The Priestly Garments

39 From the blue, purple and scarlet yarn^(A) they made woven garments for ministering in the sanctuary.^(B) They also made sacred garments^(C) for Aaron, as the Lord commanded Moses.

The Ephod^(D)

² They^[a] made the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. ³ They hammered out thin sheets of gold and cut strands to be worked into the blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen—the work of skilled hands. ⁴ They made shoulder pieces for the ephod, which were attached to two of its corners, so it could be fastened. ⁵ Its skillfully woven waistband was like it—of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen, as the Lord commanded Moses.

⁶ They mounted the onyx stones in gold filigree settings and engraved them like a seal with the names of the sons of Israel. ⁷ Then they fastened them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial^(E) stones for the sons of Israel, as the Lord commanded Moses.

The Breastpiece^(F)

⁸ They fashioned the breastpiece^(G)—the work of a skilled craftsman. They made it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. ⁹ It was square—a span^[b] long and a span wide—and folded double. ¹⁰ Then they mounted four rows of precious stones on it. The first row was carnelian, chrysolite and beryl; ¹¹ the second row was turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald; ¹² the third row was jacinth, agate and amethyst; ¹³ the fourth row was topaz, onyx and jasper.^[c] They were mounted in gold filigree settings. ¹⁴ There were twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.^(H)

¹⁵ For the breastpiece they made braided chains of pure gold, like a rope. ¹⁶ They made two gold filigree settings and two gold rings, and fastened the rings to two of the corners of the breastpiece. ¹⁷ They fastened the two gold chains to the rings at the corners of the breastpiece, ¹⁸ and the other ends of the chains to the two settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front. ¹⁹ They made two gold rings and attached them to the other two corners of the breastpiece on the inside edge next to the ephod. ²⁰ Then they made two more gold rings and attached them to the bottom of the shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the seam just above the waistband of the ephod. ²¹ They tied the rings of the breastpiece to the rings of the ephod with blue cord, connecting it to the waistband so that the breastpiece would not swing out from the ephod—as the Lord commanded Moses.

Other Priestly Garments^(I)

²² They made the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth—the work of a weaver— ²³ with an opening in the center of the robe like the opening of a collar,^[d] and a band around this opening, so that it would not tear. ²⁴ They made pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen around the hem of the robe. ²⁵ And they made bells of pure gold and attached them around the hem between the pomegranates. ²⁶ The bells and pomegranates alternated around the hem of the robe to be worn for ministering, as the Lord commanded Moses.

²⁷ For Aaron and his sons, they made tunics of fine linen^(J)—the work of a weaver— ²⁸ and the turban^(K) of fine linen, the linen caps and the undergarments of finely twisted linen. ²⁹ The sash was made of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn—the work of an embroiderer—as the Lord commanded Moses.

³⁰ They made the plate, the sacred emblem, out of pure gold and engraved on it, like an inscription on a seal: holy to the Lord.^{(L) 31} Then they fastened a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban,^(M) as the Lord commanded Moses.

Moses Inspects the Tabernacle^(N)

³² So all the work on the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, was completed. The Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses.^{(O) 33} Then they brought the tabernacle^(P) to Moses: the tent and all its furnishings, its clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; ³⁴ the covering of ram skins dyed red and the covering of another durable leather^[e] and the shielding curtain; ³⁵ the ark of the covenant law^(Q) with its poles and the atonement cover; ³⁶ the table^(R) with all its articles and the bread of the Presence;^{(S) 37} the pure gold lampstand^(T) with its row of lamps and all its accessories,^(U) and the olive oil^(V) for the light; ³⁸ the gold altar,^(W) the anointing oil,^(X) the fragrant incense,^(Y) and the curtain^(Z) for the entrance to the tent; ³⁹ the bronze altar^(AA) with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the basin^(AB) with its stand; ⁴⁰ the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard;^(AC) the ropes and tent pegs for the courtyard; all the furnishings for the tabernacle, the tent of meeting; ⁴¹ and the woven garments^(AD) worn for ministering in the sanctuary, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when serving as priests.

⁴² The Israelites had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses.^{(AE) 43} Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the Lord had commanded.^(AF) So Moses blessed^(AG) them.

Psalm 49^[a]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

The Church and Its Leaders

3 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit^(A) but as people who are still worldly^(B)—mere infants^(C) in Christ. ² I gave you milk, not solid food,^(D) for you were not yet ready for it.^(E) Indeed, you are still not ready. ³ You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling^(F) among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? ⁴ For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,”^(G) are you not mere human beings?

⁵ What, after all, is Apollos?^(H) And what is Paul? Only servants,^(I) through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. ⁶ I planted the seed,^(J) Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. ⁷ So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. ⁸ The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.^{(K) 9} For we are co-workers in God’s service;^(L) you are God’s field,^(M) God’s building.^(N)

¹⁰ By the grace God has given me,^(O) I laid a foundation^(P) as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. ¹¹ For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.^{(Q) 12} If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, ¹³ their work will be shown for what it is,^(R) because the Day^(S) will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.^{(T) 14} If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.^{(U) 15} If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.^(V)

¹⁶ Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple^(W) and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?^{(X) 17} If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.

¹⁸ Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise^(Y) by the standards of this age,^(Z) you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. ¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is foolishness^(AA) in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”^[a];^{(AB) 20} and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”^{[b](AC) 21} So then, no more boasting about human leaders!^(AD) All things are yours,^{(AE) 22} whether Paul or Apollos^(AF) or Cephas^[c](AG) or the world or life or death or the present or the future^(AH)—all are yours, ²³ and you are of Christ,^(AI) and Christ is of God.

The Nature of True Apostleship

4 This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants^(AJ) of Christ and as those entrusted^(AK) with the mysteries^(AL) God has revealed. ² Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. ³ I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. ⁴ My conscience^(AM) is clear, but that does not make me innocent.^(AN) It is the Lord who judges me.^{(AO) 5} Therefore judge nothing^(AP) before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes.^(AQ) He will bring to light^(AR) what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.^(AS)

⁶ Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.”^(AT) Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other.^{(AU) 7} For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive?^(AV) And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

⁸ Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich!^(AW) You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you! ⁹ For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die^(AX) in the arena. We have been made a spectacle^(AY) to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. ¹⁰ We are fools for Christ,^(AZ) but you are so wise in Christ!^(BA) We are weak, but you are strong!^(BB) You are honored, we are dishonored! ¹¹ To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.^{(BC) 12} We work hard with our own hands.^(BD) When we are cursed, we bless;^(BE) when we are persecuted,^(BF) we endure it; ¹³ when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage^(BG) of the world—right up to this moment.

Paul’s Appeal and Warning

¹⁴ I am writing this not to shame you^(BH) but to warn you as my dear children.^{(BI) 15} Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father^(BJ) through the gospel.^{(BK) 16} Therefore I urge you to imitate me.^{(BL) 17} For this reason I have sent to you^(BM) Timothy,^(BN) my son^(BO) whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.^(BP)

¹⁸ Some of you have become arrogant,^(BQ) as if I were not coming to you.^{(BR) 19} But I will come to you very soon,^(BS) if the Lord is willing,^(BT) and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. ²⁰ For the kingdom of God is not a matter of^(BU) talk but of power.^{(BV) 21} What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline,^(BW) or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?