The Nazirite

6 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If a man or woman wants to make a special vow^(A), a vow of dedication^(B) to the Lord as a Nazirite,^{(C) 3} they must abstain from wine^(D) and other fermented drink and must not drink vinegar^(E) made from wine or other fermented drink. They must not drink grape juice or eat grapes^(F) or raisins. ⁴ As long as they remain under their Nazirite vow, they must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, not even the seeds or skins.

⁵ “‘During the entire period of their Nazirite vow, no razor^(G) may be used on their head.^(H) They must be holy until the period of their dedication to the Lord is over; they must let their hair grow long.

⁶ “‘Throughout the period of their dedication to the Lord, the Nazirite must not go near a dead body.^{(I) 7} Even if their own father or mother or brother or sister dies, they must not make themselves ceremonially unclean^(J) on account of them, because the symbol of their dedication to God is on their head. ⁸ Throughout the period of their dedication, they are consecrated to the Lord.

⁹ “‘If someone dies suddenly in the Nazirite’s presence, thus defiling the hair that symbolizes their dedication,^(K) they must shave their head on the seventh day—the day of their cleansing.^{(L) 10} Then on the eighth day^(M) they must bring two doves or two young pigeons^(N) to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting.^{(O) 11} The priest is to offer one as a sin offering^[a](P) and the other as a burnt offering^(Q) to make atonement^(R) for the Nazirite because they sinned by being in the presence of the dead body. That same day they are to consecrate their head again. ¹² They must rededicate themselves to the Lord for the same period of dedication and must bring a year-old male lamb^(S) as a guilt offering.^(T) The previous days do not count, because they became defiled during their period of dedication.

¹³ “‘Now this is the law of the Nazirite when the period of their dedication is over.^(U) They are to be brought to the entrance to the tent of meeting.^{(V) 14} There they are to present their offerings to the Lord: a year-old male lamb without defect^(W) for a burnt offering, a year-old ewe lamb without defect for a sin offering,^(X) a ram^(Y) without defect for a fellowship offering,^{(Z) 15} together with their grain offerings^(AA) and drink offerings,^(AB) and a basket of bread made with the finest flour and without yeast—thick loaves with olive oil mixed in, and thin loaves brushed with olive oil.^(AC)

¹⁶ “‘The priest is to present all these^(AD) before the Lord^(AE) and make the sin offering and the burnt offering.^{(AF) 17} He is to present the basket of unleavened bread and is to sacrifice the ram as a fellowship offering^(AG) to the Lord, together with its grain offering^(AH) and drink offering.^(AI)

¹⁸ “‘Then at the entrance to the tent of meeting, the Nazirite must shave off the hair that symbolizes their dedication.^(AJ) They are to take the hair and put it in the fire that is under the sacrifice of the fellowship offering.

¹⁹ “‘After the Nazirite has shaved off the hair that symbolizes their dedication, the priest is to place in their hands a boiled shoulder of the ram, and one thick loaf and one thin loaf from the basket, both made without yeast.^{(AK) 20} The priest shall then wave these before the Lord as a wave offering;^(AL) they are holy^(AM) and belong to the priest, together with the breast that was waved and the thigh that was presented.^(AN) After that, the Nazirite may drink wine.^(AO)

²¹ “‘This is the law of the Nazirite^(AP) who vows offerings to the Lord in accordance with their dedication, in addition to whatever else they can afford. They must fulfill the vows^(AQ) they have made, according to the law of the Nazirite.’”

The Priestly Blessing

²² The Lord said to Moses, ²³ “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless^(AR) the Israelites. Say to them:

²⁷ “So they will put my name^(AY) on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”

Psalm 86

A prayer of David.

3 So when we could stand it no longer,^(A) we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens.^{(B) 2} We sent Timothy,^(C) who is our brother and co-worker^(D) in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ,^(E) to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, ³ so that no one would be unsettled by these trials.^(F) For you know quite well that we are destined for them.^{(G) 4} In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know.^{(H) 5} For this reason, when I could stand it no longer,^(I) I sent to find out about your faith.^(J) I was afraid that in some way the tempter^(K) had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain.^(L)

Timothy’s Encouraging Report

⁶ But Timothy^(M) has just now come to us from you^(N) and has brought good news about your faith and love.^(O) He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you.^{(P) 7} Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. ⁸ For now we really live, since you are standing firm^(Q) in the Lord. ⁹ How can we thank God enough for you^(R) in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?^{(S) 10} Night and day we pray^(T) most earnestly that we may see you again^(U) and supply what is lacking in your faith.

¹¹ Now may our God and Father^(V) himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. ¹² May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other^(W) and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. ¹³ May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless^(X) and holy in the presence of our God and Father^(Y) when our Lord Jesus comes^(Z) with all his holy ones.^(AA)

Living to Please God

4 As for other matters, brothers and sisters,^(AB) we instructed you how to live^(AC) in order to please God,^(AD) as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. ² For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

³ It is God’s will^(AE) that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;^{(AF) 4} that each of you should learn to control your own body^[a](AG) in a way that is holy and honorable, ⁵ not in passionate lust^(AH) like the pagans,^(AI) who do not know God;^{(AJ) 6} and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.^[b](AK) The Lord will punish^(AL) all those who commit such sins,^(AM) as we told you and warned you before. ⁷ For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.^{(AN) 8} Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.^(AO)

⁹ Now about your love for one another^(AP) we do not need to write to you,^(AQ) for you yourselves have been taught by God^(AR) to love each other.^{(AS) 10} And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia.^(AT) Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more,^{(AU) 11} and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands,^(AV) just as we told you, ¹² so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders^(AW) and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

Believers Who Have Died

¹³ Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed^(AX) about those who sleep in death,^(AY) so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.^{(AZ) 14} For we believe that Jesus died and rose again,^(BA) and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.^{(BB) 15} According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord,^(BC) will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.^{(BD) 16} For the Lord himself will come down from heaven,^(BE) with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel^(BF) and with the trumpet call of God,^(BG) and the dead in Christ will rise first.^{(BH) 17} After that, we who are still alive and are left^(BI) will be caught up together with them in the clouds^(BJ) to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord^(BK) forever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another^(BL) with these words.