Matthew 5:21-48; Exodus 30; Exodus 31; Exodus 32; Proverbs 14

Matthew 5:21-48

21 "You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder , and whoever murders will be subject to judgment.

22 But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Fool!' will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But whoever says, 'You moron!' will be subject to hellfire.

23 So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you,

24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

25 Reach a settlement quickly with your adversary while you're on the way with him, or your adversary will hand you over to the judge, the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison.

26 I assure you: You will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny! / 64 of a daily wage

27 "You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery.

28 But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell!

31 "It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce.

32 But I tell you, everyone who divorces his wife, except in a case of sexual immorality, = fornication, or possibly a violation of Jewish marriage laws causes her to commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

33 "Again, you have heard that it was said to our ancestors, You must not break your oath, but you must keep your oaths to the Lord.

34 But I tell you, don't take an oath at all: either by heaven, because it is God's throne;

35 or by the earth, because it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King.

36 Neither should you swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black.

37 But let your word 'yes' be 'yes,' and your 'no' be 'no.' Anything more than this is from the evil one.

38 "You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

39 But I tell you, don't resist an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

40 As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt, let him have your coat as well.

41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two.

42 Give to the one who asks you, and don't turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

43 "You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.

44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

45 so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

46 For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don't even the tax collectors do the same?

47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don't even the Gentiles do the same?

48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Exodus 30

1 "You are to make an altar for the burning of incense; make it of acacia wood.

2 It must be square, 18 inches long and 18 inches wide; it must be 36 inches high. Its horns must be of one piece.

3 Overlay its top, all around its sides, and its horns with pure gold; make a gold molding all around it.

4 Make two gold rings for it under the molding on two of its sides; put these on opposite sides of it to be holders for the poles to carry it with.

5 Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.

6 "You are to place the altar in front of the veil by the ark of the testimony-in front of the mercy seat that is over the testimony-where I will meet with you.

7 Aaron must burn fragrant incense on it; he must burn it every morning when he tends the lamps.

8 When Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he must burn incense. There is to be an incense [offering] before the Lord throughout your generations.

9 You must not offer unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt or grain offering; you are not to pour a drink offering on it.

10 "Once a year Aaron is to perform the purification rite on the horns of the altar. Throughout your generations he is to perform the purification rite for it once a year, with the blood of the sin offering for atonement. The altar is especially holy to the Lord."

11 The Lord spoke to Moses:

12 "When you take a census of the Israelites to register them, each of the men must pay a ransom for himself to the Lord as they are registered. Then no plague will come on them as they are registered.

13 Everyone who is registered must pay half a shekel/ 5 of an ounce of silver according to the sanctuary shekel (20 gerahs to the shekel). This half shekel is a contribution to the Lord.

14 Each man who is registered, 20 years old or more, must give this contribution to the Lord.

15 The wealthy may not give more, and the poor may not give less, than half a shekel when giving the contribution to the Lord to atone for your lives.

16 Take the atonement money from the Israelites and use it for the service of the tent of meeting. It will serve as a reminder for the Israelites before the Lord to atone for your lives."

17 The Lord spoke to Moses:

18 "Make a bronze basin for washing and a bronze stand for it. Set it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it.

19 Aaron and his sons must wash their hands and feet from the basin.

20 Whenever they enter the tent of meeting or approach the altar to minister by burning up an offering to the Lord, they must wash with water so that they will not die.

21 They must wash their hands and feet so that they will not die; this is to be a permanent statute for them, for Aaron and his descendants throughout their generations."

22 The Lord spoke to Moses:

23 "Take for yourself the finest spices: 12 and a half pounds of liquid myrrh, half as much (six and a quarter pounds) of fragrant cinnamon, six and a quarter pounds of fragrant cane,

24 12 and a half pounds of cassia (by the sanctuary shekel), and one gallon of olive oil.

25 Prepare from these a holy anointing oil, a scented blend, the work of a perfumer; it will be holy anointing oil.

26 "With it you are to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony,

27 the table with all its utensils, the lampstand with its utensils, the altar of incense,

28 the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin with its stand.

29 Consecrate them and they will be especially holy. Whatever touches them will be consecrated.

30 Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them to serve Me as priests.

31 "Tell the Israelites: This will be My holy anointing oil throughout your generations.

32 It must not be used for [ordinary] anointing on a person's body, and you must not make anything like it using its formula. It is holy, and it must be holy to you.

33 Anyone who blends something like it or puts some of it on an unauthorized person must be cut off from his people."

34 The Lord said to Moses: "Take fragrant spices: stacte, onycha, and galbanum; the spices and pure frankincense are to be in equal measures.

35 Prepare expertly blended incense from these; it is to be seasoned with salt, pure and holy.

36 Grind some of it into a fine powder and put some in front of the testimony in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. It must be especially holy to you.

37 As for the incense you are making, you must not make [any] for yourselves using its formula. It is to be regarded by you as sacred to the Lord.

38 Anyone who makes something like it to smell its fragrance must be cut off from his people."

Exodus 31

1 The Lord also spoke to Moses:

2 "Look, I have appointed by name Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.

3 I have filled him with God's Spirit, with wisdom, understanding, and ability in every craft

4 to design artistic works in gold, silver, and bronze,

5 to cut gemstones for mounting, and to carve wood for work in every craft.

6 I have also selected Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to be with him. I have placed wisdom within every skilled craftsman in order to make all that I have commanded you:

7 the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony, the mercy seat that is on top of it, and all the [other] furnishings of the tent-

8 the table with its utensils, the pure [gold] lampstand with all its utensils, the altar of incense,

9 the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, the basin with its stand-

10 the specially woven garments, both the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons to serve as priests,

11 the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense for the sanctuary. They must make [them] according to all that I have commanded you."

12 The Lord said to Moses:

13 "Tell the Israelites: You must observe My Sabbaths, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, so that you will know that I am the Lord who sets you apart.

14 Observe the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Whoever profanes it must be put to death. If anyone does work on it, that person must be cut off from his people.

15 For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there must be a Sabbath of complete rest, dedicated to the Lord. Anyone who does work on the Sabbath day must be put to death.

16 The Israelites must observe the Sabbath, celebrating it throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.

17 It is a sign forever between Me and the Israelites, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed."

18 When He finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave him the two tablets of the testimony, stone tablets inscribed by the finger of God.

Exodus 32

1 When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, "Come, make us a god who will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt-we don't know what has happened to him!"

2 Then Aaron replied to them, "Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring [them] to me."

3 So all the people took off the gold rings that were on their ears and brought [them] to Aaron.

4 He took [the gold] from their hands, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it into an image of a calf. Then they said, "Israel, this is your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!"

5 When Aaron saw [this], he built an altar before it; then he made an announcement: "There will be a festival to the Lord tomorrow."

6 Early the next morning they arose, offered burnt offerings, and presented fellowship offerings. The people sat down to eat and drink, then got up to revel.

7 The Lord spoke to Moses: "Go down at once! For your people you brought up from the land of Egypt have acted corruptly.

8 They have quickly turned from the way I commanded them; they have made for themselves an image of a calf. They have bowed down to it, sacrificed to it, and said, 'Israel, this is your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.' "

9 The Lord also said to Moses: "I have seen this people, and they are indeed a stiff-necked people.

10 Now leave Me alone, so that My anger can burn against them and I can destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation."

11 But Moses interceded with the Lord his God: "Lord, why does Your anger burn against Your people You brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a strong hand?

12 Why should the Egyptians say, 'He brought them out with an evil intent to kill them in the mountains and wipe them off the face of the earth'? Turn from Your great anger and change Your mind about this disaster [planned] for Your people.

13 Remember that You swore to Your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel by Yourself and declared to them, 'I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and will give your offspring all this land that I have promised, and they will inherit [it] forever.' "

14 So the Lord changed His mind about the disaster He said He would bring on His people.

15 Then Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides-inscribed front and back.

16 The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was God's writing, engraved on the tablets.

17 When Joshua heard the sound of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, "There is a sound of war in the camp."

18 But Moses replied: It's not the sound of a victory cry and not the sound of a cry of defeat; I hear the sound of singing!

19 As he approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses became enraged and threw the tablets out of his hands, smashing them at the base of the mountain.

20 Then he took the calf they had made, burned [it] up, and ground [it] to powder. He scattered [the powder] over the surface of the water and forced the Israelites to drink [the water].

21 Then Moses asked Aaron, "What did this people do to you that you have led them into [such] a grave sin?"

22 "Don't be enraged, my lord," Aaron replied. "You yourself know that the people are [intent] on evil.

23 They said to me, 'Make us a god who will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt-we don't know what has happened to him!'

24 So I said to them, 'Whoever has gold, take it off,' and they gave [it] to me. When I threw it into the fire, out came this calf!"

25 Moses saw that the people were out of control, for Aaron had let them get out of control, so that they would be vulnerable to their enemies.

26 And Moses stood at the camp's entrance and said, "Whoever is for the Lord, [come] to me." And all the Levites gathered around him.

27 He told them, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says, 'Every man fasten his sword to his side; go back and forth through the camp from entrance to entrance, and each of you kill his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.' "

28 The Levites did as Moses commanded, and about 3,000 men fell dead that day among the people.

29 Afterwards Moses said, "Today you have been dedicated to the Lord, since each man went against his son and his brother. Therefore you have brought a blessing on yourselves today."

30 The following day Moses said to the people, "You have committed a great sin. Now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I will be able to pay for your sin."

31 So Moses returned to the Lord and said, "Oh, this people has committed a great sin; they have made for themselves a god of gold.

32 Now if You would only forgive their sin. But if not, please erase me from the book You have written."

33 The Lord replied to Moses: "Whoever has sinned against Me I will erase from My book.

34 Now go, lead the people to the place I told you about; see, My angel will go before you. But on the day I settle accounts, I will hold them accountable for their sin."

35 And the Lord inflicted a plague on the people for what they did with the calf Aaron had made.

Proverbs 14

1 Every wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.

2 Whoever lives with integrity fears the Lord, but the one who is devious in his ways despises Him.

3 The proud speech of a fool [brings] a rod [of discipline], but the lips of the wise protect them.

4 Where there are no oxen, the feeding-trough is empty, but an abundant harvest [comes] through the strength of an ox.

5 An honest witness does not deceive, but a dishonest witness utters lies.

6 A mocker seeks wisdom and doesn't find it, but knowledge [comes] easily to the perceptive.

7 Stay away from a foolish man; you will gain no knowledge from his speech.

8 The sensible man's wisdom is to consider his way, but the stupidity of fools deceives [them].

9 Fools mock at making restitution, but there is goodwill among the upright.

10 The heart knows its own bitterness, and no outsider shares in its joy.

11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will stand.

12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

13 Even in laughter a heart may be sad, and joy may end in grief.

14 The disloyal will get what their conduct deserves, and a good man, what his [deeds deserve.]

15 The inexperienced believe anything, but the sensible watch their steps.

16 A wise man is cautious and turns from evil, but a fool is easily angered and is careless.

17 A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, and a man who schemes is hated.

18 The gullible inherit foolishness, but the sensible are crowned with knowledge.

19 The evil bow before those who are good, the wicked, at the gates of the righteous.

20 A poor man is hated even by his neighbor, but there are many who love the rich.

21 The one who despises his neighbor sins, but whoever shows kindness to the poor will be happy.

22 Don't those who plan evil go astray? But those who plan good find loyalty and faithfulness.

23 There is profit in all hard work, but endless talk leads only to poverty.

24 The crown of the wise is their wealth, but the foolishness of fools produces foolishness.

25 A truthful witness rescues lives, but one who utters lies is deceitful.

26 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence and his children have a refuge.

27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning people from the snares of death.

28 A large population is a king's splendor, but a shortage of people is a ruler's devastation.

29 A patient person [shows] great understanding, but a quick-tempered one promotes foolishness.

30 A tranquil heart is life to the body, but jealousy is rottenness to the bones.

31 The one who oppresses the poor insults their Maker, but one who is kind to the needy honors Him.

32 The wicked are thrown down by their own sin, but the righteous have a refuge when they die.

33 Wisdom resides in the heart of the discerning; she is known even among fools.

34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

35 A king favors a wise servant, but his anger falls on a disgraceful one.