The Daily Audio Bible
Today's audio is from the NLT. Switch to the NLT to read along with the audio.
Tax for the Meeting Tent
11 The Lord said to Moses, 12 “When you number the people of Israel, each one of them will pay a price for his life to the Lord. Then no trouble will come upon them when you number them. 13 Every one who is numbered will give one piece of silver, by the weight decided upon for the holy place. One piece of silver will be a gift to the Lord. 14 Every one who is numbered, twenty years old and older, will give the gift to the Lord. 15 The rich will not pay more and the poor will not pay less than one piece of silver. It will be a gift to the Lord so you will be forgiven of sin. 16 Receive this money from the people of Israel and use it for the work of the meeting tent. Then it will be remembered before the Lord that the people of Israel gave a gift to take away their sin of being numbered.”
The Pot of Brass for Washing
17 The Lord said to Moses, 18 “Make a pot of brass for washing. Make its base of brass also. Put it between the meeting tent and the altar, and put water in it. 19 Aaron and his sons will wash their hands and feet with water from it. 20 When they go into the meeting tent, they will wash with water, so they will not die. And they will wash when they go near the altar to give a gift made by fire to the Lord. 21 They will wash their hands and their feet, so they will not die. It will always be a law for Aaron and his children forever.”
The Holy Oil for Pouring
22 The Lord said to Moses, 23 “Take the best spices: a heavy weight of flowing myrrh, half that weight of sweet-smelling cinnamon and of sweet-smelling cane, 24 and a heavy weight of cassia, the weight decided upon by the holy place, and a large jar of olive oil. 25 Mix these to make a holy oil for holy use, mixed like perfume made by an able workman. It will be a holy oil for holy use. 26 Pour it on the meeting tent and the box of the Law, 27 the table and all its objects, the lamp-stand and all its objects, the altar of special perfume, 28 the altar of burnt gifts and all its objects, and the washing pot and its base. 29 Set them apart so they may be most holy. Whatever touches them will be holy. 30 Pour oil on Aaron and his sons. Set them apart so they may serve as religious leaders for Me. 31 Say to the people of Israel, ‘This will be a holy oil to Me for all your people for all time. 32 It will not be poured on the flesh of man. And you will not mix any like it. It is holy. It will be holy to you. 33 Whoever mixes any like it, or puts any of it on a man who is not a religious leader, will be cut off from his people.’”
34 The Lord said to Moses, “Take sweet spices, stacte, onycha and galbanum, spices with pure frankincense. Take the same amount of each. 35 Mix them to make a special perfume, salted, pure and holy, the work of an able workman. 36 Beat some of it very fine. And put some of it in front of the special box of the agreement in the meeting tent, where I will meet with you. It will be most holy to you. 37 Do not mix this special perfume in the same way for yourselves. It will be holy for you to the Lord. 38 Whoever makes any like it to use as perfume will be cut off from his people.”
Builders of the Meeting Tent
31 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the family of Judah. 3 I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, understanding, much learning, and all kinds of special work. 4 He will plan good work in gold, silver and brass, 5 in cutting stones to set, and in cutting wood, for all kinds of good work. 6 And see, I have given Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the family of Dan to help him. I have put wisdom in the hearts of all who are wise, so they may make all that I have told you: 7 the meeting tent, the box of the Law, the mercy-seat upon it, and all the objects of the tent, 8 the table and its objects, the pure gold lamp-stand with all its objects, the altar of special perfume, 9 the altar of burnt gifts with all its objects, the washing pot and its base, 10 the well-made clothing, the holy clothing for Aaron the religious leader, the clothing for his sons for their work as religious leaders, 11 the oil for holy use, and the sweet-smelling perfume for the holy place. Have them do all I have told you.”
The Day of Rest
12 The Lord said to Moses, 13 “Say to the people of Israel, ‘Keep My Days of Rest. For this is something special between Me and you for all your people forever. So you may know that I am the Lord Who sets you apart for Myself. 14 You will keep the Day of Rest, for it is holy to you. Every one who does what is sinful on this day will be put to death for sure. Whoever does any work on this day will be cut off from among his people. 15 Work may be done for six days. But the seventh day is a Day of Rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Day of Rest will be put to death for sure. 16 So the people of Israel will keep the Day of Rest as a special day for all their people for all time, as an agreement forever.’ 17 It is something special between Me and the people of Israel forever. For the Lord made heaven and earth in six days. But He stopped working and rested on the seventh day.”
18 When the Lord had finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave him the two stone writings of the Law, pieces of stone written on by the finger of God.
Jesus Handed Over to Sinners (A)
47 Judas, one of the twelve followers, came while Jesus was talking. He came with many others who had swords and sticks. They came from the religious leaders of the Jews and the leaders of the people. 48 The man who handed Jesus over gave the men something to look for. He said, “The One I kiss is the One you want. Take Him!” 49 At once Judas went up to Jesus and said, “Hello, Teacher,” and kissed Him. 50 Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.” Then they came and put their hands on Jesus and took Him.
51 One of those with Jesus took his sword. He hit the servant who was owned by the religious leader and cut off his ear. 52 Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back where it belongs. Everyone who uses a sword will die with a sword. 53 Do you not think that I can pray to My Father? At once He would send Me more than 70,000 angels. 54 If I did, how could it happen as the Holy Writings said it would happen? It must be this way.”
55 Then Jesus said to the many people, “Have you come with swords and sticks to take Me as if I were a robber? I have been with you every day teaching in the house of God. You never put your hands on Me then. 56 But this has happened as the early preachers said in the Holy Writings it would happen.” Then all the followers left Him and ran away.
Jesus Stands in Front of the Religious Leaders (B)
57 Those who had taken Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas. He was the head religious leader. The teachers of the Law and the other leaders were gathered there. 58 But Peter followed Him a long way behind while going to the house of the head religious leader. Then he went in and sat with the helpers to see what would happen.
59 The religious leaders and the other leaders and all the court were looking for false things to say against Jesus. They wanted some reason to kill Him. 60 They found none, but many came and told false things about Him. At last two came to the front. 61 They said, “This Man said, ‘I am able to destroy the house of God and build it up again in three days.’”
62 Then the head religious leader stood up. He said to Jesus, “Have You nothing to say? What about the things these men are saying against You?” 63 Jesus said nothing. Then the head religious leader said to Him, “In the name of the living God, I tell You to say the truth. Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “What you said is true. I say to you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated on the right hand of the All-powerful God. You will see Him coming on the clouds of the sky.”
65 Then the head religious leader tore his clothes apart. He said, “He has spoken as if He were God! Do we need other people to speak against Him yet? You have heard Him speak as if He were God! 66 What do you think?” They said, “He is guilty of death!”
67 Then they spit on His face. They hit Him with their hands. Others beat Him. 68 They said, “Tell us, Christ, You Who can tell what is going to happen, who hit You?”
Joy of Being Forgiven
32 How happy he is whose wrong-doing is forgiven, and whose sin is covered! 2 How happy is the man whose sin the Lord does not hold against him, and in whose spirit there is nothing false.
3 When I kept quiet about my sin, my bones wasted away from crying all day long. 4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me. My strength was dried up as in the hot summer. 5 I told my sin to You. I did not hide my wrong-doing. I said, “I will tell my sins to the Lord.” And You forgave the guilt of my sin. 6 So let all who are God-like pray to You while You may be found, because in the floods of much water, they will not touch him. 7 You are my hiding place. You keep me safe from trouble. All around me are your songs of being made free.
8 I will show you and teach you in the way you should go. I will tell you what to do with My eye upon you. 9 Do not be like the horse or the donkey which have no understanding. They must be made to work by using bits and leather ropes or they will not come to you. 10 Many are the sorrows of the sinful. But loving-kindness will be all around the man who trusts in the Lord. 11 Be glad in the Lord and be full of joy, you who are right with God! Sing for joy all you who are pure in heart!
27 I was there when He made the heavens, and when He drew a mark around the top of the sea. 28 I was there when He put the skies above, and when He put the wells of the waters in their place. 29 I was there when He marked out the places for the sea, so that the waters would not go farther than what He said. I was there when He marked out the ground for the earth. 30 I was beside Him as the leading workman. I was His joy every day. I was always happy when I was near Him. 31 I was happy in the world, His earth, and found joy in the sons of men.
32 “So now, O sons, listen to me, for happy are they who keep my ways.
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.