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Exodus 31

Choice of Artisans.

1^a The LORD said to Moses:

2See, I have singled out^* Bezalel, son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,

3and I have filled him with a divine spirit of skill and understanding and knowledge in every craft:

4in the production of embroidery, in making things of gold, silver, or bronze,

5in cutting and mounting precious stones, in carving wood, and in every other craft.

6As his assistant I myself have appointed Oholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. I have also endowed all the experts with the necessary skill to make all the things I have commanded you:

7^b the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant with its cover, all the furnishings of the tent,

8the table with its utensils, the pure gold menorah with all its utensils, the altar of incense,

9the altar for burnt offerings with all its utensils, the basin with its stand,

10the service cloths,^* the sacred vestments for Aaron the priest, the vestments for his sons in their ministry,

11the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense for the sanctuary. According to all I have commanded you, so shall they do.

Sabbath Laws.

12^c The LORD said to Moses:

13You must also tell the Israelites: Keep my sabbaths, for that is to be the sign between you and me throughout the generations, to show that it is I, the LORD, who make you holy.

14^* Therefore, you must keep the sabbath for it is holiness for you. Whoever desecrates it shall be put to death. If anyone does work on that day, that person must be cut off from the people.

15Six days there are for doing work, but the seventh day is the sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD. Anyone who does work on the sabbath day shall be put to death.

16So shall the Israelites observe the sabbath, keeping it throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant.

17Between me and the Israelites it is to be an everlasting sign; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day he rested at his ease.

18When the LORD had finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the covenant, the stone tablets inscribed by God’s own finger.^d

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Exodus 32

The Golden Calf.

1When the people saw that Moses was delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for that man Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.”^a

2Aaron replied, “Take off the golden earrings that your wives, your sons, and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.”

3So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron.

4He received their offering, and fashioning it with a tool, made a molten calf. Then they cried out, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you^* up from the land of Egypt.”^b

5On seeing this, Aaron built an altar in front of the calf and proclaimed, “Tomorrow is a feast of the LORD.”

6Early the next day the people sacrificed burnt offerings and brought communion sacrifices. Then they sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to revel.^c

7^d Then the LORD said to Moses: Go down at once because your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, have acted corruptly.

8They have quickly turned aside from the way I commanded them, making for themselves a molten calf and bowing down to it, sacrificing to it and crying out, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!”

9^e I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are, continued the LORD to Moses.

10Let me alone, then, that my anger may burn against them to consume them. Then I will make of you a great nation.

11^* But Moses implored the LORD, his God, saying,^f “Why, O LORD, should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a strong hand?

12Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent he brought them out, that he might kill them in the mountains and wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning wrath; change your mind about punishing your people.

13Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and how you swore to them by your own self, saying,^g ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky; and all this land that I promised, I will give your descendants as their perpetual heritage.’”

14So the LORD changed his mind about the punishment he had threatened to inflict on his people.

15Moses then turned and came down the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hands,^h tablets that were written on both sides, front and back.

16The tablets were made by God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.ⁱ

17Now, when Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “That sounds like a battle in the camp.”

18But Moses answered,

“It is not the noise of victory,

it is not the noise of defeat;

the sound I hear is singing.”

19As he drew near the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing. Then Moses’ anger burned, and he threw the tablets down and broke them on the base of the mountain.^j

20Taking the calf they had made, he burned it in the fire and then ground it down to powder, which he scattered on the water^* and made the Israelites drink.^k

21^* Moses asked Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you should lead them into a grave sin?”

22Aaron replied, “Do not let my lord be angry. You know how the people are prone to evil.

23They said to me, ‘Make us a god to go before us; as for this man Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’

24So I told them, ‘Whoever is wearing gold, take it off.’ They gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and this calf came out.”

25Moses saw that the people were running wild because Aaron had lost control—to the secret delight of their foes.

26Moses stood at the gate of the camp and shouted, “Whoever is for the LORD, come to me!” All the Levites^l then rallied to him,

27and he told them, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Each of you put your sword on your hip! Go back and forth through the camp, from gate to gate, and kill your brothers, your friends, your neighbors!”

28The Levites did as Moses had commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people fell.

29Then Moses said, “Today you are installed as priests^* for the LORD, for you went against your own sons and brothers, to bring a blessing upon yourselves this day.”

The Atonement.

30On the next day Moses said to the people,^m “You have committed a grave sin. Now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I may be able to make atonement for your sin.”

31So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Ah, this people has committed a grave sin in making a god of gold for themselves!

32Now if you would only forgive their sin! But if you will not, then blot me out of the book that you have written.”^*

33The LORD answered Moses: Only the one who has sinned against me will I blot out of my book.

34Now, go and lead the people where I have told you. See, my angel will go before you. When it is time for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.

35Thus the LORD struck the people for making the calf, the one that Aaron made.

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Mark 14: 17-42

The Betrayer.

17^e When it was evening, he came with the Twelve.

18^* And as they reclined at table and were eating, Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.”

19They began to be distressed and to say to him, one by one, “Surely it is not I?”

20He said to them, “One of the Twelve, the one who dips with me into the dish.

21For the Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him,^* but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.”

The Lord’s Supper.

22^* While they were eating,^f he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.”

23Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it.

24He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed^* for many.

25Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

26Then, after singing a hymn,^* they went out to the Mount of Olives.^g

Peter’s Denial Foretold.^*

27Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will have your faith shaken, for it is written:

‘I will strike the shepherd,

and the sheep will be dispersed.’^h

28But after I have been raised up, I shall go before you to Galilee.”

29Peter said to him, “Even though all should have their faith shaken, mine will not be.”

30Then Jesus said to him, “Amen, I say to you, this very night before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times.”

31But he vehemently replied, “Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all spoke similarly.

The Agony in the Garden.

32^* Then they came to a place named Gethsemane,ⁱ and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”^j

33He took with him Peter, James, and John, and began to be troubled and distressed.

34Then he said to them, “My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch.”

35He advanced a little and fell to the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour might pass by him;

36he said, “Abba, Father,^* all things are possible to you. Take this cup away from me, but not what I will but what you will.”

37When he returned he found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour?

38^* Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test.^k The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”

39Withdrawing again, he prayed, saying the same thing.

40Then he returned once more and found them asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open and did not know what to answer him.

41He returned a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough. The hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners.

42Get up, let us go. See, my betrayer is at hand.”

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