Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them out ahead of Him, two by two, into every city and place where He was about to go.

²He was saying to them, "The harvest is abundant [for there are many who need to hear the good news about salvation], but the workers [those available to proclaim the message of salvation] are few. Therefore, [prayerfully] ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.

³Go your way; listen carefully: I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.

⁴Do not carry a money belt, a provision bag, or [extra] sandals; and do not greet anyone along the way [who would delay you].

⁵Whatever house you enter, first say, ' Peace [that is, a blessing of well-being and prosperity, the favor of God] to this house.'

⁶And if anyone of peace is there [someone who is sweet-spirited and hospitable], your [blessing of] peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.

⁷Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not move from house to house.

⁸Whenever you go into a city and they welcome you, eat what is set before you;

⁹and heal those in it who are sick [authenticating your message], and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'

¹⁰But whatever city you enter and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say,

¹¹'Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe off in protest against you [breaking all ties]; yet understand this, that the kingdom of God has come near [and you rejected it].'

¹²I tell you, it will be more bearable in that day [of judgment] for Sodom than for that city.

¹³"Woe (judgment is coming) to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented and changed their minds long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes [to show deep regret for sin].

¹⁴However, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you.

¹⁵And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades (the realm of the dead).

¹⁶"The one who listens to you listens to Me; and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and the one who rejects Me rejects Him [My heavenly Father] who sent Me."

¹⁷The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name."

¹⁸He said to them, "I watched Satan fall from heaven like [a flash of] lightning.

¹⁹Listen carefully: I have given you authority [that you now possess] to tread on serpents and scorpions, and [the ability to exercise authority] over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will [in any way] harm you.

²⁰Nevertheless do not rejoice at this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven."

²¹In that very hour He was overjoyed and rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and He said, "I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things [relating to salvation] from the wise and intelligent, and have revealed them to infants [the childlike and untaught]. Yes, Father, for this way was [Your gracious will and choice, and was] well-pleasing in Your sight.

²²All things have been transferred and turned over to Me by My Father and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal Him."

²³Then turning to His disciples, Jesus said privately, "Blessed [joyful, spiritually enlightened, and favored by God] are the eyes which see what you see,

²⁴for I say to you that many prophets and kings longed to see what you see, and they did not see it; and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it."

²⁵And a certain lawyer [an expert in Mosaic Law] stood up to test Him, saying, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

²⁶Jesus said to him, "What is written in the Law? How do you read it?"

²⁷And he replied, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."

²⁸Jesus said to him, "You have answered correctly; do this habitually and you will live."

²⁹But he, wishing to justify and vindicate himself, asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

³⁰Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he encountered robbers, who stripped him of his clothes [and belongings], beat him, and went their way [unconcerned], leaving him half dead.

³¹Now by coincidence a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

³²Likewise a Levite also came down to the place and saw him, and passed by on the other side [of the road].

³³But a Samaritan (foreigner), who was traveling, came upon him; and when he saw him, he was deeply moved with compassion [for him],

³⁴and went to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them [to sooth and disinfect the injuries]; and he put him on his own pack-animal, and brought him to an inn and took care of him.

³⁵On the next day he took out two denarii (two days' wages) and gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I return.'

³⁶Which of these three do you think proved himself a neighbor to the man who encountered the robbers?"

³⁷He answered, "The one who showed compassion and mercy to him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and constantly do the same."

³⁸Now while they were on their way, Jesus entered a village [called Bethany], and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.

³⁹She had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord's feet and was continually listening to His teaching.

⁴⁰But Martha was very busy and distracted with all of her serving responsibilities; and she approached Him and said, "Lord, is it of no concern to You that my sister has left me to do the serving alone? Tell her to help me and do her part."

⁴¹But the Lord replied to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered and anxious about so many things;

⁴²but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part [that which is to her advantage], which will not be taken away from her."

¹Then it happened after the plague that the LORD said to Moses and Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest,

²"Take a census of all the [males in the] congregation of the sons of Israel from twenty years old and upward, by their fathers' households, all in Israel who are able to go to war."

³So Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with the people in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,

⁴"A census of the people shall be taken from twenty years old and upward, just as the LORD has commanded Moses." Now the Israelites who came out of the land of Egypt were:

⁵Reuben, the firstborn of Israel (Jacob), the sons of Reuben: of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites;

⁶of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.

⁷These are the families (clans) of the Reubenites; and those who were numbered of them were 43,730.

⁸The son of Pallu: Eliab.

⁹The sons of Eliab: Nemuel and Dathan and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram who were called by the congregation, who contended against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against the LORD,

¹⁰and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up along with Korah, when that company died, when the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men, so that they became a [warning] sign.

¹¹But Korah's sons did not die [because they did not participate in the rebellion].

¹²The sons of Simeon according to their families: of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites;

¹³of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites; of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.

¹⁴These are the families (clans) of the Simeonites, 22,200.

¹⁵The sons of Gad according to their families: of Zephon, the family of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the family of the Haggites; of Shuni, the family of the Shunites;

¹⁶of Ozni, the family of the Oznites; of Eri, the family of the Erites;

¹⁷of Arod, the family of the Arodites; of Areli, the family of the Arelites.

¹⁸These are the families (clans) of the sons of Gad according to those who were numbered, 40,500.

¹⁹The sons of Judah were Er and Onan, but Er and Onan [were judged by God and] died in the land of Canaan.

²⁰The sons of Judah according to their families: of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites; of Perez, the family of the Perezites; of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites.

²¹The sons of Perez: of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites.

²²These are the families (clans) of Judah according to those who were numbered, 76,500.

²³The sons of Issachar according to their families: of Tola, the family of the Tolaites; of Puvah, the family of the Punites;

²⁴of Jashub, the family of the Jashubites; of Shimron, the family of the Shimronites.

²⁵These are the families (clans) of Issachar according to those who were numbered, 64,300.

²⁶The sons of Zebulun according to their families: of Sered, the family of the Seredites; of Elon, the family of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites.

²⁷These are the families (clans) of the Zebulunites according to those who were numbered, 60,500.

²⁸The sons of Joseph according to their families were Manasseh and Ephraim.

²⁹The sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the Machirites; and Machir was the father of Gilead; of Gilead, the family of the Gileadites.

³⁰These are the sons of Gilead: of Iezer, the family of the Iezerites; of Helek, the family of the Helekites;

³¹of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites; of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites;

³²of Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites; and of Hepher, the family of the Hepherites.

³³Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but only daughters, and the names of Zelophehad's daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

³⁴These are the families (clans) of Manasseh; and those who were numbered of them were 52,700.

³⁵These are the sons of Ephraim according to their families: of Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthelahites; of Becher, the family of the Becherites; of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites.

³⁶And these are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the family of the Eranites.

³⁷These are the families (clans) of the sons of Ephraim according to those who were numbered, 32,500. These are the descendants of Joseph according to their families (clans).

³⁸The sons of Benjamin according to their families: of Bela, the family of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites; of Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites;

³⁹of Shephupham, the family of the Shuphamites; of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites.

⁴⁰The sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the family of the Ardites; of Naaman, the family of the Naamites.

⁴¹These are the sons of Benjamin according to their families (clans); and those who were numbered, 45,600.

⁴²These are the sons of Dan according to their families: of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan according to their families.

⁴³All the families (clans) of the Shuhamites according to those who were numbered, 64,400.

⁴⁴Of the sons of Asher according to their families: of Imnah, the family of the Imnites; of Ishvi, the family of the Ishvites; of Beriah, the family of the Beriites.

⁴⁵Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the family of the Heberites; of Malchiel, the family of the Malchielites.

⁴⁶And the name of the daughter of Asher was Serah.

⁴⁷These are the families (clans) of the sons of Asher according to those who were numbered, 53,400.

⁴⁸Of the sons of Naphtali according to their families: of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites; of Guni, the family of the Gunites;

⁴⁹of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites.

⁵⁰These are the families (clans) of Naphtali according to their families; and those who were numbered of them were 45,400.

⁵¹This was the [total] number of the [male] Israelites, 601,730 [twenty years old and upward who were able to go to war].

⁵²And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

⁵³"Among these the land shall be divided as an inheritance according to the number of names.

⁵⁴To the larger tribe you shall give the larger inheritance, and to the smaller tribe the smaller inheritance; each tribe shall be given its inheritance according to its numbers.

⁵⁵But the land shall be divided by lot. They shall receive their inheritance according to the names of the tribes of their fathers (tribal ancestors).

⁵⁶According to the [location selected by] lot, their inheritance shall be divided between the larger and the smaller [groups]."

⁵⁷These are those who were numbered of the Levites according to their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites; of Merari, the family of the Merarites.

⁵⁸These are the families of Levi: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, the family of the Korahites. And Kohath was the father of Amram.

⁵⁹The name of Amram's wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt; and to Amram she bore Aaron, Moses, and Miriam their sister.

⁶⁰To Aaron were born Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

⁶¹But Nadab and Abihu died [in the presence of God] when they offered [in their ceremonial censers] strange [unholy, unacceptable, unauthorized] fire before the LORD.

⁶²Those numbered of the Levites were 23,000, every male from a month old and upward; for they were not numbered among the sons of Israel, since no inheritance [of land] was given to them among the Israelites.

⁶³These are those numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the sons of Israel [for the second time] in the plains of Moab by the Jordan [River] at Jericho.

⁶⁴But among these there was not a man [left] of those numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest, who numbered the sons of Israel [for the first time] in the Wilderness of Sinai.

⁶⁵For the LORD had said of them, "They shall certainly die in the wilderness." And not a man was left of them except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.

¹Masters, [on your part] deal with your slaves justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

²Be persistent and devoted to prayer, being alert and focused in your prayer life with an attitude of thanksgiving.

³At the same time pray for us, too, that God will open a door [of opportunity] to us for the word, to proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I have been imprisoned;

⁴that I may make it clear [and speak boldly and unfold the mystery] in the way I should.

⁵Conduct yourself with wisdom in your interactions with outsiders (non-believers), make the most of each opportunity [treating it as something precious].

⁶Let your speech at all times be gracious and pleasant, seasoned with salt, so that you will know how to answer each one [who questions you].

⁷As to all my affairs, Tychicus, who is a much-loved brother and faithful assistant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will give you all the information.

⁸I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are doing and that he may encourage your hearts;

⁹and with him is Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will let you know everything about the situation here [in Rome].

¹⁰Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, wishes to be remembered to you; as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him);

¹¹and from Jesus, who is called Justus. These are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision (Jewish Christians), and they have proved to be an encouragement and a comfort to me.

¹²Epaphras, who is one of you and a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. [He is] always striving for you in his prayers, praying with genuine concern, [pleading] that you may [as people of character and courage] stand firm, [spiritually mature] and fully assured in all the will of God.

¹³For I testify for him that he has worked strenuously for you and for the believers in Laodicea and those in Hierapolis.

¹⁴Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas greet you.

¹⁵Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church that meets in her house.

¹⁶When this letter has been read among you, see that it is read in the church of the Laodiceans; and also that you in turn read my letter [that is coming to you] from Laodicea.

¹⁷And say to Archippus, "See to it that you fulfill [carefully the duties of] the ministry which you have received in the Lord."

¹⁸I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. May grace (God's unmerited favor and blessing) be with you.

¹Do not sharply reprimand an older man, but appeal to him as [you would to] a father, to younger men as brothers,

²to older women as mothers, to younger women as sisters, in all purity [being careful to maintain appropriate relationships].

³Honor and help those widows who are truly widowed [alone, and without support].

⁴But if a widow has children or grandchildren [who are adults], see to it that these first learn to show great respect to their own family [as their religious duty and natural obligation], and to compensate their parents or grandparents [for their upbringing]; for this is acceptable and pleasing in the sight of God.

⁵Now a woman who is really a widow and has been left [entirely] alone [without adequate income] trusts in God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day.

⁶Whereas she who lives for pleasure and self-indulgence is spiritually dead even while she still lives.

⁷Keep instructing [the people to do] these things as well, so that they may be blameless and beyond reproach.

⁸If anyone fails to provide for his own, and especially for those of his own family, he has denied the faith [by disregarding its precepts] and is worse than an unbeliever [who fulfills his obligation in these matters].

⁹A widow is to be put on the list [to receive regular assistance] only if she is over sixty years of age, [having been] the wife of one man,

¹⁰and has a reputation for good deeds; [she is eligible] if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the feet of the saints (God's people), if she has assisted the distressed, and has devoted herself to doing good in every way.

¹¹But refuse [to enroll the] younger widows, for when they feel their natural desires in disregard of Christ, they wish to marry again,

¹²and so they incur condemnation for having set aside their previous pledge.

¹³Now at the same time, they also learn to be idle as they go from house to house; and not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies [meddlers in things that do not concern them], talking about things they should not mention.

¹⁴So I want younger widows to get married, have children, manage their households, and not give opponents of the faith any occasion for slander.

¹⁵Some [widows] have already turned away [from the faith] to follow Satan.

¹⁶If any believing woman has [dependent] widows [in her household], she must assist them [according to her ability]; and the church must not be burdened [with them], so that it may assist those who are truly widows [those who are all alone and are dependent].

¹⁷The elders who perform their leadership duties well are to be considered worthy of double honor (financial support), especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching [the word of God concerning eternal salvation through Christ].

¹⁸For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain [to keep it from eating]," and, "The worker is worthy of his wages [he deserves fair compensation]."

¹⁹Do not accept an accusation against an elder unless it is based on [the testimony of at least] two or three witnesses.

²⁰As for those [elders] who continue in sin, reprimand them in the presence of all [the congregation], so that the rest will be warned.

²¹I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels that you guard and keep these rules without bias, doing nothing out of favoritism.

²²Do not hurry to lay hands on anyone [ordaining and approving someone for ministry or an office in the church, or in reinstating expelled offenders], and thereby share in the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin.

²³No longer continue drinking [only] water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.

²⁴The sins of some people are conspicuous, leading the way for them into judgment [so that they are clearly not qualified for ministry]; but the sins of others appear later [for they are hidden and follow behind them].

²⁵Likewise, good deeds are quite evident, and those which are otherwise cannot be hidden [indefinitely].

¹Then Job answered and said,

²"How long will you torment and exasperate me And crush me with words?

³"These ten times you have insulted me; You are not ashamed to wrong me [and harden your hearts against me].

⁴"And if it were true that I have erred, My error would remain with me [and I would be conscious of it].

⁵"If indeed you [braggarts] vaunt and magnify yourselves over me And prove my disgrace (humiliation) to me,

⁶Know then that God has wronged me and overthrown me And has closed His net around me.

⁷"Behold, I cry out, 'Violence!' but I am not heard; I shout for help, but there is no justice.

⁸"He has walled up my way so that I cannot pass, And He has set darkness upon my paths.

⁹"He has stripped me of my honor And removed the crown from my head.

¹⁰"He breaks me down on every side, and I am gone; He has uprooted my hope like a tree.

¹¹"He has also kindled His wrath [like a fire] against me And He considers and counts me as one of His adversaries.

¹²"His troops come together And build up their way and siege works against me And camp around my tent.

¹³"He has put my brothers far from me, And my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.

¹⁴"My relatives have failed [me], And my intimate friends have forgotten me.

¹⁵"Those who live [temporarily] in my house and my maids consider me a stranger; I am a foreigner in their sight.

¹⁶"I call to my servant, but he does not answer; I have to implore him with words.

¹⁷"My breath is repulsive to my wife, And I am loathsome to my own brothers.

¹⁸"Even young children despise me; When I get up, they speak against me.

¹⁹"All the men of my council hate me; Those I love have turned against me.

²⁰"My bone clings to my skin and to my flesh, And I have escaped [death] by the skin of my teeth.

²¹"Have pity on me! Have pity on me, O you my friends, For the hand of God has touched me.

²²"Why do you persecute me as God does? Why are you not satisfied with my flesh (anguish)?

²³"Oh, that the words I now speak were written! Oh, that they were recorded in a scroll!

²⁴"That with an iron stylus and [molten] lead They were engraved in the rock forever!

²⁵"For I know that my Redeemer and Vindicator lives, And at the last He will take His stand upon the earth.

²⁶"Even after my [mortal] skin is destroyed [by death], Yet from my [immortal] flesh I will see God,

²⁷Whom I, even I, will see for myself, And my eyes will see Him and not another! My heart faints within me.

²⁸"If you say, 'How shall we [continue to] persecute him?' And 'What pretext for a case against him can we find [since we claim the root of these afflictions is found in him]?'

²⁹"Then beware and be afraid of the sword [of divine vengeance] for yourselves, For wrathful are the punishments of that sword, So that you may know there is judgment."

¹A Psalm of David. Hear my prayer, O LORD, Listen to my supplications! Answer me in Your faithfulness, and in Your righteousness.

²And do not enter into judgment with Your servant, For in Your sight no man living is righteous or justified.

³For the enemy has persecuted me, He has crushed my life down to the ground; He has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have been long dead.

⁴Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed and weak within me [wrapped in darkness]; My heart grows numb within me.

⁵I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that You have done; I ponder the work of Your hands.

⁶I reach out my hands to You; My throat thirsts for You, as a parched land [thirsts for water]. Selah.

⁷Answer me quickly, O LORD, my spirit fails; Do not hide Your face from me, Or I will become like those who go down into the pit (grave).

⁸Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, For I trust in You. Teach me the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You.

⁹Rescue me, O LORD, from my enemies; I take refuge in You.

¹⁰Teach me to do Your will [so that I may please You], For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

¹¹Save my life, O LORD, for Your name's sake; In Your righteousness bring my life out of trouble.

¹²In your lovingkindness, silence and destroy my enemies And destroy all those who afflict my life, For I am Your servant.

¹Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity Than a [rich] man who is twisted in his speech and is a [shortsighted] fool.

²Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge, And he who hurries with his feet [acting impulsively and proceeding without caution or analyzing the consequences] sins (misses the mark).

³The foolishness of man undermines his way [ruining whatever he undertakes]; Then his heart is resentful and rages against the LORD [for, being a fool, he blames the LORD instead of himself].

⁴Wealth makes many friends, But a poor man is separated from his friend.

⁵A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who breathes out lies will not escape.

⁶Many will seek the favor of a generous and noble man, And everyone is a friend to him who gives gifts.

⁷All the brothers of a poor man hate him; How much more do his friends abandon him! He pursues them with words, but they are gone.

⁸He who gains wisdom and good sense loves (preserves) his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good and prosper.

⁹A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who breathes lies will perish.

¹⁰Luxury is not fitting for a fool; Much less for a slave to rule over princes.

¹¹Good sense and discretion make a man slow to anger, And it is his honor and glory to overlook a transgression or an offense [without seeking revenge and harboring resentment].

¹²The king's wrath terrifies like the roaring of a lion, But his favor is as [refreshing and nourishing as] dew on the grass.

¹³A foolish (ungodly) son is destruction to his father, And the contentions of a [quarrelsome] wife are like a constant dripping [of water].

¹⁴House and wealth are the inheritance from fathers, But a wise, understanding, and sensible wife is [a gift and blessing] from the LORD.

¹⁵Laziness casts one into a deep sleep [unmindful of lost opportunity], And the idle person will suffer hunger.

¹⁶He who keeps and obeys the commandment [of the LORD] keeps (guards) his own life, But he who is careless of his ways and conduct will die.

¹⁷He who is gracious and lends a hand to the poor lends to the LORD, And the LORD will repay him for his good deed.

¹⁸Discipline and teach your son while there is hope, And do not [indulge your anger or resentment by imposing inappropriate punishment nor] desire his destruction.

¹⁹A man of great anger will bear the penalty [for his quick temper and lack of self-control]; For if you rescue him [and do not let him learn from the consequences of his action], you will only have to rescue him over and over again.

²⁰Listen to counsel, receive instruction, and accept correction, That you may be wise in the time to come.

²¹Many plans are in a man's mind, But it is the Lord's purpose for him that will stand (be carried out).

²²That which is desirable in a man is his loyalty and unfailing love, But it is better to be a poor man than a [wealthy] liar.

²³The fear of the LORD leads to life, So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.

²⁴The lazy man buries his hand in the [food] dish, But will not even bring it to his mouth again.

²⁵Strike a scoffer [for refusing to learn], and the naive may [be warned and] become prudent; Reprimand one who has understanding and a teachable spirit, and he will gain knowledge and insight.

²⁶He who assaults his father and chases away his mother Is a son who brings shame and disgrace.

²⁷Cease listening, my son, to instruction and discipline And you will stray from the words of knowledge.

²⁸A wicked and worthless witness mocks justice, And the mouth of the wicked spreads iniquity.

²⁹Judgments are prepared for scoffers, And beatings for the backs of [thickheaded] fools.

¹In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea the son of Elah became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned for nine years.

²He did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as the kings of Israel who came before him.

³Shalmaneser [V] king of Assyria came up against him, and Hoshea became his servant and paid him tribute (money).

⁴But the king of Assyria discovered a conspiracy in Hoshea, who sent messengers to So, king of Egypt, and offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year; therefore the king of Assyria arrested him and bound him in prison.

⁵Then the king of Assyria invaded all the land [of Israel] and went up to Samaria and besieged it for three years.

⁶In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria and carried [the people of] Israel into exile to Assyria, and settled them in Halah and in Habor, by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

⁷Now this came about because the Israelites had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up from the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and they had feared [and worshiped] other gods

⁸and walked in the customs of the [pagan] nations whom the LORD had driven out before the sons (descendants) of Israel, and in the pagan customs of the kings of Israel which they had introduced.

⁹The Israelites ascribed things to the LORD their God which were not true. They built for themselves high places [of worship] in all their towns, from [the lonely] lookout tower to the [populous] fortified city.

¹⁰They set up for themselves sacred pillars (memorial stones) and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree.

¹¹There they burned incense on all the high places, just as the [pagan] nations whom the LORD had deported before them; and they did evil and contemptible things, provoking the LORD [to anger].

¹²And they served idols, of which the LORD had said to them, "You shall not do this thing."

¹³Yet the LORD warned Israel and Judah through all His prophets and every seer, saying, "Turn from your evil ways and keep My commandments and My statutes, in accordance with all the Law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by My servants the prophets."

¹⁴However they did not listen, but stiffened their necks as did their fathers who did not believe (trust in, rely on, remain steadfast to) the LORD their God.

¹⁵They rejected His statutes and His covenant which He made with their fathers, as well as His warnings that he gave them. And they followed vanity [that is, false gods, idols] and became vain (empty-headed). They followed the [pagan practices of the] nations which surrounded them, although the LORD had commanded that they were not to do as they did.

¹⁶They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves cast images of two calves; and they made an Asherah [idol] and worshiped all the [starry] host of heaven and served Baal.

¹⁷They made their sons and their daughters pass through the fire [as human sacrifices], and used divination [to foretell the future] and enchantments; and they sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.

¹⁸Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them from His sight; none [of the tribes] was left except the tribe of Judah.

¹⁹Judah did not keep the commandments of the LORD their God either, but walked in the customs which Israel introduced.

²⁰So the LORD rejected all the descendants of Israel (Jacob) and [repeatedly] afflicted them and handed them over to plunderers, until He had cast them out of His sight.

²¹When He had torn Israel from the [royal] house of David, they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. And Jeroboam drove Israel away from following the LORD and made them commit a great sin.

²²For the Israelites walked in all the [idolatrous] sins which Jeroboam committed; they did not turn from them

²³until the LORD removed Israel from His sight, just as He had foretold through all His servants the prophets. So Israel went into exile from their own land to Assyria to this day [the date of this writing].

²⁴The king of Assyria brought men from Babylon and from Cuthah and from Avva and from Hamath and Sepharvaim, and settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the sons (people) of Israel. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities.

²⁵Now when they began to live there, they did not fear the LORD; therefore the LORD sent lions among them which killed some of them.

²⁶So the king of Assyria was told, "The nations whom you have sent into exile and settled in the cities of Samaria do not know the custom of the god of the land; so He has sent lions among them, and they are killing them because they do not know the manner of [worship demanded by] the god of the land."

²⁷Then the king of Assyria commanded, "Take back [to Samaria] one of the priests whom you brought from there, and have him go and live there; and have him teach the people the custom of the god of the land."

²⁸So one of the priests whom they had exiled from Samaria came [back] and lived in Bethel and taught them how they should fear [and worship] the LORD.

²⁹But every nation still made gods of its own and put them in the houses (shrines) of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in the cities where they lived.

³⁰The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima,

³¹the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.

³²They also feared the LORD and appointed from among themselves priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places.

³³They feared the LORD, yet served their own gods, following the custom of the nations from among whom they had been sent into exile.

³⁴To this day they act in accordance with their former [pagan] customs: they do not [really] fear the LORD, nor do they obey their statutes and ordinances, nor the law, nor the commandments which the LORD commanded the sons (descendants) of Jacob, whom He named Israel;

³⁵with whom the LORD had made a covenant and commanded them, saying, "You shall not fear other gods or bow yourselves to them nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them.

³⁶But the LORD, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm, Him you shall fear, and to Him you shall bow yourselves down, and to Him you shall sacrifice.

³⁷The statutes and the ordinances and the law and the commandment which He wrote for you [by the hand of Moses], you shall observe and do forever. You shall not fear (worship, serve) other gods.

³⁸The covenant that I have made with you, you shall not forget; you shall not fear other gods.

³⁹But the LORD your God you shall fear [and worship]; then He will rescue you from the hands of all your enemies."

⁴⁰However, they did not listen, but they acted in accordance with their former custom.

⁴¹So these nations [superficially] feared the LORD; they also served their idols, as did their children and their children's children, just as their fathers did, so do they to this day [the date of this writing].

¹In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth of the month [after the beginning of the exile in Babylon], certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD and sat down before me.

²Then came the word of the LORD to me, saying,

³"Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Have you come to inquire of Me? As I live," says the Lord GOD, "I will not be inquired of by you."'

⁴Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Then make them know [accurately] and understand fully the repulsive acts of their fathers;

⁵and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "On the day when I chose Israel and lifted up My hand and swore to the descendants of the house of Jacob and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I swore to them, saying, I am the LORD your God,

⁶on that day I swore to them to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had selected for them, [plentiful and] flowing with milk and honey, [a land] which is an ornament and a glory to all lands.

⁷Then I said to them, 'Let every man throw away the detestable things on which he feasts his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.'

⁸But they rebelled against Me and were not willing to listen to Me; they did not throw away the detestable things on which they feasted their eyes, nor did they give up the idols of Egypt. "Then I decided to pour out My wrath on them and finish My anger against them in the land of Egypt.

⁹But I acted for My Name's sake, that it would not be profaned in the sight of the [pagan] nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made Myself known to them by bringing them out of the land of Egypt.

¹⁰So I made them leave the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.

¹¹I gave them My statutes and explained My ordinances to them, which, if a man keeps, he will live.

¹²Also I gave them My Sabbaths to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know [without any doubt] that I am the LORD who sanctifies them (separates and sets them apart).

¹³But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not walk in My statutes and they despised and rejected My ordinances, which, if a man keeps, he will live; and they greatly profaned My Sabbaths. Then I decided to pour out My wrath on them in the wilderness, to annihilate them.

¹⁴But I acted for My Name's sake, that it would not be profaned in the sight of the [pagan] nations in whose sight I had brought them out [of slavery].

¹⁵I also swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, [a land of plenty] flowing with milk and honey, which is the ornament and glory of all lands,

¹⁶because they rejected My ordinances, and as for My statutes, they did not walk in them; they even profaned My Sabbaths, for their heart continually went after their [worthless] idols.

¹⁷Yet My eye [looked on them with compassion and] spared them instead of destroying them, and I did not annihilate them in the wilderness.

¹⁸"But I said to their children in the wilderness, 'Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers nor observe their ordinances nor defile yourselves with their idols.

¹⁹I am the LORD your God; walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and observe them.

²⁰Sanctify My Sabbaths and keep them holy; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that you may know [without any doubt] that I am the LORD your God.'

²¹Yet the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, nor were they careful to observe My ordinances, which, if a man keeps, he will live; they profaned My Sabbaths. Then I decided to pour out My wrath on them and finish My anger against them in the wilderness.

²²Yet I withdrew My hand and acted for My Name's sake, that it would not be profaned in the sight of the [pagan] nations in whose sight I had brought them out [of slavery].

²³Moreover, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the [Gentile] nations and disperse them among the countries,

²⁴because they had not observed My ordinances, but had [dishonored and] rejected My statutes and had profaned My Sabbaths, and set their eyes on the [man-made] idols of their fathers.

²⁵[Therefore] I also gave them statutes that were not good and ordinances by which they could not live;

²⁶and I pronounced them unclean because of their offerings [to their idols], in that they made all their firstborn pass through the fire [as pagan sacrifices], so that I might make them desolate, in order that they might know [without any doubt] that I am the LORD."'

²⁷"Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Again in this your fathers have blasphemed Me, in that they acted faithlessly and treacherously against Me.

²⁸For when I had brought them into the land which I swore to give to them, they saw every high hill and every dark and leafy tree [as a place for idol worship], and there they offered their sacrifices and there they presented their offering that provoked My anger; there also they made their sweet-smelling aroma and there poured out their drink offerings.

²⁹Then I said to them, 'What is the high place to which you go?' So the name of it is called Bamah (High Place) to this day."'

³⁰Therefore, say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Will you [exiles] defile yourselves in the same manner as your fathers? And will you prostitute yourselves before their loathsome and heinous things?

³¹When you offer your gifts, when you make your sons pass through the fire, you are defiling yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be asked by you [for an oracle], O house of Israel? As I live," says the Lord GOD, "I will not be inquired of by you.

³²What comes into your mind will never happen, when you say, 'We will be like the [pagan] nations, like the tribes of the [Gentile] countries, serving [idols made of] wood and stone.'

³³"As I live," says the Lord GOD, "most certainly with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out, I shall be King over you.

³⁴I will bring you out from the peoples and will gather you from the countries in which you are scattered, with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out;

³⁵and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you and contend with you face to face.

³⁶As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment and contend with you," says the Lord GOD.

³⁷"I will make you pass under the rod [as the shepherd does with his sheep when he counts them, and I will count you as Mine and constrain you] and bring you into the bond of the covenant [to which you are permanently bound].

³⁸And I will separate from you the rebels and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the land where they temporarily live, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Thus you will know [without any doubt] that I am the LORD.

³⁹"As for you, O house of Israel," thus says the Lord GOD, "Go, let everyone serve his idols; but later you shall most certainly listen to Me, and you shall no longer profane My holy name with your gifts and with your idols.

⁴⁰For on My holy mountain, on the high mountain of Israel (Zion)," says the Lord GOD, "there the whole house of Israel, all of them in the land, shall serve Me. There I will [graciously] accept them, and there I will seek (require) your offerings and the choicest of your gifts, with all your holy and sacred things.

⁴¹I will accept you [graciously] as a pleasant and soothing aroma when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands in which you have been scattered; and I will prove Myself holy and manifest My holiness among you in the sight of the nations.

⁴²And you will know [without any doubt] that I am the LORD, when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the land which I swore to give to your fathers.

⁴³There you will remember your ways and all your deeds with which you have defiled yourselves; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight because of all your evil deeds which you have done.

⁴⁴And you will know [without any doubt] that I am the LORD when I have dealt with you for My Name's sake, not in accordance with your evil ways nor with your corrupt conduct, O house of Israel," says the Lord GOD.'"

⁴⁵Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

⁴⁶"Son of man, set your face toward Teman, and speak out against the south and prophesy against the forest land of the Negev (the South),

⁴⁷and say to the forest of the Negev, 'Hear the word of the LORD: thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am about to kindle a fire in you, and it will devour every one of your green trees, as well as every one of your dry trees. The blazing flame will not be quenched and the whole surface from the south to the north will be burned by it.

⁴⁸All flesh will see that I the LORD have kindled it; it will not be quenched."'"

⁴⁹Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! They are saying of me, 'Is he not [just] speaking in parables and making allegories?'"

¹Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour (3:00 p.m.),

²and a man who had been unable to walk from birth was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at that gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, so that he could beg alms from those entering the temple.

³So when he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking [them] for coins.

⁴But Peter, along with John, stared at him intently and said, "Look at us!"

⁵And the man began to pay attention to them, eagerly expecting to receive something from them.

⁶But Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have; but what I do have I give to you: In the name (authority, power) of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—[begin now to] walk and go on walking!"

⁷Then he seized the man's right hand with a firm grip and raised him up. And at once his feet and ankles became strong and steady,

⁸and with a leap he stood up and began to walk; and he went into the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.

⁹All the people saw him walking and praising God;

¹⁰and they recognized him as the very man who usually sat begging for coins at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with wonder and amazement and were mystified at what had happened to him.

¹¹Now while he was still holding on to Peter and John, all the people, utterly amazed, ran together and crowded around them at the covered porch called Solomon's portico.

¹²And Peter, seeing this, said to the people, "You men of Israel, why are you amazed at this? Why are you staring at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?

¹³The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His Servant and Son Jesus [doing Him this honor], the One whom you handed over and disowned and rejected before Pilate, when he had decided to release Him.

¹⁴But you disowned and denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked for [the pardon of] a murderer to be granted to you.

¹⁵But you killed the Prince (Author, Originator, Source) of life, whom God raised [bodily] from the dead. To this [fact] we are witnesses [for we have seen the risen Christ].

¹⁶And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health and complete wholeness in your presence.

¹⁷"Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance [not fully aware of what you were doing], just as your rulers did also.

¹⁸And so God has fulfilled what He foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ (Messiah, Anointed) would suffer.

¹⁹So repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins] and return [to God—seek His purpose for your life], so that your sins may be wiped away [blotted out, completely erased], so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord [restoring you like a cool wind on a hot day];

²⁰and that He may send [to you] Jesus, the Christ, who has been appointed for you,

²¹whom heaven must keep until the time for the [complete] restoration of all things about which God promised through the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.

²²Moses said, 'The Lord God will raise up for you a Prophetlike me from your countrymen; you shall listen to Him and obey everything He tells you.

²³And it will be that every person that does not listen to and heed that Prophet will be utterly destroyed from among the people.'

²⁴Indeed, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also announced these days.

²⁵You are the sons (descendants) of the prophets and [heirs] of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your seed (descendant) all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'

²⁶It was for you first of all that God raised up His Servant and Son [Jesus], and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways."