Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹On the third day there was a wedding at Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there;

²and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.

³When the wine was all gone, the mother of Jesus said to Him, " They have no more wine."

⁴Jesus said to her, "[Dear] woman, what is that to you and to Me? My time [to act and to be revealed] has not yet come."

⁵His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."

⁶Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification (ceremonial washing), containing twenty or thirty gallons each.

⁷Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the waterpots with water." So they filled them up to the brim.

⁸Then He said to them, "Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter [of the banquet]." So they took it to him.

⁹And when the headwaiter tasted the water which had turned into wine, not knowing where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew) he called the bridegroom,

¹⁰and said to him, "Everyone else serves his best wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then he serves that which is not so good; but you have kept back the good wine until now."

¹¹This, the first of His signs (attesting miracles), Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed His glory [displaying His deity and His great power openly], and His disciples believed [confidently] in Him [as the Messiah—they adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Him].

¹²After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother and brothers and His disciples; and they stayed there a few days.

¹³Now the Passover of the Jews was approaching, so Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

¹⁴And in the temple [enclosure] He found the people who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers sitting at their tables.

¹⁵He made a whip of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables;

¹⁶then to those who sold the doves He said, "Take these things away! Stop making My Father's house a place of commerce!"

¹⁷His disciples remembered that it is written [in the Scriptures], "Zeal (love, concern) for Your house [and its honor] will consume Me."

¹⁸Then the Jews retorted, "What sign (attesting miracle) can You show us as [proof of] your authority for doing these things?"

¹⁹Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

²⁰Then the Jews replied, "It took forty-six years to build this temple, and You will raise it up in three days?"

²¹But He was speaking of the temple which was His body.

²²So when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered what He had said. And they believed and trusted in and relied on the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

²³Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover feast, many believed in His name [identifying themselves with Him] after seeing His signs (attesting miracles) which He was doing.

²⁴But Jesus, for His part, did not entrust Himself to them, because He knew all people [and understood the superficiality and fickleness of human nature],

²⁵and He did not need anyone to testify concerning man [and human nature], for He Himself knew what was in man [in their hearts—in the very core of their being].

¹"Now this is the command; the statutes and the judgments (precepts) which the LORD your God has commanded me to teach you, so that you might do (follow, obey) them in the land which you are crossing over [the Jordan] to possess,

²so that you and your son and your grandson may fear and worship the LORD your God [with awe-filled reverence and profound respect], to keep [and actively do] all His statutes and His commandments which I am commanding you, all the days of your life, so that your days may be prolonged.

³Therefore listen, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly [in numbers], as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

⁴"Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one [the only God]!

⁵You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and mind and with all your soul and with all your strength [your entire being].

⁶These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be [written] on your heart and mind.

⁷You shall teach them diligently to your children [impressing God's precepts on their minds and penetrating their hearts with His truths] and shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road and when you lie down and when you get up.

⁸And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand (forearm), and they shall be used as bands (frontals, frontlets) on your forehead.

⁹You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

¹⁰"Then it shall come about when the LORD your God brings you into the land which He swore (solemnly promised) to [give] your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—to give you, [a land with] great and splendid cities which you did not build,

¹¹and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn (excavated) cisterns (wells) which you did not dig out, and vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and you eat and are full and satisfied,

¹²then beware that you do not forget the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

¹³You shall fear [only] the LORD your God; and you shall serve Him [with awe-filled reverence and profound respect] and swear [oaths] by His name [alone].

¹⁴You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you,

¹⁵for the LORD your God who is among you is a jealous (impassioned) God [demanding what is rightfully and uniquely His]—otherwise the anger of the LORD your God will be kindled and burn against you, and He will destroy you from the face of the earth.

¹⁶"You shall not put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested Him at Massah.

¹⁷You shall diligently keep [foremost in your thoughts and actively do] the commandments of the LORD your God, and His testimonies and His statutes which He has commanded you.

¹⁸You shall do what is right and good in the sight of the LORD, so that it may be well with you and that you may go in and possess the good land which the LORD swore to [give] your fathers,

¹⁹by driving out all your enemies from before you, as the LORD has spoken.

²⁰"When your son asks you in time to come, saying, 'What is the meaning of the testimonies and statutes and judgments (precepts) which the LORD our God has commanded you?'

²¹then you shall say to your son, 'We were Pharaoh's slaves in Egypt, and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.

²²Moreover, the LORD showed great and terrible signs and wonders before our eyes against Egypt, Pharaoh and all his household;

²³He brought us out from there in order to bring us in, to give us the land which He had sworn to [give] our fathers.'

²⁴So the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear [and worship] the LORD our God [with awe-filled reverence and profound respect] for our good always and so that He might preserve us alive, as it is today.

²⁵It will be [considered] righteousness for us [that is, right standing with God] if we are careful to observe all this commandment before the LORD our God—just as He has commanded us.

¹Then what is the advantage of the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?

²Great in every respect. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God [His very words].

³What then? If some did not believe or were unfaithful [to God], their lack of belief will not nullify and make invalid the faithfulness of God and His word, will it?

⁴Certainly not! Let God be found true [as He will be], though every person be found a liar, just as it is written [in Scripture], "That You may be justified in Your words, And prevail when You are judged [by sinful men]."

⁵But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? God is not wrong to inflict His wrath [on us], is He? (I am speaking in purely human terms.)

⁶Certainly not! For otherwise, how will God judge the world?

⁷But [as you might say] if through my lie God's truth was magnified and abounded to His glory, why am I still being judged as a sinner?

⁸And why not say, (as some slanderously report and claim that we teach) "Let us do evil so that good may come of it"? Their condemnation [by God] is just.

⁹Well then, are we [Jews] better off than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks (Gentiles) are under the control of sin and subject to its power.

¹⁰As it is written and forever remains written, "There is none righteous [none that meets God's standard], not even one.

¹¹"There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God.

¹²"All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, no, not one."

¹³"Their throat is an open grave; They [habitually] deceive with their tongues." "The venom of asps is beneath their lips."

¹⁴"Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness."

¹⁵"Their feet are swift to shed blood,

¹⁶Destruction and misery are in their paths,

¹⁷And they have not known the path of peace."

¹⁸"There is no fear of God [and His awesome power] before their eyes."

¹⁹Now we know that whatever the Law [of Moses] says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that [the excuses of] every mouth may be silenced [from protesting] and that all the world may be held accountable to God [and subject to His judgment].

²⁰For no person will be justified [freed of guilt and declared righteous] in His sight by [trying to do] the works of the Law. For through the Law we become conscious of sin [and the recognition of sin directs us toward repentance, but provides no remedy for sin].

²¹But now the righteousness of God has been clearly revealed [independently and completely] apart from the Law, though it is [actually] confirmed by the Law and the [words and writings of the] Prophets.

²²This righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ for all those [Jew or Gentile] who believe [and trust in Him and acknowledge Him as God's Son]. There is no distinction,

²³since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God,

²⁴and are being justified [declared free of the guilt of sin, made acceptable to God, and granted eternal life] as a gift by His [precious, undeserved] grace, through the redemption [the payment for our sin] which is [provided] in Christ Jesus,

²⁵whom God displayed publicly [before the eyes of the world] as a [life-giving] sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation (propitiation) by His blood [to be received] through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness [which demands punishment for sin], because in His forbearance [His deliberate restraint] He passed over the sins previously committed [before Jesus' crucifixion].

²⁶It was to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the One who justifies those who have faith in Jesus [and rely confidently on Him as Savior].

²⁷Then what becomes of [our] boasting? It is excluded [entirely ruled out, banished]. On what principle? On [the principle of good] works? No, but on the principle of faith.

²⁸For we maintain that an individual is justified by faith distinctly apart from works of the Law [the observance of which has nothing to do with justification, that is, being declared free of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God].

²⁹Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not also the God of Gentiles [who were not given the Law]? Yes, of Gentiles also,

³⁰since indeed it is one [and the same] God who will justify the circumcised by faith [which began with Abraham] and the uncircumcised through [their newly acquired] faith.

³¹Do we then nullify the Law by this faith [making the Law of no effect, overthrowing it]? Certainly not! On the contrary, we confirm and establish and uphold the Law [since it convicts us all of sin, pointing to the need for salvation].

¹So put aside every trace of malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander and hateful speech;

²like newborn babies [you should] long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may be nurtured and grow in respect to salvation [its ultimate fulfillment],

³if in fact you have [already] tasted the goodness and gracious kindness of the Lord.

⁴Come to Him [the risen Lord] as to a living Stone which men rejected and threw away, but which is choice and precious in the sight of God.

⁵You [believers], like living stones, are being built up into a spiritual house for a holy and dedicated priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices [that are] acceptable and pleasing to God through Jesus Christ.

⁶For this is contained in Scripture: "Behold, I am laying in Zion a chosen stone, a precious (honored) Cornerstone, And he who believes in Him [whoever adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] will never be disappointed [in his expectations]."

⁷This precious value, then, is for you who believe [in Him as God's only Son—the Source of salvation]; but for those who disbelieve, "The [very] stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief Cornerstone,"

⁸and, "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense"; for they stumble because they disobey the word [of God], and to this they [who reject Him as Savior] were also appointed.

⁹But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a [special] people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies [the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections] of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

¹⁰Once you were not a people [at all], but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

¹¹Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers [in this world] to abstain from the sensual urges [those dishonorable desires] that wage war against the soul.

¹²Keep your behavior excellent among the [unsaved] Gentiles [conduct yourself honorably, with graciousness and integrity], so that for whatever reason they may slander you as evildoers, yet by observing your good deeds they may [instead come to] glorify God in the day of visitation [when He looks upon them with mercy].

¹³Submit yourselves to [the authority of] every human institution for the sake of the Lord [to honor His name], whether it is to a king as one in a position of power,

¹⁴or to governors as sent by him to bring punishment to those who do wrong, and to praise and encourage those who do right.

¹⁵For it is the will of God that by doing right you may silence (muzzle, gag) the [culpable] ignorance and irresponsible criticisms of foolish people.

¹⁶Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover or pretext for evil, but [use it and live] as bond-servants of God.

¹⁷Show respect for all people [treat them honorably], love the brotherhood [of believers], fear God, honor the king.

¹⁸Servants, be submissive to your masters with all [proper] respect, not only to those who are good and kind, but also to those who are unreasonable.

¹⁹For this finds favor, if a person endures the sorrow of suffering unjustly because of an awareness of [the will of] God.

²⁰After all, what kind of credit is there if, when you do wrong and are punished for it, you endure it patiently? But if when you do what is right and patiently bear [undeserved] suffering, this finds favor with God.

²¹For [as a believer] you have been called for this purpose, since Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you may follow in His footsteps.

²²He committed no sin, nor was deceit ever found in His mouth.

²³While being reviled and insulted, He did not revile or insult in return; while suffering, He made no threats [of vengeance], but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges fairly.

²⁴He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross [willingly offering Himself on it, as on an altar of sacrifice], so that we might die to sin [becoming immune from the penalty and power of sin] and live for righteousness; for by His wounds you [who believe] have been healed.

²⁵For you were continually wandering like [so many] sheep, but now you have come back to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

¹Elihu continued speaking [to Job] and said,

²"Do you think this is according to [your] justice? Do you say, 'My righteousness is more than God's'?

³"For you say, 'What advantage have you [by living a righteous life]? What profit will I have, more [by being righteous] than if I had sinned?'

⁴"I will answer you, And your companions with you.

⁵"Look to the heavens and see; And behold the skies which are [much] higher than you.

⁶"If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against Him? And if your transgressions are multiplied, what have you done to Him?

⁷"If you are righteous, what do you give God, Or what does He receive from your hand?

⁸"Your wickedness affects only a man such as you, And your righteousness affects only a son of man [but it cannot affect God, who is sovereign].

⁹"Because of the multitudes of oppressions the people cry out; They cry for help because of the [violent] arm of the mighty.

¹⁰"But no one says, 'Where is God my Maker, Who gives songs [of rejoicing] in the night,

¹¹Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth And makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?'

¹²"The people cry out, but He does not answer Because of the pride of evil men.

¹³"Surely God will not listen to an empty cry [which lacks trust], Nor will the Almighty regard it.

¹⁴"Even though you say that you do not see Him [when missing His righteous judgment on earth], Yet your case is before Him, and you must wait for Him!

¹⁵"And now, because He has not [quickly] punished in His anger, Nor has He acknowledged transgression and arrogance well [and seems unaware of the wrong of which a person is guilty],

¹⁶Job uselessly opens his mouth And multiplies words without knowledge [drawing the worthless conclusion that the righteous have no more advantage than the wicked]."

¹To the Chief Musician; on Muth-labben. A Psalm of David. I will give thanks and praise the LORD, with all my heart; I will tell aloud all Your wonders and marvelous deeds.

²I will rejoice and exult in you; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

³When my enemies turn back, They stumble and perish before You.

⁴For You have maintained my right and my cause; You have sat on the throne judging righteously.

⁵You have rebuked the nations, You have destroyed the wicked and unrepentant; You have wiped out their name forever and ever.

⁶The enemy has been cut off and has vanished in everlasting ruins, You have uprooted their cities; The very memory of them has perished.

⁷But the LORD will remain and sit enthroned forever; He has prepared and established His throne for judgment.

⁸And He will judge the world in righteousness; He will execute judgment for the nations with fairness (equity).

⁹The LORD also will be a refuge and a stronghold for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble;

¹⁰And those who know Your name [who have experienced Your precious mercy] will put their confident trust in You, For You, O LORD, have not abandoned those who seek You.

¹¹Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion; Declare among the peoples His [great and wondrous] deeds.

¹²For He who avenges blood [unjustly shed] remembers them (His people); He does not forget the cry of the afflicted and abused.

¹³Have mercy on me and be gracious to me, O LORD; See how I am afflicted by those who hate me, You who lift me up from the gates of death,

¹⁴That I may tell aloud all Your praises, That in the gates of the daughter of Zion (Jerusalem) I may rejoice in Your salvation and Your help.

¹⁵The nations have sunk down in the pit which they have made; In the net which they hid, their own foot has been caught.

¹⁶The LORD has made Himself known; He executes judgment; The wicked are trapped by the work of their own hands. Higgaion (meditation) Selah.

¹⁷The wicked will turn to Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead), Even all the nations who forget God.

¹⁸For the poor will not always be forgotten, Nor the hope of the burdened perish forever.

¹⁹Arise, O LORD, do not let man prevail; Let the nations be judged before You.

²⁰Put them in [reverent] fear of You, O LORD, So that the nations may know they are but [frail and mortal] men. Selah.

¹Hear, O children, the instruction of a father, And pay attention [and be willing to learn] so that you may gain understanding and intelligent discernment.

²For I give you good doctrine; Do not turn away from my instruction.

³When I was a son with my father (David), Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother (Bathsheba),

⁴He taught me and said to me, "Let your heart hold fast my words; Keep my commandments and live.

⁵"Get [skillful and godly] wisdom! Acquire understanding [actively seek spiritual discernment, mature comprehension, and logical interpretation]! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

⁶"Do not turn away from her (Wisdom) and she will guard and protect you; Love her, and she will watch over you.

⁷"The beginning of wisdom is: Get [skillful and godly] wisdom [it is preeminent]! And with all your acquiring, get understanding [actively seek spiritual discernment, mature comprehension, and logical interpretation].

⁸"Prize wisdom [and exalt her], and she will exalt you; She will honor you if you embrace her.

⁹"She will place on your head a garland of grace; She will present you with a crown of beauty and glory."

¹⁰Hear, my son, and accept my sayings, And the years of your life will be many.

¹¹I have instructed you in the way of [skillful and godly] wisdom; I have led you in upright paths.

¹²When you walk, your steps will not be impeded [for your path will be clear and open]; And when you run, you will not stumble.

¹³Take hold of instruction; [actively seek it, grip it firmly and] do not let go. Guard her, for she is your life.

¹⁴Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not go the way of evil men.

¹⁵Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from it and pass on.

¹⁶For the wicked cannot sleep unless they do evil; And they are deprived of sleep unless they make someone stumble and fall.

¹⁷For they eat the bread of wickedness And drink the wine of violence.

¹⁸But the path of the just (righteous) is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until [it reaches its full strength and glory in] the perfect day.

¹⁹The way of the wicked is like [deep] darkness; They do not know over what they stumble.

²⁰My son, pay attention to my words and be willing to learn; Open your ears to my sayings.

²¹Do not let them escape from your sight; Keep them in the center of your heart.

²²For they are life to those who find them, And healing and health to all their flesh.

²³Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.

²⁴Put away from you a deceitful (lying, misleading) mouth, And put devious lips far from you.

²⁵Let your eyes look directly ahead [toward the path of moral courage] And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you [toward the path of integrity].

²⁶Consider well and watch carefully the path of your feet, And all your ways will be steadfast and sure.

²⁷Do not turn away to the right nor to the left [where evil may lurk]; Turn your foot from [the path of] evil.

¹Benjamin became the father of Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, Aharah the third,

²Nohah the fourth and Rapha the fifth.

³Bela had sons: Addar, Gera, Abihud,

⁴Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah,

⁵Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram.

⁶These are the sons of Ehud: These are the heads of the fathers' households of the inhabitants of Geba; they were exiled to Manahath:

⁷Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera—he forced them into exile; he became the father of Uzza and Ahihud.

⁸Shaharaim became the father of children in the country of Moab after he had sent away (divorced) Hushim and Baara his wives.

⁹By Hodesh his wife he became the father of Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam,

¹⁰Jeuz, Sachia, and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of fathers' households.

¹¹By Hushim he became the father of Abitub and Elpaal.

¹²The sons of Elpaal: Eber, Misham, and Shemed, who built Ono and Lod, with its towns;

¹³and Beriah and Shema, who were heads of fathers' households of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who drove out the inhabitants of Gath;

¹⁴and Ahio, Shashak, and Jeremoth.

¹⁵Zebadiah, Arad, Eder,

¹⁶Michael, Ishpah, and Joha were the sons of Beriah.

¹⁷Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber,

¹⁸Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal.

¹⁹Jakim, Zichri, Zabdi,

²⁰Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel,

²¹Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath were the sons of Shimei.

²²Ishpan, Eber, Eliel,

²³Abdon, Zichri, Hanan,

²⁴Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah,

²⁵Iphdeiah and Penuel were the sons of Shashak.

²⁶Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah,

²⁷Jaareshiah, Elijah, and Zichri were the sons of Jeroham.

²⁸These [men] were heads of the fathers' households, according to their generations, chief men who lived in Jerusalem.

²⁹Now in Gibeon, Jeiel, the father of Gibeon lived, and his wife's name was Maacah;

³⁰and his firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Nadab,

³¹Gedor, Ahio, and Zecher.

³²Mikloth became the father of Shimeah. They also lived with their relatives in Jerusalem opposite their other relatives.

³³Ner became the father of Kish, and Kish became the father of [King] Saul, and Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchi-shua, Abinadab and Eshbaal (Ish-bosheth).

³⁴The son of Jonathan was Merib-baal (Mephibosheth), and Merib-baal became the father of Micah.

³⁵The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz.

³⁶Ahaz became the father of Jehoaddah, and Jehoaddah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri became the father of Moza.

³⁷Moza became the father of Binea; Raphah was his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son.

³⁸Azel had six sons, and these were their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel.

³⁹The sons of Eshek his brother: Ulam his firstborn, Jeush the second, and Eliphelet the third.

⁴⁰The sons of Ulam were courageous men, archers, and had many sons and grandsons—150 in all. All these were of the sons (descendants) of Benjamin.

¹"And you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, 'You mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD.

²Thus says the Lord GOD, "Because the enemy has said of you, 'Aha!' and, 'The ancient heights have become our property,'

³therefore prophesy and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "For good reason they have made you a desolation, and they crushed you from every side so that you would become a possession of the rest of the nations and you have become the talk and the whispering of the people."'"

⁴Therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD. Thus says the Lord GOD to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys, to the desolate ruins and to the deserted cities which have become prey and a mockery to the rest of the nations which surround you,

⁵therefore thus says the Lord GOD, "Most certainly in the fire of My jealousy (love for that which is Mine) I have spoken against the rest of the nations and against all Edom, who appropriated My land for themselves as a possession with wholehearted joy and with uttermost contempt, so that they might empty it out [and possess it] as prey."

⁶Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and to the hills, to the ravines and to the valleys, "Thus says the Lord GOD, 'Behold, I have spoken in My jealousy (love for that which is Mine) and in My wrath because you have endured the [shameful] insults of the nations.'

⁷"Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, 'I have lifted up My hand and sworn [an oath] that the nations that are around you will themselves endure their [shameful] insults.

⁸But you, O mountains of Israel, will put out your branches and bear your fruit to My people Israel; for they will soon come [home].

⁹For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn to you [in favor], and you shall be cultivated and sown.

¹⁰I will multiply people on you, all the house of Israel, [indeed] all of it; the cities shall be inhabited and the ruins will be rebuilt.

¹¹I will multiply on you man and animal; and they will increase and be fruitful. And I will cause you to be inhabited as you were formerly, and I will do better [things] for you than at your beginning. Then you will know [with great confidence] that I am the LORD.

¹²Yes, [O mountains of Israel] I will cause men—My people Israel—to walk on you and take possession of you, so that you will become their inheritance and never again bereave them of children.'

¹³"Thus says the Lord GOD, 'Because they say to you, "You [O land] are a devourer of people and have bereaved your nation of children,"

¹⁴therefore you will no longer devour people, and no longer bereave your nation of children,' says the Lord GOD.

¹⁵I will not let you hear insults from the nations anymore, nor will you bear disgrace from the peoples any longer, nor will you cause your nation to stumble [through idolatry] any longer," says the Lord GOD.'"

¹⁶Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

¹⁷"Son of man, when the house of Israel was living in their own land, they defiled it by their [own] behavior and by their [idolatrous] actions. Their conduct before Me was like the uncleanness of a woman during her [physical] impurity.

¹⁸So I poured out My wrath on them for the blood which they had shed on the land and because they had defiled it with their idols.

¹⁹Also I scattered them among the nations and they were dispersed throughout the countries. I judged and punished them in accordance with their conduct and their [idolatrous] behavior.

²⁰When they came to the nations wherever they went, they profaned My holy name, because it was said of them, 'These are the people of the LORD; yet they have come out of His land.'

²¹But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went.

²²"Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went.

²³I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know [without any doubt] that I am the LORD," says the Lord GOD, "when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight.

²⁴For I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land.

²⁵Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your uncleanness and from all your idols.

²⁶Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you, and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

²⁷I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My ordinances and do them.

²⁸You will live in the land that I gave to your fathers; and you will be My people, and I will be your God.

²⁹I will also save you from all your uncleanness, and I will call for the grain and make it abundant, and I will not bring famine on you.

³⁰I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field, so that you will not suffer again the disgrace of famine among the nations.

³¹Then you will remember [clearly] your [own] evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your sins and for your outrageous atrocities.

³²I am not doing this for your sake," says the Lord GOD. "Let that be known to you. Be ashamed and humiliated for your [wicked] ways, O house of Israel!"

³³'Thus says the Lord GOD, "On the day that I cleanse you from all your sins I will also cause the cities [of Israel] to be inhabited, and the ruins will be rebuilt.

³⁴The desolate land will be cultivated instead of being a desolation in the sight of everyone who passes by.

³⁵Then they will say, 'This land that was deserted and desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the waste, desolate, and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.'

³⁶Then the nations that are left around you will know that I the LORD have rebuilt the ruined places and planted that which was desolate. I the LORD have spoken, and will do it."

³⁷'Thus says the Lord GOD, "This too I will let the house of Israel ask Me to do for them: I will increase their people like a flock.

³⁸Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so will the desolate cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know [with confident assurance] that I am the LORD."'"

¹It happened that while Apollos was in Corinth, Paul went through the upper [inland] districts and came down to Ephesus, and found some disciples.

²He asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed [in Jesus as the Christ]?" And they said, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."

³And he asked, "Into what then were you baptized?" They said, "Into John's baptism."

⁴Paul said, "John performed a baptism of repentance, continually telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, [to confidently accept and joyfully believe] in Jesus [the Messiah and Savior]."

⁵After hearing this, they were baptized [again, this time] in the name of the Lord Jesus.

⁶And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in [unknown] tongues (languages) and prophesying.

⁷There were about twelve men in all.

⁸And he went into the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and arguing and persuading them about the kingdom of God.

⁹But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient [to the word of God], discrediting and speaking evil of the Way (Jesus, Christianity) before the congregation, Paul left them, taking the disciples with him, and went on holding daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus [instead of in the synagogue].

¹⁰This continued for two years, so that all the inhabitants of [the west coast province of] Asia [Minor], Jews as well as Greeks, heard the word of the Lord [concerning eternal salvation through faith in Christ].

¹¹God was doing extraordinary and unusual miracles by the hands of Paul,

¹²so that even handkerchiefs or face-towels or aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out [of them].

¹³Then some of the traveling Jewish exorcists also attempted to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I implore you and solemnly command you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches!"

¹⁴Seven sons of one [named] Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.

¹⁵But the evil spirit retorted, "I know and recognize and acknowledge Jesus, and I know about Paul, but as for you, who are you?"

¹⁶Then the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they ran out of that house [in terror, stripped] naked and wounded.

¹⁷This became known to all who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified and exalted.

¹⁸Many of those who had become believers were coming, confessing and disclosing their [former sinful] practices.

¹⁹And many of those who had practiced magical arts collected their books and [throwing book after book on the pile] began burning them in front of everyone. They calculated their value and found it to be50,000 pieces of silver.

²⁰So the word of the Lord [concerning eternal salvation through faith in Christ] was growing greatly and prevailing.

²¹Now after these events, Paul determined in the Spirit that he would travel through Macedonia and Achaia (most of the Greek mainland), and go to Jerusalem, saying, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome [and preach the good news of salvation]."

²²And after sending two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia [ahead of him], he stayed on in [the west coast province of] Asia [Minor] for a while.

²³About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way (Jesus, Christianity).

²⁴Now a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of [the goddess] Artemis (Diana), was bringing no small profit to the craftsmen.

²⁵These [craftsmen] he called together, along with the workmen of similar trades, and said, "Men, you are well aware that we make a good living from this business.

²⁶You see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but almost all over [the province of] Asia, this Paul has persuaded [people to believe his teaching] and has misled a large number of people, claiming that gods made by [human] hands are not really gods at all.

²⁷Not only is there danger that this trade of ours will be discredited, but also that the [magnificent] temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited, and that she whom all Asia and the world worship will even be dethroned and lose her glorious magnificence."

²⁸When they heard this, they were filled with rage, and they began shouting, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"

²⁹Then the city was filled with confusion; and people rushed together [as a group] into the amphitheater, dragging along with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's traveling companions.

³⁰Paul wanted to go into the [pagan] assembly, but the disciples would not let him.

³¹Even some of the Asiarchs (officials) who were his friends sent word to him and repeatedly warned him not to venture into the amphitheater.

³²Now some shouted one thing and some another, for the gathering was in confusion and most of the people did not know why they had come together.

³³Some of the crowd advised Alexander [to speak], since the Jews had pushed him forward; and Alexander motioned with his hand [for attention] and intended to make a defense to the people.

³⁴But when they realized that he was a Jew, a single outcry went up from the crowd as they shouted for about two hours, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"

³⁵After the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, "Men of Ephesus, what person is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of that [ sacred stone image of her] which fell from the sky?

³⁶So, since these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and stay calm and not do anything rash.

³⁷For you have brought these men here who are neither temple robbers nor blasphemers of our goddess.

³⁸So then, if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are in session and proconsuls are available; let them bring charges against one another there.

³⁹But if you want anything beyond this, it will be settled in the lawful assembly.

⁴⁰For we are running the risk of being accused of rioting in regard to today's events, and since there is no reason for it, we will be unable to give an account and justify this disorderly gathering."

⁴¹And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.