February 15
Exodus 39:1–40:38
1The craftsmen made beautiful sacred garments of blue, purple, and scarlet cloth—clothing for Aaron to wear while ministering in the Holy Place, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 2Bezalel made the ephod of finely woven linen and embroidered it with gold and with blue, purple, and scarlet thread.
3He made gold thread by hammering out thin sheets of gold and cutting it into fine strands. With great skill and care, he worked it into the fine linen with the blue, purple, and scarlet thread. 4The ephod consisted of two pieces, front and back, joined at the shoulders with two shoulder-pieces.
5The decorative sash was made of the same materials: finely woven linen embroidered with gold and with blue, purple, and scarlet thread, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 6They mounted the two onyx stones in settings of gold filigree. The stones were engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel, just as a seal is engraved.
7He fastened these stones on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod as a reminder that the priest represents the people of Israel. All this was done just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 8Bezalel made the chestpiece with great skill and care. He made it to match the ephod, using finely woven linen embroidered with gold and with blue, purple, and scarlet thread.
9He made the chestpiece of a single piece of cloth folded to form a pouch nine inches square. 10They mounted four rows of gemstones on it. The first row contained a red carnelian, a pale-green peridot, and an emerald. 11The second row contained a turquoise, a blue lapis lazuli, and a white moonstone.
12The third row contained an orange jacinth, an agate, and a purple amethyst. 13The fourth row contained a blue-green beryl, an onyx, and a green jasper. All these stones were set in gold filigree. 14Each stone represented one of the twelve sons of Israel, and the name of that tribe was engraved on it like a seal.
15To attach the chestpiece to the ephod, they made braided cords of pure gold thread. 16They also made two settings of gold filigree and two gold rings and attached them to the top corners of the chestpiece. 17They tied the two gold cords to the rings on the chestpiece.
18They tied the other ends of the cords to the gold settings on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod. 19Then they made two more gold rings and attached them to the inside edges of the chestpiece next to the ephod. 20Then they made two more gold rings and attached them to the front of the ephod, below the shoulder-pieces, just above the knot where the decorative sash was fastened to the ephod.
21They attached the bottom rings of the chestpiece to the rings on the ephod with blue cords. In this way, the chestpiece was held securely to the ephod above the decorative sash. All this was done just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 22Bezalel made the robe that is worn with the ephod from a single piece of blue woven cloth,
23with an opening for Aaron’s head in the middle of it. The opening was reinforced with a woven collar so it would not tear. 24They made pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and attached them to the hem of the robe. 25They also made bells of pure gold and placed them between the pomegranates along the hem of the robe,
26with bells and pomegranates alternating all around the hem. This robe was to be worn whenever the priest ministered before the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 27They made tunics for Aaron and his sons from fine linen cloth. 28The turban and the special head coverings were made of fine linen, and the undergarments were also made of finely woven linen.
29The sashes were made of finely woven linen and embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet thread, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 30Finally, they made the sacred medallion—the badge of holiness—of pure gold. They engraved it like a seal with these words: Holy to the Lord.
31They attached the medallion with a blue cord to Aaron’s turban, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 32And so at last the Tabernacle was finished. The Israelites had done everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 33And they brought the entire Tabernacle to Moses: the sacred tent with all its furnishings, clasps, frames, crossbars, posts, and bases; 34the tent coverings of tanned ram skins and fine goatskin leather; the inner curtain to shield the Ark;
35the Ark of the Covenant and its carrying poles; the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement; 36the table and all its utensils; the Bread of the Presence; 37the pure gold lampstand with its symmetrical lamp cups, all its accessories, and the olive oil for lighting; 38the gold altar; the anointing oil and fragrant incense; the curtain for the entrance of the sacred tent;
39the bronze altar; the bronze grating and its carrying poles and utensils; the washbasin with its stand; 40the curtains for the walls of the courtyard; the posts and their bases; the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard; the ropes and tent pegs; all the furnishings to be used in worship at the Tabernacle;
41the beautifully stitched garments for the priests to wear while ministering in the Holy Place—the sacred garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments for his sons to wear as they minister as priests. 42So the people of Israel followed all of the Lord’s instructions to Moses. 43Then Moses inspected all their work. When he found it had been done just as the Lord had commanded him, he blessed them.
Chapter 40
1Then the Lord said to Moses, 2“Set up the Tabernacle on the first day of the new year. 3Place the Ark of the Covenant inside, and install the inner curtain to enclose the Ark within the Most Holy Place. 4Then bring in the table, and arrange the utensils on it. And bring in the lampstand, and set up the lamps.
5“Place the gold incense altar in front of the Ark of the Covenant. Then hang the curtain at the entrance of the Tabernacle. 6Place the altar of burnt offering in front of the Tabernacle entrance. 7Set the washbasin between the Tabernacle and the altar, and fill it with water.
8Then set up the courtyard around the outside of the tent, and hang the curtain for the courtyard entrance. 9“Take the anointing oil and anoint the Tabernacle and all its furnishings to consecrate them and make them holy. 10Anoint the altar of burnt offering and its utensils to consecrate them. Then the altar will become absolutely holy.
11Next anoint the washbasin and its stand to consecrate them. 12“Present Aaron and his sons at the entrance of the Tabernacle, and wash them with water. 13Dress Aaron with the sacred garments and anoint him, consecrating him to serve me as a priest. 14Then present his sons and dress them in their tunics.
15Anoint them as you did their father, so they may also serve me as priests. With their anointing, Aaron’s descendants are set apart for the priesthood forever, from generation to generation.” 16Moses proceeded to do everything just as the Lord had commanded him. 17So the Tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month of the second year.
18Moses erected the Tabernacle by setting down its bases, inserting the frames, attaching the crossbars, and setting up the posts. 19Then he spread the coverings over the Tabernacle framework and put on the protective layers, just as the Lord had commanded him.
20He took the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant and placed them inside the Ark. Then he attached the carrying poles to the Ark, and he set the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—on top of it. 21Then he brought the Ark of the Covenant into the Tabernacle and hung the inner curtain to shield it from view, just as the Lord had commanded him.
22Next Moses placed the table in the Tabernacle, along the north side of the Holy Place, just outside the inner curtain. 23And he arranged the Bread of the Presence on the table before the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded him. 24He set the lampstand in the Tabernacle across from the table on the south side of the Holy Place.
25Then he lit the lamps in the Lord’s presence, just as the Lord had commanded him. 26He also placed the gold incense altar in the Tabernacle, in the Holy Place in front of the inner curtain. 27On it he burned the fragrant incense, just as the Lord had commanded him.
28He hung the curtain at the entrance of the Tabernacle, 29and he placed the altar of burnt offering near the Tabernacle entrance. On it he offered a burnt offering and a grain offering, just as the Lord had commanded him. 30Next Moses placed the washbasin between the Tabernacle and the altar. He filled it with water so the priests could wash themselves. 31Moses and Aaron and Aaron’s sons used water from it to wash their hands and feet.
32Whenever they approached the altar and entered the Tabernacle, they washed themselves, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 33Then he hung the curtains forming the courtyard around the Tabernacle and the altar. And he set up the curtain at the entrance of the courtyard. So at last Moses finished the work.
34Then the cloud covered the Tabernacle, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. 35Moses could no longer enter the Tabernacle because the cloud had settled down over it, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. 36Now whenever the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out on their journey, following it.
37But if the cloud did not rise, they remained where they were until it lifted. 38The cloud of the Lord hovered over the Tabernacle during the day, and at night fire glowed inside the cloud so the whole family of Israel could see it. This continued throughout all their journeys.
Mark 1:1-28
1This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. It began 2just as the prophet Isaiah had written: “Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way. 3He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’”
4This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. 5All of Judea, including all the people of Jerusalem, went out to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
6His clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey. 7John announced: “Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals. 8I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!”
9One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. 10As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.”
12The Spirit then compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness, 13where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him. 14Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God’s Good News.
15“The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” 16One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living.
17Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 18And they left their nets at once and followed him. 19A little farther up the shore Jesus saw Zebedee’s sons, James and John, in a boat repairing their nets. 20He called them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired men.
21Jesus and his companions went to the town of Capernaum. When the Sabbath day came, he went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22The people were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike the teachers of religious law. 23Suddenly, a man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit began shouting,
24“Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” 25Jesus cut him short. “Be quiet! Come out of the man,” he ordered. 26At that, the evil spirit screamed, threw the man into a convulsion, and then came out of him.
27Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened. “What sort of new teaching is this?” they asked excitedly. “It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!” 28The news about Jesus spread quickly throughout the entire region of Galilee.
Psalm 35:1-16
A psalm of David.
1 O Lord, oppose those who oppose me.
Fight those who fight against me.
2 Put on your armor, and take up your shield.
Prepare for battle, and come to my aid.
3 Lift up your spear and javelin
against those who pursue me.
Let me hear you say,
“I will give you victory!”
4 Bring shame and disgrace on those trying to kill me;
turn them back and humiliate those who want to harm me.
5 Blow them away like chaff in the wind—
a wind sent by the angel of the Lord.
6 Make their path dark and slippery,
with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
7 I did them no wrong, but they laid a trap for me.
I did them no wrong, but they dug a pit to catch me.
8 So let sudden ruin come upon them!
Let them be caught in the trap they set for me!
Let them be destroyed in the pit they dug for me.
9 Then I will rejoice in the Lord.
I will be glad because he rescues me.
10 With every bone in my body I will praise him:
“Lord, who can compare with you?
Who else rescues the helpless from the strong?
Who else protects the helpless and poor from those who rob them?”
11 Malicious witnesses testify against me.
They accuse me of crimes I know nothing about.
12 They repay me evil for good.
I am sick with despair.
13 Yet when they were ill, I grieved for them.
I denied myself by fasting for them,
but my prayers returned unanswered.
14 I was sad, as though they were my friends or family,
as if I were grieving for my own mother.
15 But they are glad now that I am in trouble;
they gleefully join together against me.
I am attacked by people I don’t even know;
they slander me constantly.
16 They mock me and call me names;
they snarl at me.
Proverbs 9:11-12
11 Wisdom will multiply your days
and add years to your life.
12 If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit.
If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer.