Olive Oil and Bread Set Before the Lord^(A)

24 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning continually. ³ Outside the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law in the tent of meeting, Aaron is to tend the lamps before the Lord from evening till morning, continually. This is to be a lasting ordinance^(B) for the generations to come. ⁴ The lamps on the pure gold lampstand^(C) before the Lord must be tended continually.

⁵ “Take the finest flour and bake twelve loaves of bread,^(D) using two-tenths of an ephah^[a](E) for each loaf. ⁶ Arrange them in two stacks, six in each stack, on the table of pure gold^(F) before the Lord. ⁷ By each stack put some pure incense^(G) as a memorial^[b] portion^(H) to represent the bread and to be a food offering presented to the Lord. ⁸ This bread is to be set out before the Lord regularly,^(I) Sabbath after Sabbath,^(J) on behalf of the Israelites, as a lasting covenant. ⁹ It belongs to Aaron and his sons,^(K) who are to eat it in the sanctuary area,^(L) because it is a most holy^(M) part of their perpetual share of the food offerings presented to the Lord.”

A Blasphemer Put to Death

¹⁰ Now the son of an Israelite mother and an Egyptian father went out among the Israelites, and a fight broke out in the camp between him and an Israelite. ¹¹ The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name^(N) with a curse;^(O) so they brought him to Moses.^(P) (His mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri the Danite.)^{(Q) 12} They put him in custody until the will of the Lord should be made clear to them.^(R)

¹³ Then the Lord said to Moses: ¹⁴ “Take the blasphemer outside the camp. All those who heard him are to lay their hands on his head, and the entire assembly is to stone him.^{(S) 15} Say to the Israelites: ‘Anyone who curses their God^(T) will be held responsible;^{(U) 16} anyone who blasphemes^(V) the name of the Lord is to be put to death.^(W) The entire assembly must stone them. Whether foreigner or native-born, when they blaspheme the Name they are to be put to death.

¹⁷ “‘Anyone who takes the life of a human being is to be put to death.^{(X) 18} Anyone who takes the life of someone’s animal must make restitution^(Y)—life for life. ¹⁹ Anyone who injures their neighbor is to be injured in the same manner: ²⁰ fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth.^(Z) The one who has inflicted the injury must suffer the same injury. ²¹ Whoever kills an animal must make restitution,^(AA) but whoever kills a human being is to be put to death.^{(AB) 22} You are to have the same law for the foreigner^(AC) and the native-born.^(AD) I am the Lord your God.’”

²³ Then Moses spoke to the Israelites, and they took the blasphemer outside the camp and stoned him.^(AE) The Israelites did as the Lord commanded Moses.

Psalm 77^[a]

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A psalm.

God’s Marvelous Plan for the Gentiles

3 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner^(A) of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—

² Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me^(B) for you, ³ that is, the mystery^(C) made known to me by revelation,^(D) as I have already written briefly. ⁴ In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight^(E) into the mystery of Christ, ⁵ which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.^{(F) 6} This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs^(G) together with Israel, members together of one body,^(H) and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.^(I)

⁷ I became a servant of this gospel^(J) by the gift of God’s grace given me^(K) through the working of his power.^{(L) 8} Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people,^(M) this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles^(N) the boundless riches of Christ,^{(O) 9} and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery,^(P) which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. ¹⁰ His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God^(Q) should be made known^(R) to the rulers and authorities^(S) in the heavenly realms,^{(T) 11} according to his eternal purpose^(U) that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. ¹² In him and through faith in him we may approach God^(V) with freedom and confidence.^{(W) 13} I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

A Prayer for the Ephesians

¹⁴ For this reason I kneel^(X) before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family^[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶ I pray that out of his glorious riches^(Y) he may strengthen you with power^(Z) through his Spirit in your inner being,^{(AA) 17} so that Christ may dwell in your hearts^(AB) through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted^(AC) and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people,^(AD) to grasp how wide and long and high and deep^(AE) is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge^(AF)—that you may be filled^(AG) to the measure of all the fullness of God.^(AH)

²⁰ Now to him who is able^(AI) to do immeasurably more than all we ask^(AJ) or imagine, according to his power^(AK) that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.^(AL)