Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹On a Sabbath, he passed through the grainfields. His disciples were picking heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them.

²But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”

³Jesus answered them, “Haven’t you read what David and those who were with him did when he was hungry — 

⁴how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat? He even gave some to those who were with him.”

⁵Then he told them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

⁶On another Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. A man was there whose right hand was shriveled.

⁷The scribes and Pharisees were watching him closely, to see if he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they could find a charge against him.

⁸But he knew their thoughts and told the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand here.” So he got up and stood there.

⁹Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you: Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”

¹⁰After looking around at them all, he told him, “Stretch out your hand.” He did, and his hand was restored.

¹¹They, however, were filled with rage and started discussing with one another what they might do to Jesus.

¹²During those days he went out to the mountain to pray and spent all night in prayer to God.

¹³When daylight came, he summoned his disciples, and he chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles:

¹⁴Simon, whom he also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew;

¹⁵Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot;

¹⁶Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

¹⁷After coming down with them, he stood on a level place with a large crowd of his disciples and a great number of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon.

¹⁸They came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those tormented by unclean spirits were made well.

¹⁹The whole crowd was trying to touch him, because power was coming out from him and healing them all.

²⁰Then looking up at his disciples, he said: Blessed are you who are poor, because the kingdom of God is yours.

²¹Blessed are you who are now hungry, because you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, because you will laugh.

²²Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you, insult you, and slander your name as evil because of the Son of Man.

²³“Rejoice in that day and leap for joy. Take note — your reward is great in heaven, for this is the way their ancestors used to treat the prophets.

²⁴But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your comfort.

²⁵Woe to you who are now full, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who are now laughing, for you will mourn and weep.

²⁶Woe to you when all people speak well of you, for this is the way their ancestors used to treat the false prophets.

²⁷“But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you,

²⁸bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

²⁹If anyone hits you on the cheek, offer the other also. And if anyone takes away your coat, don’t hold back your shirt either.

³⁰Give to everyone who asks you, and from someone who takes your things, don’t ask for them back.

³¹Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them.

³²If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.

³³If you do what is good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.

³⁴And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners to be repaid in full.

³⁵But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High. For he is gracious to the ungrateful and evil.

³⁶Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

³⁷“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

³⁸Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure — pressed down, shaken together, and running over — will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”

³⁹He also told them a parable: “Can the blind guide the blind? Won’t they both fall into a pit?

⁴⁰A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.

⁴¹“Why do you look at the splinter in your brother’s eye, but don’t notice the beam of wood in your own eye?

⁴²Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the splinter that is in your eye,’ when you yourself don’t see the beam of wood in your eye? Hypocrite! First take the beam of wood out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the splinter in your brother’s eye.

⁴³“A good tree doesn’t produce bad fruit; on the other hand, a bad tree doesn’t produce good fruit.

⁴⁴For each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs aren’t gathered from thornbushes, or grapes picked from a bramble bush.

⁴⁵A good person produces good out of the good stored up in his heart. An evil person produces evil out of the evil stored up in his heart, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.

⁴⁶“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things I say?

⁴⁷I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them:

⁴⁸He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. When the flood came, the river crashed against that house and couldn’t shake it, because it was well built.

⁴⁹But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The river crashed against it, and immediately it collapsed. And the destruction of that house was great.”

¹The Israelites traveled on and camped in the plains of Moab near the Jordan across from Jericho.

²Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

³Moab was terrified of the people because they were numerous, and Moab dreaded the Israelites.

⁴So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will devour everything around us like an ox eats up the green plants in the field.” Since Balak son of Zippor was Moab’s king at that time,

⁵he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people. Balak said to him: “Look, a people has come out of Egypt; they cover the surface of the land and are living right across from me.

⁶Please come and put a curse on these people for me because they are more powerful than I am. I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that those you bless are blessed and those you curse are cursed.”

⁷The elders of Moab and Midian departed with fees for divination in hand. They came to Balaam and reported Balak’s words to him.

⁸He said to them, “Spend the night here, and I will give you the answer the LORD tells me.” So the officials of Moab stayed with Balaam.

⁹Then God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”

¹⁰Balaam replied to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent this message to me:

¹¹‘Look, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the surface of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. I may be able to fight against them and drive them away.’”

¹²Then God said to Balaam, “You are not to go with them. You are not to curse this people, for they are blessed.”

¹³So Balaam got up the next morning and said to Balak’s officials, “Go back to your land, because the LORD has refused to let me go with you.”

¹⁴The officials of Moab arose, returned to Balak, and reported, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

¹⁵Balak sent officials again who were more numerous and higher in rank than the others.

¹⁶They came to Balaam and said to him, “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘Let nothing keep you from coming to me,

¹⁷for I will greatly honor you and do whatever you ask me. So please come and put a curse on these people for me! ’”

¹⁸But Balaam responded to the servants of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go against the command of the LORD my God to do anything small or great.

¹⁹Please stay here overnight as the others did, so that I may find out what else the LORD has to tell me.”

²⁰God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but you must only do what I tell you.”

²¹When he got up in the morning, Balaam saddled his donkey and went with the officials of Moab.

²²But God was incensed that Balaam was going, and the angel of the LORD took his stand on the path to oppose him. Balaam was riding his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

²³When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing on the path with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the path and went into the field. So Balaam hit her to return her to the path.

²⁴Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow passage between the vineyards, with a stone wall on either side.

²⁵The donkey saw the angel of the LORD and pressed herself against the wall, squeezing Balaam’s foot against it. So he hit her once again.

²⁶The angel of the LORD went ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn to the right or the left.

²⁷When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she crouched down under Balaam. So he became furious and beat the donkey with his stick.

²⁸Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she asked Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?”

²⁹Balaam answered the donkey, “You made me look like a fool. If I had a sword in my hand, I’d kill you now!”

³⁰But the donkey said, “Am I not the donkey you’ve ridden all your life until today? Have I ever treated you this way before?” “No,” he replied.

³¹Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the path with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam knelt low and bowed in worship on his face.

³²The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Look, I came out to oppose you, because I consider what you are doing to be evil.

³³The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away from me, I would have killed you by now and let her live.”

³⁴Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing in the path to confront me. And now, if it is evil in your sight, I will go back.”

³⁵Then the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you are to say only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.

³⁶When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite city on the Arnon border at the edge of his territory.

³⁷Balak asked Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?”

³⁸Balaam said to him, “Look, I have come to you, but can I say anything I want? I must speak only the message God puts in my mouth.”

³⁹So Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.

⁴⁰Balak sacrificed cattle, sheep, and goats and sent for Balaam and the officials who were with him.

⁴¹In the morning, Balak took Balaam and brought him to Bamoth-baal. From there he saw the outskirts of the people’s camp.

¹So then, my dearly loved and longed for brothers and sisters, my joy and crown, in this manner stand firm in the Lord, dear friends.

²I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to agree in the Lord.

³Yes, I also ask you, true partner, to help these women who have contended for the gospel at my side, along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers whose names are in the book of life.

⁴Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

⁵Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.

⁶Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable — if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy — dwell on these things.

⁹Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

¹⁰I rejoiced in the Lord greatly because once again you renewed your care for me. You were, in fact, concerned about me but lacked the opportunity to show it.

¹¹I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself.

¹²I know both how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content — whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.

¹³I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.

¹⁴Still, you did well by partnering with me in my hardship.

¹⁵And you Philippians know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you alone.

¹⁶For even in Thessalonica you sent gifts for my need several times.

¹⁷Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that is increasing to your account.

¹⁸But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided — a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.

¹⁹And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

²⁰Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

²¹Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send you greetings.

²²All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household.

²³The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

¹Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope:

²To Timothy, my true son in the faith. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

³As I urged you when I went to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus so that you may instruct certain people not to teach false doctrine

⁴or to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. These promote empty speculations rather than God’s plan, which operates by faith.

⁵Now the goal of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.

⁶Some have departed from these and turned aside to fruitless discussion.

⁷They want to be teachers of the law, although they don’t understand what they are saying or what they are insisting on.

⁸But we know that the law is good, provided one uses it legitimately.

⁹We know that the law is not meant for a righteous person, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers,

¹⁰for the sexually immoral and homosexuals, for slave traders, liars, perjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching

¹¹that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which was entrusted to me.

¹²I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me, because he considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry —

¹³even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief,

¹⁴and the grace of our Lord overflowed, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”  — and I am the worst of them.

¹⁶But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate his extraordinary patience as an example to those who would believe in him for eternal life.

¹⁷Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

¹⁸Timothy, my son, I am giving you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies previously made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the good fight,

¹⁹having faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and have shipwrecked their faith.

²⁰Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan, so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.

¹Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:

²Does a wise man answer with empty counsel or fill himself with the hot east wind?

³Should he argue with useless talk or with words that serve no good purpose?

⁴But you even undermine the fear of God and hinder meditation before him.

⁵Your iniquity teaches you what to say, and you choose the language of the crafty.

⁶Your own mouth condemns you, not I; your own lips testify against you.

⁷Were you the first human ever born, or were you brought forth before the hills?

⁸Do you listen in on the council of God, or have a monopoly on wisdom?

⁹What do you know that we don’t? What do you understand that is not clear to us?

¹⁰Both the gray-haired and the elderly are with us— older than your father.

¹¹Are God’s consolations not enough for you, even the words that deal gently with you?

¹²Why has your heart misled you, and why do your eyes flash

¹³as you turn your anger against God and allow such words to leave your mouth?

¹⁴What is a mere human, that he should be pure, or one born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

¹⁵If God puts no trust in his holy ones and the heavens are not pure in his sight,

¹⁶how much less one who is revolting and corrupt, who drinks injustice like water?

¹⁷Listen to me and I will inform you. I will describe what I have seen,

¹⁸what the wise have declared and not concealed, that came from their ancestors,

¹⁹to whom alone the land was given when no foreigner passed among them.

²⁰A wicked person writhes in pain all his days, throughout the number of years reserved for the ruthless.

²¹Dreadful sounds fill his ears; when he is at peace, a robber attacks him.

²²He doesn’t believe he will return from darkness; he is destined for the sword.

²³He wanders about for food, asking, “Where is it?” He knows the day of darkness is at hand.

²⁴Trouble and distress terrify him, overwhelming him like a king prepared for battle.

²⁵For he has stretched out his hand against God and has arrogantly opposed the Almighty.

²⁶He rushes headlong at him with his thick, studded shields.

²⁷Though his face is covered with fat and his waistline bulges with it,

²⁸he will dwell in ruined cities, in abandoned houses destined to become piles of rubble.

²⁹He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure. His possessions will not increase in the land.

³⁰He will not escape from the darkness; flames will wither his shoots, and by the breath of God’s mouth, he will depart.

³¹Let him not put trust in worthless things, being led astray, for what he gets in exchange will prove worthless.

³²It will be accomplished before his time, and his branch will not flourish.

³³He will be like a vine that drops its unripe grapes and like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms.

³⁴For the company of the godless will have no children, and fire will consume the tents of those who offer bribes.

³⁵They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb prepares deception.

¹For the choir director. A psalm of David. [1] LORD, you have searched me and known me.

²You know when I sit down and when I stand up; you understand my thoughts from far away.

³You observe my travels and my rest; you are aware of all my ways.

⁴Before a word is on my tongue, you know all about it, LORD.

⁵You have encircled me; you have placed your hand on me.

⁶This wondrous knowledge is beyond me. It is lofty; I am unable to reach it.

⁷Where can I go to escape your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?

⁸If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.

⁹If I live at the eastern horizon or settle at the western limits,

¹⁰even there your hand will lead me; your right hand will hold on to me.

¹¹If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light around me will be night”  —

¹²even the darkness is not dark to you. The night shines like the day; darkness and light are alike to you.

¹³For it was you who created my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

¹⁴I will praise you because I have been remarkably and wondrously made. Your works are wondrous, and I know this very well.

¹⁵My bones were not hidden from you when I was made in secret, when I was formed in the depths of the earth.

¹⁶Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in your book and planned before a single one of them began.

¹⁷God, how precious your thoughts are to me; how vast their sum is!

¹⁸If I counted them, they would outnumber the grains of sand; when I wake up, I am still with you.

¹⁹God, if only you would kill the wicked — you bloodthirsty men, stay away from me  —

²⁰who invoke you deceitfully. Your enemies swear by you falsely.

²¹LORD, don’t I hate those who hate you, and detest those who rebel against you?

²²I hate them with extreme hatred; I consider them my enemies.

²³Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns.

²⁴See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.

¹A gentle answer turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath.

²The tongue of the wise makes knowledge attractive, but the mouth of fools blurts out foolishness.

³The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, observing the wicked and the good.

⁴The tongue that heals is a tree of life, but a devious tongue breaks the spirit.

⁵A fool despises his father’s discipline, but a person who accepts correction is sensible.

⁶The house of the righteous has great wealth, but trouble accompanies the income of the wicked.

⁷The lips of the wise broadcast knowledge, but not so the heart of fools.

⁸The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

⁹The LORD detests the way of the wicked, but he loves the one who pursues righteousness.

¹⁰Discipline is harsh for the one who leaves the path; the one who hates correction will die.

¹¹Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD  —  how much more, human hearts.

¹²A mocker doesn’t love one who corrects him; he will not consult the wise.

¹³A joyful heart makes a face cheerful, but a sad heart produces a broken spirit.

¹⁴A discerning mind seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.

¹⁵All the days of the oppressed are miserable, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.

¹⁶Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure with turmoil.

¹⁷Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened ox with hatred.

¹⁸A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but one slow to anger calms strife.

¹⁹A slacker’s way is like a thorny hedge, but the path of the upright is a highway.

²⁰A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.

²¹Foolishness brings joy to one without sense, but a person with understanding walks a straight path.

²²Plans fail when there is no counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

²³A person takes joy in giving an answer; and a timely word — how good that is!

²⁴For the prudent the path of life leads upward, so that he may avoid going down to Sheol.

²⁵The LORD tears apart the house of the proud, but he protects the widow’s territory.

²⁶The LORD detests the plans of the one who is evil, but pleasant words are pure.

²⁷The one who profits dishonestly troubles his household, but the one who hates bribes will live.

²⁸The mind of the righteous person thinks before answering, but the mouth of the wicked blurts out evil things.

²⁹The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

³⁰Bright eyes cheer the heart; good news strengthens the bones.

³¹One who listens to life-giving rebukes will be at home among the wise.

³²Anyone who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever listens to correction acquires good sense.

³³The fear of the LORD is what wisdom teaches, and humility comes before honor.

¹In the twenty-third year of Judah’s King Joash son of Ahaziah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned seventeen years.

²He did what was evil in the LORD’s sight and followed the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.

³So the LORD’s anger burned against Israel, and he handed them over to King Hazael of Aram and to his son Ben-hadad during their reigns.

⁴Then Jehoahaz sought the LORD’s favor, and the LORD heard him, for he saw the oppression the king of Aram inflicted on Israel.

⁵Therefore, the LORD gave Israel a deliverer, and they escaped from the power of the Arameans. Then the people of Israel returned to their former way of life,

⁶but they didn’t turn away from the sins that the house of Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit. Jehoahaz continued them, and the Asherah pole also remained standing in Samaria.

⁷Jehoahaz did not have an army left, except for fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand foot soldiers, because the king of Aram had destroyed them, making them like dust at threshing.

⁸The rest of the events of Jehoahaz’s reign, along with all his accomplishments and his might, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.

⁹Jehoahaz rested with his fathers, and he was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoash became king in his place.

¹⁰In the thirty-seventh year of Judah’s King Joash, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned sixteen years.

¹¹He did what was evil in the LORD’s sight. He did not turn away from all the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit, but he continued them.

¹²The rest of the events of Jehoash’s reign, along with all his accomplishments and the power he had to wage war against Judah’s King Amaziah, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.

¹³Jehoash rested with his fathers, and Jeroboam sat on his throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

¹⁴When Elisha became sick with the illness from which he died, King Jehoash of Israel went down and wept over him and said, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!”

¹⁵Elisha responded, “Get a bow and arrows.” So he got a bow and arrows.

¹⁶Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Grasp the bow.” So the king grasped it, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.

¹⁷Elisha said, “Open the east window.” So he opened it. Elisha said, “Shoot!” So he shot. Then Elisha said, “The LORD’s arrow of victory, yes, the arrow of victory over Aram. You are to strike down the Arameans in Aphek until you have put an end to them.”

¹⁸Then Elisha said, “Take the arrows!” So he took them. Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground!” So he struck the ground three times and stopped.

¹⁹The man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times. Then you would have struck down Aram until you had put an end to them, but now you will strike down Aram only three times.”

²⁰Then Elisha died and was buried. Now Moabite raiders used to come into the land in the spring of the year.

²¹Once, as the Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a raiding party, so they threw the man into Elisha’s tomb. When he touched Elisha’s bones, the man revived and stood up!

²²King Hazael of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz,

²³but the LORD was gracious to them, had compassion on them, and turned toward them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He was not willing to destroy them. Even now he has not banished them from his presence.

²⁴King Hazael of Aram died, and his son Ben-hadad became king in his place.

²⁵Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz took back from Ben-hadad son of Hazael the cities that Hazael had taken in war from Jehoash’s father Jehoahaz. Jehoash defeated Ben-hadad three times and recovered the cities of Israel.

¹The word of the LORD came to me again:

²“Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her detestable practices.

³You are to say, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth were in the land of the Canaanites. Your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hethite.

⁴As for your birth, your umbilical cord wasn’t cut on the day you were born, and you weren’t washed clean with water. You were not rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths.

⁵No one cared enough about you to do even one of these things out of compassion for you. But you were thrown out into the open field because you were despised on the day you were born.

⁶“‘I passed by you and saw you thrashing around in your blood, and I said to you as you lay in your blood, “Live!” Yes, I said to you as you lay in your blood, “Live!”

⁷I made you thrive like plants of the field. You grew up and matured and became very beautiful. Your breasts were formed and your hair grew, but you were stark naked.

⁸“‘Then I passed by you and saw you, and you were indeed at the age for love. So I spread the edge of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I pledged myself to you, entered into a covenant with you — this is the declaration of the Lord GOD  — and you became mine.

⁹I washed you with water, rinsed off your blood, and anointed you with oil.

¹⁰I clothed you in embroidered cloth and provided you with fine leather sandals. I also wrapped you in fine linen and covered you with silk.

¹¹I adorned you with jewelry, putting bracelets on your wrists and a necklace around your neck.

¹²I put a ring in your nose, earrings on your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head.

¹³So you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was made of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour, honey, and oil. You became extremely beautiful and attained royalty.

¹⁴Your fame spread among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through my splendor, which I had bestowed on you. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.

¹⁵“‘But you trusted in your beauty and acted like a prostitute because of your fame. You lavished your sexual favors on everyone who passed by. Your beauty became his.

¹⁶You took some of your clothing and made colorful high places for yourself, and you engaged in prostitution on them. These places should not have been built, and this should never have happened!

¹⁷You also took your beautiful jewelry made from the gold and silver I had given you, and you made male images so that you could engage in prostitution with them.

¹⁸Then you took your embroidered clothing to cover them and set my oil and incense before them.

¹⁹The food that I gave you — the fine flour, oil, and honey that I fed you — you set it before them as a pleasing aroma. That is what happened. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.

²⁰“‘You even took your sons and daughters you bore to me and sacrificed them to these images as food. Wasn’t your prostitution enough?

²¹You slaughtered my children and gave them up when you passed them through the fire to the images.

²²In all your detestable practices and acts of prostitution, you did not remember the days of your youth when you were stark naked and thrashing around in your blood.

²³“‘Then after all your evil — Woe, woe to you! — the declaration of the Lord GOD  —

²⁴you built yourself a mound and made yourself an elevated place in every square.

²⁵You built your elevated place at the head of every street and turned your beauty into a detestable thing. You spread your legs to everyone who passed by and increased your prostitution.

²⁶You engaged in promiscuous acts with Egyptian men, your well-endowed neighbors, and increased your prostitution to anger me.

²⁷“‘Therefore, I stretched out my hand against you and reduced your provisions. I gave you over to the desire of those who hate you, the Philistine women, who were embarrassed by your indecent conduct.

²⁸Then you engaged in prostitution with the Assyrian men because you were not satisfied. Even though you did this with them, you were still not satisfied.

²⁹So you extended your prostitution to Chaldea, the land of merchants, but you were not even satisfied with this!

³⁰“‘How your heart was inflamed with lust  — the declaration of the Lord GOD  — when you did all these things, the acts of a brazen prostitute,

³¹building your mound at the head of every street and making your elevated place in every square. But you were unlike a prostitute because you scorned payment.

³²You adulterous wife, who receives strangers instead of her husband!

³³Men give gifts to all prostitutes, but you gave gifts to all your lovers. You bribed them to come to you from all around for your sexual favors.

³⁴So you were the opposite of other women in your acts of prostitution; no one solicited you. When you paid a fee instead of one being paid to you, you were the opposite.

³⁵“‘Therefore, you prostitute, hear the word of the LORD!

³⁶This is what the Lord GOD says: Because your lust was poured out and your nakedness exposed by your acts of prostitution with your lovers, and because of all your detestable idols and the blood of your children that you gave to them,

³⁷I am therefore going to gather all the lovers you pleased  — all those you loved as well as all those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around and expose your nakedness to them so they see you completely naked.

³⁸I will judge you the way adulteresses and those who shed blood are judged. Then I will bring about the shedding of your blood in jealous wrath.

³⁹I will hand you over to them, and they will demolish your mounds and tear down your elevated places. They will strip off your clothes, take your beautiful jewelry, and leave you stark naked.

⁴⁰They will bring a mob against you to stone you and to cut you to pieces with their swords.

⁴¹They will burn your houses and execute judgments against you in the sight of many women. I will stop you from being a prostitute, and you will never again pay fees for lovers.

⁴²So I will satisfy my wrath against you, and my jealousy will turn away from you. Then I will be calm and no longer angry.

⁴³Because you did not remember the days of your youth but enraged me with all these things, I will also bring your conduct down on your own head. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD. Haven’t you committed depravity in addition to all your detestable practices?

⁴⁴“‘Look, everyone who uses proverbs will quote this proverb about you: “Like mother, like daughter.”

⁴⁵You are the daughter of your mother, who despised her husband and children. You are the sister of your sisters, who despised their husbands and children. Your mother was a Hethite and your father an Amorite.

⁴⁶Your older sister was Samaria, who lived with her daughters to the north of you, and your younger sister was Sodom, who lived with her daughters to the south of you.

⁴⁷Didn’t you walk in their ways and do their detestable practices? It was only a short time before all your ways were more corrupt than theirs.

⁴⁸“‘As I live — the declaration of the Lord GOD  — your sister Sodom and her daughters have not behaved as you and your daughters have.

⁴⁹Now this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters had pride, plenty of food, and comfortable security, but didn’t support the poor and needy.

⁵⁰They were haughty and did detestable acts before me, so I removed them when I saw this.

⁵¹But Samaria did not commit even half your sins. You have multiplied your detestable practices beyond theirs and made your sisters appear righteous by all the detestable acts you have committed.

⁵²You must also bear your disgrace, since you have helped your sisters out. For they appear more righteous than you because of your sins, which you committed more detestably than they did. So you also, be ashamed and bear your disgrace, since you have made your sisters appear righteous.

⁵³“‘I will restore their fortunes, the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters and those of Samaria and her daughters. I will also restore your fortunes among them,

⁵⁴so you will bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you did when you comforted them.

⁵⁵As for your sisters, Sodom and her daughters and Samaria and her daughters will return to their former state. You and your daughters will also return to your former state.

⁵⁶Didn’t you treat your sister Sodom as an object of scorn when you were proud,

⁵⁷before your wickedness was exposed? It was like the time you were scorned by the daughters of Aram and all those around her, and by the daughters of the Philistines — those who treated you with contempt from every side.

⁵⁸You yourself must bear the consequences of your depravity and detestable practices  — this is the LORD’s declaration.

⁵⁹“‘For this is what the Lord GOD says: I will deal with you according to what you have done, since you have despised the oath by breaking the covenant.

⁶⁰But I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish a permanent covenant with you.

⁶¹Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your older and younger sisters. I will give them to you as daughters, but not because of your covenant.

⁶²I will establish my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the LORD,

⁶³so that when I make atonement for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed, and never open your mouth again because of your disgrace. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.’”

¹When it was decided that we were to sail to Italy, they handed over Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Imperial Regiment.

²When we had boarded a ship of Adramyttium, we put to sea, intending to sail to ports along the coast of Asia. Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, was with us.

³The next day we put in at Sidon, and Julius treated Paul kindly and allowed him to go to his friends to receive their care.

⁴When we had put out to sea from there, we sailed along the northern coast of Cyprus because the winds were against us.

⁵After sailing through the open sea off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we reached Myra in Lycia.

⁶There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy and put us on board.

⁷Sailing slowly for many days, with difficulty we arrived off Cnidus. Since the wind did not allow us to approach it, we sailed along the south side of Crete off Salmone.

⁸With still more difficulty we sailed along the coast and came to a place called Fair Havens near the city of Lasea.

⁹By now much time had passed, and the voyage was already dangerous. Since the Day of Atonement was already over, Paul gave his advice

¹⁰and told them, “Men, I can see that this voyage is headed toward disaster and heavy loss, not only of the cargo and the ship but also of our lives.”

¹¹But the centurion paid attention to the captain and the owner of the ship rather than to what Paul said.

¹²Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided to set sail from there, hoping somehow to reach Phoenix, a harbor on Crete facing the southwest and northwest, and to winter there.

¹³When a gentle south wind sprang up, they thought they had achieved their purpose. They weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete.

¹⁴But before long, a fierce wind called the “northeaster” rushed down from the island.

¹⁵Since the ship was caught and unable to head into the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along.

¹⁶After running under the shelter of a little island called Cauda, we were barely able to get control of the skiff.

¹⁷After hoisting it up, they used ropes and tackle and girded the ship. Fearing they would run aground on the Syrtis, they lowered the drift-anchor, and in this way they were driven along.

¹⁸Because we were being severely battered by the storm, they began to jettison the cargo the next day.

¹⁹On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands.

²⁰For many days neither sun nor stars appeared, and the severe storm kept raging. Finally all hope was fading that we would be saved.

²¹Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul then stood up among them and said, “You men should have followed my advice not to sail from Crete and sustain this damage and loss.

²²Now I urge you to take courage, because there will be no loss of any of your lives, but only of the ship.

²³For last night an angel of the God I belong to and serve stood by me

²⁴and said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul. It is necessary for you to appear before Caesar. And indeed, God has graciously given you all those who are sailing with you.’

²⁵So take courage, men, because I believe God that it will be just the way it was told to me.

²⁶But we have to run aground on some island.”

²⁷When the fourteenth night came, we were drifting in the Adriatic Sea, and about midnight the sailors thought they were approaching land.

²⁸They took soundings and found it to be a hundred and twenty feet deep; when they had sailed a little farther and sounded again, they found it to be ninety feet deep.

²⁹Then, fearing we might run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight to come.

³⁰Some sailors tried to escape from the ship; they had let down the skiff into the sea, pretending that they were going to put out anchors from the bow.

³¹Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.”

³²Then the soldiers cut the ropes holding the skiff and let it drop away.

³³When it was about daylight, Paul urged them all to take food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been waiting and going without food, having eaten nothing.

³⁴So I urge you to take some food. For this is for your survival, since none of you will lose a hair from your head.”

³⁵After he said these things and had taken some bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all of them, and after he broke it, he began to eat.

³⁶They all were encouraged and took food themselves.

³⁷In all there were 276 of us on the ship.

³⁸When they had eaten enough, they began to lighten the ship by throwing the grain overboard into the sea.

³⁹When daylight came, they did not recognize the land but sighted a bay with a beach. They planned to run the ship ashore if they could.

⁴⁰After cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and headed for the beach.

⁴¹But they struck a sandbar and ran the ship aground. The bow jammed fast and remained immovable, while the stern began to break up by the pounding of the waves.

⁴²The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners so that no one could swim away and escape.

⁴³But the centurion kept them from carrying out their plan because he wanted to save Paul, and so he ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land.

⁴⁴The rest were to follow, some on planks and some on debris from the ship. In this way, everyone safely reached the shore.