February 19

Matthew 18:15-35

If Your Brother Sins Against You

[15] “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. [16] But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. [17] If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. [18] Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. [19] Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. [20] For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

[21] Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” [22] Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

[23] “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. [24] When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. [25] And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. [26] So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ [27] And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. [28] But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ [29] So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ [30] He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. [31] When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. [32] Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. [33] And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ [34] And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. [35] So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Acts 25:13-27

Paul Before Agrippa and Bernice

[13] Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. [14] And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a man left prisoner by Felix, [15] and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid out their case against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. [16] I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone before the accused met the accusers face to face and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him. [17] So when they came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought. [18] When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed. [19] Rather they had certain points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive. [20] Being at a loss how to investigate these questions, I asked whether he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them. [21] But when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of the emperor, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar.” [22] Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” said he, “you will hear him.”

[23] So on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city. Then, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. [24] And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. [25] But I found that he had done nothing deserving death. And as he himself appealed to the emperor, I decided to go ahead and send him. [26] But I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that, after we have examined him, I may have something to write. [27] For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him.”

Psalm 41

O LORD, Be Gracious to Me

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

    [1] Blessed is the one who considers the poor!

        In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him; 

    [2] the LORD protects him and keeps him alive;

        he is called blessed in the land;

        you do not give him up to the will of his enemies. 

    [3] The LORD sustains him on his sickbed;

        in his illness you restore him to full health.

    [4] As for me, I said, “O LORD, be gracious to me;

        heal me, for I have sinned against you!” 

    [5] My enemies say of me in malice,

        “When will he die, and his name perish?” 

    [6] And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words,

        while his heart gathers iniquity;

        when he goes out, he tells it abroad. 

    [7] All who hate me whisper together about me;

        they imagine the worst for me.

    [8] They say, “A deadly thing is poured out on him;

        he will not rise again from where he lies.” 

    [9] Even my close friend in whom I trusted,

        who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me. 

    [10] But you, O LORD, be gracious to me,

        and raise me up, that I may repay them!

    [11] By this I know that you delight in me:

        my enemy will not shout in triumph over me. 

    [12] But you have upheld me because of my integrity,

        and set me in your presence forever.

    [13] Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,

        from everlasting to everlasting!

    Amen and Amen.

Leviticus 11

Clean and Unclean Animals

[1] And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them, [2] “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, These are the living things that you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth. [3] Whatever parts the hoof and is cloven-footed and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat. [4] Nevertheless, among those that chew the cud or part the hoof, you shall not eat these: The camel, because it chews the cud but does not part the hoof, is unclean to you. [5] And the rock badger, because it chews the cud but does not part the hoof, is unclean to you. [6] And the hare, because it chews the cud but does not part the hoof, is unclean to you. [7] And the pig, because it parts the hoof and is cloven-footed but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. [8] You shall not eat any of their flesh, and you shall not touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you.

[9] “These you may eat, of all that are in the waters. Everything in the waters that has fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the rivers, you may eat. [10] But anything in the seas or the rivers that does not have fins and scales, of the swarming creatures in the waters and of the living creatures that are in the waters, is detestable to you. [11] You shall regard them as detestable; you shall not eat any of their flesh, and you shall detest their carcasses. [12] Everything in the waters that does not have fins and scales is detestable to you.

[13] “And these you shall detest among the birds; they shall not be eaten; they are detestable: the eagle, the bearded vulture, the black vulture, [14] the kite, the falcon of any kind, [15] every raven of any kind, [16] the ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull, the hawk of any kind, [17] the little owl, the cormorant, the short-eared owl, [18] the barn owl, the tawny owl, the carrion vulture, [19] the stork, the heron of any kind, the hoopoe, and the bat.

[20] “All winged insects that go on all fours are detestable to you. [21] Yet among the winged insects that go on all fours you may eat those that have jointed legs above their feet, with which to hop on the ground. [22] Of them you may eat: the locust of any kind, the bald locust of any kind, the cricket of any kind, and the grasshopper of any kind. [23] But all other winged insects that have four feet are detestable to you.

[24] “And by these you shall become unclean. Whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening, [25] and whoever carries any part of their carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening. [26] Every animal that parts the hoof but is not cloven-footed or does not chew the cud is unclean to you. Everyone who touches them shall be unclean. [27] And all that walk on their paws, among the animals that go on all fours, are unclean to you. Whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening, [28] and he who carries their carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening; they are unclean to you.

[29] “And these are unclean to you among the swarming things that swarm on the ground: the mole rat, the mouse, the great lizard of any kind, [30] the gecko, the monitor lizard, the lizard, the sand lizard, and the chameleon. [31] These are unclean to you among all that swarm. Whoever touches them when they are dead shall be unclean until the evening. [32] And anything on which any of them falls when they are dead shall be unclean, whether it is an article of wood or a garment or a skin or a sack, any article that is used for any purpose. It must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the evening; then it shall be clean. [33] And if any of them falls into any earthenware vessel, all that is in it shall be unclean, and you shall break it. [34] Any food in it that could be eaten, on which water comes, shall be unclean. And all drink that could be drunk from every such vessel shall be unclean. [35] And everything on which any part of their carcass falls shall be unclean. Whether oven or stove, it shall be broken in pieces. They are unclean and shall remain unclean for you. [36] Nevertheless, a spring or a cistern holding water shall be clean, but whoever touches a carcass in them shall be unclean. [37] And if any part of their carcass falls upon any seed grain that is to be sown, it is clean, [38] but if water is put on the seed and any part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you.

[39] “And if any animal which you may eat dies, whoever touches its carcass shall be unclean until the evening, [40] and whoever eats of its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening. And whoever carries the carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening.

[41] “Every swarming thing that swarms on the ground is detestable; it shall not be eaten. [42] Whatever goes on its belly, and whatever goes on all fours, or whatever has many feet, any swarming thing that swarms on the ground, you shall not eat, for they are detestable. [43] You shall not make yourselves detestable with any swarming thing that swarms, and you shall not defile yourselves with them, and become unclean through them. [44] For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground. [45] For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”

[46] This is the law about beast and bird and every living creature that moves through the waters and every creature that swarms on the ground, [47] to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean and between the living creature that may be eaten and the living creature that may not be eaten.

Leviticus 12

Purification After Childbirth

[1] The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, [2] “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If a woman conceives and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days. As at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. [3] And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. [4] Then she shall continue for thirty-three days in the blood of her purifying. She shall not touch anything holy, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying are completed. [5] But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her menstruation. And she shall continue in the blood of her purifying for sixty-six days.

[6] “And when the days of her purifying are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb a year old for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering, [7] and he shall offer it before the LORD and make atonement for her. Then she shall be clean from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, either male or female. [8] And if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.”

Leviticus 13

Laws About Leprosy

[1] The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, [2] “When a person has on the skin of his body a swelling or an eruption or a spot, and it turns into a case of leprous disease on the skin of his body, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests, [3] and the priest shall examine the diseased area on the skin of his body. And if the hair in the diseased area has turned white and the disease appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is a case of leprous disease. When the priest has examined him, he shall pronounce him unclean. [4] But if the spot is white in the skin of his body and appears no deeper than the skin, and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest shall shut up the diseased person for seven days. [5] And the priest shall examine him on the seventh day, and if in his eyes the disease is checked and the disease has not spread in the skin, then the priest shall shut him up for another seven days. [6] And the priest shall examine him again on the seventh day, and if the diseased area has faded and the disease has not spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean; it is only an eruption. And he shall wash his clothes and be clean. [7] But if the eruption spreads in the skin, after he has shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he shall appear again before the priest. [8] And the priest shall look, and if the eruption has spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a leprous disease.

[9] “When a man is afflicted with a leprous disease, he shall be brought to the priest, [10] and the priest shall look. And if there is a white swelling in the skin that has turned the hair white, and there is raw flesh in the swelling, [11] it is a chronic leprous disease in the skin of his body, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean. He shall not shut him up, for he is unclean. [12] And if the leprous disease breaks out in the skin, so that the leprous disease covers all the skin of the diseased person from head to foot, so far as the priest can see, [13] then the priest shall look, and if the leprous disease has covered all his body, he shall pronounce him clean of the disease; it has all turned white, and he is clean. [14] But when raw flesh appears on him, he shall be unclean. [15] And the priest shall examine the raw flesh and pronounce him unclean. Raw flesh is unclean, for it is a leprous disease. [16] But if the raw flesh recovers and turns white again, then he shall come to the priest, [17] and the priest shall examine him, and if the disease has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce the diseased person clean; he is clean.

[18] “If there is in the skin of one’s body a boil and it heals, [19] and in the place of the boil there comes a white swelling or a reddish-white spot, then it shall be shown to the priest. [20] And the priest shall look, and if it appears deeper than the skin and its hair has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is a case of leprous disease that has broken out in the boil. [21] But if the priest examines it and there is no white hair in it and it is not deeper than the skin, but has faded, then the priest shall shut him up seven days. [22] And if it spreads in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a disease. [23] But if the spot remains in one place and does not spread, it is the scar of the boil, and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

[24] “Or, when the body has a burn on its skin and the raw flesh of the burn becomes a spot, reddish-white or white, [25] the priest shall examine it, and if the hair in the spot has turned white and it appears deeper than the skin, then it is a leprous disease. It has broken out in the burn, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a case of leprous disease. [26] But if the priest examines it and there is no white hair in the spot and it is no deeper than the skin, but has faded, the priest shall shut him up seven days, [27] and the priest shall examine him the seventh day. If it is spreading in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a case of leprous disease. [28] But if the spot remains in one place and does not spread in the skin, but has faded, it is a swelling from the burn, and the priest shall pronounce him clean, for it is the scar of the burn.

[29] “When a man or woman has a disease on the head or the beard, [30] the priest shall examine the disease. And if it appears deeper than the skin, and the hair in it is yellow and thin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is an itch, a leprous disease of the head or the beard. [31] And if the priest examines the itching disease and it appears no deeper than the skin and there is no black hair in it, then the priest shall shut up the person with the itching disease for seven days, [32] and on the seventh day the priest shall examine the disease. If the itch has not spread, and there is in it no yellow hair, and the itch appears to be no deeper than the skin, [33] then he shall shave himself, but the itch he shall not shave; and the priest shall shut up the person with the itching disease for another seven days. [34] And on the seventh day the priest shall examine the itch, and if the itch has not spread in the skin and it appears to be no deeper than the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean. And he shall wash his clothes and be clean. [35] But if the itch spreads in the skin after his cleansing, [36] then the priest shall examine him, and if the itch has spread in the skin, the priest need not seek for the yellow hair; he is unclean. [37] But if in his eyes the itch is unchanged and black hair has grown in it, the itch is healed and he is clean, and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

[38] “When a man or a woman has spots on the skin of the body, white spots, [39] the priest shall look, and if the spots on the skin of the body are of a dull white, it is leukoderma that has broken out in the skin; he is clean.

[40] “If a man’s hair falls out from his head, he is bald; he is clean. [41] And if a man’s hair falls out from his forehead, he has baldness of the forehead; he is clean. [42] But if there is on the bald head or the bald forehead a reddish-white diseased area, it is a leprous disease breaking out on his bald head or his bald forehead. [43] Then the priest shall examine him, and if the diseased swelling is reddish-white on his bald head or on his bald forehead, like the appearance of leprous disease in the skin of the body, [44] he is a leprous man, he is unclean. The priest must pronounce him unclean; his disease is on his head.

[45] “The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’

[46] He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp.

[47] “When there is a case of leprous disease in a garment, whether a woolen or a linen garment, [48] in warp or woof of linen or wool, or in a skin or in anything made of skin, [49] if the disease is greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin or in the warp or the woof or in any article made of skin, it is a case of leprous disease, and it shall be shown to the priest. [50] And the priest shall examine the disease and shut up that which has the disease for seven days. [51] Then he shall examine the disease on the seventh day. If the disease has spread in the garment, in the warp or the woof, or in the skin, whatever be the use of the skin, the disease is a persistent leprous disease; it is unclean. [52] And he shall burn the garment, or the warp or the woof, the wool or the linen, or any article made of skin that is diseased, for it is a persistent leprous disease. It shall be burned in the fire.

[53] “And if the priest examines, and if the disease has not spread in the garment, in the warp or the woof or in any article made of skin, [54] then the priest shall command that they wash the thing in which is the disease, and he shall shut it up for another seven days. [55] And the priest shall examine the diseased thing after it has been washed. And if the appearance of the diseased area has not changed, though the disease has not spread, it is unclean. You shall burn it in the fire, whether the rot is on the back or on the front.

[56] “But if the priest examines, and if the diseased area has faded after it has been washed, he shall tear it out of the garment or the skin or the warp or the woof. [57] Then if it appears again in the garment, in the warp or the woof, or in any article made of skin, it is spreading. You shall burn with fire whatever has the disease. [58] But the garment, or the warp or the woof, or any article made of skin from which the disease departs when you have washed it, shall then be washed a second time, and be clean.”

[59] This is the law for a case of leprous disease in a garment of wool or linen, either in the warp or the woof, or in any article made of skin, to determine whether it is clean or unclean.