Friday, November 21

1Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary.

2For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary;

3and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All,

4which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant;

5and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

6Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services.

7But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sins committed in ignorance;

9For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

10who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.

11Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

12And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you,

13and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves.

24He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

25Brethren, pray for us.

26Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.

27I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren.

28The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

38Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.

39And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word.

40But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, 'Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.'

41And Jesus answered and said to her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.

42But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.'

11:27And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, 'Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!'

28But He said, 'More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!'

15And He said to them, 'You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

16'The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.

17And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.

18'Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery.

17:1Then He said to the disciples, 'It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!

2It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

3Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.

4And if he sins against you seven times in day, and seven times in day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him.'

39Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah,

40and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.

41And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, 'Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

43But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

45Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.'

46'My soul magnifies the Lord,

47And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

48For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.

49For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name.

56And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.

1Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

2'On the first day of the first month, the new moon, you shall set up the tabernacle of testimony.

3You shall put in it the ark of the testimony and cover the ark with the veil.

4You shall bring in the table and lay out its offering, and bring in the lampstand and install its lamps.

5You shall also set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark, and put up the veil for the door of the tabernacle of testimony.

8You shall take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; and you shall consecrate it and all its utensils, and it shall be holy.

9You shall anoint the altar of burnt offerings and all its utensils and consecrate the altar. The altar shall be most holy.

14Thus Moses did; according to all the Lord commanded him, so he did.

28Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of testimony, and the tabernacle was filled with the Lord's glory.

29But Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of testimony because the cloud overshadowed it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

50And Solomon completed his whole house.

8:1Twenty years later, when Solomon finished building the house of the Lord and his own house, King Solomon assembled all the elders of Israel in Zion, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the City of David, which is Zion,

4and the tabernacle of testimony and all the holy furnishings in the tabernacle of meeting.

5King Solomon and all Israel were before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen without number.

6Then the priests brought in the ark to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the holy of holies, under the wings of the cherubim.

7For the cherubim spread their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim overshadowed the ark and the holy things.

9Nothing was in the ark except the two stone tablets, the tablets of the covenant Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, after they came out of the land of Egypt.

10When the priests came out of the holy place, the cloud filled the house,

11so the priests could not stand there ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house.

27It will be when these days are over, on the eighth day, the priests shall offer your whole burnt offerings and your peace offerings on the altar, and I shall accept you,' says the Lord.'

44:1Then He brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary that faces toward the east, but it was shut.

2So the Lord said to me, 'This gate shall be shut. It shall not be opened, and no man shall pass through it, because the Lord God of Israel will enter by it; therefore, it shall be shut.

3As for the prince, he will sit in it to eat bread before the Lord. He will go in by way of the gate chamber and go out the same way.'

4Then He brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple, and I looked, and behold, the house of the Lord was full of glory; and I fell on my face.