Aaron's Priesthood Inaugurated, Freedom Declared

1. On the eighth day, Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel; 2. and he said to Aaron, “Take a calf from the herd for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without defect, and offer them before Yahweh. 3. You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering; and a calf and a lamb, both a year old, without defect, for a burnt offering; 4. and a bull and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before Yahweh; and a meal offering mixed with oil: for today Yahweh appears to you.’” 5. They brought what Moses commanded before the Tent of Meeting: and all the congregation came near and stood before Yahweh. 6. Moses said, “This is the thing which Yahweh commanded that you should do: and Yahweh’s glory shall appear to you.” 7. Moses said to Aaron, “Draw near to the altar, and offer your sin offering, and your burnt offering, and make atonement for yourself, and for the people; and offer the offering of the people, and make atonement for them; as Yahweh commanded.” 8. So Aaron came near to the altar, and killed the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself. 9. The sons of Aaron presented the blood to him; and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put it on the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the base of the altar: 10. but the fat, and the kidneys, and the cover from the liver of the sin offering, he burned upon the altar; as Yahweh commanded Moses. 11. The meat and the skin he burned with fire outside the camp. 12. He killed the burnt offering; and Aaron’s sons delivered the blood to him, and he sprinkled it around on the altar. 13. They delivered the burnt offering to him, piece by piece, and the head: and he burned them upon the altar. 14. He washed the innards and the legs, and burned them on the burnt offering on the altar. 15. He presented the people’s offering, and took the goat of the sin offering which was for the people, and killed it, and offered it for sin, like the first. 16. He presented the burnt offering, and offered it according to the ordinance. 17. He presented the meal offering, and filled his hand from there, and burned it upon the altar, besides the burnt offering of the morning. 18. He also killed the bull and the ram, the sacrifice of peace offerings, which was for the people: and Aaron’s sons delivered to him the blood, which he sprinkled around on the altar, 19. and the fat of the bull and of the ram, the fat tail, and that which covers the innards, and the kidneys, and the cover of the liver: 20. and they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burned the fat on the altar: 21. and the breasts and the right thigh Aaron waved for a wave offering before Yahweh, as Moses commanded. 22. Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people, and blessed them; and he came down from offering the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings. 23. Moses and Aaron went into the Tent of Meeting, and came out, and blessed the people: and Yahweh’s glory appeared to all the people. 24. Fire came out from before Yahweh, and consumed the burnt offering and the fat upon the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted, and fell on their faces. 1. Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and offered strange fire before Yahweh, which he had not commanded them. 2. Fire came out from before Yahweh, and devoured them, and they died before Yahweh. 3. Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what Yahweh spoke of, saying, ‘I will show myself holy to those who come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified.’” Aaron held his peace. 4. Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Draw near, carry your brothers from before the sanctuary out of the camp.” 5. So they came near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp, as Moses had said. 6. Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons, “Don’t let the hair of your heads go loose, and don’t tear your clothes; so that you don’t die, and so that he not be angry with all the congregation; but let your brothers, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which Yahweh has kindled. 7. You shall not go out from the door of the Tent of Meeting, lest you die; for the anointing oil of Yahweh is on you.” They did according to the word of Moses. 8. Then Yahweh said to Aaron, 9. “You and your sons are not to drink wine or strong drink whenever you go into the Tent of Meeting, or you will die. This shall be a statute forever throughout your generations. 10. You are to make a distinction between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean. 11. You are to teach the children of Israel all the statutes which Yahweh has spoken to them by Moses.” 12. Moses spoke to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons who were left, “Take the meal offering that remains of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire, and eat it without yeast beside the altar; for it is most holy; 13. and you shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your portion, and your sons’ portion, of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire: for so I am commanded. 14. The waved breast and the heaved thigh you shall eat in a clean place, you, and your sons, and your daughters with you: for they are given as your portion, and your sons’ portion, out of the sacrifices of the peace offerings of the children of Israel. 15. The heaved thigh and the waved breast they shall bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before Yahweh: and it shall be yours, and your sons’ with you, as a portion forever; as Yahweh has commanded.” 16. Moses diligently inquired about the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burned: and he was angry with Eleazar and with Ithamar, the sons of Aaron who were left, saying, 17. “Why haven’t you eaten the sin offering in the place of the sanctuary, since it is most holy, and he has given it to you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before Yahweh? 18. Behold, its blood was not brought into the inner part of the sanctuary: you certainly should have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded.” 19. Aaron spoke to Moses, “Behold, today they have offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before Yahweh; and such things as these have happened to me. If I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been pleasing in Yahweh’s sight?” 20. When Moses heard that, it was pleasing in his sight. 1. Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying to them, 2. “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘These are the living things which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth. 3. Whatever parts the hoof, and is cloven-footed, and chews the cud among the animals, that you may eat. 4. “‘Nevertheless these you shall not eat of those that chew the cud, or of those who part the hoof: the camel, because he chews the cud but doesn’t have a parted hoof, he is unclean to you. 5. The cony, because he chews the cud but doesn’t have a parted hoof, he is unclean to you. 6. The hare, because she chews the cud but doesn’t part the hoof, she is unclean to you. 7. The pig, because he has a split hoof, and is cloven-footed, but doesn’t chew the cud, he is unclean to you. 8. Of their meat you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch; they are unclean to you. 9. “‘These you may eat of all that are in the waters: whatever has fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, that you may eat. 10. All that don’t have fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of all the living creatures that are in the waters, they are an abomination to you, 11. and you shall detest them. You shall not eat of their meat, and you shall detest their carcasses. 12. Whatever has no fins nor scales in the waters, that is an abomination to you. 13. “‘These you shall detest among the birds; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the vulture, and the black vulture, 14. and the red kite, any kind of black kite, 15. any kind of raven, 16. the horned owl, the screech owl, and the gull, any kind of hawk, 17. the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl, 18. the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey, 19. the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat. 20. “‘All flying insects that walk on all fours are an abomination to you. 21. Yet you may eat these: of all winged creeping things that go on all fours, which have legs above their feet, with which to hop on the earth. 22. Even of these you may eat: any kind of locust, any kind of katydid, any kind of cricket, and any kind of grasshopper. 23. But all winged creeping things which have four feet, are an abomination to you. 24. “‘By these you will become unclean: whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening. 25. Whoever carries any part of their carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening. 26. “‘Every animal which parts the hoof, and is not cloven-footed, nor chews the cud, is unclean to you. Everyone who touches them shall be unclean. 27. Whatever goes on its paws, among all animals that go on all fours, they are unclean to you. Whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening. 28. He who carries their carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening. They are unclean to you. 29. “‘These are they which are unclean to you among the creeping things that creep on the earth: the weasel, the rat, any kind of great lizard, 30. the gecko, and the monitor lizard, the wall lizard, the skink, and the chameleon. 31. These are they which are unclean to you among all that creep. Whoever touches them when they are dead, shall be unclean until the evening. 32. On whatever any of them falls when they are dead, it shall be unclean; whether it is any vessel of wood, or clothing, or skin, or sack, whatever vessel it is, with which any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the evening; then it will be clean. 33. Every earthen vessel, into which any of them falls, all that is in it shall be unclean, and you shall break it. 34. All food which may be eaten, that on which water comes, shall be unclean; and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean. 35. Everything whereupon part of their carcass falls shall be unclean; whether oven, or range for pots, it shall be broken in pieces: they are unclean, and shall be unclean to you. 36. Nevertheless a spring or a cistern in which water is gathered shall be clean: but that which touches their carcass shall be unclean. 37. If part of their carcass falls on any sowing seed which is to be sown, it is clean. 38. But if water is put on the seed, and part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you. 39. “‘If any animal, of which you may eat, dies; he who touches its carcass shall be unclean until the evening. 40. He who eats of its carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening. He also who carries its carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening. 41. “‘Every creeping thing that creeps on the earth is an abomination. It shall not be eaten. 42. Whatever goes on its belly, and whatever goes on all fours, or whatever has many feet, even all creeping things that creep on the earth, them you shall not eat; for they are an abomination. 43. You shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creeps. You shall not make yourselves unclean with them, that you should be defiled thereby. 44. For I am Yahweh your God. Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any kind of creeping thing that moves on the earth. 45. For I am Yahweh who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. 46. “‘This is the law of the animal, and of the bird, and of every living creature that moves in the waters, and of every creature that creeps on the earth, 47. to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the living thing that may be eaten and the living thing that may not be eaten.’” 1. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2. “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘If a woman conceives, and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her monthly period she shall be unclean. 3. In the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4. She shall continue in the blood of purification thirty-three days. She shall not touch any holy thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying are completed. 5. But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her period; and she shall continue in the blood of purification sixty-six days. 6. “‘When the days of her purification are completed, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the door of the Tent of Meeting, a year old lamb for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering: 7. and he shall offer it before Yahweh, and make atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the fountain of her blood. “‘This is the law for her who bears, whether a male or a female. 8. If she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves, or two young pigeons; the one for a burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.’”

1. But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a bondservant, though he is lord of all; 2. but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed by the father. 3. So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental principles of the world. 4. But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law, 5. that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children. 6. And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” 7. So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. 8. However at that time, not knowing God, you were in bondage to those who by nature are not gods. 9. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, why do you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental principles, to which you desire to be in bondage all over again? 10. You observe days, months, seasons, and years. 11. I am afraid for you, that I might have wasted my labor for you. 12. I beg you, brothers, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong, 13. but you know that because of weakness in the flesh I preached the Good News to you the first time. 14. That which was a temptation to you in my flesh, you didn’t despise nor reject; but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. 15. What was the blessing you enjoyed? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. 16. So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17. They zealously seek you in no good way. No, they desire to alienate you, that you may seek them. 18. But it is always good to be zealous in a good cause, and not only when I am present with you. 19. My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ is formed in you— 20. but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you. 21. Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, don’t you listen to the law? 22. For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant, and one by the free woman. 23. However, the son by the servant was born according to the flesh, but the son by the free woman was born through promise. 24. These things contain an allegory, for these are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar. 25. For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to the Jerusalem that exists now, for she is in bondage with her children. 26. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27. For it is written, “Rejoice, you barren who don’t bear. Break out and shout, you that don’t travail. For more are the children of the desolate than of her who has a husband.” 28. Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, are children of promise. 29. But as then, he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. 30. However what does the Scripture say? “Throw out the servant and her son, for the son of the servant will not inherit with the son of the free woman.” 31. So then, brothers, we are not children of a servant, but of the free woman. 1. Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 2. Behold, I, Paul, tell you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing. 3. Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4. You are alienated from Christ, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace. 5. For we, through the Spirit, by faith wait for the hope of righteousness. 6. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love. 7. You were running well! Who interfered with you that you should not obey the truth? 8. This persuasion is not from him who calls you. 9. A little yeast grows through the whole lump. 10. I have confidence toward you in the Lord that you will think no other way. But he who troubles you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. 11. But I, brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been removed. 12. I wish that those who disturb you would cut themselves off. 13. For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another. 14. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15. But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you don’t consume one another. 16. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire. 18. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19. Now the deeds of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness, 20. idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, 21. envy, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom. 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, 23. gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24. Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts. 25. If we live by the Spirit, let’s also walk by the Spirit. 26. Let’s not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another. 1. Brothers, even if a man is caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to yourself so that you also aren’t tempted. 2. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3. For if a man thinks himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4. But let each man examine his own work, and then he will have reason to boast in himself, and not in someone else. 5. For each man will bear his own burden. 6. But let him who is taught in the word share all good things with him who teaches. 7. Don’t be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8. For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9. Let us not be weary in doing good, for we will reap in due season, if we don’t give up. 10. So then, as we have opportunity, let’s do what is good toward all men, and especially toward those who are of the household of the faith. 11. See with what large letters I write to you with my own hand. 12. As many as desire to make a good impression in the flesh compel you to be circumcised; just so they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13. For even they who receive circumcision don’t keep the law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised, that they may boast in your flesh. 14. But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15. For in Christ Jesus neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16. As many as walk by this rule, peace and mercy be on them, and on God’s Israel. 17. From now on, let no one cause me any trouble, for I bear the marks of the Lord Jesus branded on my body. 18. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

1. God, the nations have come into your inheritance. They have defiled your holy temple. They have laid Jerusalem in heaps. 2. They have given the dead bodies of your servants to be food for the birds of the sky, the flesh of your saints to the animals of the earth. 3. Their blood they have shed like water around Jerusalem. There was no one to bury them. 4. We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a scoffing and derision to those who are around us. 5. How long, Yahweh? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire? 6. Pour out your wrath on the nations that don’t know you; on the kingdoms that don’t call on your name; 7. For they have devoured Jacob, and destroyed his homeland. 8. Don’t hold the iniquities of our forefathers against us. Let your tender mercies speedily meet us, for we are in desperate need. 9. Help us, God of our salvation, for the glory of your name. Deliver us, and forgive our sins, for your name’s sake. 10. Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let it be known among the nations, before our eyes, that vengeance for your servants’ blood is being poured out. 11. Let the sighing of the prisoner come before you. According to the greatness of your power, preserve those who are sentenced to death. 12. Pay back to our neighbors seven times into their bosom their reproach with which they have reproached you, Lord. 13. So we, your people and sheep of your pasture, will give you thanks forever. We will praise you forever, to all generations.