AME Zion Universal Reading April 17th 2022

Sunday School Zoom Link

First Portion

Exodus Chapter 12

21Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, "Draw forth or buy for yourselves sheep for your families and slaughter the Passover sacrifice.22And you shall take a bunch of hyssop and immerse [it] in the blood that is in the basin, and you shall extend to the lintel and to the two doorposts the blood that is in the basin, and you shall not go out, any man from the entrance of his house until morning.23The Lord will pass to smite the Egyptians, and He will see the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, and the Lord will pass over the entrance, and He will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses to smite [you].24And you shall keep this matter as a statute for you and for your children forever.

Sunday

Matthew 28:1–10 (NLT): The Resurrection

Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb.

2 Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. 3 His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.

5 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”

8 The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. 9 And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”

Second Portion

Exodus Chapter 12

25And it shall come to pass when you enter the land that the Lord will give you, as He spoke, that you shall observe this service.26And it will come to pass if your children say to you, What is this service to you?27you shall say, It is a Passover sacrifice to the Lord, for He passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, and He saved our houses. And the people kneeled and prostrated themselves.28So the children of Israel went and did; as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.

Monday

John 1:29–36 (NLT): Jesus, the Lamb of God

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 He is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’ 31 I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.”

32 Then John testified, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. 33 I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God.”

The First Disciples

35 The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples. 36 As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!”

Third Portion

Exodus Chapter 12

29It came to pass at midnight, and the Lord smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who is in the dungeon, and every firstborn animal.30And Pharaoh arose at night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians, and there was a great outcry in Egypt, for there was no house in which no one was dead.31So he called for Moses and Aaron at night, and he said, "Get up and get out from among my people, both you, as well as the children of Israel, and go, worship the Lord as you have spoken.32Take also your flocks and also your cattle, as you have spoken, and go, but you shall also bless me."

Tuesday

Matthew 26:36–46 (NLT): Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

36 Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” 37 He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. 38 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

39 He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

40 Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? 41 Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”

42 Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open.

44 So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”

Fourth Portion

Exodus Chapter 12

33So the Egyptians took hold of the people to hasten to send them out of the land, for they said, "We are all dead."34The people picked up their dough when it was not yet leavened, their leftovers bound in their garments on their shoulders.35And the children of Israel did according to Moses' order, and they borrowed from the Egyptians silver objects, golden objects, and garments.36The Lord gave the people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians, and they lent them, and they emptied out Egypt.

Wednesday

Matthew 26:47–56 (NLT): Jesus Is Betrayed and Arrested

47 And even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests and elders of the people. 48 The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss.” 49 So Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss.

50 Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.”

Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 51 But one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear.

52 “Put away your sword,” Jesus told him. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. 53 Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? 54 But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?”

55 Then Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there teaching every day. 56 But this is all happening to fulfill the words of the prophets as recorded in the Scriptures.” At that point, all the disciples deserted him and fled.

Fifth Portion

Exodus Chapter 12

37The children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot, the men, besides the young children.38And also, a great mixed multitude went up with them, and flocks and cattle, very much livestock.39They baked the dough that they had taken out of Egypt as unleavened cakes, for it had not leavened, for they were driven out of Egypt, and they could not tarry, and also, they had not made provisions for themselves.40And the habitation of the children of Israel, that they dwelled in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.41It came to pass at the end of four hundred and thirty years, and it came to pass in that very day, that all the legions of the Lord went out of the land of Egypt.42It is a night of anticipation for the Lord, to take them out of the land of Egypt; this night is the Lord's, guarding all the children of Israel throughout their generations.

Thursday

Matthew 27:35–49 (NLT):

35 After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. 36 Then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there. 37 A sign was fastened above Jesus’ head, announcing the charge against him. It read: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” 38 Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.

39 The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. 40 “Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!”

41 The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus. 42 “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him! 43 He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” 44 Even the revolutionaries who were crucified with him ridiculed him in the same way.

The Death of Jesus

45 At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 46 At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

47 Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. 48 One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. 49 But the rest said, “Wait! Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.”

Sixth Portion

Exodus Chapter 12

43The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "This is the statute of the Passover sacrifice: No estranged one may partake of it.44And every man's slave, purchased for his money you shall circumcise him; then he will be permitted to partake of it.45A sojourner or a hired hand may not partake of it.46It must be eaten in one house; you shall not take any of the meat out of the house to the outside, neither shall you break any of its bones.47The entire community of Israel shall make it.

Friday

Psalm 22:1–19 (NLT):

1 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

Why are you so far away when I groan for help?

2 Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer.

Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief.

3 Yet you are holy,

enthroned on the praises of Israel.

4 Our ancestors trusted in you,

and you rescued them.

5 They cried out to you and were saved.

They trusted in you and were never disgraced.

6 But I am a worm and not a man.

I am scorned and despised by all!

7 Everyone who sees me mocks me.

They sneer and shake their heads, saying,

8 “Is this the one who relies on the Lord?

Then let the Lord save him!

If the Lord loves him so much,

let the Lord rescue him!”

9 Yet you brought me safely from my mother’s womb

and led me to trust you at my mother’s breast.

10 I was thrust into your arms at my birth.

You have been my God from the moment I was born.

11 Do not stay so far from me,

for trouble is near,

and no one else can help me.

12 My enemies surround me like a herd of bulls;

fierce bulls of Bashan have hemmed me in!

13 Like lions they open their jaws against me,

roaring and tearing into their prey.

14 My life is poured out like water,

and all my bones are out of joint.

My heart is like wax,

melting within me.

15 My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay.

My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.

You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead.

16 My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs;

an evil gang closes in on me.

They have pierced my hands and feet.

17 I can count all my bones.

My enemies stare at me and gloat.

18 They divide my garments among themselves

and throw dice for my clothing.

19 O Lord, do not stay far away!

You are my strength; come quickly to my aid!

Seventh Portion

Exodus Chapter 12

48And should a proselyte reside with you, he shall make a Passover sacrifice to the Lord. All his males shall be circumcised, and then he may approach to make it, and he will be like the native of the land, but no uncircumcised male may partake of it.49There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who resides in your midst."50All the children of Israel did; as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.51It came to pass on that very day, that the Lord took the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt with their legions.

Saturday

Psalm 118:14–29 (NLT):

14 The Lord is my strength and my song;

he has given me victory.

15 Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly.

The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things!

16 The strong right arm of the Lord is raised in triumph.

The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things!

17 I will not die; instead, I will live

to tell what the Lord has done.

18 The Lord has punished me severely,

but he did not let me die.

19 Open for me the gates where the righteous enter,

and I will go in and thank the Lord.

20 These gates lead to the presence of the Lord,

and the godly enter there.

21 I thank you for answering my prayer

and giving me victory!

22 The stone that the builders rejected

has now become the cornerstone.

23 This is the Lord’s doing,

and it is wonderful to see.

24 This is the day the Lord has made.

We will rejoice and be glad in it.

25 Please, Lord, please save us.

Please, Lord, please give us success.

26 Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord.

We bless you from the house of the Lord.

27 The Lord is God, shining upon us.

Take the sacrifice and bind it with cords on the altar.

28 You are my God, and I will praise you!

You are my God, and I will exalt you!

29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!

His faithful love endures forever.

Maftir Portion

Numbers Chapter 28

16In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, [you shall offer up] a Passover offering to the Lord.17On the fifteenth day of this month, a festival [begins]; you shall eat unleavened bread for seven days.18On the first day is a holy convocation; you shall not perform any mundane work.19You shall offer up a fire offering, a burnt offering to the Lord: two young bulls, one ram, and seven lambs in the first year they shall be unblemished for you.20Their meal offerings [shall be] fine flour mixed with oil; three tenths for each bull and two tenths for the ram you shall offer up.21And you shall offer up one tenth for each lamb, for all seven lambs.22And one young male goat for a sin offering to atone for you.23You shall offer these up besides the morning burnt offering which is offered as a continual burnt offering.24Like these, you shall offer up daily for seven days, food of the fire offering, a spirit of satisfaction to the Lord; you shall offer up this in addition to the continual burnt offering and its libation.25The seventh day shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall not perform any mundane work.

Haftarah

Joshua Chapter 3

5And Joshua said to the people; Prepare yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.6And Joshua said to the priests, saying: Carry the Ark of the covenant, and pass before the people. And they carried the Ark of the covenant, and went before the people.7And the Lord said to Joshua: This day I will begin to make you great in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that as I was with Moses, so will I be with you.

Joshua Chapter 5

2At that time the Lord said to Joshua, Make for yourself sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.3And Joshua made for himself sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.4And this is the reason why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, all the men of war, had died in the desert by the way after they came out of Egypt.5For all the people that came out were circumcised, but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, they had not circumcised.6For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the people, the men of war, that came out of Egypt, were consumed, those who did not listen to the voice of the Lord, to whom the Lord had sworn that He would not show them the land, which the Lord had sworn to their forefathers that He would give us, a land that flows with milk and honey.7And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised, for they had not circumcised them by the way.8And it was, when all the people were finished being circumcised, that they remained in their places in the camp, until they recovered.9And the Lord said to Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you. And he called the name of the place Gilgal to this day.10And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and they made the Passover sacrifice on the fourteenth day of the month at evening in the plains of Jericho.11And they ate of the grain of the land on the morrow of the Passover, unleavened cakes and parched grain on this very day.12And the manna ceased on the morrow when they ate of the grain of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna anymore; and they ate of the produce of the land of Canaan that year.13And it was when Joshua was in Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and saw, and, behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand; and Joshua went to him, and said to him, Are you for us, or for our adversaries?14And he said, No, but I am the captain of the host of the Lord; I have now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and prostrated himself, and said to him, What does my lord say to his servant?15And the captain of the Lord's host said to Joshua, Remove your shoe from your foot; for the place upon which you stand is holy. And Joshua did so.

Joshua Chapter 6

1And Jericho had shut its gates and was barred because of the children of Israel; none went out and none came in.

Joshua Chapter 6

27So the Lord was with Joshua; and his fame was throughout the entire land.

AME Zion Universal Reading April 10th 2022

Sunday School Zoom Link

First Portion

Leviticus Chapter 14

1And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,2This shall be the law of the person afflicted with tzara'ath, on the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought to the kohen.3The kohen shall go outside the camp, and the kohen shall look, and behold, the lesion of tzara'ath has healed in the afflicted person.4Then the kohen shall order, and the person to be cleansed shall take two live, clean birds, a cedar stick, a strip of crimson [wool], and hyssop.5The kohen shall order, and one shall slaughter the one bird into an earthenware vessel, over spring water.6[As for] the live bird, he shall take it, and then the cedar stick, the strip of crimson [wool], and the hyssop, and, along with the live bird, he shall dip them into the blood of the slaughtered bird, over the spring water.7He shall then sprinkle seven times upon the person being cleansed from tzara'ath, and he shall cleanse him. He shall then send away the live bird into the [open] field.8The person being cleansed shall then immerse his garments, shave off all his hair, and immerse [himself] in water, and become clean. After this, he may enter the camp, but he shall remain outside his tent for seven days.9And it shall be, on the seventh day, that he shall shave off all his hair: [that of] his head, his beard, his eyebrows; indeed, all his hair, he shall shave off. He shall then immerse his garments and immerse his flesh in water, thus becoming clean.10And on the eighth day, he shall take two unblemished [male] lambs, one unblemished ewe lamb in its [first] year, three tenths [of an ephah] of fine flour mixed with [olive] oil as a meal offering, and one log of [olive] oil.11And the kohen who is performing the cleansing shall place the person being cleansed [together] with these [things], before the Lord, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.12And the kohen shall take one [male] lamb and bring it as a guilt offering, along with the log of oil, and wave them as a waving before the Lord.

Sunday

Matthew 26:17–30 (NLT): The Last Supper

17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you?”

18 “As you go into the city,” he told them, “you will see a certain man. Tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My time has come, and I will eat the Passover meal with my disciples at your house.’ ” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus told them and prepared the Passover meal there.

20 When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the table with the Twelve. 21 While they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.”

22 Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one, Lord?”

23 He replied, “One of you who has just eaten from this bowl with me will betray me. 24 For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!”

25 Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked, “Rabbi, am I the one?”

And Jesus told him, “You have said it.”

26 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.”

27 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, 28 for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. 29 Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”

30 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.

Second Portion

Leviticus Chapter 14

13He shall slaughter the lamb in the place where one slaughters the sin offering and the burnt offering, in a holy place. For regarding the kohen['s service], the guilt offering is like the sin offering. It is a holy of holies.14The kohen shall take some of the blood of the guilt offering, and the kohen shall place it above the cartilage of the right ear of the person being cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.15And the kohen shall take some of the log of oil, and pour [it] onto the kohen's left palm.16The kohen shall then dip his right index finger into some of the oil that is on his left palm, and sprinkle some of the oil with his index finger seven times, before the Lord.17And some of the remainder of the oil that is in his palm, the kohen shall place on the cartilage of the right ear of the person being cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot, on [top of] the blood of the guilt offering.18And what is left over from the oil that is in the kohen's palm, he shall place upon the head of the person being cleansed, and the kohen shall effect atonement for him before the Lord.19The kohen shall then perform [the service of] the sin offering and effect atonement for the person being cleansed of his uncleanness. After this, he shall slaughter the burnt offering.20And the kohen shall bring up the burnt offering and the meal offering to the altar. The kohen shall thus effect atonement for him, and he shall be [completely] clean.

Monday

Psalm 116:1–15 (NLT):

1 I love the Lord because he hears my voice

and my prayer for mercy.

2 Because he bends down to listen,

I will pray as long as I have breath!

3 Death wrapped its ropes around me;

the terrors of the grave overtook me.

I saw only trouble and sorrow.

4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:

“Please, Lord, save me!”

5 How kind the Lord is! How good he is!

So merciful, this God of ours!

6 The Lord protects those of childlike faith;

I was facing death, and he saved me.

7 Let my soul be at rest again,

for the Lord has been good to me.

8 He has saved me from death,

my eyes from tears,

my feet from stumbling.

9 And so I walk in the Lord’s presence

as I live here on earth!

10 I believed in you, so I said,

“I am deeply troubled, Lord.”

11 In my anxiety I cried out to you,

“These people are all liars!”

12 What can I offer the Lord

for all he has done for me?

13 I will lift up the cup of salvation

and praise the Lord’s name for saving me.

14 I will keep my promises to the Lord

in the presence of all his people.

15 The Lord cares deeply

when his loved ones die.

Third Portion

Leviticus Chapter 14

21But if he is poor and cannot afford [these sacrifices], he shall take one [male] lamb as a guilt offering for a waving to effect atonement for him, and one tenth [of an ephah] of fine flour mixed with oil as a meal offering, and a log of oil.22And two turtle doves or two young doves, according to what he can afford; one shall be a sin offering, and one a burnt offering.23And he shall bring them on the eighth day of his cleansing, to the kohen, to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, before the Lord.24And the kohen shall take the guilt offering lamb and the log of oil, and the kohen shall wave them as a waving, before the Lord.25And he shall slaughter the guilt offering lamb, and the kohen shall take some of the blood of the guilt offering's and place it on the cartilage of the right ear of the person being cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.26And the kohen shall then pour some of the oil into the left palm of the kohen.27And the kohen shall sprinkle with his right index finger some of the oil that is in his left palm, seven times before the Lord.28And the kohen shall place some of the oil that is in his palm, on the cartilage of the right ear of the person being cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot, on the place of the blood of the guilt offering.29And what is left over from the oil that is in the kohen's palm, he shall place upon the head of the person being cleansed, to effect atonement for him, before the Lord.30He shall then perform [the service of] one of the turtle doves or of the young doves, from whatever he can afford,31[from] what he can afford, one as a sin offering, and one as a burnt offering, besides the meal offering, and the kohen shall effect atonement for the person being cleansed, before the Lord.32This is the law of one in whom there is a lesion of tzara'ath, who cannot afford [the full array of sacrifices], when he is to be cleansed.

Tuesday

Deuteronomy 16:1–17 (NLT): Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread

“In honor of the Lord your God, celebrate the Passover each year in the early spring, in the month of Abib, for that was the month in which the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt by night. 2 Your Passover sacrifice may be from either the flock or the herd, and it must be sacrificed to the Lord your God at the designated place of worship—the place he chooses for his name to be honored. 3 Eat it with bread made without yeast. For seven days the bread you eat must be made without yeast, as when you escaped from Egypt in such a hurry. Eat this bread—the bread of suffering—so that as long as you live you will remember the day you departed from Egypt. 4 Let no yeast be found in any house throughout your land for those seven days. And when you sacrifice the Passover lamb on the evening of the first day, do not let any of the meat remain until the next morning.

5 “You may not sacrifice the Passover in just any of the towns that the Lord your God is giving you. 6 You must offer it only at the designated place of worship—the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored. Sacrifice it there in the evening as the sun goes down on the anniversary of your exodus from Egypt. 7 Roast the lamb and eat it in the place the Lord your God chooses. Then you may go back to your tents the next morning. 8 For the next six days you may not eat any bread made with yeast. On the seventh day proclaim another holy day in honor of the Lord your God, and no work may be done on that day.

The Festival of Harvest

9 “Count off seven weeks from when you first begin to cut the grain at the time of harvest. 10 Then celebrate the Festival of Harvest to honor the Lord your God. Bring him a voluntary offering in proportion to the blessings you have received from him. 11 This is a time to celebrate before the Lord your God at the designated place of worship he will choose for his name to be honored. Celebrate with your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, the Levites from your towns, and the foreigners, orphans, and widows who live among you. 12 Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, so be careful to obey all these decrees.

The Festival of Shelters

13 “You must observe the Festival of Shelters for seven days at the end of the harvest season, after the grain has been threshed and the grapes have been pressed. 14 This festival will be a happy time of celebrating with your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows from your towns. 15 For seven days you must celebrate this festival to honor the Lord your God at the place he chooses, for it is he who blesses you with bountiful harvests and gives you success in all your work. This festival will be a time of great joy for all.

16 “Each year every man in Israel must celebrate these three festivals: the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Harvest, and the Festival of Shelters. On each of these occasions, all men must appear before the Lord your God at the place he chooses, but they must not appear before the Lord without a gift for him. 17 All must give as they are able, according to the blessings given to them by the Lord your God.

Fourth Portion

Leviticus Chapter 14

33And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,34When you come to the land of Canaan, which I am giving you as a possession, and I place a lesion of tzara'ath upon a house in the land of your possession,35and the one to whom the house belongs comes and tells the kohen, saying, "Something like a lesion has appeared to me in the house,"36the kohen shall order that they clear out the house, before the kohen comes to look at the lesion, so that everything in the house should not become unclean. After this, the kohen shall come to look at the house.37And he shall look at the lesion. Now, [if] the lesion in the walls of the house consists of dark green or dark red sunken looking stains, appearing as if deeper than the wall,38then the kohen shall go out of the house to the entrance of the house, and he shall quarantine the house for seven days.39Then the kohen shall return on the seventh day and look [at the house]. Now, [if] the lesion has spread in the walls of the house,40the kohen shall order that they remove the stones upon which the lesion is [found], and they shall cast them away outside the city, to an unclean place.41And he shall scrape out the house from the inside, all around, and they shall pour out the [mortar] dust from what they scraped, outside the city, into an unclean place.42And they shall take other stones and bring them instead of those stones. And he shall take other [mortar] dust, and plaster the house.43And if the lesion returns and erupts in the house, after he had removed the stones, and after the house had been scraped around and after it had been plastered,44then the kohen shall come and look [at it]. Now, [if] the lesion in the house has spread, it is malignant tzara'ath in the house; it is unclean.45He shall demolish the house, its stones, its wood, and all the [mortar] dust of the house, and he shall take [them] outside the city, to an unclean place.46And anyone entering the house during all the days of its quarantine shall become unclean until the evening.47And whoever lies down in the house, shall immerse his garments, and whoever eats in the house, shall immerse his garments.48But if the kohen comes and comes again and looks [at the lesion], and behold, the lesion did not spread in the house, after the house has been plastered, the kohen shall pronounce the house clean, because the lesion has healed.49To [ritually] cleanse the house, he shall take two birds, a cedar stick, a strip of crimson [wool], and hyssop.50He shall slaughter one bird into an earthenware vessel, over spring water.51And he shall take the cedar stick, the hyssop, the strip of crimson [wool], and the live bird, and he shall dip them into the blood of slaughtered bird and into the spring water and sprinkle towards the house seven times.52And he shall [thus] cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, the spring water, the live bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop and the strip of crimson [wool].53He shall then send away the live bird outside the city, onto the [open] field. He shall thus effect atonement for the house, and it will be clean.

Wednesday

Matthew 26:1–16 (NLT): The Plot to Kill Jesus

When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2 “As you know, Passover begins in two days, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

3 At that same time the leading priests and elders were meeting at the residence of Caiaphas, the high priest, 4 plotting how to capture Jesus secretly and kill him. 5 “But not during the Passover celebration,” they agreed, “or the people may riot.”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

6 Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. 7 While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head.

8 The disciples were indignant when they saw this. “What a waste!” they said. 9 “It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.”

10 But Jesus, aware of this, replied, “Why criticize this woman for doing such a good thing to me? 11 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me. 12 She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. 13 I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

14 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests 15 and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

Fifth Portion

Leviticus Chapter 14

54[All] this is the law for every lesion of tzara'ath, and for a nethek,55And for tzara'ath of garments and houses,56And for a se'eith and for a sapachath and for a bahereth;57To render decisions regarding the day of uncleanness and the day of cleanness. This is the law of tzara'ath.

Leviticus Chapter 15

1And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,2Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, If any man has a discharge from his flesh, his discharge is unclean.3And this shall be [the nature of] his uncleanness due to his discharge: [if] his flesh runs with his discharge, or [if] his flesh is plugged up by his discharge, that is his uncleanness.4Any bedding upon which the man with the discharge will lie, shall become unclean, and any object upon which he will sit, shall become unclean.5And a man who touches his bedding, shall immerse his garments and immerse himself in water and he remain unclean until evening.6And anyone who sits on an object, upon which the man with the discharge will sit, shall immerse his garments and immerse himself in water, and he shall remain unclean until evening.7And anyone who touches the flesh of the man with a discharge, shall immerse his garments and immerse himself in water, and he shall remain unclean until evening.8And if the man with the discharge spits upon a clean person, [that person] shall immerse his garments and immerse himself in water, and he shall remain unclean until evening.9Any riding gear upon which the man with the discharge will ride, becomes unclean.10And whoever touches anything what will be under him, becomes unclean until evening. And whoever lifts them up shall immerse his garments and immerse himself in water, and he shall remain unclean until evening.11And whomever the man with the discharge touches, without [the latter] having rinsed his hands, shall immerse his garments and immerse himself in the waters, and he shall remain unclean until evening.12And an earthenware vessel which the man with the discharge will touch, shall be broken. And any wooden vessel shall be rinsed in water.13When the man with the discharge is cleansed of his discharge, he shall count seven days for himself for his purification, and then immerse his garments and immerse his flesh in spring water, and he shall be clean.14And on the eighth day, he shall take for himself two turtle doves or two young doves, and come before the Lord, to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and give them to the kohen.15And the kohen shall make them: one into a sin offering and one into a burnt offering, and the kohen shall effect atonement for him from his discharge, before the Lord.

Thursday

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 (NLT):

23 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread 24 and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” 26 For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.

Sixth Portion

Leviticus Chapter 15

16A man from whom there is a discharge of semen, shall immerse all his flesh in water, and he shall remain unclean until evening.17And any garment or any leather [object] which has semen on it, shall be immersed in water, and shall remain unclean until evening.18A woman with whom a man cohabits, whereby there was [a discharge of] semen, they shall immerse in water, and they shall remain unclean until evening.19If a woman has a discharge, her flesh discharging blood, she shall remain in her state of menstrual separation for seven days, and whoever touches her shall become unclean until evening.20And whatever she lies on during her menstrual separation, shall become unclean, and whatever she sits on, shall become unclean.21And anyone who touches her bedding, shall immerse his garments and immerse [himself] in water, and he shall remain unclean until evening.22And anyone who touches any object upon which she will sit, shall immerse his garments and immerse himself in water, and he shall remain unclean until evening.23And if he is on the bedding or on the object, upon which she is sitting, when he touches it, he becomes unclean until evening.24If a man cohabits with her, [the uncleanness of] her menstruation shall be upon him, and he shall be unclean for seven days, and any bedding he lies upon, shall become unclean.25And a woman whose flow of blood flows for many days, outside of the time of her menstrual separation, or she has a discharge after her menstrual separation, then all the days she has her unclean discharge, she shall be unclean just like the days of her menstrual separation.26Any bedding upon which she lies during all the time of her discharge, will have the same [uncleanness] for her, as the bedding of her menstruation. And any object upon which she will sit, shall become unclean. like her menstrual uncleanness.27And anyone who touches them shall become unclean; he shall immerse his garments and immerse [himself] in water, and he shall remain unclean until evening.28And if she becomes clean of her discharge, she shall count for herself seven days, and after this, she may be cleansed.

Friday

John 13:31–35 (NLT): Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

31 As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. 32 And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will give his own glory to the Son, and he will do so at once. 33 Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. 34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

Seventh Portion

Leviticus Chapter 15

29And on the eighth day, she shall take for herself two turtle doves or two young doves, and bring them to the kohen, to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.30And the kohen shall make one into a sin offering and one into a burnt offering, and the kohen shall effect atonement for her, before the Lord, from the uncleanness of her discharge.31And you shall separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, so that they will not die on account of their uncleanness, if they defile My Sanctuary which is in their midst.32This is the law for one who has a discharge, and one from whom semen issues, through which he becomes unclean,33And for a woman who has her menstrual flow, and for one who has a discharge, whether male or female, and a man who cohabits with an unclean woman.

Saturday

Psalm 118:1–9 (NLT): 1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!

His faithful love endures forever.

2 Let all Israel repeat:

“His faithful love endures forever.”

3 Let Aaron’s descendants, the priests, repeat:

“His faithful love endures forever.”

4 Let all who fear the Lord repeat:

“His faithful love endures forever.”

5 In my distress I prayed to the Lord,

and the Lord answered me and set me free.

6 The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear.

What can mere people do to me?

7 Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me.

I will look in triumph at those who hate me.

8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord

than to trust in people.

9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord

than to trust in princes.

Maftir Portion

Leviticus Chapter 15

31And you shall separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, so that they will not die on account of their uncleanness, if they defile My Sanctuary which is in their midst.32This is the law for one who has a discharge, and one from whom semen issues, through which he becomes unclean,33And for a woman who has her menstrual flow, and for one who has a discharge, whether male or female, and a man who cohabits with an unclean woman.

Haftarah

II Kings Chapter 7

3Now there were four men, stricken with zaraath, [at] the entrance of the gate. And they said to each other, "Why are we sitting here until we die?4If we say that we will come into the city, with the famine in the city, we will die there, and if we stay here we will die. So now, let us go and let us defect to the Aramean camp. If they spare us we will live, and if they kill us we will die."5And they arose in the evening to come to the Aramean camp. And they came to the edge of the Aramean camp, and behold, no one was there.6Now the Lord had caused the Aramean camp to hear the sound of chariots and the sound of horses, the sound of a great army. And they said to one another, "Behold, the king of Israel has hired for us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to attack us."7And they picked themselves up and fled at dusk, leaving behind their tents, their horses, and their donkeys, the camp as it was, and they fled for their lives.8Now these mezoraim came up to the edge of the camp, entered one tent, ate and drank, and carried off from there silver, gold, and clothing, and they went and hid [them]. And they returned and entered another tent, and carried off from there, and they went and hid [them].9Now one said to another, "We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, yet we are keeping quiet. If we wait until daybreak, we will incur guilt. Now, let us go and come and relate this in the king's palace."10And they came and called to the gatekeepers of the city and told them, saying, "We came to the Aramean camp, and behold there is no man there nor the sound of a human, but the horses are tethered and the donkeys are tethered, and the tents are as they were."11And he called the gatekeepers; and they related it to the king's palace inside.12And the king arose at night and said to his servants, "Now I will tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know that we are hungry. So they left the camp to hide in the field, saying, 'When they come out of the city, we will seize them alive and enter the city.' "13Now one of his servants called out and said, "Let them take now five of the remaining horses that are left there. Behold, they are like all the multitude of Israel that are left there, behold they are like all the multitude of Israel that have perished; and let us send and we will see."14So they took two riders of horses, and the king sent them after the Aramean camp, saying, "Go and see."15And they followed them up to the Jordan, and behold all the way was full of garments and vessels that the Arameans had cast off in their haste; and the messengers returned and related it to the king.16And the people went out and plundered the Aramean camp; and a seah of fine flour was sold for a shekel and two seahs of barley were sold for a shekel, according to the word of the Lord.17Now the king appointed the officer upon whose hand he leaned, over the gate, and the people trampled him and he died, as the man of God had spoken, which he spoke when the king had come down to him.18And it was when the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, "Two seahs of barley will be sold for a shekel and a seah of fine flour will be sold at this time tomorrow in the gate of Samaria,".19That the officer answered the man of God and said, "And behold, if God makes windows in the sky, will this thing come about?" And he said, "Behold you will see it with your own eyes, yet you shall not eat therefrom."20And so it happened to him, that the people trampled him in the gate, and he died.

AME Zion Universal Reading April 3rd 2022

Sunday School Zoom Link

First Portion

Leviticus Chapter 12

1And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:2Speak to the children of Israel, saying: If a woman conceives and gives birth to a male, she shall be unclean for seven days; as [in] the days of her menstrual flow, she shall be unclean.3And on the eighth day, the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.4And for thirty three days, she shall remain in the blood of purity; she shall not touch anything holy, nor may she enter the Sanctuary, until the days of her purification have been completed.5And if she gives birth to a female, she shall be unclean for two weeks, like her menstruation [period]. And for sixty six days, she shall remain in the blood of purity.6And when the days of her purification have been completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring a sheep in its first year as a burnt offering, and a young dove or a turtle dove as a sin offering, to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, to the kohen.7And he shall offer it up before the Lord and effect atonement for her, and thus, she will be purified from the source of her blood. This is the law of a woman who gives birth to a male or to a female.8And if she cannot afford a sheep, she shall take two turtle doves or two young doves: one as a burnt offering and one as a sin offering. And the kohen shall effect atonement for her, and she shall become clean.

Leviticus Chapter 13

1And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:2If a man has a se'eith, a sappachath, or a bahereth on the skin of his flesh, and it forms a lesion of tzara'ath on the skin of his flesh, he shall be brought to Aaron the kohen, or to one of his sons, the kohanim.3The kohen shall look at the lesion on the skin of his flesh, and [if] hair in the lesion has turned white and the appearance of the lesion is deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a lesion of tzara'ath. When the kohen sees this, he shall pronounce him unclean.4But if it is a white bahereth on the skin of his flesh, and its appearance is not deeper than the skin, and its hair has not turned white, the kohen shall quarantine the [person with the] lesion for seven days.5And on the seventh day, the kohen shall see him. And, behold! the lesion has remained the same in its appearance; the lesion has not spread on the skin. So the kohen shall quarantine him for seven days a second time.

Matthew 21:1–11 (NLT): Jesus’ Triumphant Entry

As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. 2 “Go into the village over there,” he said. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will immediately let you take them.”

4 This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said,

5 “Tell the people of Jerusalem,

‘Look, your King is coming to you.

He is humble, riding on a donkey—

riding on a donkey’s colt.’ ”

6 The two disciples did as Jesus commanded. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt to him and threw their garments over the colt, and he sat on it.

8 Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting,

“Praise God for the Son of David!

Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

Praise God in highest heaven!”

10 The entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. “Who is this?” they asked.

11 And the crowds replied, “It’s Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Second Portion

Leviticus Chapter 13

6And the kohen shall see him on the seventh day a second time. And, behold! the lesion has become dimmer, and the lesion has not spread on the skin, the kohen shall pronounce him clean. It is a mispachath. He shall immerse his garments and become clean.7However, if the mispachath spreads on the skin after it has been shown to the kohen for its purification, it shall be shown to the kohen a second time.8The kohen shall look [at it]. And, behold! the mispachath has spread on the skin. The kohen shall pronounce him unclean. It is tzara'ath.9If a man has a lesion of tzara'ath, he shall be brought to the kohen.10The kohen shall look [at it]. And, behold! there is a white se'eith on the skin, and either it has turned the hair white, or there is healthy, live flesh in the se'eith,11it is old tzara'ath on the skin of his flesh, and the kohen shall pronounce him unclean; he need not quarantine him because he is unclean.12And if the tzara'ath has spread over the skin, whereby the tzara'ath covers all the skin of the [person with the] lesion, from his head to his feet, wherever the eyes of the kohen can see it,13then the kohen shall look [at it]. And, behold! the tzara'ath has covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce [the person with] the lesion clean. He has turned completely white; he is clean.14But on the day that live flesh appears in it, he shall become unclean.15When the kohen sees the healthy, live flesh, he shall pronounce him unclean. The live flesh is unclean; it is tzara'ath.16But, if the healthy, live flesh once again turns white, he shall come to the kohen.17And the kohen shall look at it. And, behold! the lesion has turned white; the kohen shall pronounce the lesion clean. He is clean.

Monday

Psalm 121:1–8 (NLT): 1 I look up to the mountains—

does my help come from there?

2 My help comes from the Lord,

who made heaven and earth!

3 He will not let you stumble;

the one who watches over you will not slumber.

4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel

never slumbers or sleeps.

5 The Lord himself watches over you!

The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.

6 The sun will not harm you by day,

nor the moon at night.

7 The Lord keeps you from all harm

and watches over your life.

8 The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,

both now and forever.

Third Portion

Leviticus Chapter 13

18If [a person's] flesh has an inflammation on its skin, and it heals,19and on the place of the inflammation there is a white se'eith, or a reddish white bahereth, it shall be shown to the kohen.20The kohen shall look [at it]. And, behold! its appearance is lower than the skin, and its hair has turned white; so the kohen shall pronounce him unclean. It is a lesion of tzara'ath that has erupted on the inflammation.21But if the kohen looks at it, and behold! it does not contain white hair, nor does it appear to be lower than the skin, and it is dim, the kohen shall quarantine him for seven days.22And if it spreads on the skin, the kohen shall pronounce him unclean. It is a lesion.23But if the bahereth remains in its place, not spreading, it is the scar tissue of the inflammation, and the kohen shall pronounce him clean.

Tuesday

Matthew 20:1–16 (NLT): Parable of the Vineyard Workers

“For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work.

3 “At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing. 4 So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. 5 So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing.

6 “At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’

7 “They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’

“The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’

8 “That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first. 9 When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage. 10 When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage. 11 When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, 12 ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’

13 “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? 14 Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. 15 Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’

16 “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”

Fourth Portion

Leviticus Chapter 13

24If [a person's] flesh has a fire burn on its skin, and on the healed area of the burn, there is a reddish white or white bahereth,25the kohen shall look at it. And, behold! the hair has turned white in the bahereth, and its appearance is deeper than the skin, it is tzara'ath which has spread in the burn. So, the kohen shall pronounce him unclean. It is a lesion of tzara'ath.26But, if the kohen looks at it, and, behold! there is no white hair in the bahereth, and it is not lower than the skin and it is dim, the kohen shall quarantine him for seven days.27And the kohen shall look at it on the seventh day. If it has spread on the skin, the kohen shall pronounce him unclean. It is a lesion of tzara'ath.28But if the bahereth remains in its place, not increasing on the skin, and it is dim, it is a se'eith of the burn, and the kohen shall pronounce him clean, because it is the scar tissue of the burn.

Wednesday

Matthew 20:17–28 (NLT): Jesus Again Predicts His Death

17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him. 18 “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die. 19 Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.”

Jesus Teaches about Serving Others

20 Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. 21 “What is your request?” he asked.

She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”

22 But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?”

“Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”

23 Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”

24 When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. 25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Fifth Portion

Leviticus Chapter 13

29If a man or a woman has a lesion on the head or on the beard [area],30the kohen shall look at the lesion, and, behold! its appearance is deeper than the skin, and in it is a thin golden yellow hair, the kohen shall pronounce him unclean. It is a nethek, which is tzara'ath of the head or the beard.31But when the kohen looks at the nethek lesion, and, behold! its appearance is not deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, the kohen shall quarantine [the person with] the nethek lesion for seven days.32And the kohen shall look at the lesion on the seventh day. And, behold! the nethek has not spread, and no golden yellow hair was in it, and the appearance of the nethek is not deeper than the skin,33he shall shave himself, but adjacent to the nethek he shall not shave, and the kohen shall quarantine [the person with] the nethek again for seven days.34Then the kohen shall look at the nethek on the seventh day. And, behold! the nethek did not spread on the skin, and its appearance is not deeper than the skin, the kohen shall pronounce him clean, and he shall immerse his garments and become clean.35But if the nethek spreads on the skin, after he has been declared clean,36the kohen shall look at it, and, behold! the nethek has spread on the skin, the kohen need not examine for golden yellow hair; it is unclean!37But if the appearance of the nethek has remained the same, or if black hair has grown in it, the nethek has healed; he is clean. So the kohen shall pronounce him clean.38If a man or a woman has spots on the skin of their flesh, white spots,39the kohen shall look, and, behold! there are dim white spots on the skin of their flesh, it is a bohak [pigmentation] which has spread on the skin. He is clean.

Thursday

Exodus 34:23–27 (NLT):

23 Three times each year every man in Israel must appear before the Sovereign, the Lord, the God of Israel. 24 I will drive out the other nations ahead of you and expand your territory, so no one will covet and conquer your land while you appear before the Lord your God three times each year.

25 “You must not offer the blood of my sacrificial offerings together with any baked goods containing yeast. And none of the meat of the Passover sacrifice may be kept over until the next morning.

26 “As you harvest your crops, bring the very best of the first harvest to the house of the Lord your God.

“You must not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.”

27 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write down all these instructions, for they represent the terms of the covenant I am making with you and with Israel.”

Sixth Portion

Leviticus Chapter 13

40If a man loses the hair on [the back of] his head, he is bald. He is clean.41And if he loses his hair on the side toward his face, he is bald at the front. He is clean.42If there is a reddish white lesion on the back or front bald area, it is a spreading tzara'ath in his back or front bald area.43So the kohen shall look at it. And, behold! there is a reddish white se'eith lesion on his back or front bald area, like the appearance of tzara'ath on the skin of the flesh,44He is a man afflicted with tzara'ath; he is unclean. The kohen shall surely pronounce him unclean; his lesion is on his head.45And the person with tzara'ath, in whom there is the lesion, his garments shall be torn, his head shall be unshorn, he shall cover himself down to his mustache and call out, "Unclean! Unclean!"46All the days the lesion is upon him, he shall remain unclean. He is unclean; he shall dwell isolated; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.47[And as for] the garment that has the lesion of tzara'ath upon it, on a woolen garment, or on a linen garment,48or on [threads prepared for the] warp or the woof of linen or of wool, or on leather or on anything made from leather.49If the lesion on the garment, the leather, the warp or woof [threads] or on any leather article, is deep green or deep red, it is a lesion of tzara'ath, and it shall be shown to the kohen.50The kohen shall look at the lesion, and he shall quarantine [the article with] the lesion for seven days.51And he shall look at the lesion on the seventh day. [If] the lesion has spread on the garment, or on the warp or woof [threads], or on the leather or on any article made from leather, the lesion is a malignant tzara'ath; it is unclean.52And he shall burn the garment, the warp or woof [threads] of wool or of linen, or any leather article which has the lesion upon it, for it is a malignant tzara'ath ; it shall be burned in fire.53But if the kohen looks, and, behold! the lesion has not spread on the garment, the warp or woof [threads], or any leather article,54the kohen shall order, and they shall wash what the lesion is upon, and he shall quarantine it again for seven days.55Then the kohen shall look [at it] after the lesion has been washed. And, behold! the lesion has not changed in appearance, and the lesion has not spread; it is unclean. You shall burn it in fire. It is a penetrating lesion on the worn or new [article].56But if the kohen looks [at it] after it has been washed, and behold! the lesion has become dimmer, he shall tear it out of the garment, out of the leather, or out of the warp or woof [threads].57And if it appears again on the garment, the warp or woof [threads] or any leather article, it is a recurrent growth [of the lesion]. You shall burn it in fire [the article] upon which the lesion is [found].58But the garment, the warp or woof [threads] or any leather article which is washed, and the lesion disappears from them, shall be immersed a second time, and it shall be clean.59This is the law of a lesion of tzara'ath on a woolen or linen garment, warp or woof threads, or any leather article, to render it clean or unclean.

Friday

Luke 19:41–44 (NLT): Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem

41 But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. 42 “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. 43 Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. 44 They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you.”

Seventh Portion

Numbers Chapter 28

9And on the Sabbath day, two unblemished lambs in the first year, and two tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a meal offering, mixed with oil, and its libation.10[This is] the burnt offering of each Sabbath on its Sabbath, in addition to the continual burnt offering and its libation.11And on the beginning of your months, you shall offer up a burnt offering to the Lord: two young bulls, one ram, and seven lambs in the first year, [all] unblemished.12Three tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a meal offering, mixed with oil for each bull, and two tenths of an ephah of fine flour as a meal offering, mixed with oil for each ram.13And one tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a meal offering for each lamb. A burnt offering with a spirit of satisfaction, a fire offering to the Lord.14And their libations: a half of a hin for each bull, a third of a hin for each ram, and a quarter of a hin for each lamb wine; this is the burnt offering of each new month in its month, throughout the months of the year.15And one young male goat for a sin offering to the Lord; it shall be offered up in addition to the continual burnt offering and its libation.

Saturday

Psalm 125:1–5 (NLT):

1 Those who trust in the Lord are as secure as Mount Zion;

they will not be defeated but will endure forever.

2 Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem,

so the Lord surrounds his people, both now and forever.

3 The wicked will not rule the land of the godly,

for then the godly might be tempted to do wrong.

4 O Lord, do good to those who are good,

whose hearts are in tune with you.

5 But banish those who turn to crooked ways, O Lord.

Take them away with those who do evil.

May Israel have peace!

Maftir Portion

Exodus Chapter 12

1The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,2This month shall be to you the head of the months; to you it shall be the first of the months of the year.3Speak to the entire community of Israel, saying, "On the tenth of this month, let each one take a lamb for each parental home, a lamb for each household.4But if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his neighbor who is nearest to his house shall take [one] according to the number of people, each one according to one's ability to eat, shall you be counted for the lamb.5You shall have a perfect male lamb in its [first] year; you may take it either from the sheep or from the goats.6And you shall keep it for inspection until the fourteenth day of this month, and the entire congregation of the community of Israel shall slaughter it in the afternoon.7And they shall take [some] of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel, on the houses in which they will eat it.8And on this night, they shall eat the flesh, roasted over the fire, and unleavened cakes; with bitter herbs they shall eat it.9You shall not eat it rare or boiled in water, except roasted over the fire its head with its legs and with its innards.10And you shall not leave over any of it until morning, and whatever is left over of it until morning, you shall burn in fire.11And this is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste it is a Passover sacrifice to the Lord.12I will pass through the land of Egypt on this night, and I will smite every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast, and upon all the gods of Egypt will I wreak judgments I, the Lord.13And the blood will be for you for a sign upon the houses where you will be, and I will see the blood and skip over you, and there will be no plague to destroy [you] when I smite the [people of the] land of Egypt.14And this day shall be for you as a memorial, and you shall celebrate it as a festival for the Lord; throughout your generations, you shall celebrate it as an everlasting statute.15For seven days you shall eat unleavened cakes, but on the preceding day you shall clear away all leaven from your houses, for whoever eats leaven from the first day until the seventh day that soul shall be cut off from Israel.16And on the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation; no work may be performed on them, but what is eaten by any soul that alone may be performed for you.17And you shall watch over the unleavened cakes, for on this very day I have taken your legions out of the land of Egypt, and you shall observe this day throughout your generations, [as] an everlasting statute.18In the first [month], on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening, you shall eat unleavened cakes, until the twenty first day of the month in the evening.19For seven days, leavening shall not be found in your houses, for whoever eats leavening that soul shall be cut off from the community of Israel, both among the strangers and the native born of the land.20You shall not eat any leavening; throughout all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened cakes."

Haftarah

Ezekiel Chapter 45

18So says the Lord God: In the first month, on the first of the month, you shall take a young bull without blemish, and you shall purify the sanctuary.19And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin-offering and put it on the doorpost of the House, and on the four corners of the ledge of the altar and on the doorpost of the gate of the Inner Court.20And so shall you do on seven [days] in the month, because of mistaken and simple-minded men, and expiate the House.21In the first, on the fourteenth day of the month, shall you have the Passover, a festival of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.22And the prince shall make on that day for himself and for all the people of Israel a bull for a sin-offering.23On the seven days of the Festival he shall make a burnt-offering to the Lord, seven bulls and seven rams without blemish daily for seven days, and a sin offering, a he-goat daily.24And a meal-offering, he shall make an ephah for a bull and an ephah for a ram, and for each ephah one hin of oil.25In the seventh [month] on the fifteenth day of the month on the Festival, he shall do the same for seven days, a similar sin offering, a similar burnt-offering, a similar meal-offering and similar oil.

Ezekiel Chapter 46

1So says the Lord God: The gate of the Inner Court that faces toward the east shall remain closed the six working days, but on the Sabbath it shall be opened, and on the New Moon it shall be opened.2And the prince shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gate without, and he shall stand at the doorpost of the gate, and the priests shall offer his burnt-offering and his peace-offering, and he shall prostrate himself at the threshold of the gate, and go out, but the gate shall not be closed until the evening.3And the people of the land shall [also] prostrate themselves at the entrance of that gate on the Sabbaths and on the New Moons, before the Lord.4And the burnt- offering which the prince offers to the Lord; On the Sabbath shall be six lambs without blemish and a ram without blemish.5And as a meal- offering: one ephah for the ram; and for the lambs, a meal-offering as he is able to give, and a hin of oil to an ephah.6But on the New Moon; a young bull without blemish, and six lambs and a ram, without blemish are they to be.7And an ephah for the bull and an ephah for the ram he shall bring as a meal-offering, but for the lambs as much as he can afford, and of oil a hin to an ephah.8And whenever the prince goes in, he shall go in by way of the vestibule of the gate, and by the same way shall he go out.9But when the people of the land come before the Lord on the times fixed for meeting, he who enters by way of the north gate to prostrate himself shall go out by way of the south gate, and he that enters by way of the south gate shall go out by way of the north gate; he shall not return by way of the gate whereby he came in, but he shall go out by that which is opposite it.10The prince also [then] enters among them when they go in, and when they go out, they [the prince and the people together] go out.11And on the Festivals and on the times fixed for meeting, the meal-offering shall consist of an ephah for a bull and an ephah for a ram, but for the lambs a gift which is in accordance with his means, and oil, a hin to an ephah.12And when the prince brings a free will-offering, a burnt-offering or a peace- offering as a free will-offering to the Lord, one shall then open for him the gate that faces east, and he shall bring his burnt-offering and his peace-offering as he does on the Sabbath day, and after he has gone out, one shall close the gate.13And a lamb of the first year, without blemish shall you bring as a burnt-offering daily to the Lord, every morning shall you bring it.14And as a meal-offering you shall bring for it every morning a sixth of an ephah and a third of a hin of oil to stir [with] the fine flour; a meal-offering to the Lord, according to the perpetual ordinance.15Thus shall they bring the lamb and the meal-offering and the oil every morning, a continual burnt offering.

Isaiah Chapter 66

1So says the Lord, "The heavens are My throne, and the earth is My footstool; which is the house that you will build for Me, and which is the place of My rest?

Isaiah Chapter 66

23And it shall be from new moon to new moon and from Sabbath to Sabbath, that all flesh shall come to prostrate themselves before Me," says the Lord.24"And they shall go out and see the corpses of the people who rebelled against Me, for their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring for all flesh."

Isaiah Chapter 66

23And it shall be from new moon to new moon and from Sabbath to Sabbath, that all flesh shall come to prostrate themselves before Me," says the Lord.