Emor, אֱמֹר

Passages

Torah: Leviticus 21:16 - 22:16
Gospel: Matthew 25:1-30

Torah — Leviticus 21:16 - 22:16

21:16 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

21:17 “Speak to Aaron, saying, ‘A man from your offspring throughout their generations, in whom is a physical defect, shall not come near to present your God’s food.

21:18 Indeed, any man in whom is a physical defect shall not come near: a blind man or lame or disfigured or deformed,

21:19 or a man in whom is a broken foot or a broken hand,

21:20 or a hunchback or a dwarf, or a spot in his eye or a skin disorder or a skin eruption or a crushed testicle.

21:21 Any man from Aaron the priest’s offspring in whom is a physical defect shall not come near to present offerings made by fire to Yahweh; a physical defect is in him; he shall not come near to present his God’s food.

21:22 He may eat his God’s food, from the most holy things and from the holy things.

21:23 But he must not enter the curtain, and he must not come near to the altar, because a physical defect is in him, and he must not profane my sanctuary, because I am Yahweh, who consecrates them.’”

21:24 Thus Moses spoke to Aaron and to his sons and to all the Israelites.

22:1 Priests and Their Food Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

22:2 “Tell Aaron and his sons that they must deal respectfully with the Israelites’ votive offerings, and they must not profane my holy name, which they are consecrating to me; I am Yahweh.

22:3 “Say to them, ‘Throughout your generations, any man from any of your offspring who comes near the votive offerings that the Israelites consecrate to Yahweh with his uncleanness on him, that person shall be cut off from before me; I am Yahweh.

22:4 “‘Anyone from Aaron’s offspring, if he is afflicted with a skin disease or a fluid discharge, shall not eat in the sanctuary until he is clean; and the one who touches any unclean person or a man from whom an emission of semen goes out,

22:5 or a man who touches any swarmer that is unclean for him or who touches a person who is unclean for him due to whatever his uncleanness,

22:6 a person who touches such a thing shall be unclean until the evening, and he shall not eat from the votive offerings, except when he washes his body with water

22:7 and the sun sets, and he shall be clean; then afterward he may eat from the votive offerings, because it is his food.

22:8 He shall not eat a naturally dead body or a mangled carcass, so that he becomes unclean by it; I am Yahweh.

22:9 “‘And they shall keep my obligation, and they shall not incur guilt because of it, so that they die through it, because they have profaned it; I am Yahweh who consecrates them.

22:10 “‘No stranger shall eat the votive offering; nor shall a temporary resident with a priest or a hired worker eat the votive offering.

22:11 But a priest, if with his money he buys a person as his possession, that one may eat it, and the descendants of his house themselves may eat his food.

22:12 And a priest’s daughter, when she marries a layman, she herself may not eat the votive offering.

22:13 But a priest’s daughter, when she becomes a widow or divorced or there is no offspring for her, and she returns to her father’s house as in her childhood, she may eat from her father’s food, but no layman may eat it.

22:14 And if a man eats the votive offering unintentionally, then he shall add to it a fifth of it, and he shall give the votive offering to the priest.

22:15 And they shall not profane the Israelites’ votive offerings that they present to Yahweh,

22:16 and so cause them, by their eating their votive offerings, to bear guilt requiring a guilt offering, because I am Yahweh, who consecrates them.’”

21:16 The Lord spoke to Moses. He said,

21:17 “Speak to Aaron. Tell him, ‘For all time to come, no man in your family line who has any flaws can come near to offer food to me.

21:18 “‘No man who has any flaws can come near. No man who is blind or disabled can come. No man whose body is scarred or twisted can come.

21:19 No man whose foot or hand is disabled can come.

21:20 No man whose back is bent can come. No man who is too short can come. No man who has anything wrong with his eyes can come. No man who has boils or running sores can come. No man whose sex glands are crushed can come.

21:21 “‘No man in the family line of the priest Aaron who has any flaws can come near me. He can’t come to bring the offerings that are made to me with fire. If he has any flaws, he must not come near to offer food to me.

21:22 He can eat the holy food. He can also eat my very holy food.

21:23 But because he has a flaw, he must not go near the curtain or approach the altar. If he does, he will make my sacred tent “unclean.” I am the Lord. I make everything holy.’”

21:24 So Moses told all of those things to Aaron and his sons. He also told them to all of the people of Israel.

22:1 The Lord spoke to Moses. He said,

22:2 “Here is what I want you to tell Aaron and his sons. Tell them to treat the sacred offerings with respect. They are the offerings the people of Israel set apart to honor me. So Aaron and his sons must never treat my name as if it were not holy. I am the Lord.

22:3 “Say to them, ‘Suppose a man in your family line is “unclean.” And suppose he comes near the sacred offerings. They are the offerings the people of Israel set apart to honor me. That man must be cut off from serving me as a priest. That applies for all time to come. I am the Lord.

22:4 “‘Suppose a man in Aaron’s family line has a skin disease. Or suppose liquid waste is flowing out of his body. Then he can’t eat the sacred offerings until he is made pure and clean. “‘Suppose he touches something that has been made “unclean” by coming near a dead body. Or suppose he touches someone who has semen flowing from his body. Then he will not be “clean.”

22:5 Or suppose he touches any crawling thing that makes him “unclean.” Or suppose he touches any person who makes him “unclean.” It does not matter what he touches that is “unclean.” It will make him “unclean.”

22:6 “‘The one who touches anything of that kind will be “unclean” until evening. He must not eat any of the sacred offerings unless he has taken a bath.

22:7 When the sun goes down, he will be “clean.” After that, he can eat the sacred offerings. They are his food.

22:8 “‘He must not eat anything that is found dead or torn apart by wild animals. If he does, it will make him “unclean.” I am the Lord.

22:9 “‘The priests must do what I require. But suppose they make fun of what I require. Then they will become guilty and die. I am the Lord. I make them holy.

22:10 “‘Only a member of a priest’s family can eat the sacred offering. The guest of a priest can’t eat it. A priest’s hired worker can’t eat it either.

22:11 “‘But suppose a priest buys a slave with money. Or suppose a slave is born in his house. Then that slave can eat the sacred food.

22:12 “‘Suppose a priest’s daughter gets married to someone who is not a priest. Then she can’t eat any of the food that is brought as a sacred gift.

22:13 But suppose the priest’s daughter becomes a widow or is divorced. She does not have any children. And she returns to live in her father’s house, where she lived when she was young. Then she can eat her father’s food. But a person who does not belong to a priest’s family can’t eat any of it.

22:14 “‘Suppose someone eats a sacred offering by mistake. Then he must pay back the priest for the offering. He must also add a fifth of its value to it.

22:15 “‘The priests must not allow the sacred offerings to become “unclean.” They are the offerings the people of Israel bring to me.

22:16 The priests must not allow the offerings to become “unclean” by letting the people eat them. If they do, they will bring guilt on the people. They will have to pay for what they have done. I am the Lord. I make them holy.’”

Gospel — Matthew 25:1-30

25:1 The Parable of the Ten Virgins “Then the kingdom of heaven may be compared to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

25:2 Now five of them were foolish and five were wise.

25:3 For when the foolish ones took their lamps, they did not take olive oil with them.

25:4 But the wise ones took olive oil in flasks with their lamps.

25:5 And when the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

25:6 But in the middle of the night there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

25:7 Then all those virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.

25:8 And the foolish ones said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your olive oil, because our lamps are going out!’

25:9 But the wise ones answered saying, “Certainly there will never be enough for us and for you! Go instead to those who sell olive oil and buy some for yourselves.’

25:10 But while they had gone away to buy it the bridegroom arrived, and those who were ready went inside with him to the wedding celebration, and the door was shut.

25:11 And later the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open the door for us!’

25:12 But he answered and said, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you!’

25:13 Therefore be on the alert, because you do not know the day or the hour!

25:14 The Parable of the Talents For it is like a man going on a journey. He summoned his own slaves and handed over his property to them.

25:15 And to one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one, to each one according to his own ability, and he went on a journey immediately.

25:16 The one who had received the five talents went out and traded with them and gained five more.

25:17 In the same way the one who had the two gained two more.

25:18 But the one who had received the one went away and dug up the ground and hid his master’s money.

25:19 Now after a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.

25:20 And the one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents. See, I have gained five more talents!’

25:21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge over many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’

25:22 And the one who had the two talents also came up and said, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents. See, I have gained two talents more!’

25:23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge over many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’

25:24 And the one who had received the one talent came up also and said, ‘Master, because I knew you, that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering from where you did not scatter seed.

25:25 And because I was afraid, I went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours!’

25:26 But his master answered and said to him, ‘Evil and lazy slave! You knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather from where I did not scatter seed.

25:27 Then you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and when I returned I would have gotten back what was mine with interest!

25:28 Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.

25:29 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

25:30 And throw the worthless slave into the outer darkness—in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!’

25:1 The Story of Ten Bridesmaids “Here is what the kingdom of heaven will be like at that time. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went out to meet the groom.

25:2 Five of them were foolish. Five were wise.

25:3 The foolish ones took their lamps but didn’t take any olive oil with them.

25:4 The wise ones took oil in jars along with their lamps.

25:5 The groom did not come for a long time. So the bridesmaids all grew tired and fell asleep.

25:6 “At midnight someone cried out, ‘Here’s the groom! Come out to meet him!’

25:7 “Then all the bridesmaids woke up and got their lamps ready.

25:8 The foolish ones said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your oil. Our lamps are going out.’

25:9 “‘No,’ they replied. ‘There may not be enough for all of us. Instead, go to those who sell oil. Buy some for yourselves.’

25:10 “So they went to buy the oil. But while they were on their way, the groom arrived. The bridesmaids who were ready went in with him to the wedding dinner. Then the door was shut.

25:11 “Later, the other bridesmaids also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’

25:12 “But he replied, ‘What I’m about to tell you is true. I don’t know you.’

25:13 “So keep watch. You do not know the day or the hour that the groom will come.

25:14 The Story of Three Servants “Again, here is what the kingdom of heaven will be like. A man was going on a journey. He sent for his servants and put them in charge of his property.

25:15 He gave $10,000 to one. He gave $4,000 to another. And he gave $2,000 to the third. The man gave each servant the amount of money he knew the servant could take care of. Then he went on his journey.

25:16 “The servant who had received the $10,000 went at once and put his money to work. He earned $10,000 more.

25:17 The one with the $4,000 earned $4,000 more.

25:18 But the man who had received $2,000 went and dug a hole in the ground. He hid his master’s money in it.

25:19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned. He wanted to collect all the money they had earned.

25:20 The man who had received $10,000 brought the other $10,000. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you trusted me with $10,000. See, I have earned $10,000 more.’

25:21 “His master replied, ‘You have done well, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

25:22 “The man with $4,000 also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you trusted me with $4,000. See, I have earned $4,000 more.’

25:23 “His master replied, ‘You have done well, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

25:24 “Then the man who had received $2,000 came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man. You harvest where you have not planted. You gather crops where you have not scattered seed.

25:25 So I was afraid. I went out and hid your $2,000 in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

25:26 “His master replied, ‘You evil, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not planted? You knew that I gather crops where I have not scattered seed?

25:27 Well then, you should have put my money in the bank. When I returned, I would have received it back with interest.’

25:28 “Then his master commanded the other servants, ‘Take the $2,000 from him. Give it to the one who has $20,000.

25:29 Everyone who has will be given more. He will have more than enough. And what about anyone who doesn’t have? Even what he has will be taken away from him.

25:30 Throw that worthless servant outside. There in the darkness, people will sob and grind their teeth.’

Passages

Torah — Leviticus 21:16 - 22:16

LEB translation

NIRV translation

Gospel — Matthew 25:1-30

LEB translation

NIRV translation