Leviticus 16, Psalm 19, Proverbs 30, 1 Timothy 1

Leviticus 16,

1 The LORD spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron who died when they approached the LORD.
 
2 The LORD said to Moses: "Tell your brother Aaron not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.
 
3 "This is how Aaron is to enter the sanctuary area: with a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.
 
4 He is to put on the sacred linen tunic, with linen undergarments next to his body; he is to tie the linen sash around him and put on the linen turban. These are sacred garments; so he must bathe himself with water before he puts them on.
 
5 From the Israelite community he is to take two male goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.
 
6 "Aaron is to offer the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household.
 
7 Then he is to take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
 
8 He is to cast lots for the two goats-one lot for the LORD and the other for the scapegoat.
 
9 Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the LORD and sacrifice it for a sin offering.
 
10 But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD to be used for making atonement by sending it into the desert as a scapegoat.
 
11 "Aaron shall bring the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household, and he is to slaughter the bull for his own sin offering.
 
12 He is to take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before the LORD and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense and take them behind the curtain.
 
13 He is to put the incense on the fire before the LORD, and the smoke of the incense will conceal the atonement cover above the Testimony, so that he will not die.
 
14 He is to take some of the bull's blood and with his finger sprinkle it on the front of the atonement cover; then he shall sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before the atonement cover.
 
15 "He shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people and take its blood behind the curtain and do with it as he did with the bull's blood: He shall sprinkle it on the atonement cover and in front of it.
 
16 In this way he will make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been. He is to do the same for the Tent of Meeting, which is among them in the midst of their uncleanness.
 
17 No one is to be in the Tent of Meeting from the time Aaron goes in to make atonement in the Most Holy Place until he comes out, having made atonement for himself, his household and the whole community of Israel.
 
18 "Then he shall come out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it. He shall take some of the bull's blood and some of the goat's blood and put it on all the horns of the altar.
 
19 He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleanse it and to consecrate it from the uncleanness of the Israelites.
 
20 "When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting and the altar, he shall bring forward the live goat.
 
21 He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites-all their sins-and put them on the goat's head. He shall send the goat away into the desert in the care of a man appointed for the task.
 
22 The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a solitary place; and the man shall release it in the desert.
 
23 "Then Aaron is to go into the Tent of Meeting and take off the linen garments he put on before he entered the Most Holy Place, and he is to leave them there.
 
24 He shall bathe himself with water in a holy place and put on his regular garments. Then he shall come out and sacrifice the burnt offering for himself and the burnt offering for the people, to make atonement for himself and for the people.
 
25 He shall also burn the fat of the sin offering on the altar.
 
26 "The man who releases the goat as a scapegoat must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may come into the camp.
 
27 The bull and the goat for the sin offerings, whose blood was brought into the Most Holy Place to make atonement, must be taken outside the camp; their hides, flesh and offal are to be burned up.
 
28 The man who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may come into the camp.
 
29 "This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work-whether native-born or an alien living among you-
 
30 because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the LORD, you will be clean from all your sins.
 
31 It is a sabbath of rest, and you must deny yourselves; it is a lasting ordinance.
 
32 The priest who is anointed and ordained to succeed his father as high priest is to make atonement. He is to put on the sacred linen garments
 
33 and make atonement for the Most Holy Place, for the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and for the priests and all the people of the community.
 
34 "This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: Atonement is to be made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites." And it was done, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Psalm 19,

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
 
2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.
 
3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.
 
4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,
 
5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
 
6 It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.
 
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
 
8 The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
 
9 The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.
 
10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.
 
11 By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
 
12 Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults.
 
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.
 
14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Proverbs 30,

1 The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh-an oracle : This man declared to Ithiel, to Ithiel and to Ucal:
 
2 "I am the most ignorant of men; I do not have a man's understanding.
 
3 I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.
 
4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his son? Tell me if you know!
 
5 "Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
 
6 Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.
 
7 "Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die:
 
8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.
 
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD ?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
 
10 "Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will pay for it.
 
11 "There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers;
 
12 those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth;
 
13 those whose eyes are ever so haughty, whose glances are so disdainful;
 
14 those whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are set with knives to devour the poor from the earth, the needy from among mankind.
 
15 "The leech has two daughters. 'Give! Give!' they cry. "There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, 'Enough!':
 
16 the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, 'Enough!'
 
17 "The eye that mocks a father, that scorns obedience to a mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures.
 
18 "There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand:
 
19 the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a maiden.
 
20 "This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, 'I've done nothing wrong.'
 
21 "Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:
 
22 a servant who becomes king, a fool who is full of food,
 
23 an unloved woman who is married, and a maidservant who displaces her mistress.
 
24 "Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise:
 
25 Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;
 
26 coneys are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags;
 
27 locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks;
 
28 a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings' palaces.
 
29 "There are three things that are stately in their stride, four that move with stately bearing:
 
30 a lion, mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing;
 
31 a strutting rooster, a he-goat, and a king with his army around him.
 
32 "If you have played the fool and exalted yourself, or if you have planned evil, clap your hand over your mouth!
 
33 For as churning the milk produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife."

1 Timothy 1

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,
 
2 To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
 
3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer
 
4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work-which is by faith.
 
5 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
 
6 Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk.
 
7 They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.
 
8 We know that the law is good if one uses it properly.
 
9 We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,
 
10 for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers-and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine
 
11 that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.
 
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.
 
13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.
 
14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
 
15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-of whom I am the worst.
 
16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.
 
17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
 
18 Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight,
 
19 holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith.
 
20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.