March 6 (Numbers 1; Psalm 61; John 1)

a reading from the book of Numbers.

The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai in the tentative meeting on the first

day of the second month in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt,

saying, take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel by clans, by Father's

houses, according to the number of names every male head by head.

From twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go to war, you and Aaron

shall list them, company by company.

And there shall be with you a man from each tribe, each man being the head of the house

of his fathers.

And these are the names of the men who shall assist you.

From Rubin, a leaser of the son of Shedur, from Simeon, Shalumiel, the son of Zerishadai,

from Judah, not shown the son of Amenadab, from Isaker, Nethanel, the son of Zuer, from

Zebulin, Eliab, the son of Helan, from the sons of Joseph, from Ephraim, Alisha, the

son of Amihud, and from Manasseh, Kamaliel, the son of Pedazur.

From Benjamin, a beedon, the son of Gideoni, from Dan, Ahiezer, the son of Amishadai,

from Asher, Hageel, the son of Okhran, from Gad, Eliesa, the son of Duwail, from Naftalai,

Ahira, the son of Inan.

These were the ones chosen from the congregation, the chiefs of their ancestral tribes, the

heads of the clans of Israel.

Moses and Aaron took these men who had been named, and on the first day of the second month,

they assembled the whole congregation together who registered themselves by clans, by father's

houses, according to the number of names from 20 years old and upward, head by head, as

the Lord commanded Moses.

So he listed them in the wilderness of Sinai.

The people of Rubin, Israel's first born, their generations by their clans by their father's

houses, according to the number of names head by head, every male from 20 years old and

upward, all who were able to go to war.

Those listed of the tribe of Rubin were 46,500.

Of the people of Simeon, their generations by their clans, by their father's houses,

those of them who were listed, according to the number of names, head by head, every male

from 20 years old and upward, all who were able to go to war.

Those listed of the tribe of Simeon were 59,300.

Of the people of Gad, their generations, by their clans, by their father's houses, according

to the number of names from 20 years old and upward, all who were able to go to war,

those listed of the tribe of Gad were 45,650.

Of the people of Judah, their generations by their clans, by their father's houses,

according to the number of names from 20 years old and upward, every male able to go

to war, those listed of the tribe of Judah were 74,600.

Of the people of Issacar, their generations by their clans, by their father's houses,

according to the number of names from 20 years old and upward, every male able to go to

war, those listed of the tribe of Issacar were 54,400.

Of the people of Zebulin, their generations, by their clans, by their father's houses,

according to the number of names from 20 years old and upward, every male able to go

to war, those listed of the tribe of Zebulin were 57,400.

Of the people of Joseph, namely of the people of Ephraim, their generations by their clans,

by their father's houses, according to the number of names from 20 years old and upward,

every male able to go to war, those listed of the tribe of Ephraim were 40,500.

Of the people of Manasseh, their generations by their clans, by their father's houses,

according to the number of names from 20 years old and upward, every male able to go

to war, those listed of the tribe of Manasseh were 32,200.

Of the people of Benjamin, their generations by their clans, by their father's houses,

according to the number of names, from 20 years old and upward, every male able to go

to war, those listed of the tribe of Benjamin were 35,400.

Of the people of Dan, their generations by their clans, by their father's houses,

according to the number of names from 20 years old and upward, every male able to go

to war, those listed of the tribe of Dan were 62,700.

Of the people of Asher, their generations by their clans, by their father's houses,

according to the number of names from 20 years old and upward, every male able to go

to war, those listed of the tribe of Asher were 41,500.

Of the people of Naftali, their generations by their clans, by their father's houses,

according to the number of names, from 20 years old and upward, every male able to go

to war, those listed of the tribe of Naftali were 53,400.

These are those who were listed, whom Moses and Aaron listed with the help of the chiefs

of Israel, 12 men, each representing his father's house.

So all those listed of the people of Israel by their father's houses, from 20 years

old and upward, every man able to go to war in Israel, all those listed were 603,550.

But the Levites were not listed along with them by their ancestral tribe, for the Lord

spoke to Moses saying, only the tribe of Levi, you shall not list, and you shall not take

a census of them among the people of Israel.

But appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings,

and over all that belongs to it, they are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings,

and they shall take care of it, and shall camp around the tabernacle.

When the tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down, and when the tabernacle

is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up, and if any outsider comes near, he shall

be put to death.

The people of Israel shall pitch their tents by their companies, each man in his own camp

and each man by his own standard.

But the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the testimony, so that there may be no

wrath on the congregation of the people of Israel, and the Levites shall keep guard

over the tabernacle of the testimony.

Thus did the people of Israel.

They did, according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, a reading from the Psalms.

To the choir, Master, with strength instruments of David.

Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer, from the end of the earth I call to you when

my heart is faint.

Give me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge a strong tower

against the enemy.

Let me dwell in your tent forever.

Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings.

For you, O God, have heard my vows.

You have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

May his years endure to all generations.

May he be enthroned forever before God, a point steadfast love and faithfulness to watch

over him.

So will I ever sing praises to your name as I perform my vows day after day.

A reading from the gospel, according to John.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God.

All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.

In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God whose name was John.

He came as a witness to bear witness about the light that all might believe through him.

He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made through him.

Yet the world did not know him.

He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children

of God, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of

man, but of God.

And the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of

the only son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John bore witness about him and cried out, this was he of whom I said, he who comes after

me ranks before me, because he was before me.

For from his fullness we have all received grace upon grace.

For the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

No one has ever seen God, God the only son who was at the Father's side, he has made

him known.

And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem

to ask him, who are you?

He confessed and did not deny, but confessed, I am not the Christ.

And they asked him, what then, are you Elijah?

He said, I am not.

Are you the prophet?

And he answered, no.

So they said to him, who are you?

We need to give an answer to those who sent us, what do you say about yourself?

He said, I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, make straight the way of

the Lord, as the prophet Isaiah said.

Now they have been sent from the Pharisees.

They asked him, then why are you baptizing if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah,

nor the prophet?

John answered them, I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not

know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.

These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, behold the Lamb of God, who takes

away the sin of the world.

This is he of whom I said, after me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before

me.

I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might

be revealed to Israel.

And John bore witness, I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained

on him.

I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, he on whom

you see the Spirit descend and remain.

This is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit, and I have seen and have borne witness that

this is the Son of God.

The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus

as he walked by and said, behold the Lamb of God.

The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.

Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, what are you seeking?

They said to him, rabbi, which means teacher, where are you staying?

He said to them, come and you will see.

So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day for it was

about the tenth hour.

One of the two who heard John speak and follow Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, we have found the Messiah, which

means Christ.

We brought him to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said, you are Simon the Son of John.

You shall be called Seethus, which means Peter.

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee.

He found Philip and said to him, follow me.

Now Philip was from Bethesda, the city of Andrew and Peter.

Philip found Nathaniel and said to him, we have found him of whom Moses in the law and

also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph.

Nathaniel said to him, can anything good come out of Nazareth?

Philip said to him, come and see.

Jesus saw Nathaniel coming toward him and said of him, behold, an Israelite indeed in

whom there is no deceit.

Nathaniel said to him, how do you know me?

Jesus answered him, before Philip called you when you were under the fig tree, I saw

you.

Nathaniel answered him, rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel.

Jesus answered him, because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe?

You will see greater things than these.

And he said to him, truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels

of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.