Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome purchased [sweet-smelling] spices, so that they might go and anoint Him.

²Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.

³And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?"

⁴Looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, though it was extremely large.

⁵Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right, wearing a [long, stately] white robe; and they were amazed and bewildered.

⁶And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen; He is not here. See, [here is] the place where they laid Him.

⁷But go, tell His disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see Him there, just as He told you.'"

⁸They went out and fled from the tomb, for they were seized with trembling and astonishment; and they said nothing [about it] to anyone, because they were afraid.

⁹[Now Jesus, having risen [from death] early on the first day of the week, appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons.

¹⁰She went and reported it to those who had been with Him, while they were mourning and weeping.

¹¹When they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe it.

¹²After that, He appeared in a different form to two of them as they were walking along the way to the country.

¹³They returned [to Jerusalem] and told the others, but they did not believe them either.

¹⁴Later, Jesus appeared to the eleven [disciples] themselves as they were reclining at the table; and He called them to account for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen [from death].

¹⁵And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

¹⁶He who has believed [in Me] and has been baptized will be saved [from the penalty of God's wrath and judgment]; but he who has not believed will be condemned.

¹⁷These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak in new tongues;

¹⁸they will pick up serpents, and if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will get well."

¹⁹So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.

²⁰And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord was working with them and confirming the word by the signs that followed.]

¹Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, descendants of Reuben, took action,

²and they rose up [in rebellion] before Moses, together with some of the Israelites, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation chosen in the assembly, men of distinction.

³They assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?"

⁴And when Moses heard this, he fell face downward;

⁵and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, "In the morning the LORD will show who belongs to Him, and who is holy, and will bring him near to Himself; the one whom He will choose He will bring near to Himself.

⁶Do this: Take censers for yourselves, Korah and all your company,

⁷then put fire in them and place incense on them in the presence of the LORD tomorrow; and the man whom the LORD chooses shall be the one who is holy. You have gone far enough, you sons of Levi."

⁸Then Moses said to Korah, "Hear now, you sons of Levi,

⁹does it seem but a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them;

¹⁰and that He has brought you near [to Him], Korah and all your brothers, sons of Levi with you? Would you seek the priesthood also?

¹¹Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the LORD; but as for Aaron, who is he that you murmur against him?"

¹²Then Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab; but they said [defiantly], "We will not come up.

¹³Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land [of plenty] flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness, but you would also lord it over us?

¹⁴Indeed, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you gouge out the eyes of these men? We will not come up!"

¹⁵Then Moses became very angry and said to the LORD, "Pay no attention to their offering! I have not taken one donkey from them, nor have I harmed any one of them."

¹⁶Moses said to Korah, "You and all your company are to appear before the LORD tomorrow, both you and they along with Aaron.

¹⁷Each of you take his censer and put incense on it, and each of you bring his censer before the LORD, two hundred and fifty censers; also you and Aaron shall each bring his censer."

¹⁸So they each took his own censer and put fire on it and laid incense on it; and they stood at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle), with Moses and Aaron.

¹⁹Then Korah assembled all the congregation against Moses and Aaron at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle). And the glory and brilliance of the LORD appeared to all the congregation.

²⁰Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,

²¹"Separate yourselves from among this congregation, so that I may consume them immediately."

²²But they fell on their faces [before the LORD], and said, "O God, God of the spirits of all flesh! When one man sins, will You be angry with the entire congregation?"

²³Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

²⁴"Say to the congregation, 'Get away from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.'"

²⁵Then Moses arose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him.

²⁶And he said to the congregation, "Get away from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, or you will be swept away in all their sin."

²⁷So they got back from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the doorway of their tents with their wives and their sons and their little children.

²⁸Then Moses said, "By this you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works; for I do not act of my own accord.

²⁹If these men die the common death of all mankind or if what happens to everyone happens to them, then [you will know for sure that] the LORD has not sent me.

³⁰But if the LORD creates an entirely new thing, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up, along with all that belongs to them, and they descend alive into Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead), then you will understand that these men have spurned and rejected the LORD!"

³¹As soon as Moses finished speaking all these words, the ground under them split open;

³²and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, and all the men who supported Korah, with all their possessions.

³³So they and all that belonged to them went down alive to Sheol; and the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly.

³⁴All Israel who were around them fled at their outcry, for they said, "The earth may swallow us also."

³⁵Fire also came forth from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering the incense.

³⁶Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

³⁷"Tell Eleazar the son of Aaron, the priest, that he is to pick up the censers from the midst of the blaze for they are holy; and you scatter the burning coals abroad.

³⁸As for the censers of these people who have sinned at the cost of their lives, have the censers made into hammered sheets as a plating for the altar [of burnt offering], for they were presented before the LORD and they are sacred. They shall be a [warning] sign to the sons of Israel."

³⁹So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers which the Levites who were burned had offered, and they were hammered out [into broad sheets] as a plating for the [bronze] altar [of burnt offering],

⁴⁰as a reminder to the sons of Israel so that no layman—that is, one who is not of the descendants of Aaron should approach to offer incense before the LORD; so that he will not become like Korah and as his company—just as the LORD had said to him through Moses.

⁴¹But on the next day the entire congregation of the Israelites murmured against Moses and Aaron, saying, "You have caused the death of the people of the LORD."

⁴²When the congregation was assembled against Moses and Aaron, they turned and looked at the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle), and behold, the cloud covered it and the glory and brilliance of the LORD appeared.

⁴³Then Moses and Aaron came to the front of the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle),

⁴⁴and the LORD spoke to Moses saying,

⁴⁵"Get away from among this congregation, so that I may consume them immediately." Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces [in silence before the LORD].

⁴⁶Moses said to Aaron, "Take a censer and put fire in it from the altar and lay incense on it; then bring it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone forth from the LORD; the plague has begun!"

⁴⁷So Aaron took the burning censer as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and behold, the plague had [already] begun among the people; and he put on the incense and made atonement for the people.

⁴⁸He stood between the dead and the living, so that the plague was brought to an end.

⁴⁹But those who died in the plague were 14,700, besides those who died because of Korah.

⁵⁰Then Aaron returned to Moses at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle), for the plague had been brought to an end.

¹So I, the prisoner for the Lord, appeal to you to live a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called [that is, to live a life that exhibits godly character, moral courage, personal integrity, and mature behavior—a life that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation],

²with all humility [forsaking self-righteousness], and gentleness [maintaining self-control], with patience, bearing with one another in [unselfish] love.

³Make every effort to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the bond of peace [each individual working together to make the whole successful].

⁴There is one body [of believers] and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when called [to salvation]—

⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

⁶one God and Father of us all who is [sovereign] over all and [working] through all and [living] in all.

⁷Yet grace [God's undeserved favor] was given to each one of us [not indiscriminately, but in different ways] in proportion to the measure of Christ's [rich and abundant] gift.

⁸Therefore it says, "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And He bestowed gifts on men."

⁹(Now this expression, "He ascended," what does it mean except that He also had previously descended [from the heights of heaven] into the lower parts of the earth?

¹⁰He who descended is the very same as He who also has ascended high above all the heavens, that He [His presence] might fill all things [that is, the whole universe]).

¹¹And [His gifts to the church were varied and] He Himself appointed some as apostles [special messengers, representatives], some as prophets [who speak a new message from God to the people], some as evangelists [who spread the good news of salvation], and some as pastors and teachers [to shepherd and guide and instruct],

¹²[and He did this] to fully equip and perfect the saints (God's people) for works of service, to build up the body of Christ [the church];

¹³until we all reach oneness in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, [growing spiritually] to become a mature believer, reaching to the measure of the fullness of Christ [manifesting His spiritual completeness and exercising our spiritual gifts in unity].

¹⁴So that we are no longer children [spiritually immature], tossed back and forth [like ships on a stormy sea] and carried about by every wind of [shifting] doctrine, by the cunning and trickery of [unscrupulous] men, by the deceitful scheming of people ready to do anything [for personal profit].

¹⁵But speaking the truth in love [in all things—both our speech and our lives expressing His truth], let us grow up in all things into Him [following His example] who is the Head—Christ.

¹⁶From Him the whole body [the church, in all its various parts], joined and knitted firmly together by what every joint supplies, when each part is working properly, causes the body to grow and mature, building itself up in [unselfish] love.

¹⁷So this I say, and solemnly affirm together with the Lord [as in His presence], that you must no longer live as the [unbelieving] Gentiles live, in the futility of their minds [and in the foolishness and emptiness of their souls],

¹⁸for their [moral] understanding is darkened and their reasoning is clouded; [they are] alienated and self-banished from the life of God [with no share in it; this is] because of the [willful] ignorance and spiritual blindness that is [deep-seated] within them, because of the hardness and insensitivity of their heart.

¹⁹And they, [the ungodly in their spiritual apathy], having become callous and unfeeling, have given themselves over [as prey] to unbridled sensuality, eagerly craving the practice of every kind of impurity [that their desires may demand].

²⁰But you did not learn Christ in this way!

²¹If in fact you have [really] heard Him and have been taught by Him, just as truth is in Jesus [revealed in His life and personified in Him],

²²that, regarding your previous way of life, you put off your old self [completely discard your former nature], which is being corrupted through deceitful desires,

²³and be continually renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh, untarnished mental and spiritual attitude],

²⁴and put on the new self [the regenerated and renewed nature], created in God's image, [godlike] in the righteousness and holiness of the truth [living in a way that expresses to God your gratitude for your salvation].

²⁵Therefore, rejecting all falsehood [whether lying, defrauding, telling half-truths, spreading rumors, any such as these], speak truth each one with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one another [and we are all parts of the body of Christ].

²⁶Be angry [at sin—at immorality, at injustice, at ungodly behavior], yet do not sin; do not let your anger [cause you shame, nor allow it to] last until the sun goes down.

²⁷And do not give the devil an opportunity [to lead you into sin by holding a grudge, or nurturing anger, or harboring resentment, or cultivating bitterness].

²⁸The thief [who has become a believer] must no longer steal, but instead he must work hard [making an honest living], producing that which is good with his own hands, so that he will have something to share with those in need.

²⁹Do not let unwholesome [foul, profane, worthless, vulgar] words ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good for building up others, according to the need and the occasion, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear [you speak].

³⁰And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [but seek to please Him], by whom you were sealed and marked [branded as God's own] for the day of redemption [the final deliverance from the consequences of sin].

³¹Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor [perpetual animosity, resentment, strife, fault-finding] and slander be put away from you, along with every kind of malice [all spitefulness, verbal abuse, malevolence].

³²Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding], forgiving one another [readily and freely], just as God in Christ also forgave you.

¹Then Job answered and said,

²"Yes, I know it is true. But how can a mortal man be right before God?

³"If one should want to contend or dispute with Him, He could not answer Him once in a thousand times.

⁴"God is wise in heart and mighty in strength; Who has [ever] defied or challenged Him and remained unharmed?

⁵"It is God who removes the mountains, and they do not know it, When He overturns them in His anger;

⁶Who shakes the earth out of its place, And its pillars tremble;

⁷Who commands the sun, and it does not shine; Who seals up the stars [from view];

⁸Who alone stretches out the heavens And tramples down the waves of the sea;

⁹Who made [the constellations] the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the [vast starry] spaces of the south;

¹⁰Who does great things, [beyond understanding,] unfathomable, Yes, marvelous and wondrous things without number.

¹¹"Behold, He passes by me, and I do not see Him; He moves past me, but I do not perceive Him.

¹²"Behold, He snatches away; who can restrain or turn Him back? Who will say to Him, 'What are You doing?'

¹³"God will not turn back His anger; The [proud] helpers of Rahab [the arrogant monster of the sea] bow under Him.

¹⁴"How can I answer Him [and plead my case], Choosing my words [to reason] with Him?

¹⁵For though I were righteous, I could not answer. I must appeal for mercy to my Opponent and Judge.

¹⁶"If I called and He answered me, I could not believe that He was listening to my voice.

¹⁷"For He bruises me with a tempest And multiplies my wounds without cause.

¹⁸"He will not allow me to catch my breath, But fills and saturates me with bitterness.

¹⁹"If it is a matter of strength and power, behold, He is mighty! And if of justice, who can summon and challenge Him?

²⁰"Though I am innocent and in the right, my own mouth would pronounce me guilty; Though I am blameless, He would denounce me as guilty.

²¹"[Though] I am blameless, I do not care about myself; I despise my life.

²²"It is all one; therefore I say, 'He destroys [both] the blameless and the wicked.'

²³"When [His] scourge kills suddenly, He mocks at the despair of the innocent.

²⁴"The earth is given into the hands of the wicked; He covers the faces of its judges [so that they are blind to justice]. If it is not He, then who is it [that is responsible for all this injustice]?

²⁵"Now my days are swifter than a runner; They vanish, they see no good.

²⁶"They pass by like the [swift] boats made of reeds, Like an eagle that swoops down on its prey.

²⁷"If I say, 'I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my sad appearance, and be cheerful and brighten up,'

²⁸I am afraid of all my pains and worries [yet to come]; I know that You will not acquit me and leave me unpunished.

²⁹"I am accounted wicked and held guilty; Why then should I labor in vain [to appear innocent]?

³⁰"If I were to wash myself with snow And cleanse my hands with lye,

³¹You would still plunge me into the pit, And my own clothes would hate me [and refuse to cover my foul body].

³²"For God is not a [mere] man, as I am, that I may answer Him, That we may go to court and judgment together.

³³"There is no arbitrator between us, Who could lay his hand upon us both [would that there were].

³⁴"Let Him take His rod away from me, And let not the dread and fear of Him terrify me.

³⁵"Then I would speak [my defense] and not fear Him; But I am not like that in myself.

¹A Song of Ascents. Of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity!

²It is like the precious oil [of consecration] poured on the head, Coming down on the beard, Even the beard of Aaron, Coming down upon the edge of his [priestly] robes [consecrating the whole body].

³It is like the dew of [Mount] Hermon Coming down on the hills of Zion; For there the LORD has commanded the blessing: life forevermore.

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).

¹Then Elisha said, "Hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the LORD, 'Tomorrow about this time a measure of finely-milled flour will sell for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.'"

²Then the royal officer on whose arm the king leaned answered the man of God and said, "If the LORD should make windows in heaven [for the rain], could this thing take place?" Elisha said, "Behold, you will see it with your own eyes, but [because you doubt] you will not eat of it."

³Now four men who were lepers were at the entrance of the [city's] gate; and they said to one another, "Why should we sit here until we die?

⁴If we say, 'We will enter the city'—then the famine is in the city and we will die there; and if we sit still here, we will also die. So now come, let us go over to the camp of the Arameans (Syrians). If they let us live, we will live; and if they kill us, we will only die."

⁵So they got up at twilight to go to the Aramean camp. But when they came to the edge of the camp, there was no one there.

⁶For the LORD had caused the Aramean army to hear the sound of chariots, and the sound of horses, the sound of a great army. They had said to one another, "The king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come [and fight] against us."

⁷So the Arameans set out and fled during the twilight, and left their tents, horses, and donkeys, even left the camp just as it was, and fled for their lives.

⁸When these lepers came to the edge of the camp, they went into one tent and ate and drank, and carried away from there silver, gold, and clothing, and went and hid them. Then they went back and entered another tent and carried [some valuable things] from there also, and went and hid them.

⁹Then they said one to another, "We are not doing the right thing. This is a day of good news, yet we are keeping silent. If we wait until the morning light, some punishment [for not reporting this now] will come on us. So now come, let us go and tell the king's household."

¹⁰So they came and called to the gatekeepers of the city. They told them, "We went to the camp of the Arameans (Syrians), and behold, there was no one there, nor the sound of man there—only the horses and donkeys tied up, and the tents [had been left] just as they were."

¹¹Then the gatekeepers called out and it was reported to the king's household inside [the city].

¹²Then the king got up in the night and said to his servants, "I will tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know that we are hungry; so they have left the camp to hide themselves in the open country, thinking, 'When they come out of the city, we shall take them alive and get into the city.'"

¹³One of his servants replied, "Please let some men take five of the horses which remain inside the city. Consider this: [if they are caught then at worst] they will be like all the people of Israel who are left in the city; [even if they are killed then] they will be like all the people of Israel who have already died. So let us send [them] and see [what happens]."

¹⁴So they took two chariots with horses, and the king sent them after the Aramean army, saying, "Go and see."

¹⁵They went after them to the Jordan, and all the road was entirely littered with clothing and equipment which the Arameans (Syrians) had thrown away when they hurriedly fled. And the messengers returned and told the king.

¹⁶Then the people [of Israel] went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. So [goods were so plentiful that] a measure of finely-milled flour [was sold] for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in accordance with the word of the LORD [as spoken through Elisha].

¹⁷Now the king had appointed the royal officer on whose arm he leaned to be in charge of the [city] gate; and the [starving] people trampled him at the gate [as they struggled to get through for food], and he died, just as the man of God had foretold when the king came down to him.

¹⁸It happened just as [Elisha] the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, "Two measures of barley will be sold for a shekel and a measure of finely-milled flour for a shekel tomorrow about this time at the gate of Samaria."

¹⁹The royal officer had answered the man of God and said, "Now behold, [even] if the LORD should make windows in heaven, could such a thing happen?" And Elisha had answered, "You will see it with your own eyes, but [because of your doubt] you will not eat it."

²⁰And so it happened to him; for the people trampled him at the gate, and he died.

¹Then I looked, and behold, in the expanse (firmament) that was over the heads of the cherubim there appeared something [glorious and brilliant] above them looking like a [huge] sapphire stone, formed to resemble a throne.

²And the LORD spoke to the man (seventh angel) clothed in linen and said, "Go between the whirling wheels under the cherubim; fill your hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim and scatter them over the city." And he entered as I watched.

³Now the cherubim were standing on the right side of the temple when the man entered; and a cloud [the Shekinah glory of God] filled the inner courtyard.

⁴Then the glory and brilliance of the LORD moved upward from the cherubim to [rest over] the threshold of the temple; and the temple was filled with the cloud and the courtyard was filled with the brightness of the Lord's glory.

⁵And the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard [even] as far as the outer courtyard, like the voice of God Almighty when He speaks.

⁶It came about when He commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, "Take fire from between the whirling wheels, from between the cherubim," the man entered and stood beside a wheel.

⁷Then a cherub stretched out his hand from between the cherubim to the fire that was between [the four of] them, and took some [of it] and put it into the hands of the man clothed in linen, who took it and departed.

⁸Beneath their wings the cherubim seemed to have [something in] the form of a man's hand.

⁹Then I looked and behold, [there were] four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside one cherub and another wheel beside each other cherub; and the appearance of the wheels was like a sparkling Tarshish stone (beryl).

¹⁰As for their appearance, all four looked alike, as if one wheel were within another wheel.

¹¹When they moved, they went in any of their four directions without turning as they went; but they followed in the direction which they faced, without turning as they went.

¹²Their whole body, their backs, their hands, their wings, and the wheels were full of eyes all around, even the wheels belonging to all four of them.

¹³Regarding the wheels [attached to them], I heard them called, "the whirling (rolling, revolving) wheels."

¹⁴And each one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cherub, the second the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

¹⁵Then the cherubim rose upward. They are the [same four] living beings [regarded as one] that I saw by the River Chebar [in Babylonia].

¹⁶Now when the cherubim moved, the wheels would go beside them; and when the cherubim lifted up their wings to rise from the earth, the wheels would remain beside them.

¹⁷When the cherubim stood still, the wheels would stand still; and when they rose upward, the wheels would rise with them, for the spirit of the living beings was in these [wheels].

¹⁸Then the [Shekinah] glory of the LORD departed from the threshold of the temple and rested over the cherubim.

¹⁹As I looked at them, the cherubim lifted up their wings and rose up from the earth, they departed with the wheels beside them; and they stood still at the entrance of the east gate of the house of the LORD, and the glory and brilliance of the God of Israel hovered over them.

²⁰These are the living beings that I saw beneath the God of Israel by the River Chebar; and I knew that they were cherubim.

²¹Each one had four faces and each one had four wings, and beneath their wings was the form of human hands.

²²As for the likeness of their faces, they were the same faces whose appearance I had seen by the River Chebar. Each one went straight forward.

¹When we had torn ourselves away from them and set sail, we ran a straight course and came to Cos, and on the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara;

²and after finding a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we went on board and set sail.

³After we came in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on our left (port side), we sailed on to Syria and put in at Tyre; for there the ship was to unload her cargo.

⁴After looking up the disciples [in Tyre], we stayed there [with them] seven days; and they kept telling Paul through the [Holy] Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem.

⁵When our days there came to an end, we left and proceeded on our journey, while all of the disciples, with their wives and children, escorted us on our way until we were outside the city. After kneeling down on the beach and praying, we told one another goodbye.

⁶Then we boarded the ship, and they returned to their homes.

⁷When we had completed the voyage from Tyre, we landed [twenty miles to the south] at Ptolemais, and after greeting the believers, we stayed with them for one day.

⁸On the next day we left and came to Caesarea, and we went to the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven [deacons], and stayed with him.

⁹He had four virgin daughters who had the gift of prophecy.

¹⁰As we were staying there for some time, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

¹¹And coming to [see] us, he took Paul's [wide] band (belt, sash) and bound his own feet and hands, and said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says: 'In this same way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this band, and they will hand him over to the Gentiles (pagans).'"

¹²Now when we had heard this, both we and the local residents began pleading with Paul trying to persuade him not to go up to Jerusalem.

¹³Then Paul replied, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart [like this]? For I am ready not only to be bound and imprisoned, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."

¹⁴And since he would not be dissuaded, we stopped pleading and fell silent, saying, "The Lord's will be done!"

¹⁵After this we got ready and started on our way up to Jerusalem.

¹⁶Some of the disciples from Caesarea also came with us, taking us to [the house of] Mnason, a man from Cyprus, a disciple of long standing with whom we were to lodge.

¹⁷When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters welcomed us gladly.

¹⁸On the next day Paul went with us to [see] James, and all the elders of the church were present.

¹⁹After greeting them, Paul began to give a detailed account of the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

²⁰And when they heard it, they began glorifying and praising God; and they said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and they are all enthusiastic supporters of the Law [of Moses].

²¹Now they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are living among the Gentiles to turn away from [the Law of] Moses, advising them not to circumcise their children or to live according to the [Mosaic] customs.

²²What then should be done? They will certainly hear that you have arrived.

²³Therefore do just what we tell you. We have four men who have taken a vow;

²⁴take these men and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses [for the temple offerings] so that they may shave their heads. Then everyone will know that there is nothing to the things they have been told about you, but that you yourself also follow and keep the Law.

²⁵But with regard to the Gentiles who have believed [in Christ], we have sent them a letter with our decision that they should abstain from meat sacrificed to idols and from [consuming] blood and from [the meat of] what has been strangled and from sexual immorality."

²⁶Then Paul took the [four] men, and the next day he purified himself along with them [by submitting to the ritual]. He went into the temple to give notice of [the time] when the days of purification [ending each vow] would be fulfilled and the usual offering could be presented on behalf of each one.

²⁷When the seven days [required to complete the ritual] were almost over, [some] Jews from [the province of] Asia [Minor], caught sight of him in the temple, and began to stir up the crowd, and they seized him,

²⁸shouting, "Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and the Law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place."

²⁹For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul, and they assumed that he had brought the man into the temple [beyond the court of the Gentiles].

³⁰Then the whole city was provoked and confused, and the people rushed together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the gates were closed.

³¹Now while they were trying to kill him, word came to the commander of the [Roman] garrison that all Jerusalem was in a state of upheaval.

³²So he immediately took soldiers and centurions and ran down among them. When the people saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

³³Then the commander came up and arrested Paul, and ordered that he be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done.

³⁴But some in the crowd were shouting one thing and others something else; and since he could not determine the facts because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken to the barracks [in the tower of Antonia].

³⁵When Paul got to the steps, he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob;

³⁶for the majority of the people kept following them, shouting, "Away with him! [Kill him!]"

³⁷Just as Paul was about to be taken into the barracks, he asked the commander, "May I say something to you?" And the man replied, "Do you know Greek?

³⁸Then you are not [as I assumed] the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a rebellion and led those 4,000 men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?"

³⁹Paul said, "I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia (Mersin Province, Turkey), a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people."

⁴⁰When the commander had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, gestured with his hand to the people; and when there was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew dialect (Jewish Aramaic), saying,