Funding the Work of God Pg194

Numbers 18:21-24 -21- "To the Levites I have given every tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service that they do, their service in the tent of meeting, -22- so that the people of Israel do not come near the tent of meeting, lest they bear sin and die. -23- But the Levites shall do the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity. It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations, and among the people of Israel they shall have no inheritance. -24- For the tithe of the people of Israel, which they present as a contribution to the LORD, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance. Therefore I have said of them that they shall have no inheritance among the people of Israel." Numbers 8:14 -14- "Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the people of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine. Luke 8:1-3 Women Accompanying Jesus -8:1- Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, -2- and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, -3- and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means. 1 Corinthians 9:1-18 Paul Surrenders His Rights -9:1- Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? -2- If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. -3- This is my defense to those who would examine me. -4- Do we not have the right to eat and drink? -5- Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? -6- Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? -7- Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? -8- Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? -9- For it is written in the Law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain." Is it for oxen that God is concerned? -10- Does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. -11- If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? -12- If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. -13- Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? -14- In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. -15- But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. -16- For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! -17- For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. -18- What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel. Philippians 4:10-20 God's Provision -10- I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. -11- Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. -12- I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. -13- I can do all things through him who strengthens me. -14- Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. -15- And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. -16- Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. -17- Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. -18- I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. -19- And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. -20- To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. Acts 18:1-5 Paul in Corinth -18:1- After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. -2- And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, -3- and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. -4- And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks. -5- When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 2:9 -9- For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. Acts 20:33-35 -33- I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. -34- You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. -35- In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12 Warning Against Idleness -6- Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. -7- For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, -8- nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. -9- It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. -10- For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. -11- For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. -12- Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. Romans 15:20-24 -20- and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, -21- but as it is written, "Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand." Paul's Plan to Visit Rome -22- This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. -23- But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, -24- I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. 2 Corinthians 1:16 -16- I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to come back to you from Macedonia and have you send me on my way to Judea. 1 Corinthians 16:5-6 Plans for Travel -5- I will visit you after passing through Macedonia, for I intend to pass through Macedonia, -6- and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may help me on my journey, wherever I go. 1 Kings 17:1-16 Elijah Predicts a Drought -17:1- Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word." -2- And the word of the LORD came to him, -3- "Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. -4- You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there." -5- So he went and did according to the word of the LORD. He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. -6- And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. -7- And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land. The Widow of Zarephath -8- Then the word of the LORD came to him, -9- "Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you." -10- So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, "Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink." -11- And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, "Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand." -12- And she said, "As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die." -13- And Elijah said to her, "Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. -14- For thus says the LORD the God of Israel, 'The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth.'" -15- And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. -16- The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah. Galatians 6:6 -6- One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches. Romans 15:20-24 -20- and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, -21- but as it is written, "Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand." Paul's Plan to Visit Rome -22- This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. -23- But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, -24- I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. 3 John 1:5 Support and Opposition -5- Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, 3 John 1:6 -6- who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. 3 John 1:7 -7- For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. 3 John 1:8 -8- Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth. 2 Corinthians 12:13 -13- For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong! Matthew 10:5-15 Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles -5- These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, -6- but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. -7- And proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' -8- Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. -9- Acquire no gold nor silver nor copper for your belts, -10- no bag for your journey, nor two tunics nor sandals nor a staff, for the laborer deserves his food. -11- And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. -12- As you enter the house, greet it. -13- And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. -14- And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. -15- Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town. Romans 15:27 -27- They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright (c)2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. http://www.crosswaybibles.org

Funding the Work of God Pg193 Bible study

1 Kings 17:8-16 The Widow of Zarephath -8- Then the word of the LORD came to him, -9- "Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you." -10- So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, "Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink." -11- And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, "Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand." -12- And she said, "As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die." -13- And Elijah said to her, "Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. -14- For thus says the LORD the God of Israel, 'The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth.'" -15- And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. -16- The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah. 1 Kings 19:1-8 Elijah Flees Jezebel -19:1- Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. -2- Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow." -3- Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. -4- But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers." -5- And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, "Arise and eat." -6- And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. -7- And the angel of the LORD came again a second time and touched him and said, "Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you." -8- And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God. Exodus 25 - 31 Contributions for the Sanctuary -25:1- The LORD said to Moses, -2- "Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me. -3- And this is the contribution that you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze, -4- blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, goats' hair, -5- tanned rams' skins, goatskins, acacia wood, -6- oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, -7- onyx stones, and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. -8- And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. -9- Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it. The Ark of the Covenant -10- "They shall make an ark of acacia wood. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. -11- You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and outside shall you overlay it, and you shall make on it a molding of gold around it. -12- You shall cast four rings of gold for it and put them on its four feet, two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. -13- You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. -14- And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark by them. -15- The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it. -16- And you shall put into the ark the testimony that I shall give you. -17- "You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. -18- And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat. -19- Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends. -20- The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be. -21- And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you. -22- There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel. The Table for Bread -23- "You shall make a table of acacia wood. Two cubits shall be its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. -24- You shall overlay it with pure gold and make a molding of gold around it. -25- And you shall make a rim around it a handbreadth wide, and a molding of gold around the rim. -26- And you shall make for it four rings of gold, and fasten the rings to the four corners at its four legs. -27- Close to the frame the rings shall lie, as holders for the poles to carry the table. -28- You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, and the table shall be carried with these. -29- And you shall make its plates and dishes for incense, and its flagons and bowls with which to pour drink offerings; you shall make them of pure gold. -30- And you shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before me regularly. The Golden Lampstand -31- "You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand shall be made of hammered work: its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. -32- And there shall be six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; -33- three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch--so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. -34- And on the lampstand itself there shall be four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers, -35- and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out from the lampstand. -36- Their calyxes and their branches shall be of one piece with it, the whole of it a single piece of hammered work of pure gold. -37- You shall make seven lamps for it. And the lamps shall be set up so as to give light on the space in front of it. -38- Its tongs and their trays shall be of pure gold. -39- It shall be made, with all these utensils, out of a talent of pure gold. -40- And see that you make them after the pattern for them, which is being shown you on the mountain. The Tabernacle -26:1- "Moreover, you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns; you shall make them with cherubim skillfully worked into them. -2- The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall be the same size. -3- Five curtains shall be coupled to one another, and the other five curtains shall be coupled to one another. -4- And you shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set. Likewise you shall make loops on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set. -5- Fifty loops you shall make on the one curtain, and fifty loops you shall make on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite one another. -6- And you shall make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains one to the other with the clasps, so that the tabernacle may be a single whole. -7- "You shall also make curtains of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle; eleven curtains shall you make. -8- The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. The eleven curtains shall be the same size. -9- You shall couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and the sixth curtain you shall double over at the front of the tent. -10- You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set. -11- "You shall make fifty clasps of bronze, and put the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent together that it may be a single whole. -12- And the part that remains of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remains, shall hang over the back of the tabernacle. -13- And the extra that remains in the length of the curtains, the cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle, on this side and that side, to cover it. -14- And you shall make for the tent a covering of tanned rams' skins and a covering of goatskins on top. -15- "You shall make upright frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood. -16- Ten cubits shall be the length of a frame, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each frame. -17- There shall be two tenons in each frame, for fitting together. So shall you do for all the frames of the tabernacle. -18- You shall make the frames for the tabernacle: twenty frames for the south side; -19- and forty bases of silver you shall make under the twenty frames, two bases under one frame for its two tenons, and two bases under the next frame for its two tenons; -20- and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side twenty frames, -21- and their forty bases of silver, two bases under one frame, and two bases under the next frame. -22- And for the rear of the tabernacle westward you shall make six frames. -23- And you shall make two frames for corners of the tabernacle in the rear; -24- they shall be separate beneath, but joined at the top, at the first ring. Thus shall it be with both of them; they shall form the two corners. -25- And there shall be eight frames, with their bases of silver, sixteen bases; two bases under one frame, and two bases under another frame. -26- "You shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the frames of the one side of the tabernacle, -27- and five bars for the frames of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the frames of the side of the tabernacle at the rear westward. -28- The middle bar, halfway up the frames, shall run from end to end. -29- You shall overlay the frames with gold and shall make their rings of gold for holders for the bars, and you shall overlay the bars with gold. -30- Then you shall erect the tabernacle according to the plan for it that you were shown on the mountain. -31- "And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it. -32- And you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, on four bases of silver. -33- And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy. -34- You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the Most Holy Place. -35- And you shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle opposite the table, and you shall put the table on the north side. -36- "You shall make a screen for the entrance of the tent, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework. -37- And you shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold. Their hooks shall be of gold, and you shall cast five bases of bronze for them. The Bronze Altar -27:1- "You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits broad. The altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits. -2- And you shall make horns for it on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze. -3- You shall make pots for it to receive its ashes, and shovels and basins and forks and fire pans. You shall make all its utensils of bronze. -4- You shall also make for it a grating, a network of bronze, and on the net you shall make four bronze rings at its four corners. -5- And you shall set it under the ledge of the altar so that the net extends halfway down the altar. -6- And you shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze. -7- And the poles shall be put through the rings, so that the poles are on the two sides of the altar when it is carried. -8- You shall make it hollow, with boards. As it has been shown you on the mountain, so shall it be made. The Court of the Tabernacle -9- "You shall make the court of the tabernacle. On the south side the court shall have hangings of fine twined linen a hundred cubits long for one side. -10- Its twenty pillars and their twenty bases shall be of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver. -11- And likewise for its length on the north side there shall be hangings a hundred cubits long, its pillars twenty and their bases twenty, of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver. -12- And for the breadth of the court on the west side there shall be hangings for fifty cubits, with ten pillars and ten bases. -13- The breadth of the court on the front to the east shall be fifty cubits. -14- The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and three bases. -15- On the other side the hangings shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and three bases. -16- For the gate of the court there shall be a screen twenty cubits long, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework. It shall have four pillars and with them four bases. -17- All the pillars around the court shall be filleted with silver. Their hooks shall be of silver, and their bases of bronze. -18- The length of the court shall be a hundred cubits, the breadth fifty, and the height five cubits, with hangings of fine twined linen and bases of bronze. -19- All the utensils of the tabernacle for every use, and all its pegs and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze. Oil for the Lamp -20- "You shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn. -21- In the tent of meeting, outside the veil that is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening to morning before the LORD. It shall be a statute forever to be observed throughout their generations by the people of Israel. The Priests' Garments -28:1- "Then bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to serve me as priests--Aaron and Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. -2- And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. -3- You shall speak to all the skillful, whom I have filled with a spirit of skill, that they make Aaron's garments to consecrate him for my priesthood. -4- These are the garments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a coat of checker work, a turban, and a sash. They shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons to serve me as priests. -5- They shall receive gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen. -6- "And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and of fine twined linen, skillfully worked. -7- It shall have two shoulder pieces attached to its two edges, so that it may be joined together. -8- And the skillfully woven band on it shall be made like it and be of one piece with it, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen. -9- You shall take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel, -10- six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, in the order of their birth. -11- As a jeweler engraves signets, so shall you engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel. You shall enclose them in settings of gold filigree. -12- And you shall set the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, as stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel. And Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD on his two shoulders for remembrance. -13- You shall make settings of gold filigree, -14- and two chains of pure gold, twisted like cords; and you shall attach the corded chains to the settings. -15- "You shall make a breastpiece of judgment, in skilled work. In the style of the ephod you shall make it--of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen shall you make it. -16- It shall be square and doubled, a span its length and a span its breadth. -17- You shall set in it four rows of stones. A row of sardius, topaz, and carbuncle shall be the first row; -18- and the second row an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond; -19- and the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; -20- and the fourth row a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They shall be set in gold filigree. -21- There shall be twelve stones with their names according to the names of the sons of Israel. They shall be like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes. -22- You shall make for the breastpiece twisted chains like cords, of pure gold. -23- And you shall make for the breastpiece two rings of gold, and put the two rings on the two edges of the breastpiece. -24- And you shall put the two cords of gold in the two rings at the edges of the breastpiece. -25- The two ends of the two cords you shall attach to the two settings of filigree, and so attach it in front to the shoulder pieces of the ephod. -26- You shall make two rings of gold, and put them at the two ends of the breastpiece, on its inside edge next to the ephod. -27- And you shall make two rings of gold, and attach them in front to the lower part of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, at its seam above the skillfully woven band of the ephod. -28- And they shall bind the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, so that it may lie on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, so that the breastpiece shall not come loose from the ephod. -29- So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment on his heart, when he goes into the Holy Place, to bring them to regular remembrance before the LORD. -30- And in the breastpiece of judgment you shall put the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be on Aaron's heart, when he goes in before the LORD. Thus Aaron shall bear the judgment of the people of Israel on his heart before the LORD regularly. -31- "You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue. -32- It shall have an opening for the head in the middle of it, with a woven binding around the opening, like the opening in a garment, so that it may not tear. -33- On its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet yarns, around its hem, with bells of gold between them, -34- a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, around the hem of the robe. -35- And it shall be on Aaron when he ministers, and its sound shall be heard when he goes into the Holy Place before the LORD, and when he comes out, so that he does not die. -36- "You shall make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet, 'Holy to the LORD.' -37- And you shall fasten it on the turban by a cord of blue. It shall be on the front of the turban. -38- It shall be on Aaron's forehead, and Aaron shall bear any guilt from the holy things that the people of Israel consecrate as their holy gifts. It shall regularly be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD. -39- "You shall weave the coat in checker work of fine linen, and you shall make a turban of fine linen, and you shall make a sash embroidered with needlework. -40- "For Aaron's sons you shall make coats and sashes and caps. You shall make them for glory and beauty. -41- And you shall put them on Aaron your brother, and on his sons with him, and shall anoint them and ordain them and consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. -42- You shall make for them linen undergarments to cover their naked flesh. They shall reach from the hips to the thighs; -43- and they shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they go into the tent of meeting or when they come near the altar to minister in the Holy Place, lest they bear guilt and die. This shall be a statute forever for him and for his offspring after him. Consecration of the Priests -29:1- "Now this is what you shall do to them to consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. Take one bull of the herd and two rams without blemish, -2- and unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers smeared with oil. You shall make them of fine wheat flour. -3- You shall put them in one basket and bring them in the basket, and bring the bull and the two rams. -4- You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. -5- Then you shall take the garments, and put on Aaron the coat and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastpiece, and gird him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod. -6- And you shall set the turban on his head and put the holy crown on the turban. -7- You shall take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him. -8- Then you shall bring his sons and put coats on them, -9- and you shall gird Aaron and his sons with sashes and bind caps on them. And the priesthood shall be theirs by a statute forever. Thus you shall ordain Aaron and his sons. -10- "Then you shall bring the bull before the tent of meeting. Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the bull. -11- Then you shall kill the bull before the LORD at the entrance of the tent of meeting, -12- and shall take part of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and the rest of the blood you shall pour out at the base of the altar. -13- And you shall take all the fat that covers the entrails, and the long lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and burn them on the altar. -14- But the flesh of the bull and its skin and its dung you shall burn with fire outside the camp; it is a sin offering. -15- "Then you shall take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram, -16- and you shall kill the ram and shall take its blood and throw it against the sides of the altar. -17- Then you shall cut the ram into pieces, and wash its entrails and its legs, and put them with its pieces and its head, -18- and burn the whole ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the LORD. It is a pleasing aroma, a food offeringto the LORD. -19- "You shall take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram, -20- and you shall kill the ram and take part of its blood and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron and on the tips of the right ears of his sons, and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the great toes of their right feet, and throw the rest of the blood against the sides of the altar. -21- Then you shall take part of the blood that is on the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments, and on his sons and his sons' garments with him. He and his garments shall be holy, and his sons and his sons' garments with him. -22- "You shall also take the fat from the ram and the fat tail and the fat that covers the entrails, and the long lobe of the liver and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and the right thigh (for it is a ram of ordination), -23- and one loaf of bread and one cake of bread made with oil, and one wafer out of the basket of unleavened bread that is before the LORD. -24- You shall put all these on the palms of Aaron and on the palms of his sons, and wave them for a wave offering before the LORD. -25- Then you shall take them from their hands and burn them on the altar on top of the burnt offering, as a pleasing aroma before the LORD. It is a food offering to the LORD. -26- "You shall take the breast of the ram of Aaron's ordination and wave it for a wave offering before the LORD, and it shall be your portion. -27- And you shall consecrate the breast of the wave offering that is waved and the thigh of the priests' portion that is contributed from the ram of ordination, from what was Aaron's and his sons. -28- It shall be for Aaron and his sons as a perpetual due from the people of Israel, for it is a contribution. It shall be a contribution from the people of Israel from their peace offerings, their contribution to the LORD. -29- "The holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him; they shall be anointed in them and ordained in them. -30- The son who succeeds him as priest, who comes into the tent of meeting to minister in the Holy Place, shall wear them seven days. -31- "You shall take the ram of ordination and boil its flesh in a holy place. -32- And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram and the bread that is in the basket in the entrance of the tent of meeting. -33- They shall eat those things with which atonement was made at their ordination and consecration, but an outsider shall not eat of them, because they are holy. -34- And if any of the flesh for the ordination or of the bread remain until the morning, then you shall burn the remainder with fire. It shall not be eaten, because it is holy. -35- "Thus you shall do to Aaron and to his sons, according to all that I have commanded you. Through seven days shall you ordain them, -36- and every day you shall offer a bull as a sin offering for atonement. Also you shall purify the altar, when you make atonement for it, and shall anoint it to consecrate it. -37- Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and consecrate it, and the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar shall become holy. -38- "Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old day by day regularly. -39- One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight. -40- And with the first lamb a tenth seah of fine flour mingled with a fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and a fourth of a hin of wine for a drink offering. -41- The other lamb you shall offer at twilight, and shall offer with it a grain offering and its drink offering, as in the morning, for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD. -42- It shall be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before the LORD, where I will meet with you, to speak to you there. -43- There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory. -44- I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar. Aaron also and his sons I will consecrate to serve me as priests. -45- I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. -46- And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God. The Altar of Incense -30:1- "You shall make an altar on which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. -2- A cubit shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth. It shall be square, and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. -3- You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And you shall make a molding of gold around it. -4- And you shall make two golden rings for it. Under its molding on two opposite sides of it you shall make them, and they shall be holders for poles with which to carry it. -5- You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. -6- And you shall put it in front of the veil that is above the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is above the testimony, where I will meet with you. -7- And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it, -8- and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the LORD throughout your generations. -9- You shall not offer unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering, and you shall not pour a drink offering on it. -10- Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year. With the blood of the sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the LORD." The Census Tax -11- The LORD said to Moses, -12- "When you take the census of the people of Israel, then each shall give a ransom for his life to the LORD when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them. -13- Each one who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as an offering to the LORD. -14- Everyone who is numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the LORD's offering. -15- The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the LORD's offering to make atonement for your lives. -16- You shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel and shall give it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may bring the people of Israel to remembrance before the LORD, so as to make atonement for your lives." The Bronze Basin -17- The LORD said to Moses, -18- "You shall also make a basin of bronze, with its stand of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it, -19- with which Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet. -20- When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn a food offering to the LORD, they shall wash with water, so that they may not die. -21- They shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they may not die. It shall be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his offspring throughout their generations." The Anointing Oil and Incense -22- The LORD said to Moses, -23- "Take the finest spices: of liquid myrrh 500 shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much, that is, 250, and 250 of aromatic cane, -24- and 500 of cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a hin of olive oil. -25- And you shall make of these a sacred anointing oil blended as by the perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil. -26- With it you shall anoint the tent of meeting and the ark of the testimony, -27- and the table and all its utensils, and the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense, -28- and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils and the basin and its stand. -29- You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy. Whatever touches them will become holy. -30- You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. -31- And you shall say to the people of Israel, 'This shall be my holy anointing oil throughout your generations. -32- It shall not be poured on the body of an ordinary person, and you shall make no other like it in composition. It is holy, and it shall be holy to you. -33- Whoever compounds any like it or whoever puts any of it on an outsider shall be cut off from his people.'" -34- The LORD said to Moses, "Take sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, sweet spices with pure frankincense (of each shall there be an equal part), -35- and make an incense blended as by the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy. -36- You shall beat some of it very small, and put part of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting where I shall meet with you. It shall be most holy for you. -37- And the incense that you shall make according to its composition, you shall not make for yourselves. It shall be for you holy to the LORD. -38- Whoever makes any like it to use as perfume shall be cut off from his people." Oholiab and Bezalel -31:1- The LORD said to Moses, -2- "See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, -3- and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, -4- to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, -5- in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. -6- And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you: -7- the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furnishings of the tent, -8- the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, -9- and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, -10- and the finely worked garments, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests, -11- and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the Holy Place. According to all that I have commanded you, they shall do." The Sabbath -12- And the LORD said to Moses, -13- "You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, 'Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the LORD, sanctify you. -14- You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death. Whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. -15- Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death. -16- Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever. -17- It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.'" -18- And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God. Exodus 35 - 40 Sabbath Regulations -35:1- Moses assembled all the congregation of the people of Israel and said to them, "These are the things that the LORD has commanded you to do. -2- Six days work shall be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. -3- You shall kindle no fire in all your dwelling places on the Sabbath day." Contributions for the Tabernacle -4- Moses said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, "This is the thing that the LORD has commanded. -5- Take from among you a contribution to the LORD. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the LORD's contribution: gold, silver, and bronze; -6- blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen; goats' hair, -7- tanned rams' skins, and goatskins; acacia wood, -8- oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, -9- and onyx stones and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. -10- "Let every skillful craftsman among you come and make all that the LORD has commanded: -11- the tabernacle, its tent and its covering, its hooks and its frames, its bars, its pillars, and its bases; -12- the ark with its poles, the mercy seat, and the veil of the screen; -13- the table with its poles and all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; -14- the lampstand also for the light, with its utensils and its lamps, and the oil for the light; -15- and the altar of incense, with its poles, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the door, at the door of the tabernacle; -16- the altar of burnt offering, with its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils, the basin and its stand; -17- the hangings of the court, its pillars and its bases, and the screen for the gate of the court; -18- the pegs of the tabernacle and the pegs of the court, and their cords; -19- the finely worked garments for ministering in the Holy Place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests." -20- Then all the congregation of the people of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. -21- And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the LORD's contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments. -22- So they came, both men and women. All who were of a willing heart brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and armlets, all sorts of gold objects, every man dedicating an offering of gold to the LORD. -23- And every one who possessed blue or purple or scarlet yarns or fine linen or goats' hair or tanned rams' skins or goatskins brought them. -24- Everyone who could make a contribution of silver or bronze brought it as the LORD's contribution. And every one who possessed acacia wood of any use in the work brought it. -25- And every skillful woman spun with her hands, and they all brought what they had spun in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. -26- All the women whose hearts stirred them to use their skill spun the goats' hair. -27- And the leaders brought onyx stones and stones to be set, for the ephod and for the breastpiece, -28- and spices and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense. -29- All the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work that the LORD had commanded by Moses to be done brought it as a freewill offering to the LORD. Construction of the Tabernacle -30- Then Moses said to the people of Israel, "See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; -31- and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, -32- to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, -33- in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft. -34- And he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. -35- He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver--by any sort of workman or skilled designer. -36:1- "Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whom the LORD has put skill and intelligence to know how to do any work in the construction of the sanctuary shall work in accordance with all that the LORD has commanded." -2- And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whose mind the LORD had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work. -3- And they received from Moses all the contribution that the people of Israel had brought for doing the work on the sanctuary. They still kept bringing him freewill offerings every morning, -4- so that all the craftsmen who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary came, each from the task that he was doing, -5- and said to Moses, "The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the LORD has commanded us to do." -6- So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, "Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary." So the people were restrained from bringing, -7- for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more. -8- And all the craftsmen among the workmen made the tabernacle with ten curtains. They were made of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns, with cherubim skillfully worked. -9- The length of each curtain was twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. All the curtains were the same size. -10- He coupled five curtains to one another, and the other five curtains he coupled to one another. -11- He made loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain of the first set. Likewise he made them on the edge of the outermost curtain of the second set. -12- He made fifty loops on the one curtain, and he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was in the second set. The loops were opposite one another. -13- And he made fifty clasps of gold, and coupled the curtains one to the other with clasps. So the tabernacle was a single whole. -14- He also made curtains of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle. He made eleven curtains. -15- The length of each curtain was thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. The eleven curtains were the same size. -16- He coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves. -17- And he made fifty loops on the edge of the outermost curtain of the one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the other connecting curtain. -18- And he made fifty clasps of bronze to couple the tent together that it might be a single whole. -19- And he made for the tent a covering of tanned rams' skins and goatskins. -20- Then he made the upright frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood. -21- Ten cubits was the length of a frame, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each frame. -22- Each frame had two tenons for fitting together. He did this for all the frames of the tabernacle. -23- The frames for the tabernacle he made thus: twenty frames for the south side. -24- And he made forty bases of silver under the twenty frames, two bases under one frame for its two tenons, and two bases under the next frame for its two tenons. -25- For the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, he made twenty frames -26- and their forty bases of silver, two bases under one frame and two bases under the next frame. -27- For the rear of the tabernacle westward he made six frames. -28- He made two frames for corners of the tabernacle in the rear. -29- And they were separate beneath but joined at the top, at the first ring. He made two of them this way for the two corners. -30- There were eight frames with their bases of silver: sixteen bases, under every frame two bases. -31- He made bars of acacia wood, five for the frames of the one side of the tabernacle, -32- and five bars for the frames of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the frames of the tabernacle at the rear westward. -33- And he made the middle bar to run from end to end halfway up the frames. -34- And he overlaid the frames with gold, and made their rings of gold for holders for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold. -35- He made the veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen; with cherubim skillfully worked into it he made it. -36- And for it he made four pillars of acacia and overlaid them with gold. Their hooks were of gold, and he cast for them four bases of silver. -37- He also made a screen for the entrance of the tent, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework, -38- and its five pillars with their hooks. He overlaid their capitals, and their fillets were of gold, but their five bases were of bronze. Making the Ark -37:1- Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood. Two cubits and a half as its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. -2- And he overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a molding of gold around it. -3- And he cast for it four rings of gold for its four feet, two rings on its one side and two rings on its other side. -4- And he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold -5- and put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark. -6- And he made a mercy seat of pure gold. Two cubits and a half was its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. -7- And he made two cherubim of gold. He made them of hammered work on the two ends of the mercy seat, -8- one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat he made the cherubim on its two ends. -9- The cherubim spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat were the faces of the cherubim. Making the Table -10- He also made the table of acacia wood. Two cubits was its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. -11- And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made a molding of gold around it. -12- And he made a rim around it a handbreadth wide, and made a molding of gold around the rim. -13- He cast for it four rings of gold and fastened the rings to the four corners at its four legs. -14- Close to the frame were the rings, as holders for the poles to carry the table. -15- He made the poles of acacia wood to carry the table, and overlaid them with gold. -16- And he made the vessels of pure gold that were to be on the table, its plates and dishes for incense, and its bowls and flagons with which to pour drink offerings. Making the Lampstand -17- He also made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lampstand of hammered work. Its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers were of one piece with it. -18- And there were six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; -19- three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch--so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. -20- And on the lampstand itself were four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers, -21- and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out of it. -22- Their calyxes and their branches were of one piece with it. The whole of it was a single piece of hammered work of pure gold. -23- And he made its seven lamps and its tongs and its trays of pure gold. -24- He made it and all its utensils out of a talent of pure gold. Making the Altar of Incense -25- He made the altar of incense of acacia wood. Its length was a cubit, and its breadth was a cubit. It was square, and two cubits was its height. Its horns were of one piece with it. -26- He overlaid it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And he made a molding of gold around it, -27- and made two rings of gold on it under its molding, on two opposite sides of it, as holders for the poles with which to carry it. -28- And he made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. -29- He made the holy anointing oil also, and the pure fragrant incense, blended as by the perfumer. Making the Altar of Burnt Offering -38:1- He made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood. Five cubits was its length, and five cubits its breadth. It was square, and three cubits was its height. -2- He made horns for it on its four corners. Its horns were of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with bronze. -3- And he made all the utensils of the altar, the pots, the shovels, the basins, the forks, and the fire pans. He made all its utensils of bronze. -4- And he made for the altar a grating, a network of bronze, under its ledge, extending halfway down. -5- He cast four rings on the four corners of the bronze grating as holders for the poles. -6- He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze. -7- And he put the poles through the rings on the sides of the altar to carry it with them. He made it hollow, with boards. Making the Bronze Basin -8- He made the basin of bronze and its stand of bronze, from the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered in the entrance of the tent of meeting. Making the Court -9- And he made the court. For the south side the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, a hundred cubits; -10- their twenty pillars and their twenty bases were of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. -11- And for the north side there were hangings of a hundred cubits, their twenty pillars, their twenty bases were of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. -12- And for the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their ten pillars, and their ten bases; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. -13- And for the front to the east, fifty cubits. -14- The hangings for one side of the gate were fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and three bases. -15- And so for the other side. On both sides of the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their three bases. -16- All the hangings around the court were of fine twined linen. -17- And the bases for the pillars were of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver. The overlaying of their capitals was also of silver, and all the pillars of the court were filleted with silver. -18- And the screen for the gate of the court was embroidered with needlework in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It was twenty cubits long and five cubits high in its breadth, corresponding to the hangings of the court. -19- And their pillars were four in number. Their four bases were of bronze, their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their capitals and their fillets of silver. -20- And all the pegs for the tabernacle and for the court all around were of bronze. Materials for the Tabernacle -21- These are the records of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony, as they were recorded at the commandment of Moses, the responsibility of the Levites under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. -22- Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the LORD commanded Moses; -23- and with him was Oholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver and designer and embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. -24- All the gold that was used for the work, in all the construction of the sanctuary, the gold from the offering, was twenty-nine talents and 730 shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary. -25- The silver from those of the congregation who were recorded was a hundred talents and 1,775 shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary: -26- a beka a head (that is, half a shekel, by the shekel of the sanctuary), for everyone who was listed in the records, from twenty years old and upward, for 603,550 men. -27- The hundred talents of silver were for casting the bases of the sanctuary and the bases of the veil; a hundred bases for the hundred talents, a talent a base. -28- And of the 1,775 shekels he made hooks for the pillars and overlaid their capitals and made fillets for them. -29- The bronze that was offered was seventy talents and 2,400 shekels; -30- with it he made the bases for the entrance of the tent of meeting, the bronze altar and the bronze grating for it and all the utensils of the altar, -31- the bases around the court, and the bases of the gate of the court, all the pegs of the tabernacle, and all the pegs around the court. Making the Priestly Garments -39:1- From the blue and purple and scarlet yarns they made finely woven garments, for ministering in the Holy Place. They made the holy garments for Aaron, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -2- He made the ephod of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen. -3- And they hammered out gold leaf, and he cut it into threads to work into the blue and purple and the scarlet yarns, and into the fine twined linen, in skilled design. -4- They made for the ephod attaching shoulder pieces, joined to it at its two edges. -5- And the skillfully woven band on it was of one piece with it and made like it, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -6- They made the onyx stones, enclosed in settings of gold filigree, and engraved like the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the sons of Israel. -7- And he set them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod to be stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -8- He made the breastpiece, in skilled work, in the style of the ephod, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen. -9- It was square. They made the breastpiece doubled, a span its length and a span its breadth when doubled. -10- And they set in it four rows of stones. A row of sardius, topaz, and carbuncle was the first row; -11- and the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond; -12- and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; -13- and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They were enclosed in settings of gold filigree. -14- There were twelve stones with their names according to the names of the sons of Israel. They were like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes. -15- And they made on the breastpiece twisted chains like cords, of pure gold. -16- And they made two settings of gold filigree and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two edges of the breastpiece. -17- And they put the two cords of gold in the two rings at the edges of the breastpiece. -18- They attached the two ends of the two cords to the two settings of filigree. Thus they attached it in front to the shoulder pieces of the ephod. -19- Then they made two rings of gold, and put them at the two ends of the breastpiece, on its inside edge next to the ephod. -20- And they made two rings of gold, and attached them in front to the lower part of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, at its seam above the skillfully woven band of the ephod. -21- And they bound the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, so that it should lie on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastpiece should not come loose from the ephod, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -22- He also made the robe of the ephod woven all of blue, -23- opening of the robe in it was like the opening in a garment, with a binding around the opening, so that it might not tear. -24- On the hem of the robe they made pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. -25- They also made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates all around the hem of the robe, between the pomegranates-- -26- a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate around the hem of the robe for ministering, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -27- They also made the coats, woven of fine linen, for Aaron and his sons, -28- and the turban of fine linen, and the caps of fine linen, and the linen undergarments of fine twined linen, -29- and the sash of fine twined linen and of blue and purple and scarlet yarns, embroidered needlework, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -30- They made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote on it an inscription, like the engraving of a signet, "Holy to the LORD." -31- And they tied to it a cord of blue to fasten it on the turban above, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -32- Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was finished, and the people of Israel did according to all that the LORD had commanded Moses; so they did. -33- Then they brought the tabernacle to Moses, the tent and all its utensils, its hooks, its frames, its bars, its pillars, and its bases; -34- the covering of tanned rams' skins and goatskins, and the veil of the screen; -35- the ark of the testimony with its poles and the mercy seat; -36- the table with all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; -37- the lampstand of pure gold and its lamps with the lamps set and all its utensils, and the oil for the light; -38- the golden altar, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the entrance of the tent; -39- the bronze altar, and its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils; the basin and its stand; -40- the hangings of the court, its pillars, and its bases, and the screen for the gate of the court, its cords, and its pegs; and all the utensils for the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting; -41- the finely worked garments for ministering in the Holy Place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons for their service as priests. -42- According to all that the LORD had commanded Moses, so the people of Israel had done all the work. -43- And Moses saw all the work, and behold, they had done it; as the LORD had commanded, so had they done it. Then Moses blessed them. The Tabernacle Erected -40:1- The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, -2- "On the first day of the first month you shall erect the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. -3- And you shall put in it the ark of the testimony, and you shall screen the ark with the veil. -4- And you shall bring in the table and arrange it, and you shall bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps. -5- And you shall put the golden altar for incense before the ark of the testimony, and set up the screen for the door of the tabernacle. -6- You shall set the altar of burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, -7- and lace the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. -8- And you shall set up the court all around, and hang up the screen for the gate of the court. -9- "Then you shall take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and consecrate it and all its furniture, so that it may become holy. -10- You shall also anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar, so that the altar may become most holy. -11- You shall also anoint the basin and its stand, and consecrate it. -12- Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and shall wash them with water -13- and put on Aaron the holy garments. And you shall anoint him and consecrate him, that he may serve me as priest. -14- You shall bring his sons also and put coats on them, -15- and anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may serve me as priests. And their anointing shall admit them to a perpetual priesthood throughout their generations." -16- This Moses did; according to all that the LORD commanded him, so he did. -17- In the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was erected. -18- Moses erected the tabernacle. He laid its bases, and set up its frames, and put in its poles, and raised up its pillars. -19- And he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent over it, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -20- He took the testimony and put it into the ark, and put the poles on the ark and set the mercy seat above on the ark. -21- And he brought the ark into the tabernacle and set up the veil of the screen, and screened the ark of the testimony, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -22- He put the table in the tent of meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil, -23- and arranged the bread on it before the LORD, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -24- He put the lampstand in the tent of meeting, opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle, -25- and set up the lamps before the LORD, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -26- He put the golden altar in the tent of meeting before the veil, -27- and burned fragrant incense on it, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -28- He put in place the screen for the door of the tabernacle. -29- And he set the altar of burnt offering at the entrance of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the grain offering, as the LORD had commanded Moses. -30- He set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it for washing, -31- with which Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet. -32- When they went into the tent of meeting, and when they approached the altar, they washed, as the LORD commanded Moses. -33- And he erected the court around the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the screen of the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work. The Glory of the LORD -34- Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. -35- And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. -36- Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. -37- But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. -38- For the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys. 2 Chronicles 2 Preparing to Build the Temple -2:1- Now Solomon purposed to build a temple for the name of the LORD, and a royal palace for himself. -2- And Solomon assigned 70,000 men to bear burdens and 80,000 to quarry in the hill country, and 3,600 to oversee them. -3- And Solomon sent word to Hiram the king of Tyre: "As you dealt with David my father and sent him cedar to build himself a house to dwell in, so deal with me. -4- Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of the LORD my God and dedicate it to him for the burning of incense of sweet spices before him, and for the regular arrangement of the showbread, and for burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths and the new moons and the appointed feasts of the LORD our God, as ordained forever for Israel. -5- The house that I am to build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods. -6- But who is able to build him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him? Who am I to build a house for him, except as a place to make offerings before him? -7- So now send me a man skilled to work in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue fabrics, trained also in engraving, to be with the skilled workers who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided. -8- Send me also cedar, cypress, and algum timber from Lebanon, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon. And my servants will be with your servants, -9- to prepare timber for me in abundance, for the house I am to build will be great and wonderful. -10- I will give for your servants, the woodsmen who cut timber, 20,000 cors of crushed wheat, 20,000 cors of barley, 20,000 baths of wine, and 20,000 baths of oil." -11- Then Hiram the king of Tyre answered in a letter that he sent to Solomon, "Because the LORD loves his people, he has made you king over them." -12- Hiram also said, "Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, who has discretion and understanding, who will build a temple for the LORD and a royal palace for himself. -13- "Now I have sent a skilled man, who has understanding, Huram-abi, -14- the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre. He is trained to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, and in purple, blue, and crimson fabrics and fine linen, and to do all sorts of engraving and execute any design that may be assigned him, with your craftsmen, the craftsmen of my lord, David your father. -15- Now therefore the wheat and barley, oil and wine, of which my lord has spoken, let him send to his servants. -16- And we will cut whatever timber you need from Lebanon and bring it to you in rafts by sea to Joppa, so that you may take it up to Jerusalem." -17- Then Solomon counted all the resident aliens who were in the land of Israel, after the census of them that David his father had taken, and there were found 153,600. -18- Seventy thousand of them he assigned to bear burdens, 80,000 to quarry in the hill country, and 3,600 as overseers to make the people work. 1 Chronicles 29 Offerings for the Temple -29:1- And David the king said to all the assembly, "Solomon my son, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced, and the work is great, for the palace will not be for man but for the LORD God. -2- So I have provided for the house of my God, so far as I was able, the gold for the things of gold, the silver for the things of silver, and the bronze for the things of bronze, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, besides great quantities of onyx and stones for setting, antimony, colored stones, all sorts of precious stones and marble. -3- Moreover, in addition to all that I have provided for the holy house, I have a treasure of my own of gold and silver, and because of my devotion to the house of my God I give it to the house of my God: -4- 3,000 talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and 7,000 talents of refined silver, for overlaying the walls of the house, -5- and for all the work to be done by craftsmen, gold for the things of gold and silver for the things of silver. Who then will offer willingly, consecrating himself today to the LORD?" -6- Then the leaders of fathers' houses made their freewill offerings, as did also the leaders of the tribes, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and the officers over the king's work. -7- They gave for the service of the house of God 5,000 talents and 10,000 darics of gold, 10,000 talents of silver, 18,000 talents of bronze and 100,000 talents of iron. -8- And whoever had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the house of the LORD, in the care of Jehiel the Gershonite. -9- Then the people rejoiced because they had given willingly, for with a whole heart they had offered freely to the LORD. David the king also rejoiced greatly. David Prays in the Assembly -10- Therefore David blessed the LORD in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: "Blessed are you, O LORD, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. -11- Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. -12- Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. -13- And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name. -14- "But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. -15- For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding. -16- O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand and is all your own. -17- I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you. -18- O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts toward you. -19- Grant to Solomon my son a whole heart that he may keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes, performing all, and that he may build the palace for which I have made provision." -20- Then David said to all the assembly, "Bless the LORD your God." And all the assembly blessed the LORD, the God of their fathers, and bowed their heads and paid homage to the LORD and to the king. -21- And they offered sacrifices to the LORD, and on the next day offered burnt offerings to the LORD, 1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams, and 1,000 lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel. -22- And they ate and drank before the LORD on that day with great gladness. Solomon Anointed King And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and they anointed him as prince for the LORD, and Zadok as priest. -23- Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king in place of David his father. And he prospered, and all Israel obeyed him. -24- All the leaders and the mighty men, and also all the sons of King David, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon. -25- And the LORD made Solomon very great in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel. The Death of David -26- Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. -27- The time that he reigned over Israel was forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. -28- Then he died at a good age, full of days, riches, and honor. And Solomon his son reigned in his place. -29- Now the acts of King David, from first to last, are written in the Chronicles of Samuel the seer, and in the Chronicles of Nathan the prophet, and in the Chronicles of Gad the seer, -30- with accounts of all his rule and his might and of the circumstances that came upon him and upon Israel and upon all the kingdoms of the countries. 2 Chronicles 2 Preparing to Build the Temple -2:1- Now Solomon purposed to build a temple for the name of the LORD, and a royal palace for himself. -2- And Solomon assigned 70,000 men to bear burdens and 80,000 to quarry in the hill country, and 3,600 to oversee them. -3- And Solomon sent word to Hiram the king of Tyre: "As you dealt with David my father and sent him cedar to build himself a house to dwell in, so deal with me. -4- Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of the LORD my God and dedicate it to him for the burning of incense of sweet spices before him, and for the regular arrangement of the showbread, and for burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths and the new moons and the appointed feasts of the LORD our God, as ordained forever for Israel. -5- The house that I am to build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods. -6- But who is able to build him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him? Who am I to build a house for him, except as a place to make offerings before him? -7- So now send me a man skilled to work in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue fabrics, trained also in engraving, to be with the skilled workers who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided. -8- Send me also cedar, cypress, and algum timber from Lebanon, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon. And my servants will be with your servants, -9- to prepare timber for me in abundance, for the house I am to build will be great and wonderful. -10- I will give for your servants, the woodsmen who cut timber, 20,000 cors of crushed wheat, 20,000 cors of barley, 20,000 baths of wine, and 20,000 baths of oil." -11- Then Hiram the king of Tyre answered in a letter that he sent to Solomon, "Because the LORD loves his people, he has made you king over them." -12- Hiram also said, "Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, who has discretion and understanding, who will build a temple for the LORD and a royal palace for himself. -13- "Now I have sent a skilled man, who has understanding, Huram-abi, -14- the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre. He is trained to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, and in purple, blue, and crimson fabrics and fine linen, and to do all sorts of engraving and execute any design that may be assigned him, with your craftsmen, the craftsmen of my lord, David your father. -15- Now therefore the wheat and barley, oil and wine, of which my lord has spoken, let him send to his servants. -16- And we will cut whatever timber you need from Lebanon and bring it to you in rafts by sea to Joppa, so that you may take it up to Jerusalem." -17- Then Solomon counted all the resident aliens who were in the land of Israel, after the census of them that David his father had taken, and there were found 153,600. -18- Seventy thousand of them he assigned to bear burdens, 80,000 to quarry in the hill country, and 3,600 as overseers to make the people work. Acts 4:32-5:11 They Had Everything in Common -32- Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. -33- And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. -34- There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold -35- and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. -36- Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, -37- sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. Ananias and Sapphira -5:1- But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, -2- and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. -3- But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? -4- While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God." -5- When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. -6- The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. -7- After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. -8- And Peter said to her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much." And she said, "Yes, for so much." -9- But Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out." -10- Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. -11- And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things. 2 Chronicles 24:4-14 -4- After this Joash decided to restore the house of the LORD. -5- And he gathered the priests and the Levites and said to them, "Go out to the cities of Judah and gather from all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that you act quickly." But the Levites did not act quickly. -6- So the king summoned Jehoiada the chief and said to him, "Why have you not required the Levites to bring in from Judah and Jerusalem the tax levied by Moses, the servant of the LORD, and the congregation of Israel for the tent of testimony?" -7- For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken into the house of God, and had also used all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD for the Baals. -8- So the king commanded, and they made a chest and set it outside the gate of the house of the LORD. -9- And proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem to bring in for the LORD the tax that Moses the servant of God laid on Israel in the wilderness. -10- And all the princes and all the people rejoiced and brought their tax and dropped it into the chest until they had finished. -11- And whenever the chest was brought to the king's officers by the Levites, when they saw that there was much money in it, the king's secretary and the officer of the chief priest would come and empty the chest and take it and return it to its place. Thus they did day after day, and collected money in abundance. -12- And the king and Jehoiada gave it to those who had charge of the work of the house of the LORD, and they hired masons and carpenters to restore the house of the LORD, and also workers in iron and bronze to repair the house of the LORD. -13- So those who were engaged in the work labored, and the repairing went forward in their hands, and they restored the house of God to its proper condition and strengthened it. -14- And when they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, and with it were made utensils for the house of the LORD, both for the service and for the burnt offerings, and dishes for incense and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the LORD regularly all the days of Jehoiada. Ezra 1 The Proclamation of Cyrus -1:1- In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: -2- "Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. -3- Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel-- he is the God who is in Jerusalem. -4- And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem." -5- Then rose up the heads of the fathers' houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the LORD that is in Jerusalem. -6- And all who were about them aided them with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with beasts, and with costly wares, besides all that was freely offered. -7- Cyrus the king also brought out the vessels of the house of the LORD that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods. -8- Cyrus king of Persia brought these out in charge of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. -9- And this was the number of them: 30 basins of gold, 1,000 basins of silver, 29 censers, -10- 30 bowls of gold, 410 bowls of silver, and 1,000 other vessels; -11- all the vessels of gold and of silver were 5,400. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up, when the exiles were brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem. Nehemiah 2:1-8 Nehemiah Sent to Judah -2:1- In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. -2- And the king said to me, "Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart." Then I was very much afraid. -3- I said to the king, "Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?" -4- Then the king said to me, "What are you requesting?" So I prayed to the God of heaven. -5- And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it." -6- And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), "How long will you be gone, and when will you return?" So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time. -7- And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, -8- and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy." And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me. 1 Samuel 9:7-8 -7- Then Saul said to his servant, "But if we go, what can we bring the man? For the bread in our sacks is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?" -8- The servant answered Saul again, "Here, I have with me a quarter of a shekel of silver, and I will give it to the man of God to tell us our way." Luke 21:1-4 The Widow's Offering -21:1- Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, -2- and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. -3- And he said, "Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. -4- For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright (c)2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. http://www.crosswaybibles.org

Funding the Work Of God - page 192 Bible Study

Romans 15:20-24 -20- and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, -21- but as it is written, "Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand." Paul's Plan to Visit Rome -22- This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. -23- But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, -24- I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. 2 Corinthians 1:16 -16- I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to come back to you from Macedonia and have you send me on my way to Judea. 1 Corinthians 16:6 -6- and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may help me on my journey, wherever I go. Philemon Greeting -1:1- Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker -2- and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house: -3- Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philemon's Love and Faith -4- I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, -5- because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and all the saints, -6- and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. -7- For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you. Paul's Plea for Onesimus -8- Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, -9- yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you--I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus-- -10- I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. -11- (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) -12- I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. -13- I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, -14- but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own free will. -15- For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, -16- no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother--especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. -17- So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. -18- If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. -19- I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it--to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. -20- Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ. -21- Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. -22- At the same time, repare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you. Final Greetings -23- Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, -24- and so do Mark, ristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. -25- The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Titus 3:14 -14-And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful. 2 Corinthians 8 & 9 Encouragement to Give Generously -8:1- We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, -2- for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. -3- For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will, -4- begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints-- -5- and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. -6- Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. -7- But as you excel in everything-- in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you--see that you excel in this act of grace also. -8- I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. -9- For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. -10- And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. -11- So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. -12- For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. -13- I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness -14- your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. -15- As it is written, "Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack." Commendation of Titus -16- But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. -17- For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord. -18- With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. -19- And not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will. -20- We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, -21- for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of man. -22- And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you. -23- As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit. And as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ. -24- So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to these men. The Collection for Christians in Jerusalem -9:1- Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the ministry for the saints, -2- for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them. -3- But I am sending the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove vain in this matter, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be. -4- Otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated--to say nothing of you--for being so confident. -5- So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction. The Cheerful Giver -6- The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. -7- Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. -8- And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. -9- As it is written, "He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." -10- He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. -11- You will be enriched in every way for all your generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. -12- For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. -13- By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission flowing from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, -14- while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. -15- Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! 1 Corinthians 16:1-5 The Collection for the Saints -16:1- Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. -2- On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. -3- And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. -4- If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me. Plans for Travel -5- I will visit you after passing through Macedonia, for I intend to pass through Macedonia, 3 John 1:5-8 Support and Opposition -5- Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, -6- who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. -7- For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. -8- Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth. Romans 15:25-29 -25- At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. -26- For macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. -27- They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. -28- When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leave for Spain by way of you. -29- I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ. Nehemiah 13:10-13 -10- I also found out that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each to his field. -11- So I confronted the officials and said, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" And I gathered them together and set them in their stations. -12- Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses. -13- And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and as their assistant Hanan the son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for they were considered reliable, and their duty was to distribute to their brothers. Acts 11:27-30 -27- Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. -28- And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). -29- So the disciples determined, everyone according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. -30- And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul. Philippians 4:10-20 God's Provision -10- I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. -11- Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. -12- I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. -13- I can do all things through him who strengthens me. -14- Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. -15- And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. -16- Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. -17- Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. -18- I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. -19- And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. -20- To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. 1 Kings 17:1-7 Elijah Predicts a Drought -17:1- Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word." -2- And the word of the LORD came to him, -3- "Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. -4- You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there." -5- So he went and did according to the word of the LORD. He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. -6- And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. -7- And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land. The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright (c)2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. http://www.crosswaybibles.org