Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered.

²This first registration took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.

³So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town.

⁴Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David,

⁵to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant.

⁶While they were there, the time came for her to give birth.

⁷Then she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and she wrapped him tightly in cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

⁸In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock.

⁹Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people:

¹¹Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord.

¹²This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.”

¹³Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:

¹⁴Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors!

¹⁵When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

¹⁶They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger.

¹⁷After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child,

¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

¹⁹But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them.

²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard, which were just as they had been told.

²¹When the eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus  — the name given by the angel before he was conceived.

²²And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were finished, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord

²³(just as it is written in the law of the Lord,Every firstborn male will be dedicated to the Lord )

²⁴and to offer a sacrifice (according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons ).

²⁵There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation, and the Holy Spirit was on him.

²⁶It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah.

²⁷Guided by the Spirit, he entered the temple. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for him what was customary under the law,

²⁸Simeon took him up in his arms, praised God, and said,

²⁹Now, Master, you can dismiss your servant in peace, as you promised.

³⁰For my eyes have seen your salvation.

³¹You have prepared it in the presence of all peoples —

³²a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory to your people Israel.

³³His father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him.

³⁴Then Simeon blessed them and told his mother Mary: “Indeed, this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed  —

³⁵and a sword will pierce your own soul — that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

³⁶There was also a prophetess, Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well along in years, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,

³⁷and was a widow for eighty-four years. She did not leave the temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayers.

³⁸At that very moment, she came up and began to thank God and to speak about him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

³⁹When they had completed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.

⁴⁰The boy grew up and became strong, filled with wisdom, and God’s grace was on him.

⁴¹Every year his parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival.

⁴²When he was twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the festival.

⁴³After those days were over, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it.

⁴⁴Assuming he was in the traveling party, they went a day’s journey. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.

⁴⁵When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him.

⁴⁶After three days, they found him in the temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

⁴⁷And all those who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers.

⁴⁸When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

⁴⁹“Why were you searching for me?” he asked them. “Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house?”

⁵⁰But they did not understand what he said to them.

⁵¹Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them. His mother kept all these things in her heart.

⁵²And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people.

¹The LORD said to Aaron, “You, your sons, and your ancestral family will be responsible for iniquity against the sanctuary. You and your sons will be responsible for iniquity involving your priesthood.

²But also bring your relatives with you from the tribe of Levi, your ancestral tribe, so they may join you and assist you and your sons in front of the tent of the testimony.

³They are to perform duties for you and for the whole tent. They must not come near the sanctuary equipment or the altar; otherwise, both they and you will die.

⁴They are to join you and guard the tent of meeting, doing all the work at the tent, but no unauthorized person may come near you.

⁵“You are to guard the sanctuary and the altar so that wrath may not fall on the Israelites again.

⁶Look, I have selected your fellow Levites from the Israelites as a gift for you, assigned by the LORD to work at the tent of meeting.

⁷But you and your sons will carry out your priestly responsibilities for everything concerning the altar and for what is inside the curtain, and you will do that work. I am giving you the work of the priesthood as a gift, but an unauthorized person who comes near the sanctuary will be put to death.”

⁸Then the LORD spoke to Aaron, “Look, I have put you in charge of the contributions brought to me. As for all the holy offerings of the Israelites, I have given them to you and your sons as a portion and a permanent statute.

⁹A portion of the holiest offerings kept from the fire will be yours; every one of their offerings that they give me, whether the grain offering, sin offering, or guilt offering will be most holy for you and your sons.

¹⁰You are to eat it as a most holy offering. Every male may eat it; it is to be holy to you.

¹¹“The contribution of their gifts also belongs to you. I have given all the Israelites’ presentation offerings to you and to your sons and daughters as a permanent statute. Every ceremonially clean person in your house may eat it.

¹²I am giving you all the best of the fresh oil, new wine, and grain, which the Israelites give to the LORD as their firstfruits.

¹³The firstfruits of all that is in their land, which they bring to the LORD, belong to you. Every clean person in your house may eat them.

¹⁴“Everything in Israel that is permanently dedicated to the LORD belongs to you.

¹⁵The firstborn of every living thing, human or animal, presented to the LORD belongs to you. But you must certainly redeem a human firstborn, and redeem the firstborn of an unclean animal.

¹⁶You will pay the redemption price for a month-old male according to your assessment: five shekels of silver by the standard sanctuary shekel, which is twenty gerahs.

¹⁷“However, you must not redeem the firstborn of an ox, a sheep, or a goat; they are holy. You are to splatter their blood on the altar and burn their fat as a fire offering for a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

¹⁸But their meat belongs to you. It belongs to you like the breast of the presentation offering and the right thigh.

¹⁹“I give to you and to your sons and daughters all the holy contributions that the Israelites present to the LORD as a permanent statute. It is a permanent covenant of salt before the LORD for you as well as your offspring.”

²⁰The LORD told Aaron, “You will not have an inheritance in their land; there will be no portion among them for you. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites.

²¹“Look, I have given the Levites every tenth in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work they do, the work of the tent of meeting.

²²The Israelites must never again come near the tent of meeting, or they will incur guilt and die.

²³The Levites will do the work of the tent of meeting, and they will bear the consequences of their iniquity. The Levites will not receive an inheritance among the Israelites; this is a permanent statute throughout your generations.

²⁴For I have given them the tenth that the Israelites present to the LORD as a contribution for their inheritance. That is why I told them that they would not receive an inheritance among the Israelites.”

²⁵The LORD instructed Moses,

²⁶“Speak to the Levites and tell them: When you receive from the Israelites the tenth that I have given you as your inheritance, you are to present part of it as an offering to the LORD  — a tenth of the tenth.

²⁷Your offering will be credited to you as if it were your grain from the threshing floor or the full harvest from the winepress.

²⁸You are to present an offering to the LORD from every tenth you receive from the Israelites. Give some of it to the priest Aaron as an offering to the LORD.

²⁹You must present the entire offering due the LORD from all your gifts. The best part of the tenth is to be consecrated.

³⁰“Tell them further: Once you have presented the best part of the tenth, and it is credited to you Levites as the produce of the threshing floor or the winepress,

³¹then you and your household may eat it anywhere. It is your wage in return for your work at the tent of meeting.

³²You will not incur guilt because of it once you have presented the best part of it, but you must not defile the Israelites’ holy offerings, so that you will not die.”

¹Children, obey your parents in the Lord, because this is right.

²Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise,

³so that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life in the land.

⁴Fathers, don’t stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

⁵Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as you would Christ.

⁶Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, do God’s will from your heart.

⁷Serve with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to people,

⁸knowing that whatever good each one does, slave or free, he will receive this back from the Lord.

⁹And masters, treat your slaves the same way, without threatening them, because you know that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

¹⁰Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength.

¹¹Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil.

¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.

¹³For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand.

¹⁴Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest,

¹⁵and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace.

¹⁶In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit  — which is the word of God.

¹⁸Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.

¹⁹Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel.

²⁰For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.

²¹Tychicus, our dearly loved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me so that you may be informed.

²²I am sending him to you for this very reason, to let you know how we are and to encourage your hearts.

²³Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

²⁴Grace be with all who have undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.

¹Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:

²Should this abundance of words go unanswered and such a talker be acquitted?

³Should your babbling put others to silence, so that you can keep on ridiculing with no one to humiliate you?

⁴You have said, “My teaching is sound, and I am pure in your sight.”

⁵But if only God would speak and open his lips against you!

⁶He would show you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know then that God has chosen to overlook some of your iniquity.

⁷Can you fathom the depths of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?

⁸They are higher than the heavens — what can you do? They are deeper than Sheol — what can you know?

⁹Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.

¹⁰If he passes by and throws someone in prison or convenes a court, who can stop him?

¹¹Surely he knows which people are worthless. If he sees iniquity, will he not take note of it?

¹²But a stupid person will gain understanding as soon as a wild donkey is born a human!

¹³As for you, if you redirect your heart and spread out your hands to him in prayer —

¹⁴if there is iniquity in your hand, remove it, and don’t allow injustice to dwell in your tents —

¹⁵then you will hold your head high, free from fault. You will be firmly established and unafraid.

¹⁶For you will forget your suffering, recalling it only as water that has flowed by.

¹⁷Your life will be brighter than noonday; its darkness will be like the morning.

¹⁸You will be confident, because there is hope. You will look carefully about and lie down in safety.

¹⁹You will lie down with no one to frighten you, and many will seek your favor.

²⁰But the sight of the wicked will fail. Their way of escape will be cut off, and their only hope is their last breath.

¹Hallelujah! Praise the name of the LORD. Give praise, you servants of the LORD

²who stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God.

³Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing praise to his name, for it is delightful.

⁴For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel as his treasured possession.

⁵For I know that the LORD is great; our Lord is greater than all gods.

⁶The LORD does whatever he pleases in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all the depths.

⁷He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain and brings the wind from his storehouses.

⁸He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, both people and animals.

⁹He sent signs and wonders against you, Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his officials.

¹⁰He struck down many nations and slaughtered mighty kings:

¹¹Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the kings of Canaan.

¹²He gave their land as an inheritance, an inheritance to his people Israel.

¹³LORD, your name endures forever, your reputation, LORD, through all generations.

¹⁴For the LORD will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants.

¹⁵The idols of the nations are of silver and gold, made by human hands.

¹⁶They have mouths but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see.

¹⁷They have ears but cannot hear; indeed, there is no breath in their mouths.

¹⁸Those who make them are just like them, as are all who trust in them.

¹⁹House of Israel, bless the LORD! House of Aaron, bless the LORD!

²⁰House of Levi, bless the LORD! You who revere the LORD, bless the LORD!

²¹Blessed be the LORD from Zion; he dwells in Jerusalem. Hallelujah!

¹Dishonest scales are detestable to the LORD, but an accurate weight is his delight.

²When arrogance comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom.

³The integrity of the upright guides them, but the perversity of the treacherous destroys them.

⁴Wealth is not profitable on a day of wrath, but righteousness rescues from death.

⁵The righteousness of the blameless clears his path, but the wicked person will fall because of his wickedness.

⁶The righteousness of the upright rescues them, but the treacherous are trapped by their own desires.

⁷When the wicked person dies, his expectation comes to nothing, and hope placed in wealth vanishes.

⁸The righteous one is rescued from trouble; in his place, the wicked one goes in.

⁹With his mouth the ungodly destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous are rescued.

¹⁰When the righteous thrive, a city rejoices; when the wicked die, there is joyful shouting.

¹¹A city is built up by the blessing of the upright, but it is torn down by the mouth of the wicked.

¹²Whoever shows contempt for his neighbor lacks sense, but a person with understanding keeps silent.

¹³A gossip goes around revealing a secret, but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.

¹⁴Without guidance, a people will fall, but with many counselors there is deliverance.

¹⁵If someone puts up security for a stranger, he will suffer for it, but the one who hates such agreements is protected.

¹⁶A gracious woman gains honor, but violent people gain only riches.

¹⁷A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel person brings ruin on himself.

¹⁸The wicked person earns an empty wage, but the one who sows righteousness, a true reward.

¹⁹Genuine righteousness leads to life, but pursuing evil leads to death.

²⁰Those with twisted minds are detestable to the LORD, but those with blameless conduct are his delight.

²¹Be assured that a wicked person will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will escape.

²²A beautiful woman who rejects good sense is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.

²³The desire of the righteous turns out well, but the hope of the wicked leads to wrath.

²⁴One person gives freely, yet gains more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor.

²⁵A generous person will be enriched, and the one who gives a drink of water will receive water.

²⁶People will curse anyone who hoards grain, but a blessing will come to the one who sells it.

²⁷The one who searches for what is good seeks favor, but if someone looks for trouble, it will come to him.

²⁸Anyone trusting in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like foliage.

²⁹The one who brings ruin on his household will inherit the wind, and a fool will be a slave to someone whose heart is wise.

³⁰The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and a wise person captivates people. 

³¹If the righteous will be repaid on earth, how much more the wicked and sinful.

¹The prophet Elisha called one of the sons of the prophets and said, “Tuck your mantle under your belt, take this flask of oil with you, and go to Ramoth-gilead.

²When you get there, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi. Go in, get him away from his colleagues, and take him to an inner room.

³Then take the flask of oil, pour it on his head, and say, ‘This is what the LORD says: “I anoint you king over Israel.”’ Open the door and escape. Don’t wait.”

⁴So the young prophet went to Ramoth-gilead.

⁵When he arrived, the army commanders were sitting there, so he said, “I have a message for you, commander.” Jehu asked, “For which one of us?” He answered, “For you, commander.”

⁶So Jehu got up and went into the house. The young prophet poured the oil on his head and said, “This is what the LORD God of Israel says: ‘I anoint you king over the LORD’s people, Israel.

⁷You are to strike down the house of your master Ahab so that I may avenge the blood shed by the hand of Jezebel — the blood of my servants the prophets and of all the servants of the LORD.

⁸The whole house of Ahab will perish, and I will wipe out all of Ahab’s males, both slave and free, in Israel.

⁹I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah.

¹⁰The dogs will eat Jezebel in the plot of land at Jezreel — no one will bury her.’” Then the young prophet opened the door and escaped.

¹¹When Jehu came out to his master’s servants, they asked, “Is everything all right? Why did this crazy person come to you?” Then he said to them, “You know the sort and their ranting.”

¹²But they replied, “That’s a lie! Tell us!” So Jehu said, “He talked to me about this and that and said, ‘This is what the LORD says: I anoint you king over Israel.’”

¹³Each man quickly took his garment and put it under Jehu on the bare steps. They blew the ram’s horn and proclaimed, “Jehu is king!”

¹⁴Then Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram. Joram and all Israel had been at Ramoth-gilead on guard against King Hazael of Aram.

¹⁵But King Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds that the Arameans had inflicted on him when he fought against Aram’s King Hazael. Jehu said, “If you commanders wish to make me king, then don’t let anyone escape from the city to go tell about it in Jezreel.”

¹⁶Jehu got into his chariot and went to Jezreel since Joram was laid up there and King Ahaziah of Judah had gone down to visit Joram.

¹⁷Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel. He saw Jehu’s mob approaching and shouted, “I see a mob!” Joram responded, “Choose a rider and send him to meet them and have him ask, ‘Do you come in peace?’”

¹⁸So a horseman went to meet Jehu and said, “This is what the king asks: ‘Do you come in peace? ’” Jehu replied, “What do you have to do with peace? Fall in behind me.” The watchman reported, “The messenger reached them but hasn’t started back.”

¹⁹So he sent out a second horseman, who went to them and said, “This is what the king asks: ‘Do you come in peace? ’” Jehu answered, “What do you have to do with peace? Fall in behind me.”

²⁰Again the watchman reported, “He reached them but hasn’t started back. Also, the driving is like that of Jehu son of Nimshi  — he drives like a madman.”

²¹“Get the chariot ready!” Joram shouted, and they got it ready. Then King Joram of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah set out, each in his own chariot, and met Jehu at the plot of land of Naboth the Jezreelite.

²²When Joram saw Jehu he asked, “Do you come in peace, Jehu?” He answered, “What peace can there be as long as there is so much prostitution and sorcery from your mother Jezebel?”

²³Joram turned around and fled, shouting to Ahaziah, “It’s treachery, Ahaziah!”

²⁴Then Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram between the shoulders. The arrow went through his heart, and he slumped down in his chariot.

²⁵Jehu said to Bidkar his aide, “Pick him up and throw him on the plot of ground belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite. For remember when you and I were riding side by side behind his father Ahab, and the LORD uttered this pronouncement against him:

²⁶‘As surely as I saw the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons yesterday’ — this is the LORD’s declaration — ’so will I repay you on this plot of land’ — this is the LORD’s declaration. So now, according to the word of the LORD, pick him up and throw him on the plot of land.”

²⁷When King Ahaziah of Judah saw what was happening, he fled up the road toward Beth-haggan. Jehu pursued him, shouting, “Shoot him too!” So they shot him in his chariot at Gur Pass near Ibleam, but he fled to Megiddo and died there.

²⁸Then his servants carried him to Jerusalem in a chariot and buried him in his fathers’ tomb in the city of David.

²⁹It was in the eleventh year of Joram son of Ahab that Ahaziah had become king over Judah.

³⁰When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard about it, so she painted her eyes, fixed her hair, and looked down from the window.

³¹As Jehu entered the city gate, she said, “Do you come in peace, Zimri, killer of your master?”

³²He looked up toward the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three eunuchs looked down at him,

³³and he said, “Throw her down!” So they threw her down, and some of her blood splattered on the wall and on the horses, and Jehu rode over her.

³⁴Then he went in, ate and drank, and said, “Take care of this cursed woman and bury her, since she’s a king’s daughter.”

³⁵But when they went out to bury her, they did not find anything but the skull, the feet, and the hands.

³⁶So they went back and told him, and he said, “This fulfills the LORD’s word that he spoke through his servant Elijah the Tishbite: ‘In the plot of land at Jezreel, the dogs will eat Jezebel’s flesh.

³⁷Jezebel’s corpse will be like manure on the surface of the ground in the plot of land at Jezreel so that no one will be able to say: This is Jezebel.’”

¹The word of the LORD came to me:

²“Son of man, you are living among a rebellious house. They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house.

³“Now you, son of man, get your bags ready for exile and go into exile in their sight during the day. You will go into exile from your place to another place while they watch; perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house.

⁴During the day, bring out your bags like an exile’s bags while they look on. Then in the evening go out in their sight like those going into exile.

⁵As they watch, dig through the wall and take the bags out through it.

⁶And while they look on, lift the bags to your shoulder and take them out in the dark; cover your face so that you cannot see the land. For I have made you a sign to the house of Israel.”

⁷So I did just as I was commanded. In the daytime I brought out my bags like an exile’s bags. In the evening I dug through the wall by hand; I took them out in the dark, carrying them on my shoulder in their sight.

⁸In the morning the word of the LORD came to me:

⁹“Son of man, hasn’t the house of Israel, that rebellious house, asked you, ‘What are you doing? ’

¹⁰Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: This pronouncement concerns the prince in Jerusalem and the whole house of Israel living there.’

¹¹You are to say, ‘I am a sign for you. Just as I have done, it will be done to them; they will go into exile, into captivity.’

¹²The prince who is among them will lift his bags to his shoulder in the dark and go out. They will dig through the wall to bring him out through it. He will cover his face so he cannot see the land with his eyes.

¹³But I will spread my net over him, and he will be caught in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, yet he will not see it, and he will die there.

¹⁴I will also scatter all the attendants who surround him and all his troops to every direction of the wind, and I will draw a sword to chase after them.

¹⁵They will know that I am the LORD when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them among the countries.

¹⁶But I will spare a few of them from the sword, famine, and plague, so that among the nations where they go they can tell about all their detestable practices. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”

¹⁷The word of the LORD came to me:

¹⁸“Son of man, eat your bread with trembling and drink your water with anxious shaking.

¹⁹Then say to the people of the land, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says about the residents of Jerusalem in the land of Israel: They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water in dread, for their land will be stripped of everything in it because of the violence of all who live there.

²⁰The inhabited cities will be destroyed, and the land will become dreadful. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”

²¹Again the word of the LORD came to me:

²²“Son of man, what is this proverb you people have about the land of Israel, which goes, ‘The days keep passing by, and every vision fails’?

²³Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: I will put a stop to this proverb, and they will not use it again in Israel.’ But say to them, ‘The days have arrived, as well as the fulfillment of every vision.

²⁴For there will no longer be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel.

²⁵But I, the LORD, will speak whatever message I will speak, and it will be done. It will no longer be delayed. For in your days, rebellious house, I will speak a message and bring it to pass. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.’”

²⁶The word of the LORD came to me:

²⁷“Son of man, notice that the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees concerns many years from now; he prophesies about distant times.’

²⁸Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: None of my words will be delayed any longer. The message I speak will be fulfilled. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.’”

¹Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience to this day.”

²The high priest Ananias ordered those who were standing next to him to strike him on the mouth.

³Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! You are sitting there judging me according to the law, and yet in violation of the law are you ordering me to be struck?”

⁴Those standing nearby said, “Do you dare revile God’s high priest?”

⁵“I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest,” replied Paul. “For it is written, You must not speak evil of a ruler of your people.”

⁶When Paul realized that one part of them were Sadducees and the other part were Pharisees, he cried out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am being judged because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead!”

⁷When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.

⁸For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, and neither angel nor spirit, but the Pharisees affirm them all.

⁹The shouting grew loud, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ party got up and argued vehemently: “We find nothing evil in this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”

¹⁰When the dispute became violent, the commander feared that Paul might be torn apart by them and ordered the troops to go down, take him away from them, and bring him into the barracks.

¹¹The following night, the Lord stood by him and said, “Have courage! For as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so it is necessary for you to testify in Rome.”

¹²When it was morning, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.

¹³There were more than forty who had formed this plot.

¹⁴These men went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves under a solemn curse that we won’t eat anything until we have killed Paul.

¹⁵So now you, along with the Sanhedrin, make a request to the commander that he bring him down to you as if you were going to investigate his case more thoroughly. But, before he gets near, we are ready to kill him.”

¹⁶But the son of Paul’s sister, hearing about their ambush, came and entered the barracks and reported it to Paul.

¹⁷Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander, because he has something to report to him.”

¹⁸So he took him, brought him to the commander, and said, “The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, because he has something to tell you.”

¹⁹The commander took him by the hand, led him aside, and inquired privately, “What is it you have to report to me?”

²⁰“The Jews,” he said, “have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the Sanhedrin tomorrow, as though they are going to hold a somewhat more careful inquiry about him.

²¹Don’t let them persuade you, because there are more than forty of them lying in ambush — men who have bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they have killed him. Now they are ready, waiting for your consent.”

²²So the commander dismissed the young man and instructed him, “Don’t tell anyone that you have informed me about this.”

²³He summoned two of his centurions and said, “Get two hundred soldiers ready with seventy cavalry and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at nine tonight.

²⁴Also provide mounts for Paul to ride and bring him safely to Felix the governor.”

²⁵He wrote the following letter:

²⁶Claudius Lysias, To the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.

²⁷When this man had been seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them, I arrived with my troops and rescued him because I learned that he is a Roman citizen.

²⁸Wanting to know the charge they were accusing him of, I brought him down before their Sanhedrin.

²⁹I found out that the accusations were concerning questions of their law, and that there was no charge that merited death or imprisonment.

³⁰When I was informed that there was a plot against the man, I sent him to you right away. I also ordered his accusers to state their case against him in your presence.

³¹So the soldiers took Paul during the night and brought him to Antipatris as they were ordered.

³²The next day, they returned to the barracks, allowing the cavalry to go on with him.

³³When these men entered Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.

³⁴After he read it, he asked what province he was from. When he learned he was from Cilicia,

³⁵he said, “I will give you a hearing whenever your accusers also get here.” He ordered that he be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.