The Fellowship Offering

3 “‘If your offering is a fellowship offering,^(A) and you offer an animal from the herd, whether male or female, you are to present before the Lord an animal without defect.^{(B) 2} You are to lay your hand on the head^(C) of your offering and slaughter it^(D) at the entrance to the tent of meeting.^(E) Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall splash^(F) the blood against the sides^(G) of the altar.^{(H) 3} From the fellowship offering you are to bring a food offering to the Lord: the internal organs^(I) and all the fat^(J) that is connected to them, ⁴ both kidneys^(K) with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which you will remove with the kidneys. ⁵ Then Aaron’s sons^(L) are to burn it on the altar^(M) on top of the burnt offering^(N) that is lying on the burning wood;^(O) it is a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.^(P)

⁶ “‘If you offer an animal from the flock as a fellowship offering^(Q) to the Lord, you are to offer a male or female without defect. ⁷ If you offer a lamb,^(R) you are to present it before the Lord,^{(S) 8} lay your hand on its head and slaughter it^(T) in front of the tent of meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall splash its blood against the sides of the altar. ⁹ From the fellowship offering you are to bring a food offering^(U) to the Lord: its fat, the entire fat tail cut off close to the backbone, the internal organs and all the fat that is connected to them, ¹⁰ both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which you will remove with the kidneys. ¹¹ The priest shall burn them on the altar^(V) as a food offering^(W) presented to the Lord.^(X)

¹² “‘If your offering is a goat,^(Y) you are to present it before the Lord, ¹³ lay your hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the tent of meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall splash^(Z) its blood against the sides of the altar.^{(AA) 14} From what you offer you are to present this food offering to the Lord: the internal organs and all the fat that is connected to them, ¹⁵ both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which you will remove with the kidneys.^{(AB) 16} The priest shall burn them on the altar^(AC) as a food offering,^(AD) a pleasing aroma.^(AE) All the fat^(AF) is the Lord’s.^(AG)

¹⁷ “‘This is a lasting ordinance^(AH) for the generations to come,^(AI) wherever you live:^(AJ) You must not eat any fat or any blood.^(AK)’”

The Sin Offering

4 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Say to the Israelites: ‘When anyone sins unintentionally^(AL) and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands^(AM)—

³ “‘If the anointed priest^(AN) sins,^(AO) bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the Lord a young bull^(AP) without defect^(AQ) as a sin offering^[a](AR) for the sin he has committed.^{(AS) 4} He is to present the bull at the entrance to the tent of meeting before the Lord.^(AT) He is to lay his hand on its head and slaughter it there before the Lord. ⁵ Then the anointed priest shall take some of the bull’s blood^(AU) and carry it into the tent of meeting. ⁶ He is to dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle^(AV) some of it seven times before the Lord,^(AW) in front of the curtain of the sanctuary.^{(AX) 7} The priest shall then put some of the blood on the horns^(AY) of the altar of fragrant incense that is before the Lord in the tent of meeting. The rest of the bull’s blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar^(AZ) of burnt offering^(BA) at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ⁸ He shall remove all the fat^(BB) from the bull of the sin offering—all the fat that is connected to the internal organs, ⁹ both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys^(BC)— ¹⁰ just as the fat is removed from the ox^[b](BD) sacrificed as a fellowship offering.^(BE) Then the priest shall burn them on the altar of burnt offering.^{(BF) 11} But the hide of the bull and all its flesh, as well as the head and legs, the internal organs and the intestines^(BG)— ¹² that is, all the rest of the bull—he must take outside the camp^(BH) to a place ceremonially clean,^(BI) where the ashes^(BJ) are thrown, and burn it^(BK) there in a wood fire on the ash heap.^(BL)

¹³ “‘If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally^(BM) and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, even though the community is unaware of the matter, when they realize their guilt ¹⁴ and the sin they committed becomes known, the assembly must bring a young bull^(BN) as a sin offering^(BO) and present it before the tent of meeting. ¹⁵ The elders^(BP) of the community are to lay their hands^(BQ) on the bull’s head^(BR) before the Lord, and the bull shall be slaughtered before the Lord.^{(BS) 16} Then the anointed priest is to take some of the bull’s blood^(BT) into the tent of meeting. ¹⁷ He shall dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle^(BU) it before the Lord^(BV) seven times in front of the curtain. ¹⁸ He is to put some of the blood^(BW) on the horns of the altar that is before the Lord^(BX) in the tent of meeting. The rest of the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar^(BY) of burnt offering at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ¹⁹ He shall remove all the fat^(BZ) from it and burn it on the altar,^{(CA) 20} and do with this bull just as he did with the bull for the sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement^(CB) for the community, and they will be forgiven.^{(CC) 21} Then he shall take the bull outside the camp^(CD) and burn it as he burned the first bull. This is the sin offering for the community.^(CE)

²² “‘When a leader^(CF) sins unintentionally^(CG) and does what is forbidden in any of the commands of the Lord his God, when he realizes his guilt ²³ and the sin he has committed becomes known, he must bring as his offering a male goat^(CH) without defect. ²⁴ He is to lay his hand on the goat’s head and slaughter it at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered before the Lord.^(CI) It is a sin offering.^{(CJ) 25} Then the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar^(CK) of burnt offering and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.^{(CL) 26} He shall burn all the fat on the altar as he burned the fat of the fellowship offering. In this way the priest will make atonement^(CM) for the leader’s sin, and he will be forgiven.^(CN)

²⁷ “‘If any member of the community sins unintentionally^(CO) and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, when they realize their guilt ²⁸ and the sin they have committed becomes known, they must bring as their offering^(CP) for the sin they committed a female goat^(CQ) without defect. ²⁹ They are to lay their hand on the head^(CR) of the sin offering^(CS) and slaughter it at the place of the burnt offering.^{(CT) 30} Then the priest is to take some of the blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering^(CU) and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. ³¹ They shall remove all the fat, just as the fat is removed from the fellowship offering, and the priest shall burn it on the altar^(CV) as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.^(CW) In this way the priest will make atonement^(CX) for them, and they will be forgiven.^(CY)

³² “‘If someone brings a lamb^(CZ) as their sin offering, they are to bring a female without defect.^{(DA) 33} They are to lay their hand on its head and slaughter it^(DB) for a sin offering^(DC) at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered.^{(DD) 34} Then the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.^{(DE) 35} They shall remove all the fat, just as the fat is removed from the lamb of the fellowship offering, and the priest shall burn it on the altar^(DF) on top of the food offerings presented to the Lord. In this way the priest will make atonement for them for the sin they have committed, and they will be forgiven.

Psalm 53^[a](A)

For the director of music. According to mahalath.^[b] A maskil^[c] of David.

Psalm 54^[d]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil^[e] of David. When the Ziphites^(M) had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?”

Concerning Food Sacrificed to Idols

8 Now about food sacrificed to idols:^(A) We know that “We all possess knowledge.”^(B) But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. ² Those who think they know something^(C) do not yet know as they ought to know.^{(D) 3} But whoever loves God is known by God.^[a](E)

⁴ So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols:^(F) We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world”^(G) and that “There is no God but one.”^{(H) 5} For even if there are so-called gods,^(I) whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), ⁶ yet for us there is but one God,^(J) the Father,^(K) from whom all things came^(L) and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord,^(M) Jesus Christ, through whom all things came^(N) and through whom we live.

⁷ But not everyone possesses this knowledge.^(O) Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak,^(P) it is defiled. ⁸ But food does not bring us near to God;^(Q) we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

⁹ Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block^(R) to the weak.^{(S) 10} For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols?^{(T) 11} So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed^(U) by your knowledge. ¹² When you sin against them^(V) in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.^{(W) 13} Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.^(X)

Paul’s Rights as an Apostle

9 Am I not free?^(Y) Am I not an apostle?^(Z) Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?^(AA) Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?^{(AB) 2} Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal^(AC) of my apostleship in the Lord.

³ This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. ⁴ Don’t we have the right to food and drink?^{(AD) 5} Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife^(AE) along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers^(AF) and Cephas^[b]?^{(AG) 6} Or is it only I and Barnabas^(AH) who lack the right to not work for a living?

⁷ Who serves as a soldier^(AI) at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard^(AJ) and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? ⁸ Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? ⁹ For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”^[c](AK) Is it about oxen that God is concerned?^{(AL) 10} Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us,^(AM) because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.^{(AN) 11} If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?^{(AO) 12} If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?

But we did not use this right.^(AP) On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder^(AQ) the gospel of Christ.

¹³ Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar?^{(AR) 14} In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.^(AS)

¹⁵ But I have not used any of these rights.^(AT) And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast.^{(AU) 16} For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach.^(AV) Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! ¹⁷ If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward;^(AW) if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.^{(AX) 18} What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge,^(AY) and so not make full use of my rights^(AZ) as a preacher of the gospel.

Paul’s Use of His Freedom

¹⁹ Though I am free^(BA) and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone,^(BB) to win as many as possible.^{(BC) 20} To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.^(BD) To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law),^(BE) so as to win those under the law. ²¹ To those not having the law I became like one not having the law^(BF) (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law),^(BG) so as to win those not having the law. ²² To the weak I became weak, to win the weak.^(BH) I have become all things to all people^(BI) so that by all possible means I might save some.^{(BJ) 23} I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

The Need for Self-Discipline

²⁴ Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?^(BK) Run^(BL) in such a way as to get the prize. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown^(BM) that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.^{(BN) 26} Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly;^(BO) I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.^{(BP) 27} No, I strike a blow to my body^(BQ) and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.^(BR)