Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹He entered Jericho and was passing through.

²There was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.

³He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he was not able because of the crowd, since he was a short man.

⁴So running ahead, he climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus, since he was about to pass that way.

⁵When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down because today it is necessary for me to stay at your house.”

⁶So he quickly came down and welcomed him joyfully.

⁷All who saw it began to complain, “He’s gone to stay with a sinful man.”

⁸But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, I’ll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord. And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much.”

⁹“Today salvation has come to this house,” Jesus told him, “because he too is a son of Abraham.

¹⁰For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”

¹¹As they were listening to this, he went on to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem, and they thought the kingdom of God was going to appear right away.

¹²Therefore he said: “A nobleman traveled to a far country to receive for himself authority to be king and then to return.

¹³He called ten of his servants, gave them ten minas, and told them, ‘Engage in business until I come back.’

¹⁴“But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We don’t want this man to rule over us.’

¹⁵“At his return, having received the authority to be king, he summoned those servants he had given the money to, so that he could find out how much they had made in business.

¹⁶The first came forward and said, ‘Master, your mina has earned ten more minas.’

¹⁷“‘Well done, good servant! ’ he told him. ‘Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, have authority over ten towns.’

¹⁸“The second came and said, ‘Master, your mina has made five minas.’

¹⁹“So he said to him, ‘You will be over five towns.’

²⁰“And another came and said, ‘Master, here is your mina. I have kept it safe in a cloth

²¹because I was afraid of you since you’re a harsh man: you collect what you didn’t deposit and reap what you didn’t sow.’

²²“He told him, ‘I will condemn you by what you have said, you evil servant! If you knew I was a harsh man, collecting what I didn’t deposit and reaping what I didn’t sow,

²³why, then, didn’t you put my money in the bank? And when I returned, I would have collected it with interest.’

²⁴So he said to those standing there, ‘Take the mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’

²⁵“But they said to him, ‘Master, he has ten minas.’

²⁶“‘I tell you, that to everyone who has, more will be given; and from the one who does not have, even what he does have will be taken away.

²⁷But bring here these enemies of mine, who did not want me to rule over them, and slaughter them in my presence.’”

²⁸When he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

²⁹As he approached Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples

³⁰and said, “Go into the village ahead of you. As you enter it, you will find a young donkey tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it.

³¹If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it? ’ say this: ‘The Lord needs it.’”

³²So those who were sent left and found it just as he had told them.

³³As they were untying the young donkey, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the donkey?”

³⁴“The Lord needs it,” they said.

³⁵Then they brought it to Jesus, and after throwing their clothes on the donkey, they helped Jesus get on it.

³⁶As he was going along, they were spreading their clothes on the road.

³⁷Now he came near the path down the Mount of Olives, and the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen:

³⁸Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven!

³⁹Some of the Pharisees from the crowd told him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”

⁴⁰He answered, “I tell you, if they were to keep silent, the stones would cry out.”

⁴¹As he approached and saw the city, he wept for it,

⁴²saying, “If you knew this day what would bring peace — but now it is hidden from your eyes.

⁴³For the days will come on you when your enemies will build a barricade around you, surround you, and hem you in on every side.

⁴⁴They will crush you and your children among you to the ground, and they will not leave one stone on another in your midst, because you did not recognize the time when God visited you.”

⁴⁵He went into the temple and began to throw out those who were selling,

⁴⁶and he said, “It is written, my house will be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves!”

⁴⁷Every day he was teaching in the temple. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people were looking for a way to kill him,

⁴⁸but they could not find a way to do it, because all the people were captivated by what they heard.

¹The LORD again spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho:

²“Command the Israelites to give cities out of their hereditary property for the Levites to live in and pastureland around the cities.

³The cities will be for them to live in, and their pasturelands will be for their herds, flocks, and all their other animals.

⁴The pasturelands of the cities you are to give the Levites will extend from the city wall five hundred yards on every side.

⁵Measure a thousand yards outside the city for the east side, a thousand yards for the south side, a thousand yards for the west side, and a thousand yards for the north side, with the city in the center. This will belong to them as pasturelands for the cities.

⁶“The cities you give the Levites will include six cities of refuge, which you will provide so that the one who kills someone may flee there; in addition to these, give forty-two other cities.

⁷The total number of cities you give the Levites will be forty-eight, along with their pasturelands.

⁸Of the cities that you give from the Israelites’ territory, you should take more from a larger tribe and less from a smaller one. Each tribe is to give some of its cities to the Levites in proportion to the inheritance it receives.”

⁹The LORD said to Moses,

¹⁰“Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan,

¹¹designate cities to serve as cities of refuge for you, so that a person who kills someone unintentionally may flee there.

¹²You will have the cities as a refuge from the avenger, so that the one who kills someone will not die until he stands trial before the assembly.

¹³The cities you select will be your six cities of refuge.

¹⁴Select three cities across the Jordan and three cities in the land of Canaan to be cities of refuge.

¹⁵These six cities will serve as a refuge for the Israelites and for the alien or temporary resident among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there.

¹⁶“If anyone strikes a person with an iron object and death results, he is a murderer; the murderer must be put to death.

¹⁷If anyone has in his hand a stone capable of causing death and strikes another person and he dies, the murderer must be put to death.

¹⁸If anyone has in his hand a wooden object capable of causing death and strikes another person and he dies, the murderer must be put to death.

¹⁹The avenger of blood himself is to kill the murderer; when he finds him, he is to kill him.

²⁰Likewise, if anyone in hatred pushes a person or throws an object at him with malicious intent and he dies,

²¹or if in hostility he strikes him with his hand and he dies, the one who struck him must be put to death; he is a murderer. The avenger of blood is to kill the murderer when he finds him.

²²“But if anyone suddenly pushes a person without hostility or throws any object at him without malicious intent

²³or without looking drops a stone that could kill a person and he dies, but he was not his enemy and didn’t intend to harm him,

²⁴the assembly is to judge between the person who kills someone and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances.

²⁵The assembly is to protect the one who kills someone from the avenger of blood. Then the assembly will return him to the city of refuge he fled to, and he must live there until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil.

²⁶“If the one who kills someone ever goes outside the border of the city of refuge he fled to,

²⁷and the avenger of blood finds him outside the border of his city of refuge and kills him, the avenger will not be guilty of bloodshed,

²⁸for the one who killed a person was supposed to live in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest. Only after the death of the high priest may the one who has killed a person return to the land he possesses.

²⁹These instructions will be a statutory ordinance for you throughout your generations wherever you live.

³⁰“If anyone kills a person, the murderer is to be put to death based on the word of witnesses. But no one is to be put to death based on the testimony of one witness.

³¹You are not to accept a ransom for the life of someone who is guilty of murder; he must be put to death.

³²Neither should you accept a ransom for the person who flees to his city of refuge, allowing him to return and live in the land before the death of the high priest.

³³“Do not defile the land where you live, for bloodshed defiles the land, and there can be no atonement for the land because of the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of the person who shed it.

³⁴Do not make the land unclean where you live and where I dwell; for I, the LORD, reside among the Israelites.”

¹Now the first covenant also had regulations for ministry and an earthly sanctuary.

²For a tabernacle was set up, and in the first room, which is called the holy place, were the lampstand, the table, and the presentation loaves.

³Behind the second curtain was a tent called the most holy place.

⁴It had the gold altar of incense and the ark of the covenant, covered with gold on all sides, in which was a gold jar containing the manna, Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant.

⁵The cherubim of glory were above the ark overshadowing the mercy seat. It is not possible to speak about these things in detail right now.

⁶With these things prepared like this, the priests enter the first room repeatedly, performing their ministry.

⁷But the high priest alone enters the second room, and he does that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.

⁸The Holy Spirit was making it clear that the way into the most holy place had not yet been disclosed while the first tabernacle was still standing.

⁹This is a symbol for the present time, during which gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the worshiper’s conscience.

¹⁰They are physical regulations and only deal with food, drink, and various washings imposed until the time of the new order.

¹¹But Christ has appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come. In the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands (that is, not of this creation ),

¹²he entered the most holy place once for all time, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.

¹³For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow, sprinkling those who are defiled, sanctify for the purification of the flesh,

¹⁴how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works so that we can serve the living God?

¹⁵Therefore, he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance, because a death has taken place for redemption from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

¹⁶Where a will exists, the death of the one who made it must be established.

¹⁷For a will is valid only when people die, since it is never in effect while the one who made it is living.

¹⁸That is why even the first covenant was inaugurated with blood.

¹⁹For when every command had been proclaimed by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll itself and all the people,

²⁰saying, This is the blood of the covenant that God has ordained for you.

²¹In the same way, he sprinkled the tabernacle and all the articles of worship with blood.

²²According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

²³Therefore, it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves to be purified with better sacrifices than these.

²⁴For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with hands (only a model of the true one) but into heaven itself, so that he might now appear in the presence of God for us.

²⁵He did not do this to offer himself many times, as the high priest enters the sanctuary yearly with the blood of another.

²⁶Otherwise, he would have had to suffer many times since the foundation of the world. But now he has appeared one time, at the end of the ages, for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of himself.

²⁷And just as it is appointed for people to die once — and after this, judgment  —

²⁸so also Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

¹Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother: To Philemon our dear friend and coworker,

²to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your home.

³Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers,

⁵because I hear of your love for all the saints and the faith that you have in the Lord Jesus.

⁶I pray that your participation in the faith may become effective through knowing every good thing that is in us for the glory of Christ.

⁷For I have great joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

⁸For this reason, although I have great boldness in Christ to command you to do what is right,

⁹I appeal to you, instead, on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an elderly man and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus,

¹⁰appeal to you for my son, Onesimus. I became his father while I was in chains.

¹¹Once he was useless to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me.

¹²I am sending him back to you — I am sending my very own heart.

¹³I wanted to keep him with me, so that in my imprisonment for the gospel he might serve me in your place.

¹⁴But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed might not be out of obligation, but of your own free will.

¹⁵For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a brief time, so that you might get him back permanently,

¹⁶no longer as a slave, but more than a slave — as a dearly loved brother. He is especially so to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

¹⁷So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would me.

¹⁸And if he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account.

¹⁹I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it — not to mention to you that you owe me even your very self.

²⁰Yes, brother, may I benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.

²¹Since I am confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

²²Meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, since I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.

²³Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings, and so do

²⁴Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my coworkers.

²⁵The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

¹Surely there is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined.

²Iron is taken from the ground, and copper is smelted from ore.

³A miner puts an end to the darkness; he probes the deepest recesses for ore in the gloomy darkness.

⁴He cuts a shaft far from human habitation, in places unknown to those who walk above ground. Suspended far away from people, the miners swing back and forth.

⁵Food may come from the earth, but below the surface the earth is transformed as by fire.

⁶Its rocks are a source of lapis lazuli, containing flecks of gold.

⁷No bird of prey knows that path; no falcon’s eye has seen it.

⁸Proud beasts have never walked on it; no lion has ever prowled over it.

⁹The miner uses a flint tool and turns up ore from the root of the mountains.

¹⁰He cuts out channels in the rocks, and his eyes spot every treasure.

¹¹He dams up the streams from flowing so that he may bring to light what is hidden.

¹²But where can wisdom be found, and where is understanding located?

¹³No one can know its value, since it cannot be found in the land of the living.

¹⁴The ocean depths say, “It’s not in me,” while the sea declares, “I don’t have it.”

¹⁵Gold cannot be exchanged for it, and silver cannot be weighed out for its price.

¹⁶Wisdom cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or lapis lazuli.

¹⁷Gold and glass do not compare with it, and articles of fine gold cannot be exchanged for it.

¹⁸Coral and quartz are not worth mentioning. The price of wisdom is beyond pearls.

¹⁹Topaz from Cush cannot compare with it, and it cannot be valued in pure gold.

²⁰Where then does wisdom come from, and where is understanding located?

²¹It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing and concealed from the birds of the sky.

²²Abaddon and Death say, “We have heard news of it with our ears.”

²³But God understands the way to wisdom, and he knows its location.

²⁴For he looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.

²⁵When God fixed the weight of the wind and distributed the water by measure,

²⁶when he established a limit for the rain and a path for the lightning,

²⁷he considered wisdom and evaluated it; he established it and examined it.

²⁸He said to mankind, “The fear of the LORD—that is wisdom. And to turn from evil is understanding.”

¹Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?

²The kings of the earth take their stand, and the rulers conspire together against the LORD and his Anointed One:

³“Let’s tear off their chains and throw their ropes off of us.”

⁴The one enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord ridicules them.

⁵Then he speaks to them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath:

⁶“I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.”

⁷I will declare the LORD’s decree. He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.

⁸Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance and the ends of the earth your possession.

⁹You will break them with an iron scepter; you will shatter them like pottery.”

¹⁰So now, kings, be wise; receive instruction, you judges of the earth.

¹¹Serve the LORD with reverential awe and rejoice with trembling.

¹²Pay homage to the Son or he will be angry and you will perish in your rebellion, for his anger may ignite at any moment. All who take refuge in him are happy.

¹The wicked flee when no one is pursuing them, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

²When a land is in rebellion, it has many rulers, but with a discerning and knowledgeable person, it endures.

³A destitute leader who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no food.

⁴Those who reject the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law pit themselves against them.

⁵The evil do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand everything.

⁶Better the poor person who lives with integrity than the rich one who distorts right and wrong.

⁷A discerning son keeps the law, but a companion of gluttons humiliates his father.

⁸Whoever increases his wealth through excessive interest collects it for one who is kind to the poor.

⁹Anyone who turns his ear away from hearing the law — even his prayer is detestable.

¹⁰The one who leads the upright into an evil way will fall into his own pit, but the blameless will inherit what is good.

¹¹A rich person is wise in his own eyes, but a poor one who has discernment sees through him.

¹²When the righteous triumph, there is great rejoicing, but when the wicked come to power, people hide.

¹³The one who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.

¹⁴Happy is the one who is always reverent, but one who hardens his heart falls into trouble.

¹⁵A wicked ruler over a helpless people is like a roaring lion or a charging bear.

¹⁶A leader who lacks understanding is very oppressive, but one who hates dishonest profit prolongs his life.

¹⁷Someone burdened by bloodguilt will be a fugitive until death. Let no one help him.

¹⁸The one who lives with integrity will be helped, but one who distorts right and wrong will suddenly fall.

¹⁹The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.

²⁰A faithful person will have many blessings, but one in a hurry to get rich will not go unpunished.

²¹It is not good to show partiality  — yet even a courageous person may sin for a piece of bread.

²²A greedy one is in a hurry for wealth; he doesn’t know that poverty will come to him.

²³One who rebukes a person will later find more favor than one who flatters with his tongue.

²⁴The one who robs his father or mother and says, “That’s no sin,” is a companion to a person who destroys.

²⁵A greedy person stirs up conflict, but whoever trusts in the LORD will prosper.

²⁶The one who trusts in himself is a fool, but one who walks in wisdom will be safe.

²⁷The one who gives to the poor will not be in need, but one who turns his eyes away will receive many curses.

²⁸When the wicked come to power, people hide, but when they are destroyed, the righteous flourish.

¹Adam, Seth, Enosh,

²Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared,

³Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech,

⁴Noah, Noah’s sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

⁵Japheth’s sons: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.

⁶Gomer’s sons: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah.

⁷Javan’s sons: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim.

⁸Ham’s sons: Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.

⁹Cush’s sons: Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raama, and Sabteca. Raama’s sons: Sheba and Dedan.

¹⁰Cush fathered Nimrod, who was the first to become a great warrior on earth.

¹¹Mizraim fathered the people of Lud, Anam, Lehab, Naphtuh,

¹²Pathrus, Casluh (the Philistines came from them), and Caphtor.

¹³Canaan fathered Sidon as his firstborn and Heth,

¹⁴as well as the Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites,

¹⁵Hivites, Arkites, Sinites,

¹⁶Arvadites, Zemarites, and Hamathites.

¹⁷Shem’s sons: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, Aram, Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshech.

¹⁸Arpachshad fathered Shelah, and Shelah fathered Eber.

¹⁹Two sons were born to Eber. One of them was named Peleg because the earth was divided during his lifetime, and the name of his brother was Joktan.

²⁰Joktan fathered Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah,

²¹Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah,

²²Ebal, Abimael, Sheba,

²³Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All of these were Joktan’s sons.

²⁴Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah,

²⁵Eber, Peleg, Reu,

²⁶Serug, Nahor, Terah,

²⁷and Abram (that is, Abraham).

²⁸Abraham’s sons: Isaac and Ishmael.

²⁹These are their family records: Nebaioth, Ishmael’s firstborn, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,

³⁰Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema,

³¹Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These were Ishmael’s sons.

³²The sons born to Keturah, Abraham’s concubine: Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. Jokshan’s sons: Sheba and Dedan.

³³Midian’s sons: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All of these were Keturah’s descendants.

³⁴Abraham fathered Isaac. Isaac’s sons: Esau and Israel.

³⁵Esau’s sons: Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.

³⁶Eliphaz’s sons: Teman, Omar, Zephi, Gatam, and Kenaz; and by Timna, Amalek.

³⁷Reuel’s sons: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.

³⁸Seir’s sons: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan.

³⁹Lotan’s sons: Hori and Homam. Timna was Lotan’s sister.

⁴⁰Shobal’s sons: Alian, Manahath, Ebal, Shephi, and Onam. Zibeon’s sons: Aiah and Anah.

⁴¹Anah’s son: Dishon. Dishon’s sons: Hamran, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran.

⁴²Ezer’s sons: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Jaakan. Dishan’s sons: Uz and Aran.

⁴³These were the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the Israelites: Bela son of Beor. Bela’s town was named Dinhabah.

⁴⁴When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah reigned in his place.

⁴⁵When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites reigned in his place.

⁴⁶When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the territory of Moab, reigned in his place. Hadad’s town was named Avith.

⁴⁷When Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah reigned in his place.

⁴⁸When Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth on the Euphrates River reigned in his place.

⁴⁹When Shaul died, Baal-hanan son of Achbor reigned in his place.

⁵⁰When Baal-hanan died, Hadad reigned in his place. Hadad’s city was named Pai, and his wife’s name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, daughter of Me-zahab.

⁵¹Then Hadad died. Edom’s chiefs: Timna, Alvah, Jetheth,

⁵²Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon,

⁵³Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar,

⁵⁴Magdiel, and Iram. These were Edom’s chiefs.

¹In the tenth year, in the tenth month on the twelfth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me:

²“Son of man, face Pharaoh king of Egypt and prophesy against him and against all of Egypt.

³Speak to him and say, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: Look, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great monster lying in the middle of his Nile, who says, “My Nile is my own; I made it for myself.”

⁴I will put hooks in your jaws and make the fish of your streams cling to your scales. I will haul you up from the middle of your Nile, and all the fish of your streams will cling to your scales.

⁵I will leave you in the desert, you and all the fish of your streams. You will fall on the open ground and will not be taken away or gathered for burial. I have given you to the wild creatures of the earth and the birds of the sky as food.

⁶“‘Then all the inhabitants of Egypt will know that I am the LORD, for they have been a staff made of reed to the house of Israel.

⁷When Israel grasped you by the hand, you splintered, tearing all their shoulders; when they leaned on you, you shattered and made all their hips unsteady.

⁸“‘Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says: I am going to bring a sword against you and cut off both man and animal from you.

⁹The land of Egypt will be a desolate ruin. Then they will know that I am the LORD. Because you said, “The Nile is my own; I made it,”

¹⁰therefore, I am against you and your Nile. I will turn the land of Egypt into ruins, a desolate waste from Migdol to Syene, as far as the border of Cush.

¹¹No human foot will pass through it, and no animal foot will pass through it. It will be uninhabited for forty years.

¹²I will make the land of Egypt a desolation among desolate lands, and its cities will be a desolation among ruined cities for forty years. I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them throughout the lands.

¹³“‘For this is what the Lord GOD says: At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the peoples where they were dispersed.

¹⁴I will restore the fortunes of Egypt and bring them back to the land of Pathros, the land of their origin. There they will be a lowly kingdom.

¹⁵Egypt will be the lowliest of kingdoms and will never again exalt itself over the nations. I will make them so small they cannot rule over the nations.

¹⁶It will never again be an object of trust for the house of Israel, drawing attention to their iniquity of turning to the Egyptians. Then they will know that I am the Lord GOD.’”

¹⁷In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me:

¹⁸“Son of man, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon made his army labor strenuously against Tyre. Every head was made bald and every shoulder chafed, but he and his army received no compensation from Tyre for the labor he expended against it.

¹⁹Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says: I am going to give the land of Egypt to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and he will carry off its wealth, seizing its spoil and taking its plunder. This will be his army’s compensation.

²⁰I have given him the land of Egypt as the pay he labored for, since they worked for me.” This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.

²¹“In that day I will cause a horn to sprout for the house of Israel, and I will enable you to speak out among them. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”

¹About that time King Herod violently attacked some who belonged to the church,

²and he executed James, John’s brother, with the sword.

³When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too, during the Festival of Unleavened Bread.

⁴After the arrest, he put him in prison and assigned four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.

⁵So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was praying fervently to God for him.

⁶When Herod was about to bring him out for trial, that very night Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while the sentries in front of the door guarded the prison.

⁷Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. Striking Peter on the side, he woke him up and said, “Quick, get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists.

⁸“Get dressed,” the angel told him, “and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Wrap your cloak around you,” he told him, “and follow me.”

⁹So he went out and followed, and he did not know that what the angel did was really happening, but he thought he was seeing a vision.

¹⁰After they passed the first and second guards, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went outside and passed one street, and suddenly the angel left him.

¹¹When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s grasp and from all that the Jewish people expected.”

¹²As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many had assembled and were praying.

¹³He knocked at the door of the outer gate, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer.

¹⁴She recognized Peter’s voice, and because of her joy, she did not open the gate but ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the outer gate.

¹⁵“You’re out of your mind!” they told her. But she kept insisting that it was true, and they said, “It’s his angel.”

¹⁶Peter, however, kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were amazed.

¹⁷Motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. “Tell these things to James and the brothers,” he said, and he left and went to another place.

¹⁸At daylight, there was a great commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.

¹⁹After Herod had searched and did not find him, he interrogated the guards and ordered their execution. Then Herod went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.

²⁰Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. Together they presented themselves before him. After winning over Blastus, who was in charge of the king’s bedroom, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food from the king’s country.

²¹On an appointed day, dressed in royal robes and seated on the throne, Herod delivered a speech to them.

²²The assembled people began to shout, “It’s the voice of a god and not of a man!”

²³At once an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give the glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died.

²⁴But the word of God flourished and multiplied.

²⁵After they had completed their relief mission, Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem, taking along John who was called Mark.