12th Sunday of Matthew

Now indeed even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and an earthly sanctuary. ²For a tabernacle was prepared. In the first part were the lamp stand, the table, and the show bread, which is called the Holy Place. ³After the second veil was the tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, ⁴having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which was a golden pot holding the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; ⁵and above it cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat, of which things we can’t speak now in detail.

⁶Now these things having been thus prepared, the priests go in continually into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the services, ⁷but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offers for himself and for the errors of the people.

Behold, one came to him and said, “Good teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?”

¹⁷He said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

¹⁸He said to him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder.’ ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ‘You shall not steal.’ ‘You shall not offer false testimony.’ ¹⁹‘Honor your father and your mother.’ And, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

²⁰The young man said to him, “All these things I have observed from my youth. What do I still lack?”

²¹Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” ²²But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he was one who had great possessions.

²³Jesus said to his disciples, “Most certainly I say to you, a rich man will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven with difficulty. ²⁴Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.”

²⁵When the disciples heard it, they were exceedingly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”

²⁶Looking at them, Jesus said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”