March 12

Matthew 25:1-13

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

[1] “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. [2] Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. [3] For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, [4] but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. [5] As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. [6] But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ [7] Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. [8] And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ [9] But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ [10] And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. [11] Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ [12] But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ [13] Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Romans 8:1-17

Life in the Spirit

[1] There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. [3] For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, [4] in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. [5] For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. [6] For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. [7] For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. [8] Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

[9] You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. [10] But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. [11] If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Heirs with Christ

[12] So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. [13] For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. [14] For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. [15] For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” [16] The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, [17] and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Psalm 59

Deliver Me from My Enemies

To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David, when Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him.

    [1] Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;

        protect me from those who rise up against me; 

    [2] deliver me from those who work evil,

        and save me from bloodthirsty men.

    [3] For behold, they lie in wait for my life;

        fierce men stir up strife against me.

    For no transgression or sin of mine, O LORD, 

    [4]     for no fault of mine, they run and make ready.

    Awake, come to meet me, and see! 

    [5]     You, LORD God of hosts, are God of Israel.

    Rouse yourself to punish all the nations;

        spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. Selah

    [6] Each evening they come back,

        howling like dogs

        and prowling about the city. 

    [7] There they are, bellowing with their mouths

        with swords in their lips—

        for “Who,” they think, “will hear us?”

    [8] But you, O LORD, laugh at them;

        you hold all the nations in derision. 

    [9] O my Strength, I will watch for you,

        for you, O God, are my fortress. 

    [10] My God in his steadfast love will meet me;

        God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.

    [11] Kill them not, lest my people forget;

        make them totter by your power and bring them down,

        O Lord, our shield! 

    [12] For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips,

        let them be trapped in their pride.

    For the cursing and lies that they utter, 

    [13]     consume them in wrath;

        consume them till they are no more,

    that they may know that God rules over Jacob

        to the ends of the earth. Selah

    [14] Each evening they come back,

        howling like dogs

        and prowling about the city. 

    [15] They wander about for food

        and growl if they do not get their fill.

    [16] But I will sing of your strength;

        I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.

    For you have been to me a fortress

        and a refuge in the day of my distress. 

    [17] O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,

        for you, O God, are my fortress,

        the God who shows me steadfast love.

Numbers 28

Daily Offerings

[1] The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, [2] “Command the people of Israel and say to them, ‘My offering, my food for my food offerings, my pleasing aroma, you shall be careful to offer to me at its appointed time.’ [3] And you shall say to them, This is the food offering that you shall offer to the LORD: two male lambs a year old without blemish, day by day, as a regular offering. [4] The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight; [5] also a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with a quarter of a hin of beaten oil. [6] It is a regular burnt offering, which was ordained at Mount Sinai for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD. [7] Its drink offering shall be a quarter of a hin for each lamb. In the Holy Place you shall pour out a drink offering of strong drink to the LORD. [8] The other lamb you shall offer at twilight. Like the grain offering of the morning, and like its drink offering, you shall offer it as a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

Sabbath Offerings

[9] “On the Sabbath day, two male lambs a year old without blemish, and two tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with oil, and its drink offering: [10] this is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, besides the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.

Monthly Offerings

[11] “At the beginnings of your months, you shall offer a burnt offering to the LORD: two bulls from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish; [12] also three tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with oil, for each bull, and two tenths of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with oil, for the one ram; [13] and a tenth of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering for every lamb; for a burnt offering with a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD. [14] Their drink offerings shall be half a hin of wine for a bull, a third of a hin for a ram, and a quarter of a hin for a lamb. This is the burnt offering of each month throughout the months of the year. [15] Also one male goat for a sin offering to the LORD; it shall be offered besides the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.

Passover Offerings

[16] “On the fourteenth day of the first month is the LORD’s Passover, [17] and on the fifteenth day of this month is a feast. Seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten. [18] On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work, [19] but offer a food offering, a burnt offering to the LORD: two bulls from the herd, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old; see that they are without blemish; [20] also their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil; three tenths of an ephah shall you offer for a bull, and two tenths for a ram; [21] a tenth shall you offer for each of the seven lambs; [22] also one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you. [23] You shall offer these besides the burnt offering of the morning, which is for a regular burnt offering. [24] In the same way you shall offer daily, for seven days, the food of a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD. It shall be offered besides the regular burnt offering and its drink offering. [25] And on the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work.

Offerings for the Feast of Weeks

[26] “On the day of the firstfruits, when you offer a grain offering of new grain to the LORD at your Feast of Weeks, you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work, [27] but offer a burnt offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD: two bulls from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old; [28] also their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for each bull, two tenths for one ram, [29] a tenth for each of the seven lambs; [30] with one male goat, to make atonement for you. [31] Besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, you shall offer them and their drink offering. See that they are without blemish.

Numbers 29

Offerings for the Feast of Trumpets

[1] “On the first day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work. It is a day for you to blow the trumpets, [2] and you shall offer a burnt offering, for a pleasing aroma to the LORD: one bull from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish; [3] also their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for the bull, two tenths for the ram, [4] and one tenth for each of the seven lambs; [5] with one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you; [6] besides the burnt offering of the new moon, and its grain offering, and the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offering, according to the rule for them, for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD.

Offerings for the Day of Atonement

[7] “On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation and afflict yourselves. You shall do no work, [8] but you shall offer a burnt offering to the LORD, a pleasing aroma: one bull from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old: see that they are without blemish. [9] And their grain offering shall be of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for the bull, two tenths for the one ram, [10] a tenth for each of the seven lambs: [11] also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the sin offering of atonement, and the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

Offerings for the Feast of Booths

[12] “On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work, and you shall keep a feast to the LORD seven days. [13] And you shall offer a burnt offering, a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD, thirteen bulls from the herd, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old; they shall be without blemish; [14] and their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, three tenths of an ephah for each of the thirteen bulls, two tenths for each of the two rams, [15] and a tenth for each of the fourteen lambs; [16] also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering and its drink offering.

[17] “On the second day twelve bulls from the herd, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, [18] with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; [19] also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

[20] “On the third day eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, [21] with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; [22] also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.

[23] “On the fourth day ten bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, [24] with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; [25] also one male goat for a sin offering, besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering and its drink offering.

[26] “On the fifth day nine bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, [27] with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; [28] also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.

[29] “On the sixth day eight bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, [30] with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; [31] also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offerings.

[32] “On the seventh day seven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, [33] with the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; [34] also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering, its grain offering, and its drink offering.

[35] “On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly. You shall not do any ordinary work, [36] but you shall offer a burnt offering, a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD: one bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish, [37] and the grain offering and the drink offerings for the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs, in the prescribed quantities; [38] also one male goat for a sin offering; besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering and its drink offering.

[39] “These you shall offer to the LORD at your appointed feasts, in addition to your vow offerings and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your grain offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings.”

[40]  So Moses told the people of Israel everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Numbers 30

Men and Vows

[1] Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the people of Israel, saying, “This is what the LORD has commanded. [2] If a man vows a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

Women and Vows

[3] “If a woman vows a vow to the LORD and binds herself by a pledge, while within her father’s house in her youth, [4] and her father hears of her vow and of her pledge by which she has bound herself and says nothing to her, then all her vows shall stand, and every pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand. [5] But if her father opposes her on the day that he hears of it, no vow of hers, no pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand. And the LORD will forgive her, because her father opposed her.

[6] “If she marries a husband, while under her vows or any thoughtless utterance of her lips by which she has bound herself, [7] and her husband hears of it and says nothing to her on the day that he hears, then her vows shall stand, and her pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand. [8] But if, on the day that her husband comes to hear of it, he opposes her, then he makes void her vow that was on her, and the thoughtless utterance of her lips by which she bound herself. And the LORD will forgive her. [9] (But any vow of a widow or of a divorced woman, anything by which she has bound herself, shall stand against her.) [10] And if she vowed in her husband’s house or bound herself by a pledge with an oath, [11] and her husband heard of it and said nothing to her and did not oppose her, then all her vows shall stand, and every pledge by which she bound herself shall stand. [12] But if her husband makes them null and void on the day that he hears them, then whatever proceeds out of her lips concerning her vows or concerning her pledge of herself shall not stand. Her husband has made them void, and the LORD will forgive her. [13] Any vow and any binding oath to afflict herself, her husband may establish, or her husband may make void. [14] But if her husband says nothing to her from day to day, then he establishes all her vows or all her pledges that are upon her. He has established them, because he said nothing to her on the day that he heard of them. [15] But if he makes them null and void after he has heard of them, then he shall bear her iniquity.”

[16] These are the statutes that the LORD commanded Moses about a man and his wife and about a father and his daughter while she is in her youth within her father’s house.