Shemini, שְּׁמִינִי

Passages

Torah: Leviticus 9:17 - 9:23
Gospel: Matthew 11:1-24

Torah — Leviticus 9:17 - 9:23

9:17 Then he presented the grain offering, and he filled his palm with some of it, and he turned it into smoke on the altar besides the morning’s burnt offering.

9:18 Then he slaughtered the ox and the ram, the fellowship offerings that are for the people, and Aaron’s sons brought the blood to him, and he sprinkled it on the altar all around.

9:19 And as for the fat portions from the ox and from the ram (the fat tail and the layer of fat and the kidneys and the lobe of the liver),

9:20 they placed the fat portions on the breast sections, and he turned the fat portions into smoke on the altar.

9:21 Then Aaron waved the breast sections and the right upper thigh as a wave offering before Yahweh, just as Moses had commanded.

9:22 Then Aaron lifted his hand toward the people, and he blessed them, and he came down after sacrificing the sin offering and the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.

9:23 Then Moses and Aaron entered the tent of assembly. When they came out, they blessed the people, and Yahweh’s glory appeared to all the people.

Gospel — Matthew 11:1-24

11:1 A Question from John the Baptist And it happened that when Jesus had finished giving orders to his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and to preach in their towns.

11:2 Now when John heard in prison the deeds of Christ, he sent word by his disciples

11:3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”

11:4 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see:

11:5 the blind receive sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised, and the poor have good news announced to them.

11:6 And whoever is not offended by me is blessed.”

11:7 Now as these were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

11:8 But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in the houses of kings.

11:9 But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet!

11:10 It is this man about whom it is written: ‘Behold, I am sending my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’

11:11 Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen one greater than John the Baptist. But the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

11:12 But from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven is treated violently, and the violent claim it.

11:13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John,

11:14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is going to come.

11:15 The one who has ears, let him hear!

11:16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to one another,

11:17 saying, ‘We played the flute for you and you did not dance; we sang a lament and you did not mourn.’

11:18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’

11:19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a man who is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”

11:20 Woes Pronounced on Unrepentant Towns Then he began to reproach the towns in which the majority of his miracles had been done, because they did not repent:

11:21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

11:22 Nevertheless I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and for Sidon on the day of judgment than for you!

11:23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until today.

11:24 Nevertheless I tell you that it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you!”

11:1 Jesus and John the Baptist Jesus finished teaching his 12 disciples. Then he went on to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.

11:2 John was in prison. When he heard what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to him.

11:3 They asked Jesus, “Are you the one who was supposed to come? Or should we look for someone else?”

11:4 Jesus replied, “Go back to John. Report to him what you hear and see.

11:5 Blind people receive sight. Disabled people walk. Those who have skin diseases are healed. Deaf people hear. Those who are dead are raised to life. And the good news is preached to those who are poor.

11:6 Blessed are those who do not give up their faith because of me.”

11:7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John. He said, “What did you go out into the desert to see? Tall grass waving in the wind?

11:8 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No. People who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces.

11:9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

11:10 He is the one written about in Scripture. It says, “‘I will send my messenger ahead of you. He will prepare your way for you.’ ()

11:11 “What I’m about to tell you is true. No one more important than John the Baptist has ever been born. But the least important person in the kingdom of heaven is more important than he is.

11:12 Since the days of John the Baptist, the kingdom of heaven has been advancing with force. And forceful people are taking hold of it.

11:13 All the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John came.

11:14 If you are willing to accept it, John is the Elijah who was supposed to come.

11:15 Those who have ears should listen.

11:16 “What can I compare today’s people to? They are like children sitting in the market places and calling out to others. They say,

11:17 “‘We played the flute for you. But you didn’t dance. We sang a funeral song. But you didn’t become sad.’

11:18 When John came, he didn’t eat or drink as you do. And people say, ‘He has a demon.’

11:19 But when the Son of Man came, he ate and drank as you do. And people say, ‘This fellow is always eating and drinking far too much. He’s a friend of tax collectors and “sinners.”’ Those who act wisely prove that wisdom is right.”

11:20 Cities That Do Not Turn Away From Sin Jesus began to speak against the cities where he had done most of his miracles. The people there had not turned away from their sins. So he said,

11:21 “How terrible it will be for you, Korazin! How terrible for you, Bethsaida! Suppose the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon. They would have turned away from their sins long ago. They would have put on black clothes. They would have sat down in ashes.

11:22 But I tell you this. On judgment day it will be easier for Tyre and Sidon than for you.

11:23 “And what about you, Capernaum? Will you be lifted up to heaven? No! You will go down to the place of the dead. Suppose the miracles done in you had been done in Sodom. It would still be here today.

11:24 But I tell you this. On judgment day it will be easier for Sodom than for you.”

Passages

Torah — Leviticus 9:17 - 9:23

LEB translation

NIRV translation

Gospel — Matthew 11:1-24

LEB translation

NIRV translation