LEVITICUS 13:1-59
MARK 6:1-29
PSALM 39:1-13
PROVERBS 10:10
LEVITICUS 13:1-59
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 2 " If some of the people notice a swelling or a rash or a shiny patch on their skin that develops into a contagious skin disease, they must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons. 3 The priest will then examine the affected area of a person's skin. If the hair in the affected area has turned white and appears to be more than skin-deep, then it is a contagious skin disease, and the priest must pronounce the person ceremonially unclean. 4 " But if the affected area of the skin is white but does not appear to be more than skin-deep, and if the hair in the spot has not turned white, the priest will put the infected person in quarantine for seven days. 5 On the seventh day the priest will make another examination. If the affected area has not changed or spread on the skin, then the priest will put the person in quarantine for seven more days. 6 The priest will examine the skin again on the seventh day. If the affected area has faded and not spread, the priest will pronounce the person ceremonially clean. It was only a temporary rash. So after washing the clothes, the person will be considered free of disease. 7 But if the rash continues to spread after this examination and pronouncement by the priest, the infected person must return to be examined again. 8 If the priest notices that the rash has spread, then he must pronounce this person ceremonially unclean, for it is a contagious skin disease.9 " Anyone who develops a contagious skin disease must go to the priest for an examination. 10 If the priest sees that some hair has turned white and an open sore appears in the affected area, 11 it is clearly a contagious skin disease, and the priest must pronounce that person ceremonially unclean. In such cases, the person need not be quarantined for further observation because it is clear that the skin is defiled by the disease. 12 " Now suppose the priest discovers after his examination that a rash has broken out all over someone's skin, covering the body from head to foot. 13 In such cases, the priest must examine the infected person to see if the disease covers the entire body. If it does, he will pronounce the person ceremonially clean because the skin has turned completely white. 14 But if any open sores appear, the infected person will be pronounced ceremonially unclean. 15 The priest must make this pronouncement as soon as he sees an open sore because open sores indicate the presence of a contagious skin disease. 16 However, if the open sores heal and turn white like the rest of the skin, the person must return to the priest. 17 If, after another examination, the affected areas have indeed turned completely white, then the priest will pronounce the person ceremonially clean. 18 " If anyone has had a boil on the skin that has started to heal, 19 but a white swelling or a reddish white spot remains in its place, that person must go to the priest to be examined. 20 If the priest finds the disease to be more than skin-deep, and if the hair in the affected area has turned white, then the priest must pronounce that person ceremonially unclean. It is a contagious skin disease that has broken out in the boil. 21 But if the priest sees that there is no white hair in the affected area, and if it doesn't appear to be more than skin-deep and has faded, then the priest is to put the person in quarantine for seven days. 22 If during that time the affected area spreads on the skin, the priest must pronounce the person ceremonially unclean, because it is a contagious skin disease. 23 But if the area grows no larger and does not spread, it is merely the scar from the boil, and the priest will pronounce that person ceremonially clean. 24 " If anyone has suffered a burn on the skin and the burned area changes color, becoming either a shiny reddish white or white, 25 then the priest must examine it. If the hair in the affected area turns white and the problem appears to be more than skin-deep, a contagious skin disease has broken out in the burn. The priest must then pronounce that person ceremonially unclean, for it is clearly a contagious skin disease. 26 But if the priest discovers that there is no white hair in the affected area and the problem appears to be no more than skin-deep and has faded, then the priest is to put the infected person in quarantine for seven days. 27 If at the end of that time the affected area has spread on the skin, the priest must pronounce that person ceremonially unclean, for it is clearly a contagious skin disease. 28 But if the affected area has not moved or spread on the skin and has faded, it is simply a scar from the burn. The priest must then pronounce the person ceremonially clean. 29 " If anyone, whether a man or woman, has an open sore on the head or chin, 30 the priest must examine the infection. If it appears to be more than skin-deep and fine yellow hair is found in the affected area, the priest must pronounce the infected person ceremonially unclean. The infection is a contagious skin disease of the head or chin. 31 However, if the priest's examination reveals that the infection is only skin-deep and there is no black hair in the affected area, then he must put the person in quarantine for seven days. 32 If at the end of that time the affected area has not spread and no yellow hair has appeared, and if the infection does not appear to be more than skin-deep, 33 the infected person must shave off all hair except the hair on the affected area. Then the priest must put the person in quarantine for another seven days, 34 and he will examine the infection again on the seventh day. If it has not spread and appears to be no more than skin-deep, the priest must pronounce that person ceremonially clean. After washing clothes, that person will be clean. 35 But if the infection begins to spread after the person is pronounced clean, 36 the priest must do another examination. If the infection has spread, he must pronounce the infected person ceremonially unclean, even without checking for yellow hair. 37 But if it appears that the infection has stopped spreading and black hair has grown in the affected area, then the infection has healed. The priest will then pronounce the infected person ceremonially clean. 38 " If anyone, whether a man or woman, has shiny white patches on the skin, 39 the priest must examine the affected area. If the patch is only a pale white, this is a harmless skin rash, and the person is ceremonially clean. 40 " If a man loses his hair and his head becomes bald, he is still ceremonially clean. 41 And if he loses hair on his forehead, he simply has a bald forehead; he is still clean. 42 However, if a reddish white infection appears on the front or the back of his head, this is a contagious skin disease. 43 The priest must examine him, and if he finds swelling around the reddish white sore, 44 the man is infected with a contagious skin disease and is unclean. The priest must pronounce him ceremonially unclean because of the infection. 45 " Those who suffer from any contagious skin disease must tear their clothing and allow their hair to hang loose. Then, as they go from place to place, they must cover their mouth and call out, ` Unclean! Unclean!' 46 As long as the disease lasts, they will be ceremonially unclean and must live in isolation outside the camp. 47 " Now suppose an infectious mildew contaminates some woolen or linen clothing, 48 some woolen or linen fabric, the hide of an animal, or anything made of leather. 49 If the affected area in the clothing, the animal hide, the fabric, or the leather has turned bright green or a reddish color, it is contaminated with an infectious mildew and must be taken to the priest to be examined. 50 After examining the affected spot, the priest will put it away for seven days. 51 On the seventh day the priest must inspect it again. If the affected area has spread, the material is clearly contaminated by an infectious mildew and is unclean. 52 The priest must burn the linen or wool clothing or the piece of leather because it has been contaminated by an infectious mildew. It must be completely destroyed by fire. 53 " But if the priest examines it again and the affected spot has not spread in the clothing, the fabric, or the leather, 54 the priest will order the contaminated object to be washed and then isolated for seven more days. 55 Then the priest must inspect the object again. If he sees that the affected area has not changed appearance after being washed, even if it did not spread, the object is defiled. It must be completely burned up, whether it is contaminated on the inside or outside. 56 But if the priest sees that the affected area has faded after being washed, he is to cut the spot from the clothing, the fabric, or the leather. 57 If the spot reappears at a later time, however, the mildew is clearly spreading, and the contaminated object must be burned up. 58 But if the spot disappears after the object is washed, it must be washed again; then it will be ceremonially clean. 59 " These are the instructions for dealing with infectious mildew in woolen or linen clothing or fabric, or in anything made of leather. This is how the priest will determine whether these things are ceremonially clean or unclean."
MARK 6:1-29
Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown. 2 The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They asked, " Where did he get all his wisdom and the power to perform such miracles? 3 He's just the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us." They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. 4 Then Jesus told them, " A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family." 5 And because of their unbelief, he couldn't do any mighty miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 And he was amazed at their unbelief.Then Jesus went out from village to village, teaching. 7 And he called his twelve disciples together and sent them out two by two, with authority to cast out evil spirits. 8 He told them to take nothing with them except a walking stick--no food, no traveler's bag, no money. 9 He told them to wear sandals but not to take even an extra coat. 10 " When you enter each village, be a guest in only one home," he said. 11 " And if a village won't welcome you or listen to you, shake off its dust from your feet as you leave. It is a sign that you have abandoned that village to its fate." 12 So the disciples went out, telling all they met to turn from their sins. 13 And they cast out many demons and healed many sick people, anointing them with olive oil. 14 Herod Antipas, the king, soon heard about Jesus, because people everywhere were talking about him. Some were saying, " This must be John the Baptist come back to life again. That is why he can do such miracles." 15 Others thought Jesus was the ancient prophet Elijah. Still others thought he was a prophet like the other great prophets of the past. 16 When Herod heard about Jesus, he said, " John, the man I beheaded, has come back from the dead." 17 For Herod had sent soldiers to arrest and imprison John as a favor to Herodias. She had been his brother Philip's wife, but Herod had married her. 18 John kept telling Herod, " It is illegal for you to marry your brother's wife." 19 Herodias was enraged and wanted John killed in revenge, but without Herod's approval she was powerless. 20 And Herod respected John, knowing that he was a good and holy man, so he kept him under his protection. Herod was disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to listen to him. 21 Herodias's chance finally came. It was Herod's birthday, and he gave a party for his palace aides, army officers, and the leading citizens of Galilee. 22 Then his daughter, also named Herodias, came in and performed a dance that greatly pleased them all. " Ask me for anything you like," the king said to the girl, " and I will give it to you." 23 Then he promised, " I will give you whatever you ask, up to half of my kingdom!" 24 She went out and asked her mother, " What should I ask for?" Her mother told her, " Ask for John the Baptist's head!" 25 So the girl hurried back to the king and told him, " I want the head of John the Baptist, right now, on a tray!" 26 Then the king was very sorry, but he was embarrassed to break his oath in front of his guests. 27 So he sent an executioner to the prison to cut off John's head and bring it to him. The soldier beheaded John in the prison, 28 brought his head on a tray, and gave it to the girl, who took it to her mother. 29 When John's disciples heard what had happened, they came for his body and buried it in a tomb.
PSALM 39:1-13
For Jeduthun, the choir director: A psalm of David.
1 I said to myself, " I will watch what I do
and not sin in what I say.
I will curb my tongue
when the ungodly are around me."
2 But as I stood there in silence--
not even speaking of good things--
the turmoil within me grew to the bursting point.
3 My thoughts grew hot within me
and began to burn,
igniting a fire of words:
4 " LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
Remind me that my days are numbered,
and that my life is fleeing away.
5 My life is no longer than the width of my hand.
An entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
human existence is but a breath."
Interlude6 We are merely moving shadows,
and all our busy rushing ends in nothing.
We heap up wealth for someone else to spend.
7 And so, Lord, where do I put my hope?
My only hope is in you.
8 Rescue me from my rebellion,
for even fools mock me when I rebel.
9 I am silent before you; I won't say a word.
For my punishment is from you.
10 Please, don't punish me anymore!
I am exhausted by the blows from your hand.
11 When you discipline people for their sins,
their lives can be crushed like the life of a moth.
Human existence is as frail as breath.
Interlude12 Hear my prayer, O LORD!
Listen to my cries for help!
Don't ignore my tears.
For I am your guest--
a traveler passing through,
as my ancestors were before me.
13 Spare me so I can smile again
before I am gone and exist no more.
PROVERBS 10:10
People who wink at wrong cause trouble, but a bold reproof promotes peace.>
