Leviticus 6:24-30 and Luke 12:54-59 (NLT)

Leviticus 6:24-30
The Sin Offering
24  Then the Lord said to Moses,
25  “Give Aaron and his sons the following instructions regarding the sin offering. The animal given as an offering for sin is a most holy offering, and it must be slaughtered in the Lord’s presence at the place where the burnt offerings are slaughtered.
26  The priest who offers the sacrifice as a sin offering must eat his portion in a sacred place within the courtyard of the Tabernacle.
27  Anyone or anything that touches the sacrificial meat will become holy. If any of the sacrificial blood spatters on a person’s clothing, the soiled garment must be washed in a sacred place.
28  If a clay pot is used to boil the sacrificial meat, it must then be broken. If a bronze pot is used, it must be scoured and thoroughly rinsed with water.
29  Any male from a priest’s family may eat from this offering; it is most holy.
30  But the offering for sin may not be eaten if its blood was brought into the Tabernacle as an offering for purification in the Holy Place. It must be completely burned with fire.

Luke 12:54-59
Interpreting the Times

54  Then Jesus turned to the crowd and said, “When you see clouds beginning to form in the west, you say, ‘Here comes a shower.’ And you are right. 

55  When the south wind blows, you say, ‘Today will be a scorcher.’ And it is. 

56  You fools! You know how to interpret the weather signs of the earth and sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the present times.

57  “Why can’t you decide for yourselves what is right? 

58  When you are on the way to court with your accuser, try to settle the matter before you get there. Otherwise, your accuser may drag you before the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, who will throw you into prison. 

59  And if that happens, you won’t be free again until you have paid the very last penny.”

Leviticus 6:14-23 and Luke 12:49-53 (NIV)

Leviticus 6:14-23
The Grain Offering
14  "These are the regulations for the grain offering:  Aaron's sons are to bring it before the Lord, in front of the altar.
15  The priest is to take a handful of fine flour and oil, together with all the incense on the grain offering, and burn the memorial portion on the altar as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.
16  Aaron and his sons shall eat the rest of it, but it it is to be eaten without yeast in a holy place; they are to eat in the courtyard of the Tent of the Meeting.
17  It must not be baked with yeast; I have given it as their share of the offerings made to me by fire.  Like the sin offering and the guilt offering, it is most holy.
18  Any male descendant of Aaron may eat it.  It is his regular share of the offerings made to the Lord by fire for the generations to come.  Whatever touches them will become holy."
19  The Lord also said to Moses,
20  "This is the offering Aaron and his sons are to bring to the Lord on the day he is anointed:  a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a regular grain offering, half of it in the morning and half in the evening.

Luke 12:49-53
Not Peace But Division

49  “I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning! 

50   I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished. 

51   Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other! 

52   From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against—or two in favor and three against.

53   ‘Father will be divided against son and son against father; mother against daughter and daughter against mother; and mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’”

Leviticus 6:8-13 and Luke 12:35-48 (NLT)

Leviticus 6:8-13
The Burnt Offering
8    Then the Lord said to Moses,
9    “Give Aaron and his sons the following instructions regarding the burnt offering. The burnt offering must be left on top of the altar until the next morning, and the fire on the altar must be kept burning all night.
10   In the morning, after the priest on duty has put on his official linen clothing and linen undergarments, he must clean out the ashes of the burnt offering and put them beside the altar.
11  Then he must take off these garments, change back into his regular clothes, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a place that is ceremonially clean.
12   Meanwhile, the fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must never go out. Each morning the priest will add fresh wood to the fire and arrange the burnt offering on it. He will then burn the fat of the peace offerings on it.
13   Remember, the fire must be kept burning on the altar at all times. It must never go out.

Luke 12:35-48
Watchfulness

35  “Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, 

36  as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. 

37  The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! 

38   He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever he comes, he will reward the servants who are ready.

39   “Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would not permit his house to be broken into. 

40  You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.”

41   Peter asked, “Lord, is that illustration just for us or for everyone?”

42   And the Lord replied, “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. 

43   If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. 

44   I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. 

45   But what if the servant thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk?

46   The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant in pieces and banish him with the unfaithful.

47   “And a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn’t prepared and doesn’t carry out those instructions, will be severely punished. 

48   But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.

Leviticus 6:1-7 and Luke 12:22-34 (NLT)

Leviticus 6:1-7
The Guilt Offering
1    Then the Lord said to Moses,
2    “Suppose one of you sins against your associate and is unfaithful to the Lord. Suppose you cheat in a deal involving a security deposit, or you steal or commit fraud,
3    or you find lost property and lie about it, or you lie while swearing to tell the truth, or you commit any other such sin.
4    If you have sinned in any of these ways, you are guilty. You must give back whatever you stole, or the money you took by extortion, or the security deposit, or the lost property you found,
5    or anything obtained by swearing falsely. You must make restitution by paying the full price plus an additional 20 percent to the person you have harmed. On the same day you must present a guilt offering.
6    As a guilt offering to the Lord, you must bring to the priest your own ram with no defects, or you may buy one of equal value.
7    Through this process, the priest will purify you before the Lord, making you right with him, and you will be forgiven for any of these sins you have committed.”
Luke 12:22-34
Do Not Worry

22  Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. 

23  For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. 

24  Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! 

25  Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 

26  And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?

27  “Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 

28  And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

29  “And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. 

30  These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. 

31  Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.

32  “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.

33  “Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. 

34  Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

Leviticus 5:14-19 and Luke 12:13-21 (NLT)

Leviticus 5:14-19
The Guilt Offering

14  Then the Lord said to Moses, 

15  “If one of you commits a sin by unintentionally defiling the Lord’s sacred property, you must bring a guilt offering to the Lord. The offering must be your own ram with no defects, or you may buy one of equal value with silver, as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel. 

16  You must make restitution for the sacred property you have harmed by paying for the loss, plus an additional 20 percent. When you give the payment to the priest, he will purify you with the ram sacrificed as a guilt offering, making you right with the Lord, and you will be forgiven.

17  “Suppose you sin by violating one of the Lord’s commands. Even if you are unaware of what you have done, you are guilty and will be punished for your sin. 

18  For a guilt offering, you must bring to the priest your own ram with no defects, or you may buy one of equal value. Through this process the priest will purify you from your unintentional sin, making you right with the Lord, and you will be forgiven. 

19  This is a guilt offering, for you have been guilty of an offense against the Lord.”

Luke 12:13-21
The Parable of the Rich Fool

13  Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.”

14  Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?” 

15  Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”

16  Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. 

17  He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ 

18  Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. 

19  And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’

20  “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’

21  “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”

Leviticus 5:1-13 and Luke 12:1-12 (NLT)

Leviticus 5:1-13
Sins Requiring a Sin Offering

1    “If you are called to testify about something you have seen or that you know about, it is sinful to refuse to testify, and you will be punished for your sin.

2    “Or suppose you unknowingly touch something that is ceremonially unclean, such as the carcass of an unclean animal. When you realize what you have done, you must admit your defilement and your guilt. This is true whether it is a wild animal, a domestic animal, or an animal that scurries along the ground.

3    “Or suppose you unknowingly touch something that makes a person unclean. When you realize what you have done, you must admit your guilt.

4    “Or suppose you make a foolish vow of any kind, whether its purpose is for good or for bad. When you realize its foolishness, you must admit your guilt.

5    “When you become aware of your guilt in any of these ways, you must confess your sin. 

6    Then you must bring to the Lord as the penalty for your sin a female from the flock, either a sheep or a goat. This is a sin offering with which the priest will purify you from your sin, making you right with the Lord.

7    “But if you cannot afford to bring a sheep, you may bring to the Lord two turtledoves or two young pigeons as the penalty for your sin. One of the birds will be for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering. 

8    You must bring them to the priest, who will present the first bird as the sin offering. He will wring its neck but without severing its head from the body. 

9    Then he will sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering against the sides of the altar, and the rest of the blood will be drained out at the base of the altar. This is an offering for sin. 

10  The priest will then prepare the second bird as a burnt offering, following all the procedures that have been prescribed. Through this process the priest will purify you from your sin, making you right with the Lord, and you will be forgiven.

11  “If you cannot afford to bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, you may bring two quarts of choice flour for your sin offering. Since it is an offering for sin, you must not moisten it with olive oil or put any frankincense on it. 

12  Take the flour to the priest, who will scoop out a handful as a representative portion. He will burn it on the altar on top of the special gifts presented to the Lord. It is an offering for sin. 

13  Through this process, the priest will purify those who are guilty of any of these sins, making them right with the Lord, and they will be forgiven. The rest of the flour will belong to the priest, just as with the grain offering.”

Luke 12:1-12
Warnings and Encouragements

1    Meanwhile, the crowds grew until thousands were milling about and stepping on each other. Jesus turned first to his disciples and warned them, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees—their hypocrisy. 

2    The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. 

3    Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear!

4    “Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that. 

5    But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear.

6    “What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. 

7    And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

8    “I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels. 

9    But anyone who denies me here on earth will be denied before God’s angels. 

10  Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

11  “And when you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how to defend yourself or what to say, 

12   for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said.”

Leviticus 4:22-35 and Luke 11:37-54 (NLT)

Leviticus 4:22-35
The Sin of Offering (continued)

22  “If one of Israel’s leaders sins by violating one of the commands of the Lord his God but doesn’t realize it, he is still guilty.
23  When he becomes aware of his sin, he must bring as his offering a male goat with no defects.
24  He must lay his hand on the goat’s head and slaughter it at the place where burnt offerings are slaughtered before the Lord. This is an offering for his sin.
25  Then the priest will dip his finger in the blood of the sin offering and put it on the horns of the altar for burnt offerings. He will pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.
26  Then he must burn all the goat’s fat on the altar, just as he does with the peace offering. Through this process, the priest will purify the leader from his sin, making him right with the Lord, and he will be forgiven.
27  “If any of the common people sin by violating one of the Lord’s commands, but they don’t realize it, they are still guilty.
28  When they become aware of their sin, they must bring as an offering for their sin a female goat with no defects.
29  They must lay a hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place where burnt offerings are slaughtered.
30  Then the priest will dip his finger in the blood and put it on the horns of the altar for burnt offerings. He will pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.
31  Then he must remove all the goat’s fat, just as he does with the fat of the peace offering. He will burn the fat on the altar, and it will be a pleasing aroma to the Lord. Through this process, the priest will purify the people, making them right with the Lord, and they will be forgiven.
32  “If the people bring a sheep as their sin offering, it must be a female with no defects.
33  They must lay a hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place where burnt offerings are slaughtered.
34  Then the priest will dip his finger in the blood of the sin offering and put it on the horns of the altar for burnt offerings. He will pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.
35  Then he must remove all the sheep’s fat, just as he does with the fat of a sheep presented as a peace offering. He will burn the fat on the altar on top of the special gifts presented to the Lord. Through this process, the priest will purify the people from their sin, making them right with the Lord, and they will be forgiven.


Luke 11:37-54
Jesus Criticizes the Religious Leaders

37  As Jesus was speaking, one of the Pharisees invited him home for a meal. So he went in and took his place at the table. 
38  His host was amazed to see that he sat down to eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony required by Jewish custom.
39  Then the Lord said to him, “You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and wickedness! 
40  Fools! Didn’t God make the inside as well as the outside? 
41  So clean the inside by giving gifts to the poor, and you will be clean all over.
42  “What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.
43  “What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you love to sit in the seats of honor in the synagogues and receive respectful greetings as you walk in the marketplaces. 
44  Yes, what sorrow awaits you! For you are like hidden graves in a field. People walk over them without knowing the corruption they are stepping on.”
45  “Teacher,” said an expert in religious law, “you have insulted us, too, in what you just said.”
46  “Yes,” said Jesus, “what sorrow also awaits you experts in religious law! For you crush people with unbearable religious demands, and you never lift a finger to ease the burden. 
47  What sorrow awaits you! For you build monuments for the prophets your own ancestors killed long ago.
48  But in fact, you stand as witnesses who agree with what your ancestors did. They killed the prophets, and you join in their crime by building the monuments! 
49  This is what God in his wisdom said about you:  ‘I will send prophets and apostles to them, but they will kill some and persecute the others.’
50  “As a result, this generation will be held responsible for the murder of all God’s prophets from the creation of the world— 
51  from the murder of Abel to the murder of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, it will certainly be charged against this generation.
52  “What sorrow awaits you experts in religious law! For you remove the key to knowledge from the people. You don’t enter the Kingdom yourselves, and you prevent others from entering.”
53  As Jesus was leaving, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees became hostile and tried to provoke him with many questions.
54  They wanted to trap him into saying something they could use against him.

Leviticus 4:1-21 and Luke 11:33-36 (NLT)

Leviticus 4:1-21
The Sin Offering

1    Then the Lord said to Moses, 

2    “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. This is how you are to deal with those who sin unintentionally by doing anything that violates one of the Lord’s commands.

3    “If the high priest sins, bringing guilt upon the entire community, he must give a sin offering for the sin he has committed. He must present to the Lord a young bull with no defects. 

4    He must bring the bull to the Lord at the entrance of the Tabernacle, lay his hand on the bull’s head, and slaughter it before the Lord. 

5    The high priest will then take some of the bull’s blood into the Tabernacle, 

6    dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the Lord in front of the inner curtain of the sanctuary. 

7    The priest will then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar for fragrant incense that stands in the Lord’s presence inside the Tabernacle. He will pour out the rest of the bull’s blood at the base of the altar for burnt offerings at the entrance of the Tabernacle. 

8   Then the priest must remove all the fat of the bull to be offered as a sin offering. This includes all the fat around the internal organs, 

9    the two kidneys and the fat around them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver. He must remove these along with the kidneys, 

10  just as he does with cattle offered as a peace offering, and burn them on the altar of burnt offerings. 

11  But he must take whatever is left of the bull—its hide, meat, head, legs, internal organs, and dung— 

12  and carry it away to a place outside the camp that is ceremonially clean, the place where the ashes are dumped. There, on the ash heap, he will burn it on a wood fire.

13  “If the entire Israelite community sins by violating one of the Lord’s commands, but the people don’t realize it, they are still guilty. 

14  When they become aware of their sin, the people must bring a young bull as an offering for their sin and present it before the Tabernacle. 

15  The elders of the community must then lay their hands on the bull’s head and slaughter it before the Lord. 

16  The high priest will then take some of the bull’s blood into the Tabernacle, 

17  dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the Lord in front of the inner curtain. 

18  He will then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar for fragrant incense that stands in the Lord’s presence inside the Tabernacle. He will pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar for burnt offerings at the entrance of the Tabernacle. 

19  Then the priest must remove all the animal’s fat and burn it on the altar, 

20  just as he does with the bull offered as a sin offering for the high priest. Through this process, the priest will purify the people, making them right with the Lord, and they will be forgiven. 

21  Then the priest must take what is left of the bull and carry it outside the camp and burn it there, just as is done with the sin offering for the high priest. This offering is for the sin of the entire congregation of Israel.

Luke 11:33-36
The Lamp of the Body

33  “No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house.

34  “Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is bad, your body is filled with darkness. 
35  Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness. 
36  If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light.”

Leviticus 3:1-17 and Luke 11:29-32 (NLT)

Leviticus 3:1-17
the Fellowship Offering

1    “If you present an animal from the herd as a peace offering to the Lord, it may be a male or a female, but it must have no defects. 

2    Lay your hand on the animal’s head, and slaughter it at the entrance of the Tabernacle. Then Aaron’s sons, the priests, will splatter its blood against all sides of the altar. 

3    The priest must present part of this peace offering as a special gift to the Lord. This includes all the fat around the internal organs, 

4    the two kidneys and the fat around them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver. These must be removed with the kidneys, 

5    and Aaron’s sons will burn them on top of the burnt offering on the wood burning on the altar. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

6    “If you present an animal from the flock as a peace offering to the Lord, it may be a male or a female, but it must have no defects. 

7    If you present a sheep as your offering, bring it to the Lord, 

8    lay your hand on its head, and slaughter it in front of the Tabernacle. Aaron’s sons will then splatter the sheep’s blood against all sides of the altar. 

9    The priest must present the fat of this peace offering as a special gift to the Lord. This includes the fat of the broad tail cut off near the backbone, all the fat around the internal organs, 

10  the two kidneys and the fat around them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver. These must be removed with the kidneys, 

11  and the priest will burn them on the altar. It is a special gift of food presented to the Lord.

12  “If you present a goat as your offering, bring it to the Lord, 

13  lay your hand on its head, and slaughter it in front of the Tabernacle. Aaron’s sons will then splatter the goat’s blood against all sides of the altar. 

14  The priest must present part of this offering as a special gift to the Lord. This includes all the fat around the internal organs, 

15  the two kidneys and the fat around them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver. These must be removed with the kidneys, 

16  and the priest will burn them on the altar. It is a special gift of food, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. All the fat belongs to the Lord.

17  “You must never eat any fat or blood. This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation, wherever you live.”

Luke 11:29-32
The Sign of Jonah

29  As the crowd pressed in on Jesus, he said, “This evil generation keeps asking me to show them a miraculous sign. But the only sign I will give them is the sign of Jonah. 

30  What happened to him was a sign to the people of Nineveh that God had sent him. What happens to the Son of Man will be a sign to these people that he was sent by God.

31  “The queen of Sheba will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here—but you refuse to listen. 

32  The people of Nineveh will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here—but you refuse to repent.

Leviticus 2:1-16 and Luke 11:14-28 (NLT)

Leviticus 2:1-16
The Grain Offering

1    “When you present grain as an offering to the Lord, the offering must consist of choice flour. You are to pour olive oil on it, sprinkle it with frankincense, 

2    and bring it to Aaron’s sons, the priests. The priest will scoop out a handful of the flour moistened with oil, together with all the frankincense, and burn this representative portion on the altar. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 

3    The rest of the grain offering will then be given to Aaron and his sons. This offering will be considered a most holy part of the special gifts presented to the Lord.

4    “If your offering is a grain offering baked in an oven, it must be made of choice flour, but without any yeast. It may be presented in the form of thin cakes mixed with olive oil or wafers spread with olive oil. 

5    If your grain offering is cooked on a griddle, it must be made of choice flour mixed with olive oil but without any yeast. 

6    Break it in pieces and pour olive oil on it; it is a grain offering. 

7    If your grain offering is prepared in a pan, it must be made of choice flour and olive oil.

8    “No matter how a grain offering for the Lord has been prepared, bring it to the priest, who will present it at the altar. 

9    The priest will take a representative portion of the grain offering and burn it on the altar. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 

10  The rest of the grain offering will then be given to Aaron and his sons as their food. This offering will be considered a most holy part of the special gifts presented to the Lord.

11  “Do not use yeast in preparing any of the grain offerings you present to the Lord, because no yeast or honey may be burned as a special gift presented to the Lord. 

12  You may add yeast and honey to an offering of the first crops of your harvest, but these must never be offered on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 

13  Season all your grain offerings with salt to remind you of God’s eternal covenant. Never forget to add salt to your grain offerings.

14  “If you present a grain offering to the Lord from the first portion of your harvest, bring fresh grain that is coarsely ground and roasted on a fire. 

15  Put olive oil on this grain offering, and sprinkle it with frankincense. 

16  The priest will take a representative portion of the grain moistened with oil, together with all the frankincense, and burn it as a special gift presented to the Lord.

Luke 11:14-28
Jesus and Beelzebub

14  One day Jesus cast out a demon from a man who couldn’t speak, and when the demon was gone, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed, 

15  but some of them said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.” 

16  Others, trying to test Jesus, demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.

17  He knew their thoughts, so he said, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A family splintered by feuding will fall apart. 

18  You say I am empowered by Satan. But if Satan is divided and fighting against himself, how can his kingdom survive? 

19  And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said. 

20  But if I am casting out demons by the power of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. 

21  For when a strong man like Satan is fully armed and guards his palace, his possessions are safe— 

22  until someone even stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings.

23  “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.

24  “When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, searching for rest. But when it finds none, it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ 

25  So it returns and finds that its former home is all swept and in order. 

26  Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before.”

27  As he was speaking, a woman in the crowd called out, “God bless your mother—the womb from which you came, and the breasts that nursed you!”

28  Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.”

Leviticus 1:1-17 and Luke 11:1-13 (NLT)

Leviticus 1:1-17
The Burnt Offering

1    The Lord called to Moses from the Tabernacle and said to him, 

2    “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. When you present an animal as an offering to the Lord, you may take it from your herd of cattle or your flock of sheep and goats.

3    “If the animal you present as a burnt offering is from the herd, it must be a male with no defects. Bring it to the entrance of the Tabernacle so you may be accepted by the Lord. 

4    Lay your hand on the animal’s head, and the Lord will accept its death in your place to purify you, making you right with him. 

5    Then slaughter the young bull in the Lord’s presence, and Aaron’s sons, the priests, will present the animal’s blood by splattering it against all sides of the altar that stands at the entrance to the Tabernacle. 

6    Then skin the animal and cut it into pieces. 

7    The sons of Aaron the priest will build a wood fire on the altar. 

8    They will arrange the pieces of the offering, including the head and fat, on the wood burning on the altar. 

9    But the internal organs and the legs must first be washed with water. Then the priest will burn the entire sacrifice on the altar as a burnt offering. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

10  “If the animal you present as a burnt offering is from the flock, it may be either a sheep or a goat, but it must be a male with no defects. 

11  Slaughter the animal on the north side of the altar in the Lord’s presence, and Aaron’s sons, the priests, will splatter its blood against all sides of the altar. 

12  Then cut the animal in pieces, and the priests will arrange the pieces of the offering, including the head and fat, on the wood burning on the altar. 

13  But the internal organs and the legs must first be washed with water. Then the priest will burn the entire sacrifice on the altar as a burnt offering. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

14  “If you present a bird as a burnt offering to the Lord, choose either a turtledove or a young pigeon. 

15  The priest will take the bird to the altar, wring off its head, and burn it on the altar. But first he must drain its blood against the side of the altar. 

16  The priest must also remove the crop and the feathers and throw them in the ashes on the east side of the altar. 

17  Then, grasping the bird by its wings, the priest will tear the bird open, but without tearing it apart. Then he will burn it as a burnt offering on the wood burning on the altar. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

Luke 11:1-13
Jesus Teaching On Prayer

1    Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

2    Jesus said, “This is how you should pray:  “Father, may your name be kept holy.  May your Kingdom come soon.

3    Give us each day the food we need,

4    and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.  And don’t let us yield to temptation.”

5    Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, 

6    ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ 

7    And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ 

8    But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.

9    “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 

10  For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

11  “You fathers—if your children ask^]for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 

12  Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 

13  So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”