Leviticus 14
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 14
Purification of Skin Diseases. 1 The Lord spoke to Moses saying, 2 “This is the law for the day of the cleansing of a person with leprosy, when he is brought to the priest: 3 The priest is to go outside of the camp and examine him. If the priest discovers that the sores of leprosy on the leper have been healed, 4 the priest will order that two live, clean birds, cedar wood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop be brought to the person who is to be cleansed. 5 The priest shall order that one of the birds be killed over fresh water that is in a clay pot. 6 He is to take the live bird and dip the cedar wood, the scarlet yarn, the hyssop, and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water. 7 He shall sprinkle the one who is to be declared cleansed seven times. He will then release the live bird in the open fields. 8 The person who is being cleansed shall wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and wash himself with water. He will then be considered to be clean. Thereafter he may come into the camp, but he shall stay outside of his tent for seven days. 9 On the seventh day he shall shave off all of his hair. He must shave the hair off his head, his beard, his eyebrows, and the rest of his hair. He shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water, and he shall then be clean.
10 “On the eighth day he shall take two male lambs without blemish and one ewe lamb, a year old, without blemish, and three-tenths of a portion of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering, and a log measure of oil. 11 The priest who will purify the man to be made clean shall present him and these things before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 12 The priest shall take one of the lambs and offer it along with the log measure of oil. This shall be a guilt offering. He shall wave them as a wave offering before the Lord. 13 He shall slay the lamb in the same place that he is going to slay the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the sanctuary, for the sin offering belongs to the priest just like the guilt offering. It is most holy. 14 [a]The priest shall take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the right ear lobe of the one who is being cleansed, as well as on the thumb of his right hand and the big toe of his right foot. 15 The priest shall take some oil from the log measure of oil and pour it into the palm of his own left hand. 16 The priest shall dip his right finger into the oil that is in his left hand. With his finger he shall sprinkle the oil seven times before the Lord. 17 The priest shall take the rest of the oil in his hand and put it on the right ear lobe of the one who is being cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the big toe of his right foot, and upon the blood of the guilt offering. 18 He shall pour the rest of the oil that is in his hand upon the head of the one who is being cleansed. The priest shall make atonement for him before the Lord. 19 The priest shall then offer the sin offering and make atonement for the uncleanness of the one who is being cleansed. Afterward he shall slay the burnt offering. 20 The priest shall offer the burnt offering and the cereal offering upon the altar. The priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be clean.
21 A Poor Person’s Offerings.“If he is poor and cannot afford all this, then he shall bring one lamb for a guilt offering to be waved, to make atonement for him, and one-tenth a measure of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering, and a log measure of oil, 22 and two turtledoves or two young pigeons, whichever he is able to obtain. One will be for a sin offering, and the other will be for a burnt offering. 23 He shall bring them to the priest on the eighth day of his cleansing, at the entrance to the tent of meeting before the Lord. 24 The priest shall take the lamb of the guilt offering and the log measure of oil, and the priest shall wave them as a wave offering before the Lord. 25 He shall slay the lamb of the guilt offering. The priest shall take the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the right ear lobe of the one who is being cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the big toe of his right foot. 26 The priest shall pour the oil into the palm of his own left hand. 27 The priest shall dip his right finger into the oil that is in his left hand. He shall sprinkle the oil with his finger seven times before the Lord. 28 The priest shall take the rest of the oil that is in his hand and put it on the right ear lobe of the one who is being cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the big toe of his right foot, upon the places that he put the blood of the guilt offering. 29 He shall pour the rest of the oil in his hand upon the head of the one who is being cleansed. The priest shall make atonement for him before the Lord. 30 He shall offer one of the turtledoves or one of the young pigeons, whichever he is able to obtain. 31 Whatever he has, one of them will be offered as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering together with the cereal offering. The priest shall make atonement before the Lord for the one who is being cleansed.
32 “This is the law for the person who has leprosy and who cannot afford the things that are needed for cleansing.”
33 Treatment of Skin Infections in Houses. The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 34 “When you come into the land of Canaan that I am giving to you as a possession, and I send the infection of leprosy upon a house in the land of your possession, 35 the owner of the house will come and speak to the priest saying, ‘It seems as if there is an infection in the house.’ 36 The priest shall then order that they empty out the house before he enters to examine the infection, lest all that is within the house be declared unclean. When they have finished, the priest shall go in to examine the house. 37 He shall look at the infection, and if the infection on the walls of the house is a green or red spot, and if it seems to be deeper than the surface, 38 then the priest will go out of the door of the house, and he shall close up the house for seven days. 39 On the seventh day the priest shall come back and see if the infection has spread on the walls of the house. 40 The priest shall then command that they take the stones from the place that is infected and they shall throw them outside the city into an unclean place. 41 He shall have the entire inside of the house scraped. They are to throw the plaster that they scraped off into a place outside the city, in an unclean place. 42 They shall take other stones and put them where the first stones were, and they shall take other plaster and plaster the house.
43 “If the infection in the house breaks out again, after they have taken away the stones and scraped the house and plastered it, 44 then the priest shall come and examine it. If the infection in the house has spread, then it is an active leprosy in the house and it is unclean. 45 He shall break down the house. All the stones and wood and plaster of the house will be carried outside of the city to an unclean place. 46 Furthermore, the person who enters the house while it is closed will be unclean until the evening. 47 He who lies down in the house shall wash his clothes, and he who eats in the house shall wash his clothes.
48 “But if the priest comes and examines it, and the infection in the house has not spread after it has been replastered, then the priest shall declare it to be clean, for the infection has been cured. 49 He shall obtain two birds, cedar wood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop to ritually purify the house. 50 He shall kill one of the birds over fresh water that is in a clay pot. 51 Then he shall take the cedar wood, the scarlet yarn, the hyssop, and the live bird, and he shall dip them into the blood of the slain bird and into the fresh water, and sprinkle the house seven times. 52 He shall purify the house with the bird’s blood, the fresh water, the live bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop, and the scarlet yarn. 53 Then he shall release the live bird in an open field outside of the city. Thus he shall have made atonement for the house, and it shall be clean.
54 “These are the statutes concerning all types of sores of leprosy and scabs, 55 for infections upon garments and houses, 56 for swollen spots, rashes, and bright spots, 57 to decide whether something is unclean or clean. This is the law concerning leprosy.”
Footnotes
- Leviticus 14:14 Applying the blood of the guilt offering to the person’s extremities by the priest indicated cleansing of the whole person. This mirrors the total consecration of Aaron to God by Moses in Lev 8:23.
Job 35
New Catholic Bible
Elihu’s Third Speech[a]
Chapter 35
How Does Human Conduct Affect God? 1 Then Elihu continued his speech, saying:
2 “Do you think that you can defend your uprightness
by claiming that you are just before God?
3 For you said: ‘What does it mean to you?
Or what would you gain if I sinned?’
4 I will provide an answer for you
and your three friends as well.
5 “Look up to the skies and see;
observe the clouds towering above you.
6 If you sin, how can that affect God?
And if your offenses are multiplied, how do you hurt him?
7 If you are righteous, what do you give him?
What does he receive from your hand?
8 Your wickedness affects only someone like you,
and your righteousness affects only your fellow men.
No One Asks, “Where Is God?”
9 “People cry out under the weight of oppression;
they cry for help against the power of the mighty.
10 But not one of them asks, ‘Where is God, my Maker,
who protects me during the night,
11 who gave us greater intelligence than the animals of the earth
and made us wiser than the birds of the air?’
12 Although they cry out, God does not answer
because of the pride of the wicked.
13 “But it is foolish to say that God does not hear
or that the Almighty does not pay attention.
14 Even though you do not see him,
he is aware of your plight,
and you must wait for his decision.
15 But now, because God does not grow angry and punish
and because he allows transgressions to go unheeded,
16 Job gives vent to his anger with empty talk
and babbles a stream of utter nonsense.”
Footnotes
- Job 35:1 The silence of God is what upsets human beings. Is the Eternal One perhaps indifferent to human tragedies? Elihu looks for a different explanation: God is silent because unhappy human beings lack faith in their prayers, and they sin through pride. But the entire passage is obscure in its development.
Luke 11:1-23
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 11
Prayer
The Lord’s Prayer.[a] 1 One day, Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say:
Father,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
4 And forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone who is in debt to us.
And do not lead us into temptation.”
The Parable of the Persistent Friend.[b] 5 He also said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says: ‘My friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey, and I have nothing to offer him,’ 7 and the friend answers from inside: ‘Do not bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up now to give you anything.’ 8 I tell you: even though he will not get up and give it to him because of their friendship, he will get up and give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.
Ask, Seek, Knock. 9 “Therefore, I say to you: ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks will receive, and those who seek will find, and to those who knock the door will be opened.
11 The Parable of the Good Father.“Is there any father among you who would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish, 12 or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? 13 If you, then, despite your evil nature, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
For or against Jesus[c]
14 Jesus and Beelzebul.[d] Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute, and when the demon had gone out, the man who was mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons.” 16 Others, to test him, demanded a sign from heaven.
17 However, he knew what they were thinking, and he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a house divided against itself will collapse. 18 If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand?
“For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 Now, if it is by Beelzebul that I cast out demons, by whom do your own children cast them out? Therefore, they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you.
21 “When a strong man is fully armed and guards his palace, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone who is stronger than he is attacks and overpowers him, he carries off all the weapons upon which the owner relied and distributes the plunder.
23 No Compromise.“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Luke 11:1 In the eyes of Luke, the prayer of the disciples is connected to the prayer of Jesus himself. It is a profession of faith in which the community says the essence of what it requests: the kingdom of God, daily sustenance, forgiveness, and strength in time of trial. The form of the Our Father given here is shorter than the one handed down in the Gospel of Matthew.
- Luke 11:5 In the Palestine of that time, people went to bed early; moreover, the entire family slept in a single room, and the door was secured from inside with a heavy bar. Thus, awakening a neighbor caused a great deal of inconvenience, but the latter would be ashamed to remain insensitive. And since God is mercy itself, could he refuse the request of believers when it concerns essentials (see Lk 18:1-8; 22:44)?
- Luke 11:14 The suspicion with which his adversaries regard Jesus becomes accusation and snare; they treat him as an agent of Satan and demand signs of him. In this confrontation that is more and more manifest, Jesus does not soften his message in any way; rather he demands that one choose for or against him. The time of waiting is over; the time of decision is at hand.
- Luke 11:14 There are groups who claim to cast out demons—the word “children” designates the members or disciples of a group. Why then should his opponents be suspicious of Jesus, especially since he actually heals sicknesses? The miracles that he works manifest the power of God, for in order to conquer Satan who is reputedly at work in sicknesses one must be stronger than he is.
Psalm 98
New Catholic Bible
Psalm 98[a]
Praise of the Lord, King and Judge
1 A psalm.
Sing to the Lord a new song,[b]
for he has accomplished marvelous deeds.
His right hand and his holy arm
have made him victorious.
2 The Lord has made known his salvation;
he has manifested his righteousness for all the nations to see.[c]
3 He has remembered his kindness[d] and his fidelity
to the house of Israel.
The farthest ends of the earth have witnessed
the salvation of our God.
4 Sing joyfully to the Lord, all the earth;
raise your voices in songs of praise.
5 Sing praise to the Lord with the harp,
with the harp and melodious singing.
6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn
sing joyfully to the King, the Lord.[e]
7 [f]Let the sea resound and everything in it,
the world[g] and all its inhabitants.
8 Let the rivers clap their hands
and the mountains shout for joy.
9 Let them sing before the Lord, who is coming,
coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with justice
and the nations with fairness.[h]
Footnotes
- Psalm 98:1 Israel has returned from the Exile; God has saved her, and the whole world is a witness of it. Hence, the Lord is pursuing his project of salvation. Let all peoples acclaim him as their sovereign and let joy burst out over the whole face of the earth, for God comes to inaugurate a kingdom of peace and justice for all humanity. The same worldwide perspective is glimpsed in the second part of the Book of Isaiah (Isa 40–55) with which the psalms of the kingdom have much in common.
The previous psalm brought to mind the second coming of Christ. This psalm recalls the first coming of the Lord and the faith of all peoples. Hence, the Christian Liturgy uses it during the Christmas season, since the latter is so filled with joy at the coming of the Lord, the Savior of all human beings. - Psalm 98:1 God’s deliverance of Israel from the Exile, a type of the Messianic redemption, is such a wondrous deed that it deserves to be praised in song. New song: see note on Ps 33:3. Marvelous deeds: see note on Ps 9:2. His right hand and his holy arm: God is portrayed as a champion warrior.
- Psalm 98:2 Reminiscent of his wonders during the Exodus, God has once again revealed his infinite power and greatness (see note on Ps 46:11; see also Isa 52:10).
- Psalm 98:3 God has kept the promise he made to the house of Israel, and it is fully visible to all nations. The complete fulfillment of this promise was what God performed in the redemption worked by his Son Jesus Christ—which also was seen by all nations. Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.
- Psalm 98:6 The whole of creation is summoned to acclaim the Lord as King, as Israel acclaimed her kings at their coronation, with trumpets and horns (see 1 Ki 1:34).
- Psalm 98:7 All creation is exhorted to honor its King (see note on Ps 96:11-12).
- Psalm 98:7 Sea . . . world: the two major areas that contain living things.
- Psalm 98:9 The Lord will come to rule everyone impartially. Jesus announced that the long-awaited coming of the Lord to rule the earth had begun in his ministry (see Mk 1:15: “The kingdom of God is close at hand”). See also note on Ps 96:13.
Proverbs 19:6-10
New Catholic Bible
6 Many court the favor of the great,
and everyone is a friend to a man who bestows gifts.
7 The poor man is despised by all his brothers;
how much more do his friends desert him!
He pursues them with entreaties
but all in vain.
8 Whoever gains wisdom loves his own soul;
one who cherishes understanding will prosper.
9 A false witness will not escape punishment,
and the one who tells lies will perish.
10 It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,
much less for a slave to rule over princes.
