Leviticus 2, 3, John 21, Proverbs 18, Colossians 1

Leviticus 2, 3,

1 " 'When someone brings a grain offering to the LORD, his offering is to be of fine flour. He is to pour oil on it, put incense on it
 
2 and take it to Aaron's sons the priests. The priest shall take a handful of the fine flour and oil, together with all the incense, and burn this as a memorial portion on the altar, an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD.
 
3 The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the offerings made to the LORD by fire.
 
4 " 'If you bring a grain offering baked in an oven, it is to consist of fine flour: cakes made without yeast and mixed with oil, or wafers made without yeast and spread with oil.
 
5 If your grain offering is prepared on a griddle, it is to be made of fine flour mixed with oil, and without yeast.
 
6 Crumble it and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering.
 
7 If your grain offering is cooked in a pan, it is to be made of fine flour and oil.
 
8 Bring the grain offering made of these things to the LORD; present it to the priest, who shall take it to the altar.
 
9 He shall take out the memorial portion from the grain offering and burn it on the altar as an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD.
 
10 The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the offerings made to the LORD by fire.
 
11 " 'Every grain offering you bring to the LORD must be made without yeast, for you are not to burn any yeast or honey in an offering made to the LORD by fire.
 
12 You may bring them to the LORD as an offering of the firstfruits, but they are not to be offered on the altar as a pleasing aroma.
 
13 Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings.
 
14 " 'If you bring a grain offering of firstfruits to the LORD, offer crushed heads of new grain roasted in the fire.
 
15 Put oil and incense on it; it is a grain offering.
 
16 The priest shall burn the memorial portion of the crushed grain and the oil, together with all the incense, as an offering made to the LORD by fire.

1 " 'If someone's offering is a fellowship offering, and he offers an animal from the herd, whether male or female, he is to present before the LORD an animal without defect.
 
 
2 He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood against the altar on all sides.
 
 
3 From the fellowship offering he is to bring a sacrifice made to the LORD by fire: all the fat that covers the inner parts or is connected to them,
 
 
4 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the covering of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys.
 
 
5 Then Aaron's sons are to burn it on the altar on top of the burnt offering that is on the burning wood, as an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD.
 
 
6 " 'If he offers an animal from the flock as a fellowship offering to the LORD, he is to offer a male or female without defect.
 
 
7 If he offers a lamb, he is to present it before the LORD.
 
 
8 He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it in front of the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron's sons shall sprinkle its blood against the altar on all sides.
 
 
9 From the fellowship offering he is to bring a sacrifice made to the LORD by fire: its fat, the entire fat tail cut off close to the backbone, all the fat that covers the inner parts or is connected to them,
 
 
10 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the covering of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys.
 
 
11 The priest shall burn them on the altar as food, an offering made to the LORD by fire.
 
 
12 " 'If his offering is a goat, he is to present it before the LORD.
 
 
13 He is to lay his hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron's sons shall sprinkle its blood against the altar on all sides.
 
 
14 From what he offers he is to make this offering to the LORD by fire: all the fat that covers the inner parts or is connected to them,
 
 
15 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the covering of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys.
 
 
16 The priest shall burn them on the altar as food, an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the LORD's.
 
 
17 " 'This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live: You must not eat any fat or any blood.' "

John 21,

1 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way:
 
2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.
 
3 "I'm going out to fish," Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We'll go with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
 
4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
 
5 He called out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?" "No," they answered.
 
6 He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
 
7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, "It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.
 
8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.
 
9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.
 
10 Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you have just caught."
 
11 Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.
 
12 Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." None of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord.
 
13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.
 
14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
 
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
 
16 Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?" He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."
 
17 The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."
 
18 Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go."
 
19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!"
 
20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?")
 
21 When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?"
 
22 Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me."
 
23 Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?"
 
24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.
 
25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

Proverbs 18,

1 An unfriendly man pursues selfish ends; he defies all sound judgment.
 
2 A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.
 
3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt, and with shame comes disgrace.
 
4 The words of a man's mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
 
5 It is not good to be partial to the wicked or to deprive the innocent of justice.
 
6 A fool's lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating.
 
7 A fool's mouth is his undoing, and his lips are a snare to his soul.
 
8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts.
 
9 One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys.
 
10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
 
11 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it an unscalable wall.
 
12 Before his downfall a man's heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.
 
13 He who answers before listening-that is his folly and his shame.
 
14 A man's spirit sustains him in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?
 
15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out.
 
16 A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great.
 
17 The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him.
 
18 Casting the lot settles disputes and keeps strong opponents apart.
 
19 An offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city, and disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.
 
20 From the fruit of his mouth a man's stomach is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.
 
21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
 
22 He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD.
 
23 A poor man pleads for mercy, but a rich man answers harshly.
 
24 A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Colossians 1

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
 
2 To the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.
 
3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,
 
4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints-
 
5 the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel
 
6 that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth.
 
7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf,
 
8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
 
9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
 
10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
 
11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully
 
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
 
13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
 
14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
 
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
 
16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.
 
17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
 
18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
 
19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,
 
20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
 
21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.
 
22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation-
 
23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
 
24 Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.
 
25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness-
 
26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.
 
27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
 
28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
 
29 To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.