the Week of Proper 19 / Ordinary 24
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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
December 27 - Bible-in-a-Year
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Ezekiel 40-41
Chapter 40
The New Temple
1 In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month in the fourteenth year after Jerusalem had been captured,(a) on that very day the Lord 's hand was on me,(b) and He brought me there. 2 In visions of God(c) He took me to the land of Israel and set me down on a very high mountain.(d) On its southern slope was a structure resembling a city. 3 He brought me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze,(e) with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand.(f) He was standing by the gate. 4 He spoke to me: "Son of man, look with your eyes, listen with your ears,(g) and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for you have been brought here so that I might show it to you. Report everything you see to the house of Israel."(h)
The Wall and Outer Gates
5 Now there was a wall surrounding the outside of the temple.(i) The measuring rod in the man's hand was six units of 21 inches;[a] each unit was the standard length plus three inches.[b] He measured the thickness of the wall structure; it was about 10 feet,[c] and its height was the same.[d] 6 Then he came to the gate that faced east and climbed its steps.(j) He measured the threshold of the gate; it was 10 feet deep—the first threshold was 10 feet deep. 7 Each recess was about 10 feet[e] long and 10 feet[f] deep, and there was a space of 8¾ feet[g] between the recesses. The inner threshold of the gate on the temple side next to the gate's portico was about 10 feet.[h] 8 Next he measured the portico of the gate; 9 it[i] was 14 feet,[j] and its pilasters were 3½ feet.[k] The portico of the gate was on the temple side.
10 There were three recesses on each side of the east gate, each with the same measurements, and the pilasters on either side also had the same measurements. 11 Then he measured the width of the gate's entrance; it was 17½ feet,[l] while the width[m] of the gateway was 22¾ feet.[n] 12 There was a barrier of 21 inches[o] in front of the recesses on both sides, and the recesses on each side were 10½ feet[p] square. 13 Then he measured the gateway from the roof of one recess to the roof of the opposite one; the distance was 43¾ feet.[q] The openings of the recesses faced each other. 14 Next, he measured the pilasters—105 feet.[r] The gate extended around to the pilaster of the court.[s] 15 The distance from the front of the gate at the entrance to the front of the gate's portico on the inside was 87½ feet.[t] 16 The recesses and their pilasters had beveled windows all around the inside of the gateway.(k) The porticoes also had windows all around on the inside. Each pilaster was decorated with palm trees.(l)
17 Then he brought me into the outer court,(m) and there were chambers and a paved surface laid out all around the court.(n) Thirty chambers faced the pavement, 18 which flanked the gates and corresponded to the length of the gates; this was the lower pavement. 19 Then he measured the distance from the front of the lower gate to the exterior front of the inner court; it was 175 feet.[u] This was the east; next the north is described.
20 He measured the gate of the outer court facing north, both its length and width. 21 Its three recesses on each side, its pilasters, and its portico had the same measurements as the first gate: 87½ feet[v] long and 43¾ feet[w] wide. 22 Its windows, portico, and palm trees had the same measurements as those of the gate that faced east. Seven steps led up to the gate, and its portico was ahead of them. 23 The inner court had a gate facing the north gate, like the one on the east. He measured the distance from gate to gate; it was 175 feet.[x]
24 He brought me to the south side, and there was also a gate on the south. He measured its pilasters and portico; they had the same measurements as the others. 25 Both the gate and its portico had windows all around, like the other windows. It was 87½ feet[y] long and 43¾ feet[z] wide. 26 Its stairway had seven steps, and its portico was ahead of them. It had palm trees on its pilasters, one on each side. 27 The inner court had a gate on the south. He measured from gate to gate on the south; it was 175 feet.[aa]
The Inner Gates
28 Then he brought me to the inner court through the south gate. When he measured the south gate, it had the same measurements as the others. 29 Its recesses, pilasters, and portico had the same measurements as the others. Both it and its portico had windows all around. It was 87½ feet[ab] long and 43¾ feet[ac] wide. 30 (There were porticoes all around, 43¾ feet long and 8¾ feet[ad] wide.[ae]) 31 Its portico faced the outer court, and its pilasters were decorated with palm trees. Its stairway had eight steps.
32 Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side. When he measured the gate, it had the same measurements as the others. 33 Its recesses, pilasters, and portico had the same measurements as the others. Both it and its portico had windows all around. It was 87½ feet[af] long and 43¾ feet[ag] wide. 34 Its portico faced the outer court, and its pilasters were decorated with palm trees on each side. Its stairway had eight steps.
35 Then he brought me to the north gate.(o) When he measured it, it had the same measurements as the others, 36 as did its recesses, pilasters, and portico. It also had windows all around. It was 87½ feet[ah] long and 43¾ feet[ai] wide. 37 Its portico[aj] faced the outer court, and its pilasters were decorated with palm trees on each side. Its stairway had eight steps.
Rooms for Preparing Sacrifices
38 There was a chamber whose door opened into the portico of the gate.[ak] The burnt offering was to be washed there.(p) 39 Inside the portico of the gate there were two tables on each side, on which to slaughter the burnt offering, sin offering,(q) and restitution offering.(r) 40 Outside, as one approaches the entrance of the north gate, there were two tables on one side and two more tables on the other side of the gate's portico. 41 So there were four tables inside the gate and four outside, eight tables in all on which the slaughtering was to be done. 42 There were also four tables of cut stone for the burnt offering,(s) each 31½ inches[al] long, 31½ inches wide, and 21 inches[am] high. The utensils used to slaughter the burnt offerings and other sacrifices were placed on them. 43 There were three-inch[an] hooks[ao] fastened all around the inside of the room, and the flesh of the offering was to be laid on the tables.
Rooms for Singers and Priests
44 Outside the inner gate, within the inner court, there were chambers for the singers:[ap](t) one[aq] beside the north gate, facing south, and another beside the south[ar] gate, facing north. 45 Then the man said to me: "This chamber that faces south is for the priests who keep charge of the temple.(u) 46 The chamber that faces north is for the priests who keep charge of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok,(v) the ones from the sons of Levi who may approach the Lord to serve Him."(w) 47 Next he measured the court. It was square, 175 feet[as] long and 175 feet wide. The altar(x) was in front of the temple.
48 Then he brought me to the portico of the temple and measured the pilasters of the portico; they were 8¾ feet[at] thick on each side. The width of the gateway was 24½ feet,[au] and the side walls of the gate were[av] 5¼ feet[aw] wide on each side. 49 The portico was 35 feet[ax] across and 21[ay] feet[az] deep, and 10 steps led[ba] up to it.(y) There were pillars by the pilasters, one on each side.(z)
Chapter 41
Inside the Temple
1 Next he brought me into the great hall and measured the pilasters;(a) on each side the width of the pilaster was 10½ feet.[a][b] 2 The width of the entrance was 17½ feet,[c] and the side walls of the entrance were 8¾ feet[d] wide on each side. He also measured the length of the great hall, 70 feet,[e] and the width, 35 feet.[f](b) 3 He went inside the next room and measured the pilasters at the entrance;(c) they were 3½ feet[g] wide. The entrance was 10½ feet[h] wide, and the width of the entrance's side walls on each side[i] was 12¼ feet.[j] 4 He then measured the length of the room adjacent to the great hall, 35 feet,[k] and the width, 35 feet.(d) And he said to me, "This is the most holy place."(e)
Outside the Temple
5 Then he measured the wall of the temple; it was 10½ feet[l] thick. The width of the side rooms all around the temple was seven feet.[m](f) 6 The side rooms were arranged one above another in three stories of 30 rooms each.[n] There were ledges on the wall of the temple all around to serve as supports for the side rooms, so that the supports would not be in the temple wall itself.(g) 7 The side rooms surrounding the temple widened at each successive story, for the structure surrounding the temple went up by stages. This was the reason for the temple's broadness as it rose. And so, one would go up from the lowest story to the highest by means of the middle one.[o](h)
8 I saw that the temple had a raised platform surrounding it; this foundation for the side rooms was 10½ feet high.[p](i) 9 The thickness of the outer wall of the side rooms was 8¾ feet.[q] The free space between the side rooms of the temple 10 and the outer chambers was 35 feet[r] wide all around the temple.(j) 11 The side rooms opened into the free space, one entrance toward the north and another to the south. The area of free space was 8¾ feet[s] wide all around.
12 Now the building that faced the temple yard toward the west was 122½ feet[t] wide. The wall of the building was 8¾ feet[u] thick on all sides, and the building's length was 157½ feet.[v]
13 Then the man measured the temple; it was 175 feet[w] long.(k) In addition, the temple yard and the building, including its walls, were 175 feet long. 14 The width of the front of the temple along with the temple yard to the east was 175 feet. 15 Next he measured the length of the building facing the temple yard to the west, with its galleries[x] on each side;(l) it was 175 feet.
Interior Wooden Structures
The interior of the great hall and the porticoes of the court— 16 the thresholds, the beveled windows,(m) and the balconies all around with their three levels opposite the threshold—were overlaid with wood on all sides.(n) They were paneled from the ground to the windows (but the windows were covered), 17 reaching to the top of the entrance, and as far as the inner temple and on the outside. On every wall all around, on the inside and outside, was a pattern 18 carved with cherubim and palm trees.(o) There was a palm tree between each pair of cherubim.(p) Each cherub had two faces: 19 a human face turned toward the palm tree on one side,(q) and a lion's face turned toward it on the other. They were carved throughout the temple on all sides. 20 Cherubim and palm trees were carved from the ground to the top of the entrance and on the wall of the great hall.
21 The doorposts of the great hall were square,(r) and the front of the sanctuary had the same appearance. 22 The altar was[y] made of wood, 5¼ feet[z] high and 3½ feet[aa] long.[ab] It had corners, and its length[ac] and sides were of wood.(s) The man told me, "This is the table that stands before the Lord ."(t)
23 The great hall and the sanctuary each had a double door,(u) 24 and each of the doors had two swinging panels.(v) There were two panels for one door and two for the other. 25 Cherubim and palm trees were carved on the doors of the great hall like those carved on the walls. There was a wooden canopy[ad](w) outside, in front of the portico. 26 There were beveled windows and palm trees on both sides,(x) on the side walls of the portico, the side rooms of the temple, and the canopies.[ae]
Isaiah 62
Chapter 62
Zion's Restoration
1 I will not keep silent because of Zion,
and I will not keep still because of Jerusalem,(a)
until her righteousness shines like a bright light(b)
and her salvation, like a flaming torch.
2 Nations will see your righteousness(c)
and all kings, your glory.
You will be called by a new name
that the
Lord
's mouth will announce.(d)
3 You will be a glorious crown in the
Lord
's hand,
and a royal diadem in the palm of your God.(e)
4 You will no longer be called Deserted,(f)
and your land will not be called Desolate;
instead, you will be called My Delight is in Her,[a]
and your land Married;[b](g)
for the
Lord
delights in you,
and your land will be married.
5 For as a young man marries a young woman,
so your sons will marry you;
and as a groom rejoices[c] over his bride,
so your God will rejoice over you.(h)
6 Jerusalem,
I have appointed watchmen on your walls;(i)
they will never be silent, day or night.
There is no rest for you,
who remind the
Lord
.
7 Do not give Him rest
until He establishes and makes Jerusalem
the praise of the earth.(j)
8 The
Lord
has sworn with His right hand
and His strong arm:
I will no longer give your grain
to your enemies for food,(k)
and foreigners will not drink your new wine
you have labored for.
9 For those who gather grain will eat it
and praise the
Lord
,
and those who harvest the grapes will drink the wine
in My holy courts.
10 Go out, go out through the gates;
prepare a way for the people!
Build it up, build up the highway;(l)
clear away the stones!
Raise a banner for the peoples.(m)
11 Look, the
Lord
has proclaimed
to the ends of the earth,
"Say to Daughter Zion:(n)
Look, your salvation is coming,
His reward is with Him,(o)
and His gifts accompany Him."
12 And they will be called[d] the Holy People,(p)
the
Lord
's Redeemed;
and you will be called Cared For,
A City Not Deserted.
Luke 3:1-20
Chapter 3
The Messiah's Herald
1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,[a] while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea,(a) Herod was tetrarch[b] of Galilee,(b) his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Iturea[c] and Trachonitis,[d] and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,[e] 2 during the high priesthood of Annas(c) and Caiaphas,(d) God's word came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.(e) 3 He went into all the vicinity of the Jordan,(f) preaching a baptism of repentance[f] for the forgiveness of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:
A voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
Prepare the way for the Lord;
make His paths straight!
5
Every valley will be filled,
and every mountain and hill will be made low;
[g]
the crooked will become straight,
the rough ways smooth,
6
and everyone
[h]
will see the salvation of God.
(g)[i]
7 He then said to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, "Brood of vipers!(h) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance. And don't start saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,'(i) for I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones! 9 Even now the ax is ready to strike[j] the root of the trees! Therefore, every tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."(j)
10 "What then should we do?"(k) the crowds were asking him.
11 He replied to them, "The one who has two shirts[k] must share with someone who has none, and the one who has food must do the same."(l)
12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?"(m)
13 He told them, "Don't collect any more than what you have been authorized."
14 Some soldiers also questioned him: "What should we do?"
He said to them, "Don't take money from anyone by force or false accusation; be satisfied with your wages."
15 Now the people were waiting expectantly, and all of them were debating in their minds[l] whether John might be the Messiah.(n) 16 John answered them all,(o) "I baptize you with[m] water, but One is coming who is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to untie the strap of His sandals. He will baptize you with[n] the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing shovel[o](p) is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and gather the wheat into His barn, but the chaff He will burn up with a fire that never goes out."(q) 18 Then, along with many other exhortations, he proclaimed good news to the people. 19 But Herod the tetrarch,(r) being rebuked by him about Herodias, his brother's wife, and about all the evil things Herod had done,(s) 20 added this to everything else—he locked John up in prison.(t)
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