1. The Gospel

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John 18:1-40

When Jesus had said this, he went out with his disciples and crossed the Kidron ravine to a place where there was a garden, into which he and his disciples went. The place was well known to Judas, the betrayer, for Jesus and his disciples had often met there. So Judas, who had obtained the soldiers of the Roman garrison, and some guards from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. Jesus, aware of all that was coming upon him, went to meet them, and said to them, “For whom are you looking?”

“Jesus of Nazareth,” was their answer. “I am he,” said Jesus. (Judas, the betrayer, was also standing with them.) When Jesus said ‘I am he,’ they drew back and fell to the ground. So he again asked for whom they were looking, and they answered, “Jesus of Nazareth.”

“I have already told you that I am he,” replied Jesus, “so, if it is for me that you are looking, let these people go.” This was in fulfillment of his words – ‘Of those whom you have given me I have not lost one.’ At this, Simon Peter, who had a sword with him, drew it, and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. But Jesus said to Peter, “Sheathe your sword. Should I not drink the cup which the Father has given me?”

So the soldiers of the garrison, with their commanding officer and the Jewish guards, arrested Jesus and bound him, and took him first of all to Annas. Annas was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. It was Caiaphas who had counseled the religious authorities, that it was best that one person should die for the people. Meanwhile Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. That disciple, being well-known to the high priest, went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, while Peter stood outside by the door. Presently the other disciple – the one well-known to the high priest – went out and spoke to the portress, and brought Peter in. So the maidservant said to Peter, “Aren’t you also one of this man’s disciples?”

“No, I am not,” he said. The servants and guards were standing around a charcoal fire (which they had made because it was cold), and were warming themselves. Peter, too, was with them, standing and warming himself. The high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. “For my part,” answered Jesus, “I have spoken to all the world openly. I always taught in some synagogue, or in the Temple Courts, places where everyone assembles, and I never spoke of anything in secret. Why question me? Question those who have listened to me as to what I have spoken about to them. They must know what I said.” When Jesus said this, one of the guards, who was standing near, gave him a blow with his hand. “Do you answer the high priest like that?” he exclaimed. “If I said anything wrong, give evidence about it,” replied Jesus, “but if not, why do you strike me?” Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. Meanwhile Simon Peter was standing there, warming himself; so they said to him, “Aren’t you also one of his disciples?” Peter denied it. “No, I am not,” he said. One of the high priest’s servants, a relation of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, exclaimed, “Didn’t I myself see you with him in the garden?” Peter again denied it; and at that moment a cock crowed.

From Caiaphas they took Jesus to the Government house. It was early in the morning. But they did not enter the Government house themselves, otherwise they might become defiled, and so be unable to eat the Passover. Therefore Pilate came outside to speak to them. “What charge do you bring against this man?” he asked. “If he had not been a criminal, we should not have given him up to you,” they answered. “Take him yourselves,” said Pilate, “and try him by your own Law.”

“We have no power to put anyone to death,” the authorities replied – in fulfillment of what Jesus had said when indicating the death that he was destined to die. After that, Pilate went into the Government house again, and calling Jesus up, asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

“Do you ask me that yourself?” replied Jesus, “or did others say it to you about me?”

“Do you take me for a Jew?” was Pilate’s answer. “It is your own nation and the chief priests who have given you up to me. What have you done?”

“My kingly power,” replied Jesus, “is not due to this world. If it had been so, my servants would be doing their utmost to prevent my being given up to the authorities; but my kingly power is not from the world.”

“So you are a king after all!” exclaimed Pilate. “Yes, it is true I am a king,” answered Jesus. “I was born for this, I have come into the world for this – to bear testimony to the truth. Everyone who is on the side of truth listens to my voice.”

“What is truth?” exclaimed Pilate. After saying this, he went out to the crowd again, and said, “For my part, I find nothing with which he can be charged. It is, however, the custom for me to grant you the release of one man at the Passover Festival. Do you wish for the release of the king of the Jews?”

“No, not this man,” they shouted again, “but Barabbas!” This Barabbas was a robber. (OEB)

2. The Law

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Genesis 31:1-55

Jacob heard Laban’s sons’ words, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s. He has obtained all this wealth from that which was our father’s.” Jacob saw the expression on Laban’s face, and, behold, it was not toward him as before. Yahweh said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers, and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”

Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flock, and said to them, “I see the expression on your father’s face, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father has been with me. You know that I have served your father with all of my strength. Your father has deceived me, and changed my wages ten times, but God didn’t allow him to hurt me. If he said, ‘The speckled will be your wages ,’ then all the flock bore speckled. If he said, ‘The streaked will be your wages ,’ then all the flock bore streaked. Thus God has taken away your father’s livestock, and given them to me. During mating season, I lifted up my eyes, and saw in a dream, and behold, the male goats which leaped on the flock were streaked, speckled, and grizzled. The angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob ,’ and I said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Now lift up your eyes, and behold, all the male goats which leap on the flock are streaked, speckled, and grizzled, for I have seen all that Laban does to you. I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you vowed a vow to me. Now arise, get out from this land, and return to the land of your birth.’”

Rachel and Leah answered him, “Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? Aren’t we considered as foreigners by him? For he has sold us, and has also used up our money. For all the riches which God has taken away from our father are ours and our children’s. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.”

Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives on the camels, and he took away all his livestock, and all his possessions which he had gathered, including the livestock which he had gained in Paddan Aram, to go to Isaac his father, to the land of Canaan. Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep; and Rachel stole the teraphim [teraphim were household idols that may have been associated with inheritance rights to the household property. ]that were her father’s.

Jacob deceived Laban the Syrian, in that he didn’t tell him that he was running away. So he fled with all that he had. He rose up, passed over the River, and set his face toward the mountain of Gilead.

Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled. He took his relatives with him, and pursued him seven days’ journey. He overtook him in the mountain of Gilead. God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Be careful that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.”

Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountain, and Laban with his relatives encamped in the mountain of Gilead. Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword? Why did you flee secretly, and deceive me, and didn’t tell me, that I might have sent you away with mirth and with songs, with tambourine and with harp; and didn’t allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now have you done foolishly. It is in the power of my hand to hurt you, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.’ Now, you want to be gone, because you greatly longed for your father’s house, but why have you stolen my gods?”

Jacob answered Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Lest you should take your daughters from me by force.’ Anyone you find your gods with shall not live. Before our relatives, discern what is yours with me, and take it.” For Jacob didn’t know that Rachel had stolen them.

Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the tent of the two female servants; but he didn’t find them. He went out of Leah’s tent, and entered into Rachel’s tent. Now Rachel had taken the teraphim, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. Laban felt around all the tent, but didn’t find them. She said to her father, “Don’t let my lord be angry that I can’t rise up before you; for I’m having my period.” He searched, but didn’t find the teraphim.

Jacob was angry, and argued with Laban. Jacob answered Laban, “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me? Now that you have felt around in all my stuff, what have you found of all your household stuff? Set it here before my relatives and your relatives, that they may judge between us two.

“These twenty years I have been with you. Your ewes and your female goats have not cast their young, and I haven’t eaten the rams of your flocks. That which was torn of animals, I didn’t bring to you. I bore its loss. Of my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. This was my situation: in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from my eyes. These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times. Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.”

Laban answered Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine! What can I do today to these my daughters, or to their children whom they have borne? Now come, let’s make a covenant, you and I. Let it be for a witness between me and you.”

Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar. Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” They took stones, and made a heap. They ate there by the heap. Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, [“Jegar Sahadutha” means “Witness Heap” in Aramaic. ]but Jacob called it Galeed. [“Galeed” means “Witness Heap” in Hebrew. ] Laban said, “This heap is witness between me and you today.” Therefore it was named Galeed and Mizpah, for he said, “Yahweh watch between me and you, when we are absent one from another. If you afflict my daughters, or if you take wives in addition to my daughters, no man is with us; behold, God is witness between me and you.” Laban said to Jacob, “See this heap, and see the pillar, which I have set between me and you. May this heap be a witness, and the pillar be a witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and that you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” Then Jacob swore by the fear of his father, Isaac. Jacob offered a sacrifice in the mountain, and called his relatives to eat bread. They ate bread, and stayed all night in the mountain. Early in the morning, Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. Laban departed and returned to his place. (WEB)

3. Major Epistle

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Romans 10:1-21

Brothers, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn’t subject themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the fulfillment [or, completion, or end ]of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, “The one who does them will live by them.” (Leviticus 18:5 ) But the righteousness which is of faith says this, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (Deuteronomy 30:12 )(that is, to bring Christ down); or, ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (Deuteronomy 30:13 )(that is, to bring Christ up from the dead .)” But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart;” (Deuteronomy 30:14 )that is, the word of faith which we preach: that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes resulting in righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.” (Isaiah 28:16 )

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him. For, “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Joel 2:32 ) How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher? And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace,
who bring glad tidings of good things!” (Isaiah 52:7 )

But they didn’t all listen to the glad news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” (Isaiah 53:1 ) So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, didn’t they hear? Yes, most certainly,

“Their sound went out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.” (Psalm 19:4 )

But I ask, didn’t Israel know? First Moses says,

“I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation.
I will make you angry with a nation void of understanding.” (Deuteronomy 32:21 )

Isaiah is very bold and says,

“I was found by those who didn’t seek me.
I was revealed to those who didn’t ask for me.” (Isaiah 65:1 )

But about Israel he says, “All day long I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.” (Isaiah 65:2 ) (WEB)

Romans 10:9-10: Romans 10:9-10

4. Minor Epistle

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1 John 1:1-10

That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we saw, and our hands touched, concerning the Word of life (and the life was revealed, and we have seen, and testify, and declare to you the life, the eternal life, which was with the Father, and was revealed to us); that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. [“Christ” means “Anointed One”. ] And we write these things to you, that our joy may be fulfilled.

This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie and don’t tell the truth. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we haven’t sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (WEB)

5. Wisdom

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Job 12:1-25

Then Job answered,

“No doubt, but you are the people,
and wisdom will die with you.
But I have understanding as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
Yes, who doesn’t know such things as these?
I am like one who is a joke to his neighbor,
I, who called on God, and he answered.
The just, the blameless man is a joke.
In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune.
It is ready for them whose foot slips.
The tents of robbers prosper.
Those who provoke God are secure,
who carry their god in their hands.

“But ask the animals now, and they will teach you;
the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.
Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you.
The fish of the sea will declare to you.
Who doesn’t know that in all these,
Yahweh’s hand has done this,
in whose hand is the life of every living thing,
and the breath of all mankind?
Doesn’t the ear try words,
even as the palate tastes its food?
With aged men is wisdom,
in length of days understanding.

“With God is wisdom and might.
He has counsel and understanding.
Behold, he breaks down, and it can’t be built again.
He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.
Behold, he withholds the waters, and they dry up.
Again, he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.
With him is strength and wisdom.
The deceived and the deceiver are his.
He leads counselors away stripped.
He makes judges fools.
He loosens the bond of kings.
He binds their waist with a belt.
He leads priests away stripped,
and overthrows the mighty.
He removes the speech of those who are trusted,
and takes away the understanding of the elders.
He pours contempt on princes,
and loosens the belt of the strong.
He uncovers deep things out of darkness,
and brings out to light the shadow of death.
He increases the nations, and he destroys them.
He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.
He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth,
and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
They grope in the dark without light.
He makes them stagger like a drunken man.

(WEB)

6. Psalm

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Psalms 16:1-11

Psalm 16 – The Joy of Fellowship with God

A michtam of David.

Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I said to the Lᴏʀᴅ, “You are my Lᴏʀᴅ,
my happiness rests in you alone.
Those who are holy in the land,
they, they alone, are the noble ones;
all my delight is in them.”

Those who choose other gods
find endless sorrow.
In their offerings of blood I will have no part
nor take their name on my lips.
The Lᴏʀᴅ is my share and my portion,
my fate is in your strong hands.

The boundary lines of my life
mark out delightful country,
my heritage pleases me well.
I praise the Lᴏʀᴅ for his counsel,
which so stirs my heart in the night.
I keep the Lᴏʀᴅ always in mind:
with him at my hand, I can never be moved.

So my heart is glad, there is joy inside me;
and in safety of body I live.
For you will not give me up to Sheol
nor let any who love you see the pit.
You will show me the path that leads to life,
to that fulness of joy which is in your presence,
and the pleasures dispensed by your hand evermore.

(OEB)

7. Proverbs

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Proverbs 12

The one who loves discipline loves knowledge, but the one who hates reproof is stupid. A good person obtains favor from the Lord,but the Lord condemns a person with wicked schemes. No one can be established through wickedness,but a righteous root cannot be moved. A noble wife is the crown of her husband,but the wife who acts shamefully is like rottenness in his bones. The plans of the righteous are just;the counsels of the wicked are deceitful. The words of the wicked lie in wait to shed innocent blood, but the words of the upright will deliver them. The wicked are overthrown and perish, but the righteous household will stand. A person will be praised in accordance with his wisdom,but the one with a bewildered mind will be despised. Better is a person of humble standing who works for himself, than one who pretends to be somebody important yet has no food. A righteous person cares for the life of his animal,but even the most compassionate acts of the wicked are cruel. The one who works his field will have plenty of food,but whoever chases daydreams lacks sense. The wicked person has desired the stronghold of the wicked,but the root of the righteous will yield fruit. The evil person is ensnared by the transgression of his speech, but the righteous person escapes out of trouble. A person will be satisfied with good from the fruit of his words, and the work of his hands will be rendered to him. The way of a fool is right in his own opinion, but the one who listens to advice is wise. A fool’s annoyance is known at once, but the prudent conceals dishonor. The faithful witness tells what is right, but a false witness speaks deceit. Speaking recklessly is like the thrusts of a sword,but the words of the wise bring healing. The one who tells the truth will endure forever,but the one who lies will last only for a moment. Deceit is in the heart of those who plot evil, but those who promote peace have joy. No harm will be directed at the righteous,but the wicked are filled with calamity. The Lord abhors a person who lies, but those who deal truthfully are his delight. The shrewd person conceals knowledge,but foolish people proclaim folly. The diligent person will rule,but the slothful will be put to forced labor. Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy. The righteous person is cautious in his friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. The lazy person does not roast his prey,but personal possessions are precious to the diligent. In the path of righteousness there is life,but another path leads to death.

(NET)

8. History

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Esther 5:1-14

Now on the third day, Esther put on her royal clothing and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, next to the king’s house. The king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, next to the entrance of the house. When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight; and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther came near and touched the top of the scepter.

Then the king asked her, “What would you like, queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you even to the half of the kingdom.”

Esther said, “If it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”

Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly, so that it may be done as Esther has said.” So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

The king said to Esther at the banquet of wine, “What is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your request? Even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.”

Then Esther answered and said, “My petition and my request is this. If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I will prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow as the king has said.”

Then Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart, but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he didn’t stand up nor move for him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. Nevertheless Haman restrained himself, and went home. There, he sent and called for his friends and Zeresh his wife. Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, the multitude of his children, all the things in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.

Haman also said, “Yes, Esther the queen let no man come in with the king to the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and tomorrow I am also invited by her together with the king. Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”

Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows be made fifty cubits [A cubit is the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow on a man’s arm, or about 18 inches or 46 centimeters. ]high, and in the morning speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on it. Then go in merrily with the king to the banquet.” This pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made. (WEB)

9. Prophecy

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Ezekiel 43:1-27

Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looks toward the east. Behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth was illuminated with his glory. It was like the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city; and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face. Yahweh’s glory came into the house by the way of the gate which faces toward the east. The Spirit took me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, Yahweh’s glory filled the house.

I heard one speaking to me out of the house, and a man stood by me. He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell among the children of Israel forever. The house of Israel will no more defile my holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their prostitution and by the dead bodies of their kings in their high places; in their setting of their threshold by my threshold and their door post beside my door post. There was a wall between me and them; and they have defiled my holy name by their abominations which they have committed. Therefore I have consumed them in my anger. Now let them put away their prostitution, and the dead bodies of their kings far from me. Then I will dwell among them forever.

“You, son of man, show the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern. If they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the form of the house, its fashion, its exits, its entrances, its structure, all its ordinances, all its forms, and all its laws; and write it in their sight, that they may keep the whole form of it, and all its ordinances, and do them.

“This is the law of the house. On the top of the mountain the whole limit around it shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.

“These are the measurements of the altar by cubits (the cubit [A normal cubit is the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow on a man’s arm, or about 18 inches or 46 centimeters. A hand width is about 4.3 inches or 11 cm. ]is a cubit and a hand width ): the bottom shall be a cubit, and the width a cubit, and its border around its edge a span; [A span is the length from the tip of a man’s thumb to the tip of his little finger when his hand is stretched out (about half a cubit, or 9 inches, or 22.8 cm.) ]and this shall be the base of the altar. From the bottom on the ground to the lower ledge shall be two cubits, and the width one cubit; and from the lesser ledge to the greater ledge shall be four cubits, and the width a cubit. The upper altar shall be four cubits; and from the altar hearth and upward there shall be four horns. The altar hearth shall be twelve cubits long by twelve wide, square in its four sides. The ledge shall be fourteen cubits long by fourteen wide in its four sides; and the border about it shall be half a cubit; and its bottom shall be a cubit around; and its steps shall look toward the east.”

He said to me, “Son of man, the Lord Yahweh says: ‘These are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they make it, to offer burnt offerings on it, and to sprinkle blood on it. You shall give to the Levitical priests who are of the offspring of Zadok, who are near to me, to minister to me ,’ says the Lord Yahweh, ‘a young bull for a sin offering. You shall take of its blood and put it on its four horns, and on the four corners of the ledge, and on the border all around. You shall cleanse it and make atonement for it that way. You shall also take the bull of the sin offering, and it shall be burned in the appointed place of the house, outside of the sanctuary.

“On the second day you shall offer a male goat without defect for a sin offering; and they shall cleanse the altar, as they cleansed it with the bull. When you have finished cleansing it, you shall offer a young bull without defect and a ram out of the flock without defect. You shall bring them near to Yahweh, and the priests shall cast salt on them, and they shall offer them up for a burnt offering to Yahweh.

“Seven days you shall prepare every day a goat for a sin offering. They shall also prepare a young bull and a ram out of the flock, without defect. Seven days shall they make atonement for the altar and purify it. So shall they consecrate it. When they have accomplished the days, it shall be that on the eighth day and onward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings on the altar and your peace offerings. Then I will accept you ,’ says the Lord Yahweh.” (WEB)

10. Acts

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Acts 10:1-48

At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in the regiment known as the ‘Italian Regiment,’ A religious man and one who reverenced God, with all his household. He was liberal in his charities to the people, and prayed to God constantly. One afternoon, about three o’clock, he distinctly saw in a vision an angel from God come to him, and call him by name. Cornelius fixed his eyes on him and, in great alarm, said, “What is it, Lord?”

“Your prayers and your charities,” the angel answered, “have been an acceptable offering to God. And now, send messengers to Joppa and fetch a man called Simon, who is also known as Peter. He is lodging with a tanner named Simon, who has a house near the sea.”

When the angel, who had spoken to him, had gone, Cornelius called two servants and a religious soldier, who was one of his constant attendants, and, after telling them the whole story, sent them to Joppa.

On the next day, while these men were on their way, just as they were nearing the town, Peter went up on the housetop about midday to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat; but while it was being prepared, he fell into a trance, and saw that the heavens were open, and that something like a great sail was descending, let down by its four corners towards the earth. In it were all kinds of quadrupeds, reptiles, and birds. Then he was aware of a voice which said – “Stand up, Peter, kill something, and eat.”

“No, Lord, I cannot,” answered Peter, “for I have never eaten anything defiled and unclean.” Again he was aware of a voice which said – “What God has pronounced clean, do not regard as defiled.” This happened three times, and then suddenly it was all taken up into the heavens.

While Peter was still perplexed as to the meaning of the vision that he had seen, the men sent by Cornelius, having enquired the way to Simon’s house, came up to the gate, and called out and asked if the Simon, who was also known as Peter, was lodging there. Peter was still pondering over the vision, when the Spirit said to him, “There are two men looking for you at this moment. Go down at once and do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”

Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the person you are looking for. What is your reason for coming?”

The men replied, “Our centurion, Cornelius, a pious man who reverences God and is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, has been instructed by a holy angel to send for you to his house, and to listen to what you have to say.” So Peter invited them in and entertained them.

The next day he lost no time in setting out with them, accompanied by some of the Lord’s followers from Joppa; and the day following he entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them, and had invited his relatives and intimate friends to meet them. So, when Peter entered the city, Cornelius met him, and, throwing himself at Peter’s feet, bowed to the ground. Peter, however, lifted him up, saying as he did so, “Stand up, I am only human like yourself.”

Talking with him as he went, Peter entered the house, where he found a large gathering of people, to whom he said, “You are doubtless aware that it is forbidden for a Jew to be intimate with a foreigner, or even to enter his house; and yet God has shown me that I ought not to call anyone defiled or unclean. That was why I came, when I was sent for, without raising any objection. And now I ask your reason for sending for me.”

“Just three days ago this very hour,” Cornelius said, “I was in my house, saying the Afternoon Prayers, when a man in dazzling clothing suddenly stood before me. ‘Cornelius,’ he said, ‘your prayer has been heard, and your charities have been accepted, by God. Therefore send to Joppa, and invite the Simon, who is also known as Peter, to come here. He is lodging in the house of Simon the tanner, near the sea.’ Accordingly I sent to you at once, and you have been so good as to come. And now we are all here in the presence of God, to listen to all that you have been instructed by the Lord to say.” Then Peter began.

“I see, beyond all doubt,” he said, “that God does not show partiality, but that in every nation he who reverences him and does what is right is acceptable to him. God has sent his message to the Israelites and told them, through Jesus Christ, the good news of peace – and Jesus is Lord of all! You yourselves know the story which spread through all Judea, how, beginning form Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed – the story, I mean, of Jesus of Nazareth, and how God consecrated him his Christ by enduing him with the Holy Spirit and with power; and how he went about doing good and curing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. We are ourselves, too, witnesses to all that he did in Judea and in Jerusalem; yet they put him to death by hanging him on a cross! This Jesus God raised on the third day, and enabled him to appear, not indeed to everyone, but to witnesses chosen beforehand by God – to us, who ate and drank with him after his resurrection from the dead. Further, God charged us to proclaim to the people, and solemnly affirm, that it is Jesus who has been appointed by God judge of the living and the dead. To him it is that all the prophets bear witness, when they say that everyone who believes in him receives through his name forgiveness of sins.”

Before Peter had finished saying these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to the message. Those converts from Judaism, who had come with Peter, were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been bestowed even on the Gentiles; for they heard them speaking in different languages and extolling God. At this Peter asked, “Can anyone refuse the water for the baptism of these people, now that they have received the Holy Spirit as we did ourselves?” And he directed that they should be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ; after which they asked him to stay there a few days longer. (OEB)