Scripture Reading: Leviticus 16 (selected verses)
The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron who died when they approached the Lord. The Lord said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die. For I will appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.
“This is how Aaron is to enter the Most Holy Place: He must first bring a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. He is to put on the sacred garments. From the Israelite community he is to take two male goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.
“Aaron is to offer the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household. Then he is to cast lots for the two goats—one lot for the Lord as a sacrifice and the other for the scapegoat which shall be presented alive before the Lord to be used for making atonement by sending it into the wilderness as a scapegoat.
“Aaron is to slaughter the bull for his own sin offering and with his finger sprinkle the blood on the front of the atonement cover. He shall do the same with goat as a sin offering for the people.
“Then Aaron is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness.
“Then Aaron is to go into the tent of meeting and take off the linen garments and he is to leave them there.
“On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work—whether native-born or a foreigner residing among you—because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you from all your sins. It is a day of sabbath rest, and you must deny yourselves; it is a lasting ordinance.
And it was done, as the Lord commanded Moses.