
Loading summary
A
A reading from the book of Nehemiah. The words of Nehemiah the son of Hakaliah. Now, it happened in the month of Kislev, in the 20th year, as I was in Susa, the citadel, that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said to me, the remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are destroyed by fire. As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days. And I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. And I said, o Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments. Let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel, your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against. You even I and my father's house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. Remember the word that you commanded, your servant Moses, saying, if you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples. But if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen to make my name dwell there. They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand, O Lord. Let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant and and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name. And give success to your servant today and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. Now I was cupbearer to the king. A reading from the Book of Psalms.
B
Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous Praise befits the upright. Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre. Make melody to him with a harp of ten strings, Sing to him a new song. Play skillfully on the strings with loud shouts. For the word of the Lord is upright and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice. The earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord. By the word of the Lord, the heavens were Made and by the breath of his mouth all their hosts. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap. He puts the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord. Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spoke and it came to be. He commanded and it stood firm. The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing. He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever the plans of his heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage. The Lord looks down from heaven. He sees all the children of man from where he sits enthroned. He looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth. He who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds. The king is not saved by his great army. A warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord. He is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.
A
A reading of the Gospel according to Mark.
B
And he began to speak to them in parables. A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower and leased it to tenants and went into another country. When the season came, he. He sent a servant to the tenants to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty handed. Again he sent to them another servant. And they struck him on the head and treated him shamefully. And he sent another. And him they killed. And so with many others. Some they beat and some they killed. He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying they will respect my son. But those tenants said to one another, this is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours. And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this scripture? The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. And they were seeking to arrest him, but feared the people, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them. So they left him and went away. And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians to trap him in his talk. And they came and said to him, teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. But truly, teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them, or should we not? But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it. And they brought one. And he said to them, whose likeness and inscription is this? They said to him, caesar's. Jesus said to them, render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marveled at him. And Sadducees came to him, who say.
A
That there is no resurrection.
B
And they asked him a question, saying, teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. There were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and when he died, left no offspring. And the second took her and died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. And the seven left no offspring. Last of all, the woman also died. In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife. Jesus said to them, is this not the reason you are wrong? Because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God. For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong. And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, which commandment is the most important of all? Jesus answered, the most important is here, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these. And the Scribe said to him, you are right, teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that, he answered wisely, he said to him, you are not far from the kingdom of God. And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions. And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, how can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? David himself in the Holy Spirit declared, the Lord said to my lord, sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet. David himself calls him Lord, so how is he his son? And the great throng heard him gladly. And in his teaching he said, beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces, and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows, houses, and for pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation. And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box, for they all contributed out of their abundance. But she, out of her poverty, has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.
Podcast Summary: Through the ESV Bible in a Year with Jackie Hill Perry Episode: August 6, 2025 Scripture Readings: Nehemiah 1; Psalm 33; Mark 12
Introduction
In the August 6th episode of "Through the ESV Bible in a Year with Jackie Hill Perry," hosted by Crossway, listeners are guided through a day’s worth of scripture readings from the Old Testament, Psalms, and the New Testament. This episode features readings from Nehemiah 1, Psalm 33, and Mark 12, providing a comprehensive exploration of faith, leadership, worship, and the teachings of Jesus.
Nehemiah 1: A Plea for Restoration
The episode opens with a poignant reading from Nehemiah 1, narrated by Speaker A starting at [00:01]. This passage introduces Nehemiah’s heartfelt response to the dire state of Jerusalem’s walls, reflecting themes of leadership, repentance, and divine intervention.
Speaker A [00:01]: "As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days. And I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven."
Nehemiah's deep sorrow and commitment to prayer underscore his dedication to restoring Jerusalem. His confession of the people's sins and plea for God's mercy highlight the importance of humility and reliance on divine guidance in the face of adversity.
Speaker A [01:30]: "Confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against... Remember the word that you commanded, your servant Moses..."
Nehemiah’s reference to Moses emphasizes the continuity of God’s covenant and the importance of obedience to His commandments as a foundation for communal restoration.
Psalm 33: A Psalm of Trust and Praise
Transitioning to Psalm 33, Speaker B takes over at [02:01], offering a vibrant declaration of trust in God and a call to worship. This psalm celebrates God’s sovereignty, creativity, and faithfulness, encouraging believers to find joy and security in His steadfast love.
Speaker B [02:10]: "Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous. Praise befits the upright."
The psalmist invites the faithful to express their gratitude through music and song, acknowledging God’s role in creation and His unwavering commitment to His people.
Speaker B [02:50]: "By the word of the Lord, the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host."
This verse underscores the power of God's word in bringing the universe into existence, reinforcing the theme of divine authority and purposeful creation.
Additionally, Psalm 33 addresses the futility of earthly power compared to God's ultimate control, offering comfort and assurance to believers facing uncertainty.
Speaker B [04:20]: "The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue."
By contrasting human strength with divine providence, the psalmist emphasizes trust in God over reliance on temporal means.
Mark 12: Parables and Teachings of Jesus
The episode culminates with an in-depth reading of Mark 12, delivered by Speaker A at [03:43] and continued by Speaker B. This chapter presents several significant teachings and parables of Jesus, addressing themes of stewardship, resurrection, the greatest commandments, and genuine devotion.
The Parable of the Tenants
Speaker B [03:50]: "A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower and leased it to tenants and went into another country."
This parable illustrates the rejection of God's messengers and ultimately His Son, emphasizing the consequences of unfaithfulness and the transfer of God’s blessings to others.
Render unto Caesar
Speaker B [04:45]: "Jesus said to them, 'Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.'"
This statement highlights Jesus' teaching on the distinction between secular and divine obligations, advocating for responsible citizenship while maintaining ultimate allegiance to God.
The Question on Resurrection
Speaker B [05:37]: "Jesus said to them, 'Is this not the reason you are wrong? Because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God.'"
Addressing skepticism about the resurrection, Jesus affirms life after death and the enduring relationship between God and the patriarchs, reinforcing the reality of eternal life.
The Greatest Commandment
Speaker B [07:15]: "Jesus answered, 'The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'"
Here, Jesus distills the essence of the Law into the command to wholly love God and one's neighbor, establishing a foundation for ethical and spiritual living.
The Widow’s Offering
Speaker B [09:20]: "Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box, for they all contributed out of their abundance. But she, out of her poverty, has put in everything she had, all she had to live on."
This narrative highlights the value of sacrificial giving and the heart behind worship, teaching that true generosity is measured not by the amount given but by the devotion of the giver.
Conclusion
The August 6th episode of "Through the ESV Bible in a Year with Jackie Hill Perry" offers a rich tapestry of scripture, weaving together stories of leadership and repentance in Nehemiah, the majesty and faithfulness of God in Psalm 33, and profound teachings of Jesus in Mark 12. Through these readings, listeners are encouraged to reflect on their own faith, trust in God's plans, and the importance of wholehearted devotion to both God and their neighbors.