Weekly Readings

The Lord continued, “Make an altar out of acacia wood. It should be 7½ feet square, and 4½ feet high. 2 Make a horn at each of its four corners. The four horns and the altar must be made out of one piece of wood covered with bronze.

3 “Make all the utensils for it out of bronze: pots for taking away the altar’s ashes, also shovels, bowls, forks, and incense burners.

4 “Make a grate for it out of bronze mesh, and make a bronze ring for each of the four corners of the grate. 5 Put the grate under the ledge of the altar so that it comes halfway up the altar.

6 “Make poles out of acacia wood for the altar, and cover them with bronze. 7 The poles should be put through the rings on both sides of the altar to carry it.

8 “Make the altar out of boards so that it’s hollow inside. It must be made just as you were shown on the mountain.

Brothers and sisters, in view of all we have just shared about God’s compassion, I encourage you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, dedicated to God and pleasing to him. This kind of worship is appropriate for you. 2 Don’t become like the people of this world. Instead, change the way you think. Then you will always be able to determine what God really wants—what is good, pleasing, and perfect.

23 “How horrible it will be for you, experts in Moses’ Teachings and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You give God one-tenth of your mint, dill, and cumin. But you have neglected justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These are the most important things in Moses’ Teachings. You should have done these things without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides! You strain gnats out of your wine, but you swallow camels.