⁵² The Lord said to Moses, ⁵³ “The land is to be allotted to them as an inheritance based on the number of names.^{(A) 54} To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one; each is to receive its inheritance according to the number^(B) of those listed.^{(C) 55} Be sure that the land is distributed by lot.^(D) What each group inherits will be according to the names for its ancestral tribe. ⁵⁶ Each inheritance is to be distributed by lot among the larger and smaller groups.”

⁵⁷ These were the Levites^(E) who were counted by their clans:

⁶² All the male Levites a month old or more numbered 23,000.^(N) They were not counted^(O) along with the other Israelites because they received no inheritance^(P) among them.^(Q)

⁶³ These are the ones counted^(R) by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they counted the Israelites on the plains of Moab^(S) by the Jordan across from Jericho.^{(T) 64} Not one of them was among those counted^(U) by Moses and Aaron^(V) the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Desert of Sinai. ⁶⁵ For the Lord had told those Israelites they would surely die in the wilderness,^(W) and not one of them was left except Caleb^(X) son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.^(Y)

Zelophehad’s Daughters^(Z)

27 The daughters of Zelophehad^(AA) son of Hepher,^(AB) the son of Gilead,^(AC) the son of Makir,^(AD) the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. They came forward ² and stood before Moses,^(AE) Eleazar the priest, the leaders^(AF) and the whole assembly at the entrance to the tent of meeting^(AG) and said, ³ “Our father died in the wilderness.^(AH) He was not among Korah’s followers, who banded together against the Lord,^(AI) but he died for his own sin and left no sons.^{(AJ) 4} Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father’s relatives.”

⁵ So Moses brought their case^(AK) before the Lord,^{(AL) 6} and the Lord said to him, ⁷ “What Zelophehad’s daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance^(AM) among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them.^(AN)

⁸ “Say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies and leaves no son, give his inheritance to his daughter. ⁹ If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers. ¹⁰ If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. ¹¹ If his father had no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, that he may possess it. This is to have the force of law^(AO) for the Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.’”

Joshua to Succeed Moses

¹² Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain^(AP) in the Abarim Range^(AQ) and see the land^(AR) I have given the Israelites.^{(AS) 13} After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people,^(AT) as your brother Aaron^(AU) was, ¹⁴ for when the community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin,^(AV) both of you disobeyed my command to honor me as holy^(AW) before their eyes.” (These were the waters of Meribah^(AX) Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.)

¹⁵ Moses said to the Lord, ¹⁶ “May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things,^(AY) appoint someone over this community ¹⁷ to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”^(AZ)

¹⁸ So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership,^[b](BA) and lay your hand on him.^{(BB) 19} Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him^(BC) in their presence.^{(BD) 20} Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him.^{(BE) 21} He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring^(BF) of the Urim^(BG) before the Lord. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.”

²² Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. ²³ Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him,^(BH) as the Lord instructed through Moses.

Daily Offerings

28 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Give this command to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Make sure that you present to me at the appointed time^(BI) my food^(BJ) offerings, as an aroma pleasing to me.’^{(BK) 3} Say to them: ‘This is the food offering you are to present to the Lord: two lambs a year old without defect,^(BL) as a regular burnt offering each day.^{(BM) 4} Offer one lamb in the morning and the other at twilight,^{(BN) 5} together with a grain offering^(BO) of a tenth of an ephah^[c] of the finest flour^(BP) mixed with a quarter of a hin^[d] of oil^(BQ) from pressed olives. ⁶ This is the regular burnt offering^(BR) instituted at Mount Sinai^(BS) as a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord.^{(BT) 7} The accompanying drink offering^(BU) is to be a quarter of a hin of fermented drink^(BV) with each lamb. Pour out the drink offering to the Lord at the sanctuary.^{(BW) 8} Offer the second lamb at twilight,^(BX) along with the same kind of grain offering and drink offering that you offer in the morning.^(BY) This is a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.^(BZ)

Sabbath Offerings

⁹ “‘On the Sabbath^(CA) day, make an offering of two lambs a year old without defect,^(CB) together with its drink offering and a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah^[e](CC) of the finest flour mixed with olive oil.^{(CD) 10} This is the burnt offering for every Sabbath,^(CE) in addition to the regular burnt offering^(CF) and its drink offering.

Monthly Offerings

¹¹ “‘On the first of every month,^(CG) present to the Lord a burnt offering of two young bulls,^(CH) one ram^(CI) and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect.^{(CJ) 12} With each bull there is to be a grain offering^(CK) of three-tenths of an ephah^[f](CL) of the finest flour mixed with oil; with the ram, a grain offering of two-tenths^(CM) of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with oil; ¹³ and with each lamb, a grain offering^(CN) of a tenth^(CO) of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with oil. This is for a burnt offering,^(CP) a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord.^{(CQ) 14} With each bull there is to be a drink offering^(CR) of half a hin^[g] of wine; with the ram, a third of a hin^[h]; and with each lamb, a quarter of a hin. This is the monthly burnt offering to be made at each new moon^(CS) during the year. ¹⁵ Besides the regular burnt offering^(CT) with its drink offering, one male goat^(CU) is to be presented to the Lord as a sin offering.^[i](CV)

John the Baptist Prepares the Way^(A)(B)

3 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate^(C) was governor of Judea, Herod^(D) tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— ² during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,^(E) the word of God came to John^(F) son of Zechariah^(G) in the wilderness. ³ He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.^{(H) 4} As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:

⁷ John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers!^(J) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?^{(K) 8} Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’^(L) For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ⁹ The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”^(M)

¹⁰ “What should we do then?”^(N) the crowd asked.

¹¹ John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”^(O)

¹² Even tax collectors came to be baptized.^(P) “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”

¹³ “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,”^(Q) he told them.

¹⁴ Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”

He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely^(R)—be content with your pay.”

¹⁵ The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John^(S) might possibly be the Messiah.^{(T) 16} John answered them all, “I baptize you with^[b] water.^(U) But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with^[c] the Holy Spirit and fire.^{(V) 17} His winnowing fork^(W) is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”^{(X) 18} And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.

¹⁹ But when John rebuked Herod^(Y) the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done, ²⁰ Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.^(Z)

The Baptism and Genealogy of Jesus^(AA)(AB)

²¹ When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying,^(AC) heaven was opened ²² and the Holy Spirit descended on him^(AD) in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son,^(AE) whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”^(AF)