Exodus 31
Craftsmen to Build the Tabernacle
1 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.
3 I have filled him with the divine Spirit of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, and in every manner of workmanship,†
4 to design artistic works, to work in gold, silver, and bronze,
5 in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in every manner of workmanship.
6 Indeed I have appointed with him Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have put understanding in the hearts of all who are gifted artisans, so they may make all I commanded you:
7 the tabernacle of testimony, the ark of the testimony and the mercy seat on it, and all the utensils of the tabernacle—
8 the altars and the table and its utensils, the pure gold lampstand with all its utensils,
9 and the laver and its base—
10 the liturgical garments for Aaron and the garments of his sons, to minister to Me as priests,
11 and the anointing oil and the compound incense for the holy place. According to all I have commanded you they shall do.”
Keeping the Sabbath
12 Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
13 “You shall direct the children of Israel, saying, ‘See to it that you keep My Sabbaths, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know I am the Lord who sanctifies you.
14 You shall keep the Sabbaths, because this is holy for you to the Lord. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death; for whoever works on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
15 Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath, a holy rest to the Lord. Whoever works on the seventh day shall be put to death.†
16 Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbaths, to observe them throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.
17 It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord created heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He ceased and rested.’ ”
18 So when He made an end of speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave him two tablets of testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.†
Psalms 70
1 By David; of the sons of Jonadab and the first ones taken captive. †O God, in You I hope; may I never be put to shame.
2 Deliver me in Your righteousness, and set me free; Incline Your ear to me and save me.
3 Be to me a God for protection And a strong place for salvation, For You are my foundation and my refuge.
4 O my God, deliver me from the hand of the sinner, From the hand of those who transgress the law and act unjustly;
5 For You are my patience, O Lord; The Lord is my hope from my youth.
6 By You I have been supported from birth; From my mother’s womb You have been my protector; My song shall be always of You.
7 I am become as a wonder to many, And You are my strong helper.
8 Let my mouth be filled with Your praise, That I may sing of Your glory And of Your magnificence all the day long.
9 Do not abandon me in the time of old age; When my strength fails, do not forsake me.
10 For my enemies speak against me, And those who watch for my soul plot together,
11 Saying, “God forsook him; Pursue and lay hold of him, For there is no deliverer.”
12 O God, do not stand far off from me; O my God, give heed to help me.
13 Let those who falsely accuse my soul be shamed and forsaken; Let those who seek evils for me be covered with shame and reproach.
Proverbs of Solomon 14
21 He who dishonors the poor sins, But he who has mercy on the poor is very blessed.
22 Deceivers devise evil things, But good men devise mercy and truth.†
23 Devisers of evil things do not understand mercy and faithfulness, But mercies and faithfulness are with devisers of good things.
24 To everyone who is careful there is an abundance, But he who is pleasure-taking and slothful shall be in want.
25 The crown of the wise is astuteness, But the pastime of the undiscerning is evil.†
Luke 1
Preface
1 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us,
2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us,†
3 it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus,
4 that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.
John’s Birth Announced to Zacharias
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.†
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.†
7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.†
8 So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division,†
9 according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
10 And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.
11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.†
12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.†
14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.†
16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
17 He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”†
18 And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
19 And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings.
20 But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.Ӡ
21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple.
22 But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.
23 So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.
24 Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying,†
25 “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”