Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹At that particular time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them.

²But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath."

³He said to them, "Have you not read [in the Scriptures] what David did when he was hungry, he and those who accompanied him—

⁴how he went into the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests only?

⁵Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break [the sanctity of] the Sabbath and yet are innocent?

⁶But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.

⁷And if you had only known what this statement means, 'I desire compassion [for those in distress],and not [animal] sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent.

⁸For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

⁹Leaving there, He went into their synagogue.

¹⁰A man was there whose hand was withered. And they asked Jesus, "Is it lawful and permissible to heal on the Sabbath?"—they asked this so that they might accuse Him and bring charges into court.

¹¹But He said to them, "What man is there among you who, if he has only one sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out?

¹²How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful and permissible to do good on the Sabbath."

¹³Then He said to the man, "Reach out your hand!" The man reached out and it was restored, as normal and healthy as the other.

¹⁴But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, discussing how they could destroy Him.

¹⁵Being aware of this, Jesus left there. Many followed Him, and He healed all of them [who were sick],

¹⁶and warned them not to tell [publicly] who He was.

¹⁷This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

¹⁸"Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen; My Beloved in whom My soul is well-pleased; I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He will proclaim justice to the nations.

¹⁹"He will not quarrel, nor cry out loudly; Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.

²⁰"A battered reed He will not break, And a smoldering wick He will not extinguish, Until He leads justice to victory.

²¹"And in His name the Gentiles (all the nations of the world) will hope [with confidence]."

²²Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man both spoke and saw.

²³All the people wondered in amazement, and said, "Could this be the Son of David (the Messiah)?"

²⁴But the Pharisees heard it and said, "This man casts out demons only by [the help of] Beelzebul (Satan) the prince of the demons."

²⁵Knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, "Any kingdom that is divided against itself is being laid waste; and no city or house divided against itself will [continue to] stand.

²⁶If Satan casts out Satan [that is, his demons], he has become divided against himself and disunited; how then will his kingdom stand?

²⁷If I cast out the demons by [the help of] Beelzebul (Satan), by whom do your sons drive them out? For this reason they will be your judges.

²⁸But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you [before you expected it].

²⁹Or how can anyone go into a strong man's house and steal his property unless he first overpowers and ties up the strong man? Then he will ransack and rob his house.

³⁰He who is not with Me [once and for all on My side] is against Me; and he who does not [unequivocally] gather with Me scatters.

³¹"Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy [every evil, abusive, injurious speaking, or indignity against sacred things] will be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the [Holy] Spirit will not be forgiven.

³²Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit [by attributing the miracles done by Me to Satan] will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

³³"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is recognized and judged by its fruit.

³⁴You brood of vipers, how can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.

³⁵The good man, from his [inner] good treasure, brings out good things; and the evil man, from his [inner] evil treasure, brings out evil things.

³⁶But I tell you, on the day of judgment people will have to give an accounting for every careless or useless word they speak.

³⁷For by your words [reflecting your spiritual condition] you will be justified and acquitted of the guilt of sin; and by your words [rejecting Me] you will be condemned and sentenced."

³⁸Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, "Teacher, we want to see a sign (attesting miracle) from You [proving that You are what You claim to be]."

³⁹But He replied and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation [that is morally unfaithful to God] craves and demands a [miraculous] sign; but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah;

⁴⁰for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

⁴¹The men of Nineveh will stand up [as witnesses] at the judgment against this generation, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now, something greater than Jonah is here.

⁴²The Queen of the South (Sheba) will stand up [as a witness] at the judgment against this generation, and will condemn it because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon; and now, something greater than Solomon is here.

⁴³"Now when the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, it roams through waterless (dry, arid) places in search of rest, but it does not find it.

⁴⁴Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when it arrives, it finds the place unoccupied, swept, and put in order.

⁴⁵Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and make their home there. And the last condition of that man becomes worse than the first. So will it also be with this wicked generation."

⁴⁶While He was still talking to the crowds, it happened that His mother and brothers stood outside, asking to speak to Him.

⁴⁷Someone said to Him, "Look! Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside asking to speak to You."

⁴⁸But Jesus replied to the one who told Him, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"

⁴⁹And stretching out His hand toward His disciples [and all His other followers], He said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!

⁵⁰For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven [by believing in Me, and following Me] is My brother and sister and mother."

¹Now [in Haran] the LORD had said to Abram, "Go away from your country, And from your relatives And from your father's house, To the land which I will show you;

²And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you [abundantly], And make your name great (exalted, distinguished); And you shall be a blessing [a source of great good to others];

³And I will bless (do good for, benefit) those who bless you, And I will curse [that is, subject to My wrath and judgment] the one who curses (despises, dishonors, has contempt for) you. And in you all the families (nations) of the earth will be blessed."

⁴So Abram departed [in faithful obedience] as the LORD had directed him; and Lot [his nephew] left with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.

⁵Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his nephew, and all their possessions which they had acquired, and the people (servants) which they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan,

⁶Abram passed through the land as far as the site of Shechem, to the [great] terebinth (oak) tree of Moreh. Now the Canaanites were in the land at that time.

⁷Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "I will give this land to your descendants." So Abram built an altar there to [honor] the LORD who had appeared to him.

⁸Then he moved on from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD [in worship through prayer, praise, and thanksgiving].

⁹Then Abram journeyed on, continuing toward the Negev (the South country of Judah).

¹⁰Now there was a famine in the land; and Abram went down into Egypt to live temporarily, for the famine in the land was oppressive and severe.

¹¹And when he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, "Listen: I know that you are a beautiful woman;

¹²so when the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife'; and they will kill me [to acquire you], but they will let you live.

¹³Please tell them that you are my sister so that things will go well for me for your sake, and my life will be spared because of you."

¹⁴And when Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was very beautiful.

¹⁵Pharaoh's princes (officials) also saw her and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken [for the purpose of marriage] into Pharaoh's house (harem).

¹⁶Therefore Pharaoh treated Abram well for her sake; he acquired sheep, oxen, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.

¹⁷But the LORD punished Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.

¹⁸Then Pharaoh called Abram and said, "What is this that you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?

¹⁹Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I took her as my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her and go!"

²⁰So Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they escorted him on his way, with his wife and all that he had.

¹Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship.

²And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].

³For by the grace [of God] given to me I say to everyone of you not to think more highly of himself [and of his importance and ability] than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has apportioned to each a degree of faith [and a purpose designed for service].

⁴For just as in one [physical] body we have many parts, and these parts do not all have the same function or special use,

⁵so we, who are many, are [nevertheless just] one body in Christ, and individually [we are] parts one of another [mutually dependent on each other].

⁶Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them accordingly: if [someone has the gift of] prophecy, [let him speak a new message from God to His people] in proportion to the faith possessed;

⁷if service, in the act of serving; or he who teaches, in the act of teaching;

⁸or he who encourages, in the act of encouragement; he who gives, with generosity; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy [in caring for others], with cheerfulness.

⁹Love is to be sincere and active [the real thing—without guile and hypocrisy]. Hate what is evil [detest all ungodliness, do not tolerate wickedness]; hold on tightly to what is good.

¹⁰Be devoted to one another with [authentic] brotherly affection [as members of one family], give preference to one another in honor;

¹¹never lagging behind in diligence; aglow in the Spirit, enthusiastically serving the Lord;

¹²constantly rejoicing in hope [because of our confidence in Christ], steadfast and patient in distress, devoted to prayer [continually seeking wisdom, guidance, and strength],

¹³contributing to the needs of God's people, pursuing [the practice of] hospitality.

¹⁴Bless those who persecute you [who cause you harm or hardship]; bless and do not curse [them].

¹⁵Rejoice with those who rejoice [sharing others' joy], and weep with those who weep [sharing others' grief].

¹⁶Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty [conceited, self-important, exclusive], but associate with humble people [those with a realistic self-view]. Do not overestimate yourself.

¹⁷Never repay anyone evil for evil. Take thought for what is right and gracious and proper in the sight of everyone.

¹⁸If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

¹⁹Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for God's wrath [and His judicial righteousness]; for it is written [in Scripture], "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.

²⁰But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for by doing this you will heapburning coals on his head."

²¹Do not be overcome and conquered by evil, but overcome evil with good.

¹But the [Holy] Spirit explicitly and unmistakably declares that in later times some will turn away from the faith, paying attention instead to deceitful and seductive spirits and doctrines of demons,

²[misled] by the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared as with a branding iron [leaving them incapable of ethical functioning],

³who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from [certain kinds of] foods which God has created to be gratefully shared by those who believe and have [a clear] knowledge of the truth.

⁴For everything God has created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude;

⁵for it is sanctified [set apart, dedicated to God] by means of the word of God and prayer.

⁶If you point out these instructions to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished [through study] on the words of the faith and of the good [Christian] doctrine which you have closely followed.

⁷But have nothing to do with irreverent folklore and silly myths. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness [keeping yourself spiritually fit].

⁸For physical training is of some value, but godliness (spiritual training) is of value in everything and in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and for the life to come.

⁹This is a faithful and trustworthy saying worthy of full acceptance and approval.

¹⁰It is for this that we labor and strive [often called to account], because we have fixed our [confident] hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe [in Him, recognize Him as the Son of God, and accept Him as Savior and Lord].

¹¹Keep commanding and teaching these things.

¹²Let no one look down on [you because of] your youth, but be an example and set a pattern for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in [moral] purity.

¹³Until I come, devote yourself to public reading [of Scripture], to preaching and to teaching [the sound doctrine of God's word].

¹⁴Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, [that special endowment] which was intentionally bestowed on you [by the Holy Spirit] through prophetic utterance when the elders laid their hands on you [at your ordination].

¹⁵Practice and work hard on these things; be absorbed in them [completely occupied in your ministry], so that your progress will be evident to all.

¹⁶Pay close attention to yourself [concentrate on your personal development] and to your teaching; persevere in these things [hold to them], for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.

¹Then Job responded,

²"No doubt you are the [only wise] people [in the world], And wisdom will die with you!

³"But I have intelligence and understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these [of God's wisdom and might]?

⁴"I am a joke to my friends; I, one whom God answered when he called upon Him— A just and blameless man is a joke [and laughed to scorn].

⁵"He who is at ease has contempt for misfortune, But misfortune is ready [and anxiously waiting] for those whose feet slip.

⁶"The tents of the destroyers prosper; And those who provoke God are [apparently] secure, Whom God brings into their power.

⁷"Now ask the animals, and let them teach you [that God does not deal with His creatures according to their character]; And ask the birds of the air, and let them tell you;

⁸Or speak to the earth [with its many forms of life], and it will teach you; And let the fish of the sea declare [this truth] to you.

⁹"Who among all these does not recognize [in all these things that good and evil are randomly scattered throughout nature and human life] That the hand of the LORD has done this,

¹⁰In whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?

¹¹"Does the ear not put words to the test, Just as the palate tastes its food [distinguishing between the desirable and the undesirable]?

¹²"With the aged [you say] is wisdom, And with long life is understanding.

¹³"But [only] with Him are [perfect] wisdom and might; He [alone] has [true] counsel and understanding.

¹⁴"Behold, He tears down, and it cannot be rebuilt; He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.

¹⁵"Behold, He restrains the waters, and they dry up; Again, He sends the waters out, and they overwhelm and devastate the earth.

¹⁶"With Him are might and sound wisdom, The misled and the misleader are His [and in His power].

¹⁷"He makes [great and scheming] counselors walk barefoot And makes fools of judges.

¹⁸"He loosens the bond of kings And binds their loins with a loincloth.

¹⁹"He makes priests walk barefoot, And He overturns men firmly seated and secure.

²⁰"He deprives the trusted ones of speech And takes away the discernment and discretion of the aged.

²¹"He pours contempt on princes and nobles And loosens the belt of the strong [disabling them].

²²"He uncovers mysteries [that are difficult to grasp and understand] out of the darkness And brings black gloom and the shadow of death into light.

²³"He makes nations great, and He destroys them; He enlarges nations, and leads them away [captive].

²⁴"He removes intelligence and understanding from the leaders of the people of the earth And makes them wander and move blindly in a pathless waste.

²⁵"They grope in darkness without light, And He makes them stagger like a drunken man."

¹To the Chief Musician; set an octave below. A Psalm of David. Save and help and rescue, LORD, for godly people cease to be, For the faithful vanish from among the sons of men.

²They speak deceitful and worthless words to one another; With flattering lips and a double heart they speak.

³May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, The tongue that speaks great things [in boasting];

⁴Who have said, "With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; who is lord and master over us?"

⁵"Because of the devastation of the afflicted, because of the groaning of the needy, Now I will arise," says the LORD; "I will place him in the safety for which he longs."

⁶The words and promises of the LORD are pure words, Like silver refined in an earthen furnace, purified seven times.

⁷You, O LORD, will preserve and keep them; You will protect him from this [evil] generation forever.

⁸The wicked strut about [in pompous self-importance] on every side, As vileness is exalted and baseness is prized among the sons of men.

¹Whoever loves instruction and discipline loves knowledge, But he who hates reproof and correction is stupid.

²A good man will obtain favor from the LORD, But He will condemn a man who devises evil.

³A man will not be established by wickedness, But the root of the [consistently] righteous will not be moved.

⁴A virtuous and excellent wife [worthy of honor] is the crown of her husband, But she who shames him [with her foolishness] is like rottenness in his bones.

⁵The thoughts and purposes of the [consistently] righteous are just (honest, reliable), But the counsels and schemes of the wicked are deceitful.

⁶The [malevolent] words of the wicked lie in wait for [innocent] blood [to slander], But the mouth of the upright will rescue and protect them.

⁷The wicked are overthrown [by their evil] and are no more, But the house of the [consistently] righteous will stand [securely].

⁸A man will be commended according to his insight and sound judgment, But the one who is of a perverse mind will be despised.

⁹Better is he who is lightly esteemed and has a servant, Than he who [boastfully] honors himself [pretending to be what he is not] and lacks bread.

¹⁰A righteous man has kind regard for the life of his animal, But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.

¹¹He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, But he who follows worthless things lacks common sense and good judgment.

¹²The wicked desire the plunder of evil men, But the root of the righteous yields richer fruit.

¹³An evil man is [dangerously] ensnared by the transgression of his lips, But the righteous will escape from trouble.

¹⁴A man will be satisfied with good from the fruit of his words, And the deeds of a man's hands will return to him [as a harvest].

¹⁵The way of the [arrogant] fool [who rejects God's wisdom] is right in his own eyes, But a wise and prudent man is he who listens to counsel.

¹⁶The [arrogant] fool's anger is quickly known [because he lacks self-control and common sense], But a prudent man ignores an insult.

¹⁷He who speaks truth [when he testifies] tells what is right, But a false witness utters deceit [in court].

¹⁸There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing.

¹⁹Truthful lips will be established forever, But a lying tongue is [credited] only for a moment.

²⁰Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, But counselors of peace have joy.

²¹No harm befalls the righteous, But the wicked are filled with trouble.

²²Lying lips are extremely disgusting to the LORD, But those who deal faithfully are His delight.

²³A shrewd man is reluctant to display his knowledge [until the proper time], But the heart of [over-confident] fools proclaims foolishness.

²⁴The hand of the diligent will rule, But the negligent and lazy will be put to forced labor.

²⁵Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, But a good (encouraging) word makes it glad.

²⁶The righteous man is a guide to his neighbor, But the way of the wicked leads them astray.

²⁷The lazy man does not catch and roast his prey, But the precious possession of a [wise] man is diligence [because he recognizes opportunities and seizes them].

²⁸In the way of righteousness is life, And in its pathway there is no death [but immortality—eternal life].

¹Now these are the kings of the land whom the sons of Israel defeated, and whose land they possessed beyond the Jordan toward the east, from the valley of the [river] Arnon to Mount Hermon, and all the Arabah [plain] to the east:

²Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the [river] Arnon, both the middle of the valley and half of Gilead, and as far as the brook Jabbok, [which is] the border of the sons of Ammon;

³and the Arabah [plain] as far as the Sea of Chinnereth (Galilee) eastward, and as far as the sea of the Arabah, the Salt (Dead) Sea, eastward toward Beth-jeshimoth, and southward to the foot of the slopes of [Mount] Pisgah;

⁴and the territory of Og king of Bashan, one of the remnant of the Rephaim, who lived at Ashtaroth and at Edrei,

⁵and ruled over Mount Hermon and Salecah and all of Bashan to the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and over half of Gilead, as far as the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.

⁶Moses the servant of the LORD and the sons of Israel defeated them; and Moses the servant of the LORD gave their land as a possession to the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh.

⁷These are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the sons of Israel defeated on the west side of the Jordan, from Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon to Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir. Joshua gave their land to the tribes of Israel as a possession according to their divisions,

⁸in the hill country, in the lowland (foothills), in the Arabah [plain], on the slopes [descending to the Dead Sea], and in the wilderness, and in the Negev (South country)—the [lands of the] Hittite, the Amorite and the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite:

⁹the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;

¹⁰the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one;

¹¹the king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one;

¹²the king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one;

¹³the king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;

¹⁴the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;

¹⁵the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;

¹⁶the king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one;

¹⁷the king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one;

¹⁸the king of Aphek, one; the king of Lasharon, one;

¹⁹the king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one;

²⁰the king of Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;

²¹the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one;

²²the king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam in Carmel, one;

²³the king of Dor in the heights of Dor, one; the king of Goiim in Gilgal, one;

²⁴the king of Tirzah, one: in all, thirty-one kings.

¹And on that day you will say, "I will give thanks to You, O LORD; For though You were angry with me, Your anger has turned away, And You comfort me.

²"Behold, God, my salvation! I will trust and not be afraid, For the Lord God is my strength and song; Yes, He has become my salvation."

³Therefore with joy you will draw water From the springs of salvation.

⁴And in that day you will say, "Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name [in prayer]. Make His deeds known among the peoples [of the earth]; Proclaim [to them] that His name is exalted!"

⁵Sing praises to the LORD, for He has done excellent and glorious things; Let this be known throughout the earth.

⁶Rejoice and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, For great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

¹Now at that time Herod [Agrippa I] the king [of the Jews] arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to harm them.

²And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword;

³and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to have Peter arrested as well. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread [the Passover week].

⁴When he had seized Peter, he put him in prison, turning him over to four squads of soldiers of four each to guard him [in rotation throughout the night], planning after the Passover to bring him out before the people [for execution].

⁵So Peter was kept in prison, but fervent and persistent prayer for him was being made to God by the church.

⁶The very night before Herod was to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries were in front of the door guarding the prison.

⁷Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared [beside him] and a light shone in the cell. The angel struck Peter's side and awakened him, saying, "Get up quickly!" And the chains fell off his hands.

⁸The angel said to him, "Prepare yourself and strap on your sandals [to get ready for whatever may happen]." And he did so. Then the angel told him, "Put on your robe and follow me."

⁹And Peter went out following the angel. He did not realize that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.

¹⁰When they had passed the first guard and the second, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city. Of its own accord it swung open for them; and they went out and went along one street, and at once the angel left him.

¹¹When Peter came to his senses, he said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel and has rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting [to do to me]."

¹²When he realized what had happened, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, who was also called Mark, where many [believers] were gathered together and were praying continually [and had been praying all night].

¹³When he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer.

¹⁴Recognizing Peter's voice, in her joy she failed to open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gateway.

¹⁵They said to her, "You are out of your mind!" But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, "It is his angel!"

¹⁶But [meanwhile] Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were completely amazed.

¹⁷But motioning to them with his hand to be quiet and listen, he described how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, "Report these things to James and the brothers and sisters." Then he left and went to another place.

¹⁸Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter.

¹⁹When Herod had searched for him and could not find him, he interrogated the guards and commanded that they be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea [Maritima] and spent some time there.

²⁰Now Herod [Agrippa I] was extremely angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; and their delegates came to him in a united group, and after persuading Blastus, the king's chamberlain [to support their cause], they asked for peace, because their country was fed by [imports of grain and other goods from] the king's country.

²¹On an appointed day Herod dressed himself in his royal robes, sat on his throne (tribunal, rostrum) and began delivering a speech to the people.

²²The assembled people kept shouting, "It is the voice of a god and not of a man!"

²³And at once an angel of the Lord struck him down because he did not give God the glory [and instead permitted himself to be worshiped], and he was eaten by worms and died [five days later].

²⁴But the word of the Lord [the good news about salvation through Christ] continued to grow and spread [increasing in effectiveness].

²⁵Barnabas and Saul came back from Jerusalem when they had completed their mission, bringing with them John, who was also called Mark.