Exodus 25

Offerings for the Tabernacle
 ¹  The LORD said to Moses,  ²  "Tell the people of Israel to bring me their sacred offerings. Accept the contributions from all whose hearts are moved to offer them.  ³  Here is a list of sacred offerings you may accept from them:

gold, silver, and bronze;
 ⁴  blue, purple, and scarlet thread;
fine linen and goat hair for cloth;
 ⁵  tanned ram skins and fine goatskin leather;
acacia wood;
 ⁶  olive oil for the lamps;
spices for the anointing oil and the fragrant incense;
 ⁷  onyx stones, and other gemstones to be set in the ephod and the priest's chestpiece.

   ⁸  "Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them."  ⁹  You must build this Tabernacle and its furnishings exactly according to the pattern I will show you.

Plans for the Ark of the Covenant
 ¹⁰  "Have the people make an Ark of acacia wood—a sacred chest 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high. [10]   ¹¹  Overlay it inside and outside with pure gold, and run a molding of gold all around it.  ¹²  Cast four gold rings and attach them to its four feet, two rings on each side.  ¹³  Make poles from acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.  ¹⁴  Insert the poles into the rings at the sides of the Ark to carry it.  ¹⁵  These carrying poles must stay inside the rings; never remove them.  ¹⁶  When the Ark is finished, place inside it the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, [16]  which I will give to you.
   ¹⁷  "Then make the Ark's cover—the place of atonement—from pure gold. It must be 45 inches long and 27 inches wide. [17]   ¹⁸  Then make two cherubim from hammered gold, and place them on the two ends of the atonement cover.  ¹⁹  Mold the cherubim on each end of the atonement cover, making it all of one piece of gold.  ²⁰  The cherubim will face each other and look down on the atonement cover. With their wings spread above it, they will protect it.  ²¹  Place inside the Ark the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, which I will give to you. Then put the atonement cover on top of the Ark.  ²²  I will meet with you there and talk to you from above the atonement cover between the gold cherubim that hover over the Ark of the Covenant. [22]  From there I will give you my commands for the people of Israel.

Plans for the Table
 ²³  "Then make a table of acacia wood, 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 27 inches high. [23]   ²⁴  Overlay it with pure gold and run a gold molding around the edge.  ²⁵  Decorate it with a 3-inch border [25]  all around, and run a gold molding along the border.  ²⁶  Make four gold rings for the table and attach them at the four corners next to the four legs.  ²⁷  Attach the rings near the border to hold the poles that are used to carry the table.  ²⁸  Make these poles from acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.  ²⁹  Make special containers of pure gold for the table—bowls, pans, pitchers, and jars—to be used in pouring out liquid offerings.  ³⁰  Place the Bread of the Presence on the table to remain before me at all times.

Plans for the Lampstand
 ³¹  "Make a lampstand of pure, hammered gold. Make the entire lampstand and its decorations of one piece—the base, center stem, lamp cups, buds, and petals.  ³²  Make it with six branches going out from the center stem, three on each side.  ³³  Each of the six branches will have three lamp cups shaped like almond blossoms, complete with buds and petals.  ³⁴  Craft the center stem of the lampstand with four lamp cups shaped like almond blossoms, complete with buds and petals.  ³⁵  There will also be an almond bud beneath each pair of branches where the six branches extend from the center stem.  ³⁶  The almond buds and branches must all be of one piece with the center stem, and they must be hammered from pure gold.  ³⁷  Then make the seven lamps for the lampstand, and set them so they reflect their light forward.  ³⁸  The lamp snuffers and trays must also be made of pure gold.  ³⁹  You will need seventy-five pounds [39]  of pure gold for the lampstand and its accessories.
   ⁴⁰  "Be sure that you make everything according to the pattern I have shown you here on the mountain.

Exodus 26

Plans for the Tabernacle
 ¹  "Make the Tabernacle from ten curtains of finely woven linen. Decorate the curtains with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and with skillfully embroidered cherubim.  ²  These ten curtains must all be exactly the same size—42 feet long and 6 feet wide. [2]   ³  Join five of these curtains together to make one long curtain, then join the other five into a second long curtain.  ⁴  Put loops of blue yarn along the edge of the last curtain in each set.  ⁵  The fifty loops along the edge of one curtain are to match the fifty loops along the edge of the other curtain.  ⁶  Then make fifty gold clasps and fasten the long curtains together with the clasps. In this way, the Tabernacle will be made of one continuous piece.
   ⁷  "Make eleven curtains of goat-hair cloth to serve as a tent covering for the Tabernacle.  ⁸  These eleven curtains must all be exactly the same size—45 feet long and 6 feet wide. [8]   ⁹  Join five of these curtains together to make one long curtain, and join the other six into a second long curtain. Allow 3 feet of material from the second set of curtains to hang over the front [9]  of the sacred tent.  ¹⁰  Make fifty loops for one edge of each large curtain.  ¹¹  Then make fifty bronze clasps, and fasten the loops of the long curtains with the clasps. In this way, the tent covering will be made of one continuous piece.  ¹²  The remaining 3 feet [12]  of this tent covering will be left to hang over the back of the Tabernacle.  ¹³  Allow 18 inches [13]  of remaining material to hang down over each side, so the Tabernacle is completely covered.  ¹⁴  Complete the tent covering with a protective layer of tanned ram skins and a layer of fine goatskin leather.
   ¹⁵  "For the framework of the Tabernacle, construct frames of acacia wood.  ¹⁶  Each frame must be 15 feet high and 27 inches wide, [16]   ¹⁷  with two pegs under each frame. Make all the frames identical.  ¹⁸  Make twenty of these frames to support the curtains on the south side of the Tabernacle.  ¹⁹  Also make forty silver bases—two bases under each frame, with the pegs fitting securely into the bases.  ²⁰  For the north side of the Tabernacle, make another twenty frames,  ²¹  with their forty silver bases, two bases under each frame.  ²²  Make six frames for the rear—the west side of the Tabernacle—  ²³  along with two additional frames to reinforce the rear corners of the Tabernacle.  ²⁴  These corner frames will be matched at the bottom and firmly attached at the top with a single ring, forming a single corner unit. Make both of these corner units the same way.  ²⁵  So there will be eight frames at the rear of the Tabernacle, set in sixteen silver bases—two bases under each frame.
   ²⁶  "Make crossbars of acacia wood to link the frames, five crossbars for the north side of the Tabernacle  ²⁷  and five for the south side. Also make five crossbars for the rear of the Tabernacle, which will face west.  ²⁸  The middle crossbar, attached halfway up the frames, will run all the way from one end of the Tabernacle to the other.  ²⁹  Overlay the frames with gold, and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Overlay the crossbars with gold as well.
   ³⁰  "Set up this Tabernacle according to the pattern you were shown on the mountain.
   ³¹  "For the inside of the Tabernacle, make a special curtain of finely woven linen. Decorate it with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and with skillfully embroidered cherubim.  ³²  Hang this curtain on gold hooks attached to four posts of acacia wood. Overlay the posts with gold, and set them in four silver bases.  ³³  Hang the inner curtain from clasps, and put the Ark of the Covenant [33]  in the room behind it. This curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.
   ³⁴  "Then put the Ark's cover—the place of atonement—on top of the Ark of the Covenant inside the Most Holy Place.  ³⁵  Place the table outside the inner curtain on the north side of the Tabernacle, and place the lampstand across the room on the south side.
   ³⁶  "Make another curtain for the entrance to the sacred tent. Make it of finely woven linen and embroider it with exquisite designs, using blue, purple, and scarlet thread.  ³⁷  Craft five posts from acacia wood. Overlay them with gold, and hang the curtain from them with gold hooks. Cast five bronze bases for the posts.

<<  25:10 Hebrew 2.5 cubits [115 centimeters] long, 1.5 cubits [69 centimeters] wide, and 1.5 cubits high.
<<  25:16 Hebrew Place inside the Ark the Testimony; similarly in 25:21. The Hebrew word for "testimony" refers to the terms of the L<%=ftSC%>ORD's covenant with Israel as written on stone tablets, and also to the covenant itself.
<<  25:17 Hebrew 2.5 cubits [115 centimeters] long and 1.5 cubits [69 centimeters] wide.
<<  25:22 Or Ark of the Testimony.
<<  25:23 Hebrew 2 cubits [92 centimeters] long, 1 cubit [46 centimeters] wide, and 1.5 cubits [69 centimeters] high.
<<  25:25 Hebrew a border of a handbreadth [8 centimeters].
<<  25:39 Hebrew 1 talent [34 kilograms].
<<  26:2 Hebrew 28 cubits [12.9 meters] long and 4 cubits [1.8 meters] wide.
<<  26:8 Hebrew 30 cubits [13.8 meters] long and 4 cubits [1.8 meters] wide.
<<  26:9 Hebrew Double over the sixth sheet at the front.
<<  26:12 Hebrew The half sheet that is left over.
<<  26:13 Hebrew 1 cubit [46 centimeters].
<<  26:16 Hebrew 10 cubits [4.6 meters] high and 1.5 cubits [69 centimeters] wide.
<<  26:33 Or Ark of the Testimony; also in 26:34.

Matthew 20 : 17-34

Jesus Again Predicts His Death
 ¹⁷  As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him.  ¹⁸  "Listen," he said, "we're going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man [18]  will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die.  ¹⁹  Then they will hand him over to the Romans [19]  to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead."

Jesus Teaches about Serving Others
 ²⁰  Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor.  ²¹  "What is your request?" he asked.
  She replied, "In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left."
   ²²  But Jesus answered by saying to them, "You don't know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?"
  "Oh yes," they replied, "we are able!"
   ²³  Jesus told them, "You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen."
   ²⁴  When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant.  ²⁵  But Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them.  ²⁶  "But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant ..."  ²⁷  "... and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave."  ²⁸  "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many." Jesus Heals Two Blind Men
 ²⁹  As Jesus and the disciples left the town of Jericho, a large crowd followed behind.  ³⁰  Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"
   ³¹  "Be quiet!" the crowd yelled at them.
  But they only shouted louder, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"
   ³²  When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, "What do you want me to do for you?"
   ³³  "Lord," they said, "we want to see!"  ³⁴  Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him.

<<  20:18 "Son of Man" is a title Jesus used for himself.
<<  20:19 Greek the Gentiles.