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Narrator/Priest
A reading from the Book of Numbers. These are the generations of Aaron and Moses at the time when the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. These are the names of the sons of Aaron, Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests whom he ordained to serve as priests. But Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord when they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai. And they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of Aaron their father. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, bring the tribe of Levi near and set them before Aaron the priest that they may minister to him. They shall keep guard over him and over the whole congregation before the tent of meeting as they minister at the tabernacle. They shall guard all the furnishings of the tent of meeting and keep guard over the people of Israel as they minister at the tabernacle. And you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons. They are wholly given to him from among the people of Israel. And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall guard their priesthood. But if any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel. Instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the people of Israel, the Levites shall be mine, for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both of man and of beast, they shall be mine. I am the Lord. And the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, list the sons of Levi by fathers houses and by clans. Every male from a month old and upward you shall list. So Moses listed them according to the word of the Lord, as he was commanded. And these were the sons of Levi by their names, Gershon and Koath and Merari. And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their clans, Libnai and Shimei, and the sons of Koath by their clans, Amram, Izar, Hebron and Uzziel, and the sons of Merari by their clans, Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites by their fathers houses. To Gershon belonged the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites. These were the clans of the Gershonites, their listing according to the number of all the males from A month old and upward was 7,500. The clans of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle on the west when Eliasaph the son of Lael, as chief of the Father's house of the Gershonites and the guard duty of the sons of Gershon and the tent of Meeting involve the tabernacle, the tent with its covering, the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting, the hangings of the court, the screen for the door of the court that is around the tabernacle, and the altar and its cords, all the service connected with these. To Kohath belong the clan of the Amoramites and the clan of the Israhites and the clan of the Hebronites and the clan of the Uzialites. These are the clans of the Kohathites according to the number of all the males. From a month old and upward, there were 8,600 keeping guard over the sanctuary. The clans of the sons of Kohath were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle, with Elizaphan the son of Uzziel as chief of the Father's house of the clans of the Kohathites, and their guard duty involved the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which the priests minister, and the screen. All the servers connected with these. And Eliezer, the son of Aaron, the priest, was to be chief over the chiefs of the Levites and to have oversight of those who kept guard over the sanctuary. To Merari belong the clans of the Mawlites and the clan of the Mushites. These are the clans of Morari. Their listing according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward was 6,200. And the chief of the Father's house of the clans of Morari were Zuriel, the son of Abihel. They were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. And the appointed guard duty of the sons of Merari involved the frames of the tabernacle, the bars, the pillars, the bases and all their accessories. All the service connected with these, also the pillars around the court with their bases and pegs and cords. Those who were to camp before the tabernacle on the east, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, were Moses and Aaron and and his sons guarding the sanctuary itself to protect the people of Israel. And any outsider who came near was to be put to death. All those listed among the Levites whom Moses and Aaron listed at the commandment of the Lord, by clans, all the males from a month old and upward were 22,000. And the Lord said to Moses, list all the firstborn males of the people of Israel from a month old and upward, taking the number of their names, and you shall take the Levites for me. I am the Lord, instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the cattle of the people of Israel. So Moses listed all the firstborn among the people of Israel as the Lord commanded him. And all the firstborn males according to the number of names from a month old and upward as listed, were 22,273. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle. The Levites shall be mine. I am the Lord. And as the redemption price for the 273 of the firstborn of the people of Israel, over and above the number of the male Levites, you shall take five shekels per head. You shall take them according to the shekel of the sanctuary, the shekel of 20 gerahs, and give the money to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for those who are over. So Moses took the redemption money from those who were over and above those redeemed by the Levites, from the firstborn of the people of Israel. He took the money, 1,365 shekels by the shekel of the sanctuary. And Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses. A reading from the Book of Psalms. A psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
Reader/Respondent
O God, you are my God. Earnestly I seek you.
Narrator/Priest
My soul thirsts for you.
Reader/Respondent
My flesh faints for you. As in a dry and weary land where there is no water, so I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory, because your steadfast love is better than life. My lips will praise you, so I will bless you as long as I live. In your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food. And my mouth will praise you with joyful lips when I remember you upon my bed and meditate on you in the watches of the night. For you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you. Your right hand upholds me. But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth, they shall be given over to the power of the sword. They shall be apportioned for jackals. But the king shall rejoice in God. All who swear by him shall exult. For the mouths of liars will be stopped.
Narrator/Priest
A reading from the Gospel according to John. Now, there was a man of the
Reader/Respondent
Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him. Jesus answered him, truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said to him, how can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, you must be born again. The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who was born of the Spirit. Nicodemus said to him, how can these things be? Jesus answered him, are you the teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed. In the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment. The light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light. So that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.
Narrator/Priest
After this, Jesus and his disciples went
Reader/Respondent
into the Judean countryside. And he remained there with them and was baptizing. John also was baptizing at Enon, near Salim. Because water was plentiful there and people were coming and being baptized. For John had not yet been put in prison.
Narrator/Priest
Now a discussion arose between some of
Reader/Respondent
John's disciples and a Jew over purification. And they came to John and said to him, rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan. To whom you bore witness, look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him. John answered, a person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness. That I said, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him. The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him. Rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. He bears witness to what he has seen and heard. Yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God. For he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life. But the wrath of God remains on him.
Episode: March 8 – Numbers 3; Psalm 63; John 3
Date: March 8, 2026
This episode continues the journey through the ESV Bible in a year, featuring readings from the Old Testament (Numbers 3), the Psalms (Psalm 63), and the New Testament (John 3). Through these passages, themes of priestly service, earnest longing for God, and the necessity of spiritual rebirth in Christ are revealed. The readings invite listeners into the heart of God’s relationship with His people—through law, worship, longing, and the promise of salvation.
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The episode is rich with reverent language, moving from the solemn order and dedication of the Levites, through the deep personal longing of David, to the intimate and cosmic conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. Each passage urges listeners to consider God’s holy requirements, the joy and security found in Him, and the life-changing reality of Jesus’ invitation to be born of the Spirit and receive eternal life.
The readings—delivered simply and faithfully—center on God’s initiative, His steadfast love, and the necessity of true faith and repentance. John the Baptist's humility caps the episode, calling believers to glorify Christ above all.