God do it."

 ²⁸Peter tried another angle: "We left everything and followed you."

 ^29-31Jesus said, "Mark my words, no one who sacrifices house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, land—whatever—because of me and the Message will lose out. They'll get it all back, but multiplied many times in homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land—but also in troubles. And then the bonus of eternal life! This is once again the Great Reversal: Many who are first will end up last, and the last first."

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Psalm 44:9-26 (The Message)

 ^9-12 But now you've walked off and left us,
      you've disgraced us and won't fight for us.
   You made us turn tail and run;
      those who hate us have cleaned us out.
   You delivered us as sheep to the butcher,
      you scattered us to the four winds.
   You sold your people at a discount—
      you made nothing on the sale.

 ^13-16 You made people on the street,
      urchins, poke fun and call us names.
   You made us a joke among the godless,
      a cheap joke among the rabble.
   Every day I'm up against it,
      my nose rubbed in my shame—
   Gossip and ridicule fill the air,
      people out to get me crowd the street.

 ^17-19 All this came down on us,
      and we've done nothing to deserve it.
   We never betrayed your Covenant: our hearts
      were never false, our feet never left your path.
   Do we deserve torture in a den of jackals?
      or lockup in a black hole?

 ^20-22 If we had forgotten to pray to our God
      or made fools of ourselves with store-bought gods,
   Wouldn't God have figured this out?
      We can't hide things from him.
   No, you decided to make us martyrs,
      lambs assigned for sacrifice each day.

 ^23-26 Get up, God! Are you going to sleep all day?
      Wake up! Don't you care what happens to us?
   Why do you bury your face in the pillow?
      Why pretend things are just fine with us?
   And here we are—flat on our faces in the dirt,
      held down with a boot on our necks.
   Get up and come to our rescue.
      If you love us so much, Help us!

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Proverbs 10:20-21 (The Message)

 ²⁰ The speech of a good person is worth waiting for;
   the blabber of the wicked is worthless.

 ²¹ The talk of a good person is rich fare for many,
   but chatterboxes die of an empty heart.

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Verse of the Day

“[(A song for worship.)][A Prayer for the LORD's Help]When I am in trouble, I pray,” - Psalm 120:1

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

American cartoonist, author, journalist, playwright, and celebrated wit, James Thurber wrote, “It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.”