Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach.

²This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people — even eating with them!

³So Jesus told them this story:

⁴“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it?

⁵And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders.

⁶When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’

⁷In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!

⁸“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it?

⁹And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’

¹⁰In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.”

¹¹To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons.

¹²The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.

¹³“A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living.

¹⁴About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve.

¹⁵He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs.

¹⁶The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.

¹⁷“When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger!

¹⁸I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you,

¹⁹and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’

²⁰“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.

²¹His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. ’

²²“But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet.

²³And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast,

²⁴for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.

²⁵“Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house,

²⁶and he asked one of the servants what was going on.

²⁷‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’

²⁸“The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him,

²⁹but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends.

³⁰Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’

³¹“His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours.

³²We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”

¹Then the LORD said to Moses,

²“On behalf of the people of Israel, take revenge on the Midianites for leading them into idolatry. After that, you will die and join your ancestors.”

³So Moses said to the people, “Choose some men, and arm them to fight the LORD’s war of revenge against Midian.

⁴From each tribe of Israel, send 1,000 men into battle.”

⁵So they chose 1,000 men from each tribe of Israel, a total of 12,000 men armed for battle.

⁶Then Moses sent them out, 1,000 men from each tribe, and Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest led them into battle. They carried along the holy objects of the sanctuary and the trumpets for sounding the charge.

⁷They attacked Midian as the LORD had commanded Moses, and they killed all the men.

⁸All five of the Midianite kings — Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba — died in the battle. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.

⁹Then the Israelite army captured the Midianite women and children and seized their cattle and flocks and all their wealth as plunder.

¹⁰They burned all the towns and villages where the Midianites had lived.

¹¹After they had gathered the plunder and captives, both people and animals,

¹²they brought them all to Moses and Eleazar the priest, and to the whole community of Israel, which was camped on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River, across from Jericho.

¹³Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the community went to meet them outside the camp.

¹⁴But Moses was furious with all the generals and captains who had returned from the battle.

¹⁵“Why have you let all the women live?” he demanded.

¹⁶“These are the very ones who followed Balaam’s advice and caused the people of Israel to rebel against the LORD at Mount Peor. They are the ones who caused the plague to strike the LORD’s people.

¹⁷So kill all the boys and all the women who have had intercourse with a man.

¹⁸Only the young girls who are virgins may live; you may keep them for yourselves.

¹⁹And all of you who have killed anyone or touched a dead body must stay outside the camp for seven days. You must purify yourselves and your captives on the third and seventh days.

²⁰Purify all your clothing, too, and everything made of leather, goat hair, or wood.”

²¹Then Eleazar the priest said to the men who were in the battle, “The LORD has given Moses this legal requirement:

²²Anything made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, or lead —

²³that is, all metals that do not burn — must be passed through fire in order to be made ceremonially pure. These metal objects must then be further purified with the water of purification. But everything that burns must be purified by the water alone.

²⁴On the seventh day you must wash your clothes and be purified. Then you may return to the camp.”

²⁵And the LORD said to Moses,

²⁶“You and Eleazar the priest and the family leaders of each tribe are to make a list of all the plunder taken in the battle, including the people and animals.

²⁷Then divide the plunder into two parts, and give half to the men who fought the battle and half to the rest of the people.

²⁸From the army’s portion, first give the LORD his share of the plunder — one of every 500 of the prisoners and of the cattle, donkeys, sheep, and goats.

²⁹Give this share of the army’s half to Eleazar the priest as an offering to the LORD.

³⁰From the half that belongs to the people of Israel, take one of every fifty of the prisoners and of the cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, and other animals. Give this share to the Levites, who are in charge of maintaining the LORD’s Tabernacle.”

³¹So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD commanded Moses.

³²The plunder remaining from everything the fighting men had taken totaled 675,000 sheep and goats,

³³72,000 cattle,

³⁴61,000 donkeys,

³⁵and 32,000 virgin girls.

³⁶Half of the plunder was given to the fighting men. It totaled 337,500 sheep and goats,

³⁷of which 675 were the LORD’s share;

³⁸36,000 cattle, of which 72 were the LORD’s share;

³⁹30,500 donkeys, of which 61 were the LORD’s share;

⁴⁰and 16,000 virgin girls, of whom 32 were the LORD’s share.

⁴¹Moses gave all the LORD’s share to Eleazar the priest, just as the LORD had directed him.

⁴²Half of the plunder belonged to the people of Israel, and Moses separated it from the half belonging to the fighting men.

⁴³It totaled 337,500 sheep and goats,

⁴⁴36,000 cattle,

⁴⁵30,500 donkeys,

⁴⁶and 16,000 virgin girls.

⁴⁷From the half-share given to the people, Moses took one of every fifty prisoners and animals and gave them to the Levites, who maintained the LORD’s Tabernacle. All this was done as the LORD had commanded Moses.

⁴⁸Then all the generals and captains came to Moses

⁴⁹and said, “We, your servants, have accounted for all the men who went out to battle under our command; not one of us is missing!

⁵⁰So we are presenting the items of gold we captured as an offering to the LORD from our share of the plunder — armbands, bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces. This will purify our lives before the LORD and make us right with him. ”

⁵¹So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from all the military commanders — all kinds of jewelry and crafted objects.

⁵²In all, the gold that the generals and captains presented as a gift to the LORD weighed about 420 pounds.

⁵³All the fighting men had taken some of the plunder for themselves.

⁵⁴So Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted the gifts from the generals and captains and brought the gold to the Tabernacle as a reminder to the LORD that the people of Israel belong to him.

¹Every high priest is a man chosen to represent other people in their dealings with God. He presents their gifts to God and offers sacrifices for their sins.

²And he is able to deal gently with ignorant and wayward people because he himself is subject to the same weaknesses.

³That is why he must offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as theirs.

⁴And no one can become a high priest simply because he wants such an honor. He must be called by God for this work, just as Aaron was.

⁵That is why Christ did not honor himself by assuming he could become High Priest. No, he was chosen by God, who said to him, “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father. ”

⁶And in another passage God said to him, “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”

⁷While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God.

⁸Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.

⁹In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him.

¹⁰And God designated him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.

¹¹There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen.

¹²You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.

¹³For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right.

¹⁴Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.

¹I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he comes to set up his Kingdom:

²Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.

³For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.

⁴They will reject the truth and chase after myths.

⁵But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.

⁶As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near.

⁷I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.

⁸And now the prize awaits me — the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.

⁹Timothy, please come as soon as you can.

¹⁰Demas has deserted me because he loves the things of this life and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus has gone to Dalmatia.

¹¹Only Luke is with me. Bring Mark with you when you come, for he will be helpful to me in my ministry.

¹²I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.

¹³When you come, be sure to bring the coat I left with Carpus at Troas. Also bring my books, and especially my papers.

¹⁴Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm, but the Lord will judge him for what he has done.

¹⁵Be careful of him, for he fought against everything we said.

¹⁶The first time I was brought before the judge, no one came with me. Everyone abandoned me. May it not be counted against them.

¹⁷But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength so that I might preach the Good News in its entirety for all the Gentiles to hear. And he rescued me from certain death.

¹⁸Yes, and the Lord will deliver me from every evil attack and will bring me safely into his heavenly Kingdom. All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.

¹⁹Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila and those living in the household of Onesiphorus.

²⁰Erastus stayed at Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick at Miletus.

²¹Do your best to get here before winter. Eubulus sends you greetings, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters.

²²May the Lord be with your spirit. And may his grace be with all of you.

¹“Why doesn’t the Almighty bring the wicked to judgment? Why must the godly wait for him in vain?

²Evil people steal land by moving the boundary markers. They steal livestock and put them in their own pastures.

³They take the orphan’s donkey and demand the widow’s ox as security for a loan.

⁴The poor are pushed off the path; the needy must hide together for safety.

⁵Like wild donkeys in the wilderness, the poor must spend all their time looking for food, searching even in the desert for food for their children.

⁶They harvest a field they do not own, and they glean in the vineyards of the wicked.

⁷All night they lie naked in the cold, without clothing or covering.

⁸They are soaked by mountain showers, and they huddle against the rocks for want of a home.

⁹“The wicked snatch a widow’s child from her breast, taking the baby as security for a loan.

¹⁰The poor must go about naked, without any clothing. They harvest food for others while they themselves are starving.

¹¹They press out olive oil without being allowed to taste it, and they tread in the winepress as they suffer from thirst.

¹²The groans of the dying rise from the city, and the wounded cry for help, yet God ignores their moaning.

¹³“Wicked people rebel against the light. They refuse to acknowledge its ways or stay in its paths.

¹⁴The murderer rises in the early dawn to kill the poor and needy; at night he is a thief.

¹⁵The adulterer waits for the twilight, saying, ‘No one will see me then.’ He hides his face so no one will know him.

¹⁶Thieves break into houses at night and sleep in the daytime. They are not acquainted with the light.

¹⁷The black night is their morning. They ally themselves with the terrors of the darkness.

¹⁸“But they disappear like foam down a river. Everything they own is cursed, and they are afraid to enter their own vineyards.

¹⁹The grave consumes sinners just as drought and heat consume snow.

²⁰Their own mothers will forget them. Maggots will find them sweet to eat. No one will remember them. Wicked people are broken like a tree in the storm.

²¹They cheat the woman who has no son to help her. They refuse to help the needy widow.

²²“God, in his power, drags away the rich. They may rise high, but they have no assurance of life.

²³They may be allowed to live in security, but God is always watching them.

²⁴And though they are great now, in a moment they will be gone like all others, cut off like heads of grain.

²⁵Can anyone claim otherwise? Who can prove me wrong?”

¹Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens! Praise him from the skies!

²Praise him, all his angels! Praise him, all the armies of heaven!

³Praise him, sun and moon! Praise him, all you twinkling stars!

⁴Praise him, skies above! Praise him, vapors high above the clouds!

⁵Let every created thing give praise to the LORD, for he issued his command, and they came into being.

⁶He set them in place forever and ever. His decree will never be revoked.

⁷Praise the LORD from the earth, you creatures of the ocean depths,

⁸fire and hail, snow and clouds, wind and weather that obey him,

⁹mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars,

¹⁰wild animals and all livestock, small scurrying animals and birds,

¹¹kings of the earth and all people, rulers and judges of the earth,

¹²young men and young women, old men and children.

¹³Let them all praise the name of the LORD. For his name is very great; his glory towers over the earth and heaven!

¹⁴He has made his people strong, honoring his faithful ones — the people of Israel who are close to him. Praise the LORD!

¹Don’t envy evil people or desire their company.

²For their hearts plot violence, and their words always stir up trouble.

³A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense.

⁴Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.

⁵The wise are mightier than the strong, and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger.

⁶So don’t go to war without wise guidance; victory depends on having many advisers.

⁷Wisdom is too lofty for fools. Among leaders at the city gate, they have nothing to say.

⁸A person who plans evil will get a reputation as a troublemaker.

⁹The schemes of a fool are sinful; everyone detests a mocker.

¹⁰If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small.

¹¹Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die; save them as they stagger to their death.

¹²Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.” For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve.

¹³My child, eat honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste.

¹⁴In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, you will have a bright future, and your hopes will not be cut short.

¹⁵Don’t wait in ambush at the home of the godly, and don’t raid the house where the godly live.

¹⁶The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.

¹⁷Don’t rejoice when your enemies fall; don’t be happy when they stumble.

¹⁸For the LORD will be displeased with you and will turn his anger away from them.

¹⁹Don’t fret because of evildoers; don’t envy the wicked.

²⁰For evil people have no future; the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.

²¹My child, fear the LORD and the king. Don’t associate with rebels,

²²for disaster will hit them suddenly. Who knows what punishment will come from the LORD and the king?

²³Here are some further sayings of the wise: It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment.

²⁴A judge who says to the wicked, “You are innocent,” will be cursed by many people and denounced by the nations.

²⁵But it will go well for those who convict the guilty; rich blessings will be showered on them.

²⁶An honest answer is like a kiss of friendship.

²⁷Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house.

²⁸Don’t testify against your neighbors without cause; don’t lie about them.

²⁹And don’t say, “Now I can pay them back for what they’ve done to me! I’ll get even with them!”

³⁰I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one with no common sense.

³¹I saw that it was overgrown with nettles. It was covered with weeds, and its walls were broken down.

³²Then, as I looked and thought about it, I learned this lesson:

³³A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest —

³⁴then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.

¹Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah from Bozkath.

²He did what was pleasing in the LORD’s sight and followed the example of his ancestor David. He did not turn away from doing what was right.

³In the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and grandson of Meshullam, the court secretary, to the Temple of the LORD. He told him,

⁴“Go to Hilkiah the high priest and have him count the money the gatekeepers have collected from the people at the LORD’s Temple.

⁵Entrust this money to the men assigned to supervise the restoration of the LORD’s Temple. Then they can use it to pay workers to repair the Temple.

⁶They will need to hire carpenters, builders, and masons. Also have them buy the timber and the finished stone needed to repair the Temple.

⁷But don’t require the construction supervisors to keep account of the money they receive, for they are honest and trustworthy men.”

⁸Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the court secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the LORD’s Temple!” Then Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan, and he read it.

⁹Shaphan went to the king and reported, “Your officials have turned over the money collected at the Temple of the LORD to the workers and supervisors at the Temple.”

¹⁰Shaphan also told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a scroll.” So Shaphan read it to the king.

¹¹When the king heard what was written in the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes in despair.

¹²Then he gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the court secretary, and Asaiah the king’s personal adviser:

¹³“Go to the Temple and speak to the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah. Inquire about the words written in this scroll that has been found. For the LORD’s great anger is burning against us because our ancestors have not obeyed the words in this scroll. We have not been doing everything it says we must do.”

¹⁴So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Acbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to the New Quarter of Jerusalem to consult with the prophet Huldah. She was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, the keeper of the Temple wardrobe.

¹⁵She said to them, “The LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken! Go back and tell the man who sent you,

¹⁶‘This is what the LORD says: I am going to bring disaster on this city and its people. All the words written in the scroll that the king of Judah has read will come true.

¹⁷For my people have abandoned me and offered sacrifices to pagan gods, and I am very angry with them for everything they have done. My anger will burn against this place, and it will not be quenched.’

¹⁸“But go to the king of Judah who sent you to seek the LORD and tell him: ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the message you have just heard:

¹⁹You were sorry and humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I said against this city and its people — that this land would be cursed and become desolate. You tore your clothing in despair and wept before me in repentance. And I have indeed heard you, says the LORD.

²⁰So I will not send the promised disaster until after you have died and been buried in peace. You will not see the disaster I am going to bring on this city.’” So they took her message back to the king.

¹Then this message came to me from the LORD:

²“Son of man, turn and face the land of Ammon and prophesy against its people.

³Give the Ammonites this message from the Sovereign LORD: Hear the word of the Sovereign LORD! Because you cheered when my Temple was defiled, mocked Israel in her desolation, and laughed at Judah as she went away into exile,

⁴I will allow nomads from the eastern deserts to overrun your country. They will set up their camps among you and pitch their tents on your land. They will harvest all your fruit and drink the milk from your livestock.

⁵And I will turn the city of Rabbah into a pasture for camels, and all the land of the Ammonites into a resting place for sheep and goats. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

⁶“This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because you clapped and danced and cheered with glee at the destruction of my people,

⁷I will raise my fist of judgment against you. I will give you as plunder to many nations. I will cut you off from being a nation and destroy you completely. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

⁸“This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because the people of Moab have said that Judah is just like all the other nations,

⁹I will open up their eastern flank and wipe out their glorious frontier towns — Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim.

¹⁰And I will hand Moab over to nomads from the eastern deserts, just as I handed over Ammon. Yes, the Ammonites will no longer be counted among the nations.

¹¹In the same way, I will bring my judgment down on the Moabites. Then they will know that I am the LORD.

¹²“This is what the Sovereign LORD says: The people of Edom have sinned greatly by avenging themselves against the people of Judah.

¹³Therefore, says the Sovereign LORD, I will raise my fist of judgment against Edom. I will wipe out its people and animals with the sword. I will make a wasteland of everything from Teman to Dedan.

¹⁴I will accomplish this by the hand of my people of Israel. They will carry out my vengeance with anger, and Edom will know that this vengeance is from me. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!

¹⁵“This is what the Sovereign LORD says: The people of Philistia have acted against Judah out of bitter revenge and long-standing contempt.

¹⁶Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will raise my fist of judgment against the land of the Philistines. I will wipe out the Kerethites and utterly destroy the people who live by the sea.

¹⁷I will execute terrible vengeance against them to punish them for what they have done. And when I have inflicted my revenge, they will know that I am the LORD.”

¹Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. Persecution Scatters the Believers A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria.

²(Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.)

³But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.

⁴But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.

⁵Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah.

⁶Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did.

⁷Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed.

⁸So there was great joy in that city.

⁹A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great.

¹⁰Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One — the Power of God.”

¹¹They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.

¹²But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many men and women were baptized.

¹³Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed.

¹⁴When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God’s message, they sent Peter and John there.

¹⁵As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit.

¹⁶The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

¹⁷Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power.

¹⁹“Let me have this power, too,” he exclaimed, “so that when I lay my hands on people, they will receive the Holy Spirit!”

²⁰But Peter replied, “May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God’s gift can be bought!

²¹You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right with God.

²²Repent of your wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive your evil thoughts,

²³for I can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin.”

²⁴“Pray to the Lord for me,” Simon exclaimed, “that these terrible things you’ve said won’t happen to me!”

²⁵After testifying and preaching the word of the Lord in Samaria, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem. And they stopped in many Samaritan villages along the way to preach the Good News.

²⁶As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.”

²⁷So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship,

²⁸and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

²⁹The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”

³⁰Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

³¹The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.

³²The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter. And as a lamb is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.

³³He was humiliated and received no justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.”

³⁴The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?”

³⁵So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.

³⁶As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?”

³⁷

³⁸He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

³⁹When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing.

⁴⁰Meanwhile, Philip found himself farther north at the town of Azotus. He preached the Good News there and in every town along the way until he came to Caesarea.