Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹He said to his disciples, “Offenses will certainly come, but woe to the one through whom they come!

²It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to stumble.

³Be on your guard. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.

⁴And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and comes back to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

⁵The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”

⁶“If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,” the Lord said, “you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.

⁷“Which one of you having a servant tending sheep or plowing will say to him when he comes in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’?

⁸Instead, will he not tell him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat, get ready, and serve me while I eat and drink; later you can eat and drink’?

⁹Does he thank that servant because he did what was commanded?

¹⁰In the same way, when you have done all that you were commanded, you should say, ‘We are worthless servants; we’ve only done our duty.’”

¹¹While traveling to Jerusalem, he passed between Samaria and Galilee.

¹²As he entered a village, ten men with leprosy met him. They stood at a distance

¹³and raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

¹⁴When he saw them, he told them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And while they were going, they were cleansed.

¹⁵But one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned and, with a loud voice, gave glory to God.

¹⁶He fell facedown at his feet, thanking him. And he was a Samaritan.

¹⁷Then Jesus said, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?

¹⁸Didn’t any return to give glory to God except this foreigner?”

¹⁹And he told him, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.”

²⁰Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming with something observable;

²¹no one will say, ‘See here! ’ or ‘There! ’ For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

²²Then he told the disciples: “The days are coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you won’t see it.

²³They will say to you, ‘See there! ’ or ‘See here! ’ Don’t follow or run after them.

²⁴For as the lightning flashes from horizon to horizon and lights up the sky, so the Son of Man will be in his day.

²⁵But first it is necessary that he suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

²⁶“Just as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man:

²⁷People went on eating, drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day Noah boarded the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

²⁸It will be the same as it was in the days of Lot: People went on eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building.

²⁹But on the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all.

³⁰It will be like that on the day the Son of Man is revealed.

³¹On that day, a man on the housetop, whose belongings are in the house, must not come down to get them. Likewise the man who is in the field must not turn back.

³²Remember Lot’s wife!

³³Whoever tries to make his life secure will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.

³⁴I tell you, on that night two will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left.

³⁵Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.”

³⁶

³⁷“Where, Lord?” they asked him. He said to them, “Where the corpse is, there also the vultures will be gathered.”

¹These were the stages of the Israelites’ journey when they went out of the land of Egypt by their military divisions under the leadership of Moses and Aaron.

²At the LORD’s command, Moses wrote down the starting points for the stages of their journey; these are the stages listed by their starting points:

³They traveled from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the month. On the day after the Passover the Israelites went out defiantly in the sight of all the Egyptians.

⁴Meanwhile, the Egyptians were burying every firstborn male the LORD had struck down among them, for the LORD had executed judgment against their gods.

⁵The Israelites traveled from Rameses and camped at Succoth.

⁶They traveled from Succoth and camped at Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness.

⁷They traveled from Etham and turned back to Pi-hahiroth, which faces Baal-zephon, and they camped before Migdol.

⁸They traveled from Pi-hahiroth and crossed through the middle of the sea into the wilderness. They took a three-day journey into the Wilderness of Etham and camped at Marah.

⁹They traveled from Marah and came to Elim. There were twelve springs and seventy date palms at Elim, so they camped there.

¹⁰They traveled from Elim and camped by the Red Sea.

¹¹They traveled from the Red Sea and camped in the Wilderness of Sin.

¹²They traveled from the Wilderness of Sin and camped in Dophkah.

¹³They traveled from Dophkah and camped at Alush.

¹⁴They traveled from Alush and camped at Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink.

¹⁵They traveled from Rephidim and camped in the Wilderness of Sinai.

¹⁶They traveled from the Wilderness of Sinai and camped at Kibroth-hattaavah.

¹⁷They traveled from Kibroth-hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth.

¹⁸They traveled from Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah.

¹⁹They traveled from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon-perez.

²⁰They traveled from Rimmon-perez and camped at Libnah.

²¹They traveled from Libnah and camped at Rissah.

²²They traveled from Rissah and camped at Kehelathah.

²³They traveled from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher.

²⁴They traveled from Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah.

²⁵They traveled from Haradah and camped at Makheloth.

²⁶They traveled from Makheloth and camped at Tahath.

²⁷They traveled from Tahath and camped at Terah.

²⁸They traveled from Terah and camped at Mithkah.

²⁹They traveled from Mithkah and camped at Hashmonah.

³⁰They traveled from Hashmonah and camped at Moseroth.

³¹They traveled from Moseroth and camped at Bene-jaakan.

³²They traveled from Bene-jaakan and camped at Hor-haggidgad.

³³They traveled from Hor-haggidgad and camped at Jotbathah.

³⁴They traveled from Jotbathah and camped at Abronah.

³⁵They traveled from Abronah and camped at Ezion-geber.

³⁶They traveled from Ezion-geber and camped in the Wilderness of Zin (that is, Kadesh).

³⁷They traveled from Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor on the edge of the land of Edom.

³⁸At the LORD’s command, the priest Aaron climbed Mount Hor and died there on the first day of the fifth month in the fortieth year after the Israelites went out of the land of Egypt.

³⁹Aaron was 123 years old when he died on Mount Hor.

⁴⁰At that time the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev in the land of Canaan, heard the Israelites were coming.

⁴¹They traveled from Mount Hor and camped at Zalmonah.

⁴²They traveled from Zalmonah and camped at Punon.

⁴³They traveled from Punon and camped at Oboth.

⁴⁴They traveled from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim on the border of Moab.

⁴⁵They traveled from Iyim and camped at Dibon-gad.

⁴⁶They traveled from Dibon-gad and camped at Almon-diblathaim.

⁴⁷They traveled from Almon-diblathaim and camped in the Abarim range facing Nebo.

⁴⁸They traveled from the Abarim range and camped on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho.

⁴⁹They camped by the Jordan from Beth-jeshimoth to the Acacia Meadow on the plains of Moab.

⁵⁰The LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho,

⁵¹“Tell the Israelites: When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan,

⁵²you must drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you, destroy all their stone images and cast images, and demolish all their high places.

⁵³You are to take possession of the land and settle in it because I have given you the land to possess.

⁵⁴You are to receive the land as an inheritance by lot according to your clans. Increase the inheritance for a large clan and decrease it for a small one. Whatever place the lot indicates for someone will be his. You will receive an inheritance according to your ancestral tribes.

⁵⁵But if you don’t drive out the inhabitants of the land before you, those you allow to remain will become barbs for your eyes and thorns for your sides; they will harass you in the land where you will live.

⁵⁶And what I had planned to do to them, I will do to you.”

¹For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, met Abraham and blessed him as he returned from defeating the kings,

²and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means king of righteousness, then also, king of Salem, meaning king of peace.

³Without father, mother, or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.

⁴Now consider how great this man was: even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the plunder to him.

⁵The sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have a command according to the law to collect a tenth from the people  — that is, from their brothers and sisters — though they have also descended from Abraham.

⁶But one without this lineage collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises.

⁷Without a doubt, the inferior is blessed by the superior.

⁸In the one case, men who will die receive a tenth, but in the other case, Scripture testifies that he lives.

⁹And in a sense Levi himself, who receives a tenth, has paid a tenth through Abraham,

¹⁰for he was still within his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

¹¹Now if perfection came through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the law ), what further need was there for another priest to appear, said to be according to the order of Melchizedek and not according to the order of Aaron?

¹²For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must be a change of law as well.

¹³For the one these things are spoken about belonged to a different tribe. No one from it has served at the altar.

¹⁴Now it is evident that our Lord came from Judah, and Moses said nothing about that tribe concerning priests.

¹⁵And this becomes clearer if another priest like Melchizedek appears,

¹⁶who did not become a priest based on a legal regulation about physical descent but based on the power of an indestructible life.

¹⁷For it has been testified: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

¹⁸So the previous command is annulled because it was weak and unprofitable

¹⁹(for the law perfected nothing), but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

²⁰None of this happened without an oath. For others became priests without an oath,

²¹but he became a priest with an oath made by the one who said to him: The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever.”

²²Because of this oath, Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.

²³Now many have become Levitical priests, since they are prevented by death from remaining in office.

²⁴But because he remains forever, he holds his priesthood permanently.

²⁵Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them.

²⁶For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.

²⁷He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices every day, as high priests do — first for their own sins, then for those of the people. He did this once for all time when he offered himself.

²⁸For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the promise of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son, who has been perfected forever.

¹But you are to proclaim things consistent with sound teaching.

²Older men are to be self-controlled, worthy of respect, sensible, and sound in faith, love, and endurance.

³In the same way, older women are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not slaves to excessive drinking. They are to teach what is good,

⁴so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands and to love their children,

⁵to be self-controlled, pure, workers at home, kind, and in submission to their husbands, so that God’s word will not be slandered.

⁶In the same way, encourage the young men to be self-controlled

⁷in everything. Make yourself an example of good works with integrity and dignity in your teaching.

⁸Your message is to be sound beyond reproach, so that any opponent will be ashamed, because he doesn’t have anything bad to say about us.

⁹Slaves are to submit to their masters in everything, and to be well-pleasing, not talking back

¹⁰or stealing, but demonstrating utter faithfulness, so that they may adorn the teaching of God our Savior in everything.

¹¹For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,

¹²instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age,

¹³while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

¹⁴He gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people for his own possession, eager to do good works.

¹⁵Proclaim these things; encourage and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

¹Then Job answered:

²How you have helped the powerless and delivered the arm that is weak!

³How you have counseled the unwise and abundantly provided insight!

⁴With whom did you speak these words? Whose breath came out of your mouth?

⁵The departed spirits tremble beneath the waters and all that inhabit them.

⁶Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering.

⁷He stretches the northern skies over empty space; he hangs the earth on nothing.

⁸He wraps up the water in his clouds, yet the clouds do not burst beneath its weight.

⁹He obscures the view of his throne, spreading his cloud over it.

¹⁰He laid out the horizon on the surface of the waters at the boundary between light and darkness.

¹¹The pillars that hold up the sky tremble, astounded at his rebuke.

¹²By his power he stirred the sea, and by his understanding he crushed Rahab.

¹³By his breath the heavens gained their beauty; his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.

¹⁴These are but the fringes of his ways; how faint is the word we hear of him! Who can understand his mighty thunder?

¹Hallelujah! Praise God in his sanctuary. Praise him in his mighty expanse.

²Praise him for his powerful acts; praise him for his abundant greatness.

³Praise him with trumpet blast; praise him with harp and lyre.

⁴Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and flute.

⁵Praise him with resounding cymbals; praise him with clashing cymbals.

⁶Let everything that breathes praise the LORD. Hallelujah!

¹Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor is inappropriate for a fool.

²Like a flitting sparrow or a fluttering swallow, an undeserved curse goes nowhere.

³A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools.

⁴Don’t answer a fool according to his foolishness or you’ll be like him yourself.

⁵Answer a fool according to his foolishness or he’ll become wise in his own eyes.

⁶The one who sends a message by a fool’s hand cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.

⁷A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like lame legs that hang limp.

⁸Giving honor to a fool is like binding a stone in a sling.

⁹A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like a stick with thorns, brandished by the hand of a drunkard.

¹⁰The one who hires a fool or who hires those passing by is like an archer who wounds everyone.

¹¹As a dog returns to its vomit, so also a fool repeats his foolishness.

¹²Do you see a person who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

¹³The slacker says, “There’s a lion in the road — a lion in the public square!”

¹⁴A door turns on its hinges, and a slacker, on his bed.

¹⁵The slacker buries his hand in the bowl; he is too weary to bring it to his mouth!

¹⁶In his own eyes, a slacker is wiser than seven who can answer sensibly.

¹⁷A person who is passing by and meddles in a quarrel that’s not his is like one who grabs a dog by the ears.

¹⁸Like a madman who throws flaming darts and deadly arrows,

¹⁹so is the person who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”

²⁰Without wood, fire goes out; without a gossip, conflict dies down.

²¹As charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.

²²A gossip’s words are like choice food that goes down to one’s innermost being.

²³Smooth lips with an evil heart are like glaze on an earthen vessel.

²⁴A hateful person disguises himself with his speech and harbors deceit within.

²⁵When he speaks graciously, don’t believe him, for there are seven detestable things in his heart.

²⁶Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his evil will be revealed in the assembly.

²⁷The one who digs a pit will fall into it, and whoever rolls a stone — it will come back on him.

²⁸A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.

¹During Jehoiakim’s reign, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked. Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years, and then he turned and rebelled against him.

²The LORD sent Chaldean, Aramean, Moabite, and Ammonite raiders against Jehoiakim. He sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD he had spoken through his servants the prophets.

³Indeed, this happened to Judah at the LORD’s command to remove them from his presence. It was because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all he had done,

⁴and also because of all the innocent blood he had shed. He had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the LORD was not willing to forgive.

⁵The rest of the events of Jehoiakim’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, are written in the Historical Record of Judah’s Kings.

⁶Jehoiakim rested with his fathers, and his son Jehoiachin became king in his place.

⁷Now the king of Egypt did not march out of his land again, for the king of Babylon took everything that had belonged to the king of Egypt, from the Brook of Egypt to the Euphrates River.

⁸Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan; she was from Jerusalem.

⁹He did what was evil in the LORD’s sight just as his father had done.

¹⁰At that time the servants of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon marched up to Jerusalem, and the city came under siege.

¹¹King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to the city while his servants were besieging it.

¹²King Jehoiachin of Judah, along with his mother, his servants, his commanders, and his officials, surrendered to the king of Babylon. So the king of Babylon took him captive in the eighth year of his reign.

¹³He also carried off from there all the treasures of the LORD’s temple and the treasures of the king’s palace, and he cut into pieces all the gold articles that King Solomon of Israel had made for the LORD’s sanctuary, just as the LORD had predicted.

¹⁴He deported all Jerusalem and all the commanders and all the best soldiers  — ten thousand captives including all the craftsmen and metalsmiths. Except for the poorest people of the land, no one remained.

¹⁵Nebuchadnezzar deported Jehoiachin to Babylon. He took the king’s mother, the king’s wives, his officials, and the leading men of the land into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.

¹⁶The king of Babylon brought captive into Babylon all seven thousand of the best soldiers and one thousand craftsmen and metalsmiths — all strong and fit for war.

¹⁷And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah.

¹⁸Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah.

¹⁹Zedekiah did what was evil in the LORD’s sight just as Jehoiakim had done.

²⁰Because of the LORD’s anger, it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he finally banished them from his presence. Then Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

¹The word of the LORD came to me:

²“Now, son of man, lament for Tyre.

³Say to Tyre, who is located at the entrance of the sea, merchant of the peoples to many coasts and islands, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: Tyre, you declared, “I am perfect in beauty.”

⁴Your realm was in the heart of the sea; your builders perfected your beauty.

⁵They constructed all your planking with pine trees from Senir. They took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.

⁶They made your oars of oaks from Bashan. They made your deck of cypress wood from the coasts of Cyprus, inlaid with ivory.

⁷Your sail was made of fine embroidered linen from Egypt, and served as your banner. Your awning was of blue and purple fabric from the coasts of Elishah.

⁸The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers. Your wise men were within you, Tyre; they were your captains.

⁹The elders of Gebal and its wise men were within you, repairing your leaks. “‘All the ships of the sea and their sailors came to you to barter for your goods.

¹⁰Men of Persia, Lud, and Put were in your army, serving as your warriors. They hung shields and helmets in you; they gave you splendor.

¹¹Men of Arvad and Helech were stationed on your walls all around, and Gammadites were in your towers. They hung their shields all around your walls; they perfected your beauty.

¹²“‘Tarshish was your trading partner because of your abundant wealth of every kind. They exchanged silver, iron, tin, and lead for your merchandise.

¹³Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your merchants. They exchanged slaves and bronze utensils for your goods.

¹⁴Those from Beth-togarmah exchanged horses, war horses, and mules for your merchandise.

¹⁵Men of Dedan were also your merchants; many coasts and islands were your regular markets. They brought back ivory tusks and ebony as your payment.

¹⁶Aram was your trading partner because of your numerous products. They exchanged turquoise, purple and embroidered cloth, fine linen, coral, and rubies for your merchandise.

¹⁷Judah and the land of Israel were your merchants. They exchanged wheat from Minnith, meal, honey, oil, and balm, for your goods.

¹⁸Damascus was also your trading partner because of your numerous products and your abundant wealth of every kind, trading in wine from Helbon and white wool.

¹⁹Vedan and Javan from Uzal dealt in your merchandise; wrought iron, cassia, and aromatic cane were exchanged for your goods.

²⁰Dedan was your merchant in saddlecloths for riding.

²¹Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your business partners, trading with you in lambs, rams, and goats.

²²The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you. For your merchandise they exchanged the best of all spices and all kinds of precious stones as well as gold.

²³Haran, Canneh, Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad traded with you.

²⁴They were your merchants in choice garments, cloaks of blue and embroidered materials, and multicolored carpets, which were bound and secured with cords in your marketplace.

²⁵Ships of Tarshish were the carriers for your goods. “‘So you became full and heavily loaded in the heart of the sea.

²⁶Your rowers have brought you onto the high seas, but the east wind has wrecked you in the heart of the sea.

²⁷Your wealth, merchandise, and goods, your sailors and captains, those who repair your leaks, those who barter for your goods, and all the warriors on board, with all the other people within you, sink into the heart of the sea on the day of your downfall.

²⁸“‘The countryside shakes at the sound of your sailors’ cries.

²⁹All the oarsmen disembark from their ships. The sailors and all the captains of the sea stand on the shore.

³⁰Because of you, they raise their voices and cry out bitterly. They throw dust on their heads; they roll in ashes.

³¹They shave their heads because of you and wrap themselves in sackcloth. They weep over you with deep anguish and bitter mourning.

³²“‘In their wailing they lament for you, mourning over you: “Who was like Tyre, silenced in the middle of the sea?

³³When your merchandise was unloaded from the seas, you satisfied many peoples. You enriched the kings of the earth with your abundant wealth and goods.

³⁴Now you are wrecked by the sea in the depths of the waters; your goods and the people within you have gone down.

³⁵All the inhabitants of the coasts and islands are appalled at you. Their kings shudder with fear; their faces are contorted.

³⁶Those who trade among the peoples scoff at you; you have become an object of horror and will never exist again.”’ ”

¹There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment.

²He was a devout man and feared God along with his whole household. He did many charitable deeds for the Jewish people and always prayed to God.

³About three in the afternoon he distinctly saw in a vision an angel of God who came in and said to him, “Cornelius.”

⁴Staring at him in awe, he said, “What is it, Lord?” The angel told him, “Your prayers and your acts of charity have ascended as a memorial offering before God.

⁵Now send men to Joppa and call for Simon, who is also named Peter.

⁶He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.”

⁷When the angel who spoke to him had gone, he called two of his household servants and a devout soldier, who was one of those who attended him.

⁸After explaining everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

⁹The next day, as they were traveling and nearing the city, Peter went up to pray on the roof about noon.

¹⁰He became hungry and wanted to eat, but while they were preparing something, he fell into a trance.

¹¹He saw heaven opened and an object that resembled a large sheet coming down, being lowered by its four corners to the earth.

¹²In it were all the four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, and the birds of the sky.

¹³A voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.”

¹⁴“No, Lord!” Peter said. “For I have never eaten anything impure and ritually unclean.”

¹⁵Again, a second time, the voice said to him, “What God has made clean, do not call impure.”

¹⁶This happened three times, and suddenly the object was taken up into heaven.

¹⁷While Peter was deeply perplexed about what the vision he had seen might mean, right away the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions to Simon’s house, stood at the gate.

¹⁸They called out, asking if Simon, who was also named Peter, was lodging there.

¹⁹While Peter was thinking about the vision, the Spirit told him, “Three men are here looking for you.

²⁰Get up, go downstairs, and go with them with no doubts at all, because I have sent them.”

²¹Then Peter went down to the men and said, “Here I am, the one you’re looking for. What is the reason you’re here?”

²²They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who has a good reputation with the whole Jewish nation, was divinely directed by a holy angel to call you to his house and to hear a message from you.”

²³Peter then invited them in and gave them lodging. The next day he got up and set out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went with him.

²⁴The following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.

²⁵When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and worshiped him.

²⁶But Peter lifted him up and said, “Stand up. I myself am also a man.”

²⁷While talking with him, he went in and found a large gathering of people.

²⁸Peter said to them, “You know it’s forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or visit a foreigner, but God has shown me that I must not call any person impure or unclean.

²⁹That’s why I came without any objection when I was sent for. So may I ask why you sent for me?”

³⁰Cornelius replied, “Four days ago at this hour, at three in the afternoon, I was praying in my house. Just then a man in dazzling clothing stood before me

³¹and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your acts of charity have been remembered in God’s sight.

³²Therefore send someone to Joppa and invite Simon here, who is also named Peter. He is lodging in Simon the tanner’s house by the sea.’

³³So I immediately sent for you, and it was good of you to come. So now we are all in the presence of God to hear everything you have been commanded by the Lord.”

³⁴Peter began to speak: “Now I truly understand that God doesn’t show favoritism,

³⁵but in every nation the person who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.

³⁶He sent the message to the Israelites, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ — he is Lord of all.

³⁷You know the events that took place throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John preached:

³⁸how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how he went about doing good and healing all who were under the tyranny of the devil, because God was with him.

³⁹We ourselves are witnesses of everything he did in both the Judean country and in Jerusalem, and yet they killed him by hanging him on a tree.

⁴⁰God raised up this man on the third day and caused him to be seen,

⁴¹not by all the people, but by us whom God appointed as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

⁴²He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be the judge of the living and the dead.

⁴³All the prophets testify about him that through his name everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins.”

⁴⁴While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came down on all those who heard the message.

⁴⁵The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.

⁴⁶For they heard them speaking in other tongues and declaring the greatness of God. Then Peter responded,

⁴⁷“Can anyone withhold water and prevent these people from being baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”

⁴⁸He commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for a few days.