Exodus 25 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,

"Tell the Israelites to bring me a contribution. Accept my contribution from everyone whose heart moves them to give."

"Here's what you should accept from them: gold, silver, and bronze,"

"blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, fine linen, and goat hair,"

"ram skins dyed red, fine leather, and acacia wood,"

"olive oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense,"

"onyx stones, and other gemstones for setting into the vest and the chest piece."

"Have them build me a sacred space so I can live right among them."

"Build it exactly according to the design I'm going to show you — the design for the residence and everything in it. Follow it precisely."

"Have them build a chest out of acacia wood — about four feet long, two and a half feet wide, and two and a half feet tall."

"Cover it inside and out with pure gold, and put a gold rim around the top edge."

"Cast four gold rings for it and attach them to its four feet — two rings on one side, two on the other."

"Make carrying poles out of acacia wood and cover them with gold."

"Slide the poles through the rings on the sides of the chest so it can be carried."

"The poles must stay in the rings — never remove them."

"Put inside the chest the covenant terms that I'm going to give you."

"Make a cover of pure gold for the chest — four feet long and two and a half feet wide."

"Make two winged figures out of hammered gold and place them at each end of the cover."

"Make one figure at each end — shape the figures and the cover as a single piece."

"The figures should have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover. They should face each other, looking down toward the cover."

"Set the cover on top of the chest, and put the covenant terms I'll give you inside it."

"That's where I'll meet with you. I'll speak with you from above the cover, from between the two winged figures that are on the covenant chest. That's where I'll give you all my instructions for the Israelites."

"Make a table out of acacia wood — three feet long, eighteen inches wide, and two and a quarter feet tall."

"Cover it with pure gold and put a gold rim around it."

"Make a three-inch frame around it and put a gold rim on the frame."

"Make four gold rings for it and attach them at the four corners where the four legs are."

"The rings should be close to the frame to hold the carrying poles for the table."

"Make the carrying poles out of acacia wood and cover them with gold. These are for carrying the table."

"Make its plates, dishes, pitchers, and bowls for pouring out drink offerings. Make them all out of pure gold."

"Always keep the bread of the Presence on the table in front of me."

"Make a lampstand out of pure gold. Hammer it out of a single piece — its base, shaft, cups, buds, and blossoms should all be one piece."

"Six branches should extend from its sides — three on one side and three on the other."

"Each branch should have three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with a bud and a flower. All six branches should be the same."

"On the central shaft of the lampstand, make four cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with buds and flowers."

"Put a bud under each pair of branches where they extend from the shaft — a bud under each of the three pairs of branches."

"The buds, branches, and the whole lampstand should be hammered from a single piece of pure gold."

"Make seven lamps for it and set them up so they light the area in front of it."

"Its wick trimmers and trays should also be made of pure gold."

"Use seventy-five pounds of pure gold for the lampstand and all these accessories."

"Make sure you build everything according to the design you were shown on the mountain."