Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹That same day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting beside the sea [of Galilee].

²But such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat there [positioning Himself as a teacher], while the whole crowd stood on the shore.

³He told them many things in parables, saying, "Listen carefully: a sower went out to sow [seed in his field];

⁴and as he sowed, some seed fell beside the road [between the fields], and the birds came and ate it.

⁵Other seed fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil; and at once they sprang up because they had no depth of soil.

⁶But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

⁷Other seed fell among thorns, and thorns came up and choked them out.

⁸Other seed fell on good soil and yielded grain, some a hundred times as much [as was sown], some sixty [times as much], and some thirty.

⁹He who has ears [to hear], let him hear and heed My words."

¹⁰Then the disciples came to Him and asked, "Why do You speak to the crowds in parables?"

¹¹Jesus replied to them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.

¹²For whoever has [spiritual wisdom because he is receptive to God's word], to him more will be given, and he will be richly and abundantly supplied; but whoever does not have [spiritual wisdom because he has devalued God's word], even what he has will be taken away from him.

¹³This is the reason I speak to the crowds in parables: because while [having the power of] seeing they do not see, and while [having the power of] hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand and grasp [spiritual things].

¹⁴In them the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, 'You will hear and keep on hearing, but never understand; And you will look and keep on looking, but never comprehend;

¹⁵For this nation's heart has grown hard, And with their ears they hardly hear, And they have [tightly] closed their eyes, Otherwise they would see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, and turn [to Me] And I would heal them [spiritually].'

¹⁶But blessed [spiritually aware, and favored by God] are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.

¹⁷I assure you and most solemnly say to you, many prophets and righteous men [who were honorable and in right standing with God] longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

¹⁸"Listen then to the [meaning of the] parable of the sower:

¹⁹When anyone hears the word of the kingdom [regarding salvation] and does not understand and grasp it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road.

²⁰The one on whom seed was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and at once welcomes it with joy;

²¹yet he has no [substantial] root in himself, but is only temporary, and when pressure or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he stumbles and falls away [abandoning the One who is the source of salvation].

²²And the one on whom seed was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the worries and distractions of the world and the deceitfulness [the superficial pleasures and delight] of riches choke the word, and it yields no fruit.

²³And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands and grasps it; he indeed bears fruit and yields, some a hundred times [as much as was sown], some sixty [times as much], and some thirty."

²⁴Jesus gave them another parable [to consider], saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.

²⁵But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds [resembling wheat] among the wheat, and went away.

²⁶So when the plants sprouted and formed grain, the weeds appeared also.

²⁷The servants of the owner came to him and said, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then how does it have weeds in it?'

²⁸He replied to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants asked him, 'Then do you want us to go and pull them out?'

²⁹But he said, 'No; because as you pull out the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them.

³⁰Let them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, "First gather the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; but gather the wheat into my barn."'"

³¹He gave them another parable [to consider], saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field;

³²and of all the seeds [planted in the region] it is the smallest, but when it has grown it is the largest of the garden herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air find shelter in its branches."

³³He told them another parable, "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and worked into three measures of flour until all of it was leavened."

³⁴All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables, and He said nothing to them without [using] a parable.

³⁵This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: "I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things [unknown and unattainable] that have been hidden [from mankind] since the foundation of the world."

³⁶Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him saying, "Explain [clearly] to us the parable of the weeds in the field."

³⁷He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man,

³⁸and the field is the world; and [as for] the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the weeds are the sons of the evil one;

³⁹and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels.

⁴⁰So just as the weeds are gathered up and burned in the fire, so will it be at the end of the age.

⁴¹The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend [those things by which people are led into sin], and all who practice evil [leading others into sin],

⁴²and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping [over sorrow and pain] and grinding of teeth [over distress and anger].

⁴³Then the righteous [those who seek the will of God] will shine forth [radiating the new life] like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears [to hear], let him hear and heed My words.

⁴⁴"The kingdom of heaven is like a [very precious] treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again; then in his joy he goes and sells all he has and buys that field [securing the treasure for himself].

⁴⁵"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls,

⁴⁶and upon finding a single pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

⁴⁷"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet which was lowered into the sea, and gathered fish of every kind,

⁴⁸and when it was full, they dragged it up on the beach; and they sat down and sorted out the good fish into baskets, but the worthless ones they threw away.

⁴⁹So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous

⁵⁰and throw the wicked into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping [over sorrow and pain] and grinding of teeth [over distress and anger].

⁵¹"Have you understood all these things [in the lessons of the parables]?" They said to Jesus, "Yes."

⁵²He said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things that are new and fresh and things that are old and familiar."

⁵³When Jesus had finished these parables, He left there.

⁵⁴And after coming to [Nazareth] His hometown, He began teaching them in their synagogue, and they were astonished, and said, "Where did this Man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers [what is the source of His authority]?

⁵⁵Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And are not His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?

⁵⁶And His sisters, are they not [living here] among us? Where then did this Man get all this [wisdom and power]?"

⁵⁷And they took offense at Him [refusing to believe in Him]. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household."

⁵⁸And He did not do many miracles there [in Nazareth] because of their unbelief.

¹Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

²"Speak to the children of Israel, saying, 'If a woman conceives and gives birth to a male child, she shall be [ceremonially] unclean for seven days, unclean as during her monthly period.

³On the eighth day the flesh of the male child's foreskin shall be circumcised.

⁴Then she shall remain [intimately separated] thirty-three days to be purified from the blood; she shall not touch any consecrated thing nor enter the [courtyard of the] sanctuary until the days of her purification are over.

⁵But if she gives birth to a female child, then she shall be unclean for two weeks, as during her monthly period, and she shall remain [intimately separated] sixty-six days to be purified from the blood.

⁶'When the days of her purification are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting a one year old lamb as a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin offering;

⁷and he shall offer it before the LORD and make atonement for her, and she shall be cleansed from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who gives birth to a child, whether a male or a female child.

⁸If she cannot afford a lamb then she shall take two turtledoves or young pigeons, one as a burnt offering, the other as a sin offering; the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.'"

¹Now about food sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge [concerning this]. Knowledge [alone] makes [people self-righteously] arrogant, but love [that unselfishly seeks the best for others] builds up and encourages others to grow [in wisdom].

²If anyone imagines that he knows and understands anything [of divine matters, without love], he has not yet known as he ought to know.

³But if anyone loves God [with awe-filled reverence, obedience and gratitude], he is known by Him [as His very own and is greatly loved].

⁴In this matter, then, of eating food offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world [it has no real existence], and that there is no God but one.

⁵For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords,

⁶yet for us there is but one God, the Father, who is the source of all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things [that have been created], and we [believers exist and have life and have been redeemed] through Him.

⁷However, not all [believers] have this knowledge. But some, being accustomed [throughout their lives] to [thinking of] the idol until now [as real and living], still eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and because their conscience is weak, it is defiled (guilty, ashamed).

⁸Now food will not commend us to God nor bring us close to Him; we are no worse off if we do not eat, nor are we better if we do eat.

⁹Only be careful that this liberty of yours [this power to choose] does not somehow become a stumbling block [that is, a temptation to sin] to the weak [in conscience].

¹⁰For if someone sees you, a person having knowledge, eating in an idol's temple, then if he is weak, will he not be encouraged to eat things sacrificed to idols [and violate his own convictions]?

¹¹For through your knowledge (spiritual maturity) this weak man is ruined [that is, he suffers in his spiritual life], the brother for whom Christ died.

¹²And when you sin against the brothers and sisters in this way and wound their weak conscience [by confusing them], you sin against Christ.

¹³Therefore, if [my eating a certain] food causes my brother to stumble (sin), I will not eat [such] meat ever again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.

¹My little children (believers, dear ones), I am writing you these things so that you will not sin and violate God's law. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate [who will intercede for us] with the Father: Jesus Christ the righteous [the upright, the just One, who conforms to the Father's will in every way—purpose, thought, and action].

²And He [that same Jesus] is the propitiation for our sins [the atoning sacrifice that holds back the wrath of God that would otherwise be directed at us because of our sinful nature—our worldliness, our lifestyle]; and not for ours alone, but also for [the sins of all believers throughout] the whole world.

³And this is how we know [daily, by experience] that we have come to know Him [to understand Him and be more deeply acquainted with Him]: if we habitually keep [focused on His precepts and obey] His commandments (teachings).

⁴Whoever says, "I have come to know Him," but does not habitually keep [focused on His precepts and obey] His commandments (teachings), is a liar, and the truth [of the divine word] is not in him.

⁵But whoever habitually keeps His word and obeys His precepts [and treasures His message in its entirety], in him the love of God has truly been perfected [it is completed and has reached maturity]. By this we know [for certain] that we are in Him:

⁶whoever says he lives in Christ [that is, whoever says he has accepted Him as God and Savior] ought [as a moral obligation] to walk and conduct himself just as He walked and conducted Himself.

⁷Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the message which you have heard [before from us].

⁸On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true and realized in Christ and in you, because the darkness [of moral blindness] is clearing away and the true Light [the revelation of God in Christ] is already shining.

⁹The one who says he is in the Light [in consistent fellowship with Christ] and yethabitually hates (works against) his brother [in Christ] is in the darkness until now.

¹⁰The one who loves and unselfishly seeks the best for his [believing] brother lives in the Light, and in him there is no occasion for stumbling or offense [he does not hurt the cause of Christ or lead others to sin].

¹¹But the one who habitually hates (works against) his brother [in Christ] is in [spiritual] darkness and is walking in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

¹²I am writing to you, little children (believers, dear ones), because your sins have been forgiven for His name's sake [you have been pardoned and released from spiritual debt through His name because you have confessed His name, believing in Him as Savior].

¹³I am writing to you, fathers [those believers who are spiritually mature], because you know Him who has existed from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men [those believers who are growing in spiritual maturity], because you have been victorious and have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children [those who are new believers, those spiritually immature], because you have come to know the Father.

¹⁴I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has existed from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong and vigorous, and the word of God remains [always] in you, and you have been victorious over the evil one [by accepting Jesus as Savior].

¹⁵Do not love the world [of sin that opposes God and His precepts], nor the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

¹⁶For all that is in the world—the lust and sensual craving of the flesh and the lust and longing of the eyes and the boastful pride of life [pretentious confidence in one's resources or in the stability of earthly things]—these do not come from the Father, but are from the world.

¹⁷The world is passing away, and with it its lusts [the shameful pursuits and ungodly longings]; but the one who does the will of God and carries out His purposes lives forever.

¹⁸Children, it is the last hour [the end of this age]; and just as you heard that the antichrist is coming [the one who will oppose Christ and attempt to replace Him], even now many antichrists (false teachers) have appeared, which confirms our belief that it is the last hour.

¹⁹They went out from us [seeming at first to be Christians], but they were not really of us [because they were not truly born again and spiritually transformed]; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out [teaching false doctrine], so that it would be clearly shown that none of them are of us.

²⁰But you have an anointing from the Holy One [you have been set apart, specially gifted and prepared by the Holy Spirit], and all of you know [the truth because He teaches us, illuminates our minds, and guards us from error].

²¹I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie [nothing false, no deception] is of the truth.

²²Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed)? This is the antichrist [the enemy and antagonist of Christ], the one who denies and consistently refuses to acknowledge the Father and the Son.

²³Whoever denies and repudiates the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses and acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

²⁴As for you, let that remain in you [keeping in your hearts that message of salvation] which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you too will remain in the Son and in the Father [forever].

²⁵This is the promise which He Himself promised us—eternal life.

²⁶These things I have written to you with reference to those who are trying to deceive you [seducing you and leading you away from the truth and sound doctrine].

²⁷As for you, the anointing [the special gift, the preparation] which you received from Him remains [permanently] in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you. But just as His anointing teaches you [giving you insight through the presence of the Holy Spirit] about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as His anointing has taught you, you must remain in Him [being rooted in Him, knit to Him].

²⁸Now, little children (believers, dear ones), remain in Him [with unwavering faith], so that when He appears [at His return], we may have [perfect] confidence and not be ashamed and shrink away from Him at His coming.

²⁹If you know that He is absolutely righteous, you know [for certain] that everyone who practices righteousness [doing what is right and conforming to God's will] has been born of Him.

¹Then the LORD said to Job,

²"Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who disputes with God answer it."

³Then Job replied to the LORD and said,

⁴"Behold, I am of little importance and contemptible; what can I reply to You? I lay my hand on my mouth.

⁵"I have spoken once, but I will not reply again— Indeed, twice [I have answered], and I will add nothing further."

⁶Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, saying,

⁷"Now gird up your loins (prepare yourself) like a man, And I will ask you, and you instruct Me.

⁸"Will you really annul My judgment and set it aside as void? Will you condemn Me [your God] that you may [appear to] be righteous and justified?

⁹"Have you an arm like God, And can you thunder with a voice like His?

¹⁰"Adorn yourself with eminence and dignity [since you question the Almighty], And array yourself with honor and majesty.

¹¹"Pour out the overflowings of your wrath, And look at everyone who is proud and make him low.

¹²Look at everyone who is proud, and humble him, And [if you are so able] tread down the wicked where they stand.

¹³"[Crush and] hide them in the dust together; Shut them up in the hidden place [the house of death].

¹⁴"[If you can do all this, Job, proving your divine power] then I [God] will also praise you and acknowledge That your own right hand can save you.

¹⁵"Behold now, Behemoth, which I created as well as you; He eats grass like an ox.

¹⁶"See now, his strength is in his loins And his power is in the muscles and sinews of his belly.

¹⁷"He sways his tail like a cedar; The tendons of his thighs are twisted and knit together [like a rope].

¹⁸"His bones are tubes of bronze; His limbs are like bars of iron.

¹⁹"He is the first [in magnitude and power] of the works of God; [Only] He who made him can bring near His sword [to master him].

²⁰"Surely the mountains bring him food, And all the wild animals play there.

²¹"He lies down under the lotus plants, In the hidden shelter of the reeds in the marsh.

²²"The lotus plants cover him with their shade; The willows of the brook surround him.

²³"If a river rages and overflows, he does not tremble; He is confident, though the Jordan [River] swells and rushes against his mouth.

²⁴"Can anyone capture him when he is on watch, Or pierce his nose with barbs [to trap him]?

¹A Prayer of the afflicted; when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint to God. Hear my prayer, O LORD, And let my cry for help come to You!

²Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my distress! Incline Your ear to me; In the day when I call, answer me quickly.

³For my days have vanished in smoke, And my bones have been scorched like a hearth.

⁴My heart has been struck like grass and withered, Indeed, [absorbed by my heartache] I forget to eat my food.

⁵Because of the sound of my groaning [in suffering and trouble] My bones cling to my flesh.

⁶I am like a [mournful] vulture of the wilderness; I am like a [desolate] owl of the wasteland.

⁷I am sleepless and lie awake [mourning], I have become like a lonely bird on a housetop.

⁸My enemies taunt me all day long; Those who ridicule me use my name as a curse.

⁹For I have eaten ashes like bread, And have mingled my drink with tears

¹⁰Because of Your indignation and Your wrath, For You have lifted me up and thrown me away.

¹¹My days are like an evening shadow that lengthens and vanishes [with the sun]; And as for me, I wither away like grass.

¹²But You, O LORD, are enthroned forever [ruling eternally as sovereign]; And [the fame and glory of] Your name [endures] to all generations.

¹³You will arise and have compassion on Zion, For it is time to be gracious and show favor to her; Yes, the appointed time [the moment designated] has come.

¹⁴For Your servants find [melancholy] pleasure in the stones [of her ruins] And feel pity for her dust.

¹⁵So the nations will fear the name of the LORD, And all the kings of the earth [will recognize] Your glory.

¹⁶For the LORD has built up Zion; He has appeared in His glory and brilliance;

¹⁷He has regarded the prayer of the destitute, And has not despised their prayer.

¹⁸Let this be recorded for the generation to come, That a people yet to be created will praise the LORD.

¹⁹For He looked down from His holy height [of His sanctuary], From heaven the LORD gazed on the earth,

²⁰To hear the sighing of the prisoner, To set free those who were doomed to death,

²¹So that people may declare the name of the LORD in Zion And His praise in Jerusalem,

²²When the peoples are gathered together, And the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

²³He has exhausted my strength [humbling me with sorrow] in the way; He has shortened my days.

²⁴I said, "O my God, do not take me away in the midst of my days; Your years are [eternal] throughout all generations.

²⁵"At the beginning You founded the earth; The heavens are the work of Your hands.

²⁶"Even they will perish, but You endure; Yes, all of them will wear out like a garment. Like clothing You will change them and they shall be changed.

²⁷"But You remain the same, And Your years will never end.

²⁸"The children of Your servants will continue, And their descendants will be established before You."

¹Wisdom has built her [spacious and sufficient] house; She has hewn out and set up her seven pillars.

²She has prepared her food, she has mixed her wine; She has also set her table.

³She has sent out her maidens, she calls From the highest places of the city:

⁴"Whoever is naive or inexperienced, let him turn in here!" As for him who lacks understanding, she says,

⁵"Come, eat my food And drink the wine I have mixed [and accept my gifts].

⁶"Leave [behind] your foolishness [and the foolish] and live, And walk in the way of insight and understanding."

⁷He who corrects and instructs a scoffer gets dishonor for himself, And he who rebukes a wicked man gets insults for himself.

⁸Do not correct a scoffer [who foolishly ridicules and takes no responsibility for his error] or he will hate you; Correct a wise man [who learns from his error], and he will love you.

⁹Give instruction to a wise man and he will become even wiser; Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning.

¹⁰The [reverent] fear of the LORD [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of wisdom [its starting point and its essence], And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding and spiritual insight.

¹¹For by me (wisdom from God) your days will be multiplied, And years of life shall be increased.

¹²If you are wise, you are wise for yourself [for your own benefit]; If you scoff [thoughtlessly ridicule and disdain], you alone will pay the penalty.

¹³The foolish woman is restless and noisy; She is naive and easily misled and thoughtless, and knows nothing at all [of eternal value].

¹⁴She sits at the doorway of her house, On a seat by the high and conspicuous places of the city,

¹⁵Calling to those who pass by, Who are making their paths straight:

¹⁶"Whoever is naive or inexperienced, let him turn in here!" And to him who lacks understanding (common sense), she says,

¹⁷"Stolen waters (pleasures) are sweet [because they are forbidden]; And bread eaten in secret is pleasant."

¹⁸But he does not know that the spirits of the dead are there, And that her guests are [already] in the depths of Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead).

¹David spoke the words of this song to the LORD when the LORD rescued him from the hands of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.

²He said: "The LORD is my rock and my fortress [on the mountain] and my rescuer;

³My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, My Savior—You save me from violence.

⁴"I call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, And I am saved from my enemies.

⁵"For the waves of death encompassed me; The torrents of destruction overwhelmed and terrified me.

⁶"The cords of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me.

⁷"In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried out to my God, And from His temple [in the heavens] He heard my voice; My cry for help came into His ears.

⁸"Then the earth shook and quaked, The foundations of the heavens trembled And were shaken, because He was angry.

⁹"Smoke went up out of His nostrils, And devouring fire from His mouth; Coals were kindled by it.

¹⁰"He bowed the heavens also, and came down With thick darkness under His feet.

¹¹"He rode on a cherub and flew; He appeared upon the wings of the wind.

¹²"He made darkness canopies around Him, A mass of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

¹³"Out of the brightness before Him Coals of fire were set aflame.

¹⁴"The LORD thundered from heaven, And the Most High uttered His voice.

¹⁵"He sent out arrows and scattered them; Lightning, and confused them.

¹⁶"The channels of the sea appeared, The foundations of the world were uncovered At the rebuke of the LORD, At the blast of the breath of His nostrils.

¹⁷"He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of great waters.

¹⁸"He rescued me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.

¹⁹"They came upon me in the day of my calamity, But the LORD was my support.

²⁰"He also brought me out to an open place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.

²¹"The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has rewarded me.

²²"For I have kept the ways of the LORD, And have not acted wickedly against my God.

²³"For all His judgments (legal decisions) were before me, And from His statutes I did not turn aside.

²⁴"I was also blameless before Him, And kept myself from wrongdoing.

²⁵"Therefore the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, According to my cleanness in His sight.

²⁶"With the loving and loyal You show Yourself loving and loyal, With the blameless You show Yourself blameless.

²⁷"With the pure You show Yourself pure, With the perverted You show Yourself astute.

²⁸"And You save the afflicted people; But Your eyes are on the haughty whom You abase (humiliate).

²⁹"For You, O LORD, are my lamp; The LORD illumines and dispels my darkness.

³⁰"For by You I can run upon a troop; By my God I can leap over a wall.

³¹"As for God, His way is blameless and perfect; The word of the LORD is tested. He is a shield to all those who take refuge and trust in Him.

³²"For who is God, besides the LORD? And who is a rock, besides our God?

³³"God is my strong fortress; He sets the blameless in His way.

³⁴"He makes my feet like the doe's feet [firm and swift]; He sets me [secure and confident] on my high places.

³⁵"He trains my hands for war, So that my arms can bend (pull back) a bow of bronze.

³⁶"You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, And Your help and gentleness make me great.

³⁷"You enlarge my steps under me, And my feet have not slipped.

³⁸"I pursued my enemies and destroyed them, And I did not turn back until they were consumed (eliminated).

³⁹"I consumed them and shattered them, so that they did not rise; They fell under my feet.

⁴⁰"For You have surrounded me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who stood against me.

⁴¹"You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me [in retreat], And I destroyed those who hated me.

⁴²"They looked, but there was no savior for them— Even to the LORD [they looked], but He did not answer them.

⁴³"Then I beat them as [small as] the dust of the earth; I crushed and stamped them as the mire (dirt, mud) of the streets.

⁴⁴"You also have rescued me from strife with my [own] people; You have kept me as the head of the nations. People whom I have not known served me.

⁴⁵"Foreigners pretend obedience to me; As soon as they hear [me], they obey me.

⁴⁶"Foreigners lose heart; They come trembling out of their strongholds.

⁴⁷"The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock, And exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation.

⁴⁸"It is God who executes vengeance for me, And brings down [and disciplines] the peoples under me,

⁴⁹Who also brings me out from my enemies. You even lift me above those who rise up against me; You rescue me from the violent man.

⁵⁰"For this I will give thanks and praise You, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing praises to Your name.

⁵¹"He is a tower of salvation and great deliverance to His king, And shows lovingkindness to His anointed, To David and his offspring forever."

¹In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,

²"Take a scroll [of parchment] and write on it all the words which I have spoken to you concerning Israel and Judah, and all the nations, from the day I [first] spoke to you in the days of [King] Josiah until this day.

³It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the disaster which I plan to bring on them, so that each one will turn from his evil way, that I may forgive their wickedness and their sin."

⁴Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah, and Baruch wrote on the scroll of the book all the words which Jeremiah dictated, [words] which the LORD had spoken to him.

⁵Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, "I am [in hiding, virtually] restrained; I cannot go into the house of the LORD.

⁶So you go to the Lord's house on a day of fasting and read from the scroll the words of the LORD to the people which you have written as I dictated. And also you shall read them to all the people of Judah who come from their cities.

⁷It may be that their supplication [for mercy] will come before the LORD, and everyone will turn from his evil way, for great is the anger and the wrath that the LORD has pronounced against this people."

⁸Baruch the son of Neriah did everything that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading from [Jeremiah's scroll] the words of the LORD in the Lord's house.

⁹Now in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, a fast was proclaimed before the LORD for all the people in Jerusalem and all the people who came to Jerusalem from the cities of Judah.

¹⁰Then Baruch read to all the people the words of Jeremiah from the scroll of the book in the house of the LORD, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the upper court, at the entry of the New Gate of the Lord's house.

¹¹When Micaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard all the words of the LORD from the scroll,

¹²he went down to the king's house, into the scribe's chamber; and behold, all the princes were sitting there: Elishama the scribe, Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, Elnathan the son of Achbor, Gemariah the son of Shaphan, Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the [other] princes.

¹³Then Micaiah declared to them all the words that he had heard when Baruch read from the scroll to all the people.

¹⁴Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to Baruch, saying, "Take in your hand the scroll from which you have read to the people and come [to us]." So Baruch the son of Neriah took the scroll in his hand and went to them.

¹⁵And they said to him, "Sit down now and read it to us." So Baruch read it to them.

¹⁶Now when they had heard all the words, they turned one to another in fear and said to Baruch, "We must surely report all these words to the king."

¹⁷And they asked Baruch, "Tell us now, how did you write all these words? At his (Jeremiah's) dictation?"

¹⁸Then Baruch answered them, "He dictated all these words to me, and I wrote them with ink on the scroll."

¹⁹Then the princes said to Baruch, "Go and hide, you and Jeremiah, and do not let anyone know where you are."

²⁰Then they went into the court to the king, but they [first] put the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe; then they reported all the words to the king.

²¹So the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he took it out of the chamber of Elishama the scribe. And Jehudi read it to the king and all the princes who stood beside the king.

²²Now it was the ninth month, and the king was sitting in the winter house, with a fire burning there in the brazier before him.

²³And after Jehudi had read three or four columns [of the scroll], King Jehoiakim would cut off that portion with a scribe's knife and throw it into the fire that was in the brazier, until the [entire] scroll was consumed by the fire.

²⁴Yet the king and all his servants who heard all these words were not afraid, nor did they tear their clothes.

²⁵Even though Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah pleaded with the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them.

²⁶And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king's son, Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet, but the LORD hid them.

²⁷Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah after the king had burned the scroll containing the words which Baruch had written at the dictation of Jeremiah:

²⁸"Take another scroll and write on it all the former words that were on the first scroll which Jehoiakim the king of Judah burned.

²⁹And concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah you shall say, 'Thus says the LORD, "You have burned this scroll, saying, 'Why have you written on it that the king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and will cut off man and beast from it?'"

³⁰'Therefore thus says the LORD concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah, " He shall have no heir to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be thrown out to the heat of the day and to the frost of the night.

³¹I will also punish him and his descendants and his servants for their wickedness, and I will bring on them and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the men of Judah all the destruction that I have declared against them—but they would not listen."'"

³²Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah, who wrote on it at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the scroll which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire; and many similar words were added to them.

¹After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

²There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife, Priscilla, because [the Roman Emperor] Claudius had issued an edict that all the Jews were to leave Rome. Paul went to see them,

³and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them; and they worked together for they were tent-makers.

⁴And he reasoned and debated in the synagogue every Sabbath, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks;

⁵but when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia (northern Greece), Paul began devoting himself completely to [preaching] the word, and solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).

⁶But since the Jews kept resisting and opposing him, and blaspheming [God], he shook out his robe and said to them, "Your blood (damnation) be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles."

⁷Then he moved on from there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, who worshiped God and whose house was next door to the synagogue.

⁸Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord together with his entire household [joyfully acknowledging Him as Messiah and Savior]; and many of the Corinthians who heard [Paul's message] were believing and being baptized.

⁹One night the Lord said to Paul in a vision, "Do not be afraid anymore, but go on speaking and do not be silent;

¹⁰for I am with you, and no one will attack you in order to hurt you, because I have many people in this city."

¹¹So he settled there for a year and six months, teaching them the word of God [concerning eternal salvation through faith in Christ].

¹²But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia (southern Greece), the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the judgment seat,

¹³declaring, "This man is persuading people to worship God in violation of the law [of Moses]."

¹⁴But when Paul was about to reply, Gallio said to the Jews, "If it were a matter of some misdemeanor or serious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to put up with you;

¹⁵but since it is merely a question [of doctrine within your religion] about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves; I am unwilling to judge these matters."

¹⁶And he drove them away from the judgment seat.

¹⁷Then the Greeks all seized Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and began beating him right in front of the judgment seat; but Gallio paid no attention to any of this.

¹⁸Paul stayed for a while longer, and then told the brothers and sisters goodbye and sailed for Syria; and he was accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchrea [the southeastern port of Corinth] he had his hair cut, because he was keeping a [Nazirite] vow [of abstention].

¹⁹Then they arrived in Ephesus, and he left the others there; but he entered the synagogue and reasoned and debated with the Jews.

²⁰When they asked him to stay for a longer time, he refused;

²¹but after telling them goodbye and saying, "I will return again if God is willing," he set sail from Ephesus.

²²When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church [at Jerusalem], and then went down to Antioch.

²³After spending some time there, he left and traveled through the territory of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening and encouraging all the disciples.

²⁴Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent and cultured man, and well versed in the [Hebrew] Scriptures.

²⁵This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and being spiritually impassioned, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things about Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John;

²⁶and he began to speak boldly and fearlessly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained more accurately to him the way of God [and the full story of the life of Christ].

²⁷And when Apollos wanted to go across to Achaia (southern Greece), the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples, [urging them] to welcome him gladly. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who, through grace, had believed and had followed Jesus as Lord and Savior,

²⁸for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public discussions, proving by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).