Sunday, November 21

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.

6Then you shall set the altar of the burnt offerings before the door of the tabernacle of testimony.

7You shall put a cover over the tabernacle and consecrate everything pertaining to it.

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.

10'Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the doors of the tabernacle of testimony and wash them with water.

11You shall put the holy garments on Aaron and anoint and consecrate him that he may minister to Me as priest.

12You shall also bring his sons and put garments on them.

13You shall anoint them as you anointed their father, so they may minister to Me as priests; for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.'

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

15Then it came to pass in the first month of the second year after their departure from Egypt, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was set up.

16So Moses set up the tabernacle, placed the capitals, inserted the bars, and set up the posts.

17He spread out the curtains over the tabernacle and put the veil of the tabernacle on it above, as the Lord commanded Moses.

18Then he took the testimonies, put them into the ark, and inserted the poles under the ark.

19He then brought the ark into the tabernacle, hung up the veil of the covering, and partitioned off the ark of the testimony, as the Lord commanded Moses.

20He put the table in the tabernacle of testimony, on the north side of the tabernacle of testimony, outside the veil of the tabernacle.

21He also set the bread of the offertory upon it before the Lord, in the manner the Lord commanded Moses.

22Then he put the lampstand in the tabernacle of testimony, on the south side of the tabernacle;

23and he placed its lamps before the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.

24He also put the gold altar in the tabernacle of testimony in front of the veil;

25and he burned the incense compound on it, as the Lord commanded Moses.

26Then he put the altar of burnt offering before the doors of the tabernacle.

27He also set up the court all around the tabernacle and the altar. So Moses finished all the work.

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.

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,

2in the month of Ethanim.

3The priests took up the ark

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.

8The holy staves extended so the ends of the poles could be seen from the holy place, in front of the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside.

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.'

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.

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.

50And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation.

51He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

52He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly.

53He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty.

54He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy,

55As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever.'

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

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;

11See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand!

12As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

13For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.

14But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

15For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.

16And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

17From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

18Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. 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.'

1Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, 'Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.'

2So He said to them, 'When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.

3Give us day by day our daily bread.

4And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.'

5And He said to them, 'Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves;

6for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him';

7and he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'?

8I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.

9'So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

10For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

11If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?

12Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

13If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!'

14And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled.

15But some of them said, 'He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.'

16Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven.

17But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: 'Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls.

18If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub.

19And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.

20But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

21When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace.

22But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.

23He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

24'When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'

25And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order.

26Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.'

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!'

16Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: 'The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.

17And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?'

18So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.

19And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.' '

20But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?'

21'So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.'