Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home.

²So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them.

³Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them.

⁴And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay.

⁵When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

⁶Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts,

⁷“Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

⁸At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, “Why do you raise such questions in your hearts?

⁹Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and take your mat and walk’?

¹⁰But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” — he said to the paralytic —

¹¹“I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home.”

¹²And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

¹³Jesus went out again beside the sea; the whole crowd gathered around him, and he taught them.

¹⁴As he was walking along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.

¹⁵And as he sat at dinner in Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were also sitting with Jesus and his disciples — for there were many who followed him.

¹⁶When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

¹⁷When Jesus heard this, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”

¹⁸Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?”

¹⁹Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.

²⁰The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day.

²¹“No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made.

²²And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.”

²³One sabbath he was going through the grainfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain.

²⁴The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?”

²⁵And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food?

²⁶He entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions.”

²⁷Then he said to them, “The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath;

²⁸so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”

¹The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:

²The Israelites shall camp each in their respective regiments, under ensigns by their ancestral houses; they shall camp facing the tent of meeting on every side.

³Those to camp on the east side toward the sunrise shall be of the regimental encampment of Judah by companies. The leader of the people of Judah shall be Nahshon son of Amminadab,

⁴with a company as enrolled of seventy-four thousand six hundred.

⁵Those to camp next to him shall be the tribe of Issachar. The leader of the Issacharites shall be Nethanel son of Zuar,

⁶with a company as enrolled of fifty-four thousand four hundred.

⁷Then the tribe of Zebulun: The leader of the Zebulunites shall be Eliab son of Helon,

⁸with a company as enrolled of fifty-seven thousand four hundred.

⁹The total enrollment of the camp of Judah, by companies, is one hundred eighty-six thousand four hundred. They shall set out first on the march.

¹⁰On the south side shall be the regimental encampment of Reuben by companies. The leader of the Reubenites shall be Elizur son of Shedeur,

¹¹with a company as enrolled of forty-six thousand five hundred.

¹²And those to camp next to him shall be the tribe of Simeon. The leader of the Simeonites shall be Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai,

¹³with a company as enrolled of fifty-nine thousand three hundred.

¹⁴Then the tribe of Gad: The leader of the Gadites shall be Eliasaph son of Reuel,

¹⁵with a company as enrolled of forty-five thousand six hundred fifty.

¹⁶The total enrollment of the camp of Reuben, by companies, is one hundred fifty-one thousand four hundred fifty. They shall set out second.

¹⁷The tent of meeting, with the camp of the Levites, shall set out in the center of the camps; they shall set out just as they camp, each in position, by their regiments.

¹⁸On the west side shall be the regimental encampment of Ephraim by companies. The leader of the people of Ephraim shall be Elishama son of Ammihud,

¹⁹with a company as enrolled of forty thousand five hundred.

²⁰Next to him shall be the tribe of Manasseh. The leader of the people of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel son of Pedahzur,

²¹with a company as enrolled of thirty-two thousand two hundred.

²²Then the tribe of Benjamin: The leader of the Benjaminites shall be Abidan son of Gideoni,

²³with a company as enrolled of thirty-five thousand four hundred.

²⁴The total enrollment of the camp of Ephraim, by companies, is one hundred eight thousand one hundred. They shall set out third on the march.

²⁵On the north side shall be the regimental encampment of Dan by companies. The leader of the Danites shall be Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai,

²⁶with a company as enrolled of sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

²⁷Those to camp next to him shall be the tribe of Asher. The leader of the Asherites shall be Pagiel son of Ochran,

²⁸with a company as enrolled of forty-one thousand five hundred.

²⁹Then the tribe of Naphtali: The leader of the Naphtalites shall be Ahira son of Enan,

³⁰with a company as enrolled of fifty-three thousand four hundred.

³¹The total enrollment of the camp of Dan is one hundred fifty-seven thousand six hundred. They shall set out last, by companies.

³²This was the enrollment of the Israelites by their ancestral houses; the total enrollment in the camps by their companies was six hundred three thousand five hundred fifty.

³³Just as the LORD had commanded Moses, the Levites were not enrolled among the other Israelites.

³⁴The Israelites did just as the LORD had commanded Moses: They camped by regiments, and they set out the same way, everyone by clans, according to ancestral houses.

¹Now it is not necessary for me to write you about the ministry to the saints,

²for I know your eagerness, which is the subject of my boasting about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year; and your zeal has stirred up most of them.

³But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you may not prove to have been empty in this case, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be;

⁴otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated — to say nothing of you — in this undertaking.

⁵So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you, and arrange in advance for this bountiful gift that you have promised, so that it may be ready as a voluntary gift and not as an extortion.

⁶The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

⁷Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

⁸And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.

⁹As it is written, “He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”

¹⁰He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

¹¹You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us;

¹²for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God.

¹³Through the testing of this ministry you glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your sharing with them and with all others,

¹⁴while they long for you and pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God that he has given you.

¹⁵Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

¹Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Come and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there,

²but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample over the holy city for forty-two months.

³And I will grant my two witnesses authority to prophesy for one thousand two hundred sixty days, wearing sackcloth.”

⁴These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.

⁵And if anyone wants to harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes; anyone who wants to harm them must be killed in this manner.

⁶They have authority to shut the sky, so that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have authority over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire.

⁷When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them,

⁸and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that is prophetically called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.

⁹For three and a half days members of the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb;

¹⁰and the inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and celebrate and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to the inhabitants of the earth.

¹¹But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and those who saw them were terrified.

¹²Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” And they went up to heaven in a cloud while their enemies watched them.

¹³At that moment there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

¹⁴The second woe has passed. The third woe is coming very soon.

¹⁵Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign forever and ever.”

¹⁶Then the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God,

¹⁷singing, “We give you thanks, Lord God Almighty, who are and who were, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign.

¹⁸The nations raged, but your wrath has come, and the time for judging the dead, for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints and all who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”

¹⁹Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.

¹Upon my bed at night I sought him whom my soul loves; I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he gave no answer.

²“I will rise now and go about the city, in the streets and in the squares; I will seek him whom my soul loves.” I sought him, but found him not.

³The sentinels found me, as they went about in the city. “Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”

⁴Scarcely had I passed them, when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not let him go until I brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.

⁵I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or the wild does: do not stir up or awaken love until it is ready!

⁶What is that coming up from the wilderness, like a column of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the fragrant powders of the merchant?

⁷Look, it is the litter of Solomon! Around it are sixty mighty men of the mighty men of Israel,

⁸all equipped with swords and expert in war, each with his sword at his thigh because of alarms by night.

⁹King Solomon made himself a palanquin from the wood of Lebanon.

¹⁰He made its posts of silver, its back of gold, its seat of purple; its interior was inlaid with love. Daughters of Jerusalem,

¹¹come out. Look, O daughters of Zion, at King Solomon, at the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding, on the day of the gladness of his heart.

¹Happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD.

²Happy are those who keep his decrees, who seek him with their whole heart,

³who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways.

⁴You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently.

⁵O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!

⁶Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.

⁷I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous ordinances.

⁸I will observe your statutes; do not utterly forsake me.

⁹How can young people keep their way pure? By guarding it according to your word.

¹⁰With my whole heart I seek you; do not let me stray from your commandments.

¹¹I treasure your word in my heart, so that I may not sin against you.

¹²Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes.

¹³With my lips I declare all the ordinances of your mouth.

¹⁴I delight in the way of your decrees as much as in all riches.

¹⁵I will meditate on your precepts, and fix my eyes on your ways.

¹⁶I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.

¹⁷Deal bountifully with your servant, so that I may live and observe your word.

¹⁸Open my eyes, so that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.

¹⁹I live as an alien in the land; do not hide your commandments from me.

²⁰My soul is consumed with longing for your ordinances at all times.

²¹You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones, who wander from your commandments;

²²take away from me their scorn and contempt, for I have kept your decrees.

²³Even though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statutes.

²⁴Your decrees are my delight, they are my counselors.

²⁵My soul clings to the dust; revive me according to your word.

²⁶When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes.

²⁷Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works.

²⁸My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.

²⁹Put false ways far from me; and graciously teach me your law.

³⁰I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your ordinances before me.

³¹I cling to your decrees, O LORD; let me not be put to shame.

³²I run the way of your commandments, for you enlarge my understanding.

³³Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes, and I will observe it to the end.

³⁴Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.

³⁵Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it.

³⁶Turn my heart to your decrees, and not to selfish gain.

³⁷Turn my eyes from looking at vanities; give me life in your ways.

³⁸Confirm to your servant your promise, which is for those who fear you.

³⁹Turn away the disgrace that I dread, for your ordinances are good.

⁴⁰See, I have longed for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life.

⁴¹Let your steadfast love come to me, O LORD, your salvation according to your promise.

⁴²Then I shall have an answer for those who taunt me, for I trust in your word.

⁴³Do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for my hope is in your ordinances.

⁴⁴I will keep your law continually, forever and ever.

⁴⁵I shall walk at liberty, for I have sought your precepts.

⁴⁶I will also speak of your decrees before kings, and shall not be put to shame;

⁴⁷I find my delight in your commandments, because I love them.

⁴⁸I revere your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes.

⁴⁹Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope.

⁵⁰This is my comfort in my distress, that your promise gives me life.

⁵¹The arrogant utterly deride me, but I do not turn away from your law.

⁵²When I think of your ordinances from of old, I take comfort, O LORD.

⁵³Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, those who forsake your law.

⁵⁴Your statutes have been my songs wherever I make my home.

⁵⁵I remember your name in the night, O LORD, and keep your law.

⁵⁶This blessing has fallen to me, for I have kept your precepts.

⁵⁷The LORD is my portion; I promise to keep your words.

⁵⁸I implore your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise.

⁵⁹When I think of your ways, I turn my feet to your decrees;

⁶⁰I hurry and do not delay to keep your commandments.

⁶¹Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me, I do not forget your law.

⁶²At midnight I rise to praise you, because of your righteous ordinances.

⁶³I am a companion of all who fear you, of those who keep your precepts.

⁶⁴The earth, O LORD, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes.

⁶⁵You have dealt well with your servant, O LORD, according to your word.

⁶⁶Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments.

⁶⁷Before I was humbled I went astray, but now I keep your word.

⁶⁸You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.

⁶⁹The arrogant smear me with lies, but with my whole heart I keep your precepts.

⁷⁰Their hearts are fat and gross, but I delight in your law.

⁷¹It is good for me that I was humbled, so that I might learn your statutes.

⁷²The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

⁷³Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.

⁷⁴Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in your word.

⁷⁵I know, O LORD, that your judgments are right, and that in faithfulness you have humbled me.

⁷⁶Let your steadfast love become my comfort according to your promise to your servant.

⁷⁷Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight.

⁷⁸Let the arrogant be put to shame, because they have subverted me with guile; as for me, I will meditate on your precepts.

⁷⁹Let those who fear you turn to me, so that they may know your decrees.

⁸⁰May my heart be blameless in your statutes, so that I may not be put to shame.

⁸¹My soul languishes for your salvation; I hope in your word.

⁸²My eyes fail with watching for your promise; I ask, “When will you comfort me?”

⁸³For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, yet I have not forgotten your statutes.

⁸⁴How long must your servant endure? When will you judge those who persecute me?

⁸⁵The arrogant have dug pitfalls for me; they flout your law.

⁸⁶All your commandments are enduring; I am persecuted without cause; help me!

⁸⁷They have almost made an end of me on earth; but I have not forsaken your precepts.

⁸⁸In your steadfast love spare my life, so that I may keep the decrees of your mouth.

⁸⁹The LORD exists forever; your word is firmly fixed in heaven.

⁹⁰Your faithfulness endures to all generations; you have established the earth, and it stands fast.

⁹¹By your appointment they stand today, for all things are your servants.

⁹²If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my misery.

⁹³I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life.

⁹⁴I am yours; save me, for I have sought your precepts.

⁹⁵The wicked lie in wait to destroy me, but I consider your decrees.

⁹⁶I have seen a limit to all perfection, but your commandment is exceedingly broad.

⁹⁷Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all day long.

⁹⁸Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is always with me.

⁹⁹I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your decrees are my meditation.

¹⁰⁰I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts.

¹⁰¹I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word.

¹⁰²I do not turn away from your ordinances, for you have taught me.

¹⁰³How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

¹⁰⁴Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.

¹⁰⁵Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

¹⁰⁶I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to observe your righteous ordinances.

¹⁰⁷I am severely afflicted; give me life, O LORD, according to your word.

¹⁰⁸Accept my offerings of praise, O LORD, and teach me your ordinances.

¹⁰⁹I hold my life in my hand continually, but I do not forget your law.

¹¹⁰The wicked have laid a snare for me, but I do not stray from your precepts.

¹¹¹Your decrees are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart.

¹¹²I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end.

¹¹³I hate the double-minded, but I love your law.

¹¹⁴You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.

¹¹⁵Go away from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commandments of my God.

¹¹⁶Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live, and let me not be put to shame in my hope.

¹¹⁷Hold me up, that I may be safe and have regard for your statutes continually.

¹¹⁸You spurn all who go astray from your statutes; for their cunning is in vain.

¹¹⁹All the wicked of the earth you count as dross; therefore I love your decrees.

¹²⁰My flesh trembles for fear of you, and I am afraid of your judgments.

¹²¹I have done what is just and right; do not leave me to my oppressors.

¹²²Guarantee your servant’s well-being; do not let the godless oppress me.

¹²³My eyes fail from watching for your salvation, and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise.

¹²⁴Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love, and teach me your statutes.

¹²⁵I am your servant; give me understanding, so that I may know your decrees.

¹²⁶It is time for the LORD to act, for your law has been broken.

¹²⁷Truly I love your commandments more than gold, more than fine gold.

¹²⁸Truly I direct my steps by all your precepts; I hate every false way.

¹²⁹Your decrees are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them.

¹³⁰The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.

¹³¹With open mouth I pant, because I long for your commandments.

¹³²Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is your custom toward those who love your name.

¹³³Keep my steps steady according to your promise, and never let iniquity have dominion over me.

¹³⁴Redeem me from human oppression, that I may keep your precepts.

¹³⁵Make your face shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes.

¹³⁶My eyes shed streams of tears because your law is not kept.

¹³⁷You are righteous, O LORD, and your judgments are right.

¹³⁸You have appointed your decrees in righteousness and in all faithfulness.

¹³⁹My zeal consumes me because my foes forget your words.

¹⁴⁰Your promise is well tried, and your servant loves it.

¹⁴¹I am small and despised, yet I do not forget your precepts.

¹⁴²Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and your law is the truth.

¹⁴³Trouble and anguish have come upon me, but your commandments are my delight.

¹⁴⁴Your decrees are righteous forever; give me understanding that I may live.

¹⁴⁵With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O LORD. I will keep your statutes.

¹⁴⁶I cry to you; save me, that I may observe your decrees.

¹⁴⁷I rise before dawn and cry for help; I put my hope in your words.

¹⁴⁸My eyes are awake before each watch of the night, that I may meditate on your promise.

¹⁴⁹In your steadfast love hear my voice; O LORD, in your justice preserve my life.

¹⁵⁰Those who persecute me with evil purpose draw near; they are far from your law.

¹⁵¹Yet you are near, O LORD, and all your commandments are true.

¹⁵²Long ago I learned from your decrees that you have established them forever.

¹⁵³Look on my misery and rescue me, for I do not forget your law.

¹⁵⁴Plead my cause and redeem me; give me life according to your promise.

¹⁵⁵Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek your statutes.

¹⁵⁶Great is your mercy, O LORD; give me life according to your justice.

¹⁵⁷Many are my persecutors and my adversaries, yet I do not swerve from your decrees.

¹⁵⁸I look at the faithless with disgust, because they do not keep your commands.

¹⁵⁹Consider how I love your precepts; preserve my life according to your steadfast love.

¹⁶⁰The sum of your word is truth; and every one of your righteous ordinances endures forever.

¹⁶¹Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words.

¹⁶²I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil.

¹⁶³I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your law.

¹⁶⁴Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous ordinances.

¹⁶⁵Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.

¹⁶⁶I hope for your salvation, O LORD, and I fulfill your commandments.

¹⁶⁷My soul keeps your decrees; I love them exceedingly.

¹⁶⁸I keep your precepts and decrees, for all my ways are before you.

¹⁶⁹Let my cry come before you, O LORD; give me understanding according to your word.

¹⁷⁰Let my supplication come before you; deliver me according to your promise.

¹⁷¹My lips will pour forth praise, because you teach me your statutes.

¹⁷²My tongue will sing of your promise, for all your commandments are right.

¹⁷³Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts.

¹⁷⁴I long for your salvation, O LORD, and your law is my delight.

¹⁷⁵Let me live that I may praise you, and let your ordinances help me.

¹⁷⁶I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek out your servant, for I do not forget your commandments.

¹Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.

²Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, an undeserved curse goes nowhere.

³A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools.

⁴Do not answer fools according to their folly, or you will be a fool yourself.

⁵Answer fools according to their folly, or they will be wise in their own eyes.

⁶It is like cutting off one’s foot and drinking down violence, to send a message by a fool.

⁷The legs of a disabled person hang limp; so does a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

⁸It is like binding a stone in a sling to give honor to a fool.

⁹Like a thornbush brandished by the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

¹⁰Like an archer who wounds everybody is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.

¹¹Like a dog that returns to its vomit is a fool who reverts to his folly.

¹²Do you see persons wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for fools than for them.

¹³The lazy person says, “There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets!”

¹⁴As a door turns on its hinges, so does a lazy person in bed.

¹⁵The lazy person buries a hand in the dish, and is too tired to bring it back to the mouth.

¹⁶The lazy person is wiser in self-esteem than seven who can answer discreetly.

¹⁷Like somebody who takes a passing dog by the ears is one who meddles in the quarrel of another.

¹⁸Like a maniac who shoots deadly firebrands and arrows,

¹⁹so is one who deceives a neighbor and says, “I am only joking!”

²⁰For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.

²¹As charcoal is to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.

²²The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.

²³Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are smooth lips with an evil heart.

²⁴An enemy dissembles in speaking while harboring deceit within;

²⁵when an enemy speaks graciously, do not believe it, for there are seven abominations concealed within;

²⁶though hatred is covered with guile, the enemy’s wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

²⁷Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on the one who starts it rolling.

²⁸A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin.

¹Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijam began to reign over Judah.

²He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom.

³He committed all the sins that his father did before him; his heart was not true to the LORD his God, like the heart of his father David.

⁴Nevertheless for David’s sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, setting up his son after him, and establishing Jerusalem;

⁵because David did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

⁶The war begun between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continued all the days of his life.

⁷The rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? There was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.

⁸Abijam slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in the city of David. Then his son Asa succeeded him.

⁹In the twentieth year of King Jeroboam of Israel, Asa began to reign over Judah;

¹⁰he reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom.

¹¹Asa did what was right in the sight of the LORD, as his father David had done.

¹²He put away the male temple prostitutes out of the land, and removed all the idols that his ancestors had made.

¹³He also removed his mother Maacah from being queen mother, because she had made an abominable image for Asherah; Asa cut down her image and burned it at the Wadi Kidron.

¹⁴But the high places were not taken away. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was true to the LORD all his days.

¹⁵He brought into the house of the LORD the votive gifts of his father and his own votive gifts — silver, gold, and utensils.

¹⁶There was war between Asa and King Baasha of Israel all their days.

¹⁷King Baasha of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, to prevent anyone from going out or coming in to King Asa of Judah.

¹⁸Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king’s house, and gave them into the hands of his servants. King Asa sent them to King Ben-hadad son of Tabrimmon son of Hezion of Aram, who resided in Damascus, saying,

¹⁹“Let there be an alliance between me and you, like that between my father and your father: I am sending you a present of silver and gold; go, break your alliance with King Baasha of Israel, so that he may withdraw from me.”

²⁰Ben-hadad listened to King Asa, and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel. He conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.

²¹When Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah and lived in Tirzah.

²²Then King Asa made a proclamation to all Judah, none was exempt: they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber, with which Baasha had been building; with them King Asa built Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah.

²³Now the rest of all the acts of Asa, all his power, all that he did, and the cities that he built, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? But in his old age he was diseased in his feet.

²⁴Then Asa slept with his ancestors, and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his father David; his son Jehoshaphat succeeded him.

²⁵Nadab son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of King Asa of Judah; he reigned over Israel two years.

²⁶He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, walking in the way of his ancestor and in the sin that he caused Israel to commit.

²⁷Baasha son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon.

²⁸So Baasha killed Nadab in the third year of King Asa of Judah, and succeeded him.

²⁹As soon as he was king, he killed all the house of Jeroboam; he left to the house of Jeroboam not one that breathed, until he had destroyed it, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite —

³⁰because of the sins of Jeroboam that he committed and that he caused Israel to commit, and because of the anger to which he provoked the LORD, the God of Israel.

³¹Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel?

³²There was war between Asa and King Baasha of Israel all their days.

³³In the third year of King Asa of Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah began to reign over all Israel at Tirzah; he reigned twenty-four years.

³⁴He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, walking in the way of Jeroboam and in the sin that he caused Israel to commit.

¹Then the high priest asked him, “Are these things so?”

²And Stephen replied: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me. The God of glory appeared to our ancestor Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,

³and said to him, ‘Leave your country and your relatives and go to the land that I will show you.’

⁴Then he left the country of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God had him move from there to this country in which you are now living.

⁵He did not give him any of it as a heritage, not even a foot’s length, but promised to give it to him as his possession and to his descendants after him, even though he had no child.

⁶And God spoke in these terms, that his descendants would be resident aliens in a country belonging to others, who would enslave them and mistreat them during four hundred years.

⁷‘But I will judge the nation that they serve,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place.’

⁸Then he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.

⁹“The patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him,

¹⁰and rescued him from all his afflictions, and enabled him to win favor and to show wisdom when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and over all his household.

¹¹Now there came a famine throughout Egypt and Canaan, and great suffering, and our ancestors could find no food.

¹²But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there on their first visit.

¹³On the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to Pharaoh.

¹⁴Then Joseph sent and invited his father Jacob and all his relatives to come to him, seventy-five in all;

¹⁵so Jacob went down to Egypt. He himself died there as well as our ancestors,

¹⁶and their bodies were brought back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

¹⁷“But as the time drew near for the fulfillment of the promise that God had made to Abraham, our people in Egypt increased and multiplied

¹⁸until another king who had not known Joseph ruled over Egypt.

¹⁹He dealt craftily with our race and forced our ancestors to abandon their infants so that they would die.

²⁰At this time Moses was born, and he was beautiful before God. For three months he was brought up in his father’s house;

²¹and when he was abandoned, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son.

²²So Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in his words and deeds.

²³“When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his relatives, the Israelites.

²⁴When he saw one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian.

²⁵He supposed that his kinsfolk would understand that God through him was rescuing them, but they did not understand.

²⁶The next day he came to some of them as they were quarreling and tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why do you wrong each other?’

²⁷But the man who was wronging his neighbor pushed Moses aside, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?

²⁸Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’

²⁹When he heard this, Moses fled and became a resident alien in the land of Midian. There he became the father of two sons.

³⁰“Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning bush.

³¹When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight; and as he approached to look, there came the voice of the Lord:

³²‘I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses began to tremble and did not dare to look.

³³Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.

³⁴I have surely seen the mistreatment of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them. Come now, I will send you to Egypt.’

³⁵“It was this Moses whom they rejected when they said, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ and whom God now sent as both ruler and liberator through the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

³⁶He led them out, having performed wonders and signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years.

³⁷This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up a prophet for you from your own people as he raised me up.’

³⁸He is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors; and he received living oracles to give to us.

³⁹Our ancestors were unwilling to obey him; instead, they pushed him aside, and in their hearts they turned back to Egypt,

⁴⁰saying to Aaron, ‘Make gods for us who will lead the way for us; as for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’

⁴¹At that time they made a calf, offered a sacrifice to the idol, and reveled in the works of their hands.

⁴²But God turned away from them and handed them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘Did you offer to me slain victims and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?

⁴³No; you took along the tent of Moloch, and the star of your god Rephan, the images that you made to worship; so I will remove you beyond Babylon.’

⁴⁴“Our ancestors had the tent of testimony in the wilderness, as God directed when he spoke to Moses, ordering him to make it according to the pattern he had seen.

⁴⁵Our ancestors in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our ancestors. And it was there until the time of David,

⁴⁶who found favor with God and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the house of Jacob.

⁴⁷But it was Solomon who built a house for him.

⁴⁸Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made with human hands; as the prophet says,

⁴⁹‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest?

⁵⁰Did not my hand make all these things?’

⁵¹“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are forever opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do.

⁵²Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers.

⁵³You are the ones that received the law as ordained by angels, and yet you have not kept it.”

⁵⁴When they heard these things, they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen.

⁵⁵But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

⁵⁶“Look,” he said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

⁵⁷But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him.

⁵⁸Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.

⁵⁹While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

⁶⁰Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died.