Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹Then Jesus was approached by Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem, who asked,

²“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat.”

³He answered them, “Why do you break God’s commandment because of your tradition?

⁴For God said: Honor your father and your mother; and, Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death.

⁵But you say, ‘Whoever tells his father or mother, “Whatever benefit you might have received from me is a gift committed to the temple,”

⁶he does not have to honor his father.’ In this way, you have nullified the word of God because of your tradition.

⁷Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you when he said:

⁸ This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

⁹ They worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines human commands.”

¹⁰Summoning the crowd, he told them, “Listen and understand:

¹¹It’s not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth — this defiles a person.”

¹²Then the disciples came up and told him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?”

¹³He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father didn’t plant will be uprooted.

¹⁴Leave them alone! They are blind guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

¹⁵Then Peter said, “Explain this parable to us.”

¹⁶“Do you still lack understanding?” he asked.

¹⁷“Don’t you realize that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is eliminated?

¹⁸But what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this defiles a person.

¹⁹For from the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, slander.

²⁰These are the things that defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile a person.”

²¹When Jesus left there, he withdrew to the area of Tyre and Sidon.

²²Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came and kept crying out, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely tormented by a demon.”

²³Jesus did not say a word to her. His disciples approached him and urged him, “Send her away because she’s crying out after us.”

²⁴He replied, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

²⁵But she came, knelt before him, and said, “Lord, help me!”

²⁶He answered, “It isn’t right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”

²⁷“Yes, Lord,” she said, “yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”

²⁸Then Jesus replied to her, “Woman, your faith is great. Let it be done for you as you want.” And from that moment her daughter was healed.

²⁹Moving on from there, Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee. He went up on a mountain and sat there,

³⁰and large crowds came to him, including the lame, the blind, the crippled, those unable to speak, and many others. They put them at his feet, and he healed them.

³¹So the crowd was amazed when they saw those unable to speak talking, the crippled restored, the lame walking, and the blind seeing, and they gave glory to the God of Israel.

³²Jesus called his disciples and said, “I have compassion on the crowd, because they’ve already stayed with me three days and have nothing to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry, otherwise they might collapse on the way.”

³³The disciples said to him, “Where could we get enough bread in this desolate place to feed such a crowd?”

³⁴“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked them. “Seven,” they said, “and a few small fish.”

³⁵After commanding the crowd to sit down on the ground,

³⁶he took the seven loaves and the fish, gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

³⁷They all ate and were satisfied. They collected the leftover pieces — seven large baskets full.

³⁸Now there were four thousand men who had eaten, besides women and children.

³⁹After dismissing the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.

¹After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield; your reward will be very great.

²But Abram said, “Lord GOD, what can you give me, since I am childless and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”

³Abram continued, “Look, you have given me no offspring, so a slave born in my house will be my heir.”

⁴Now the word of the LORD came to him: “This one will not be your heir; instead, one who comes from your own body will be your heir.”

⁵He took him outside and said, “Look at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “Your offspring will be that numerous.”

⁶Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

⁷He also said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.”

⁸But he said, “Lord GOD, how can I know that I will possess it?”

⁹He said to him, “Bring me a three-year-old cow, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”

¹⁰So he brought all these to him, cut them in half, and laid the pieces opposite each other, but he did not cut the birds in half.

¹¹Birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.

¹²As the sun was setting, a deep sleep came over Abram, and suddenly great terror and darkness descended on him.

¹³Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know this for certain: Your offspring will be resident aliens for four hundred years in a land that does not belong to them and will be enslaved and oppressed.

¹⁴However, I will judge the nation they serve, and afterward they will go out with many possessions.

¹⁵But you will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age.

¹⁶In the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.”

¹⁷When the sun had set and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch appeared and passed between the divided animals.

¹⁸On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “I give this land to your offspring, from the Brook of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River:

¹⁹the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites,

²⁰Hethites, Perizzites, Rephaim,

²¹Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.”

¹Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not to please ourselves.

²Each one of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.

³For even Christ did not please himself. On the contrary, as it is written, The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.

⁴For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures.

⁵Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, according to Christ Jesus,

⁶so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one mind and one voice.

⁷Therefore accept one another, just as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God.

⁸For I say that Christ became a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises to the fathers,

⁹and so that Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and I will sing praise to your name.

¹⁰Again it says, Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people!

¹¹And again, Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples praise him!

¹²And again, Isaiah says, The root of Jesse will appear, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; the Gentiles will hope in him.

¹³Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

¹⁴My brothers and sisters, I myself am convinced about you that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another.

¹⁵Nevertheless, I have written to remind you more boldly on some points because of the grace given me by God

¹⁶to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest of the gospel of God. My purpose is that the Gentiles may be an acceptable offering, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

¹⁷Therefore I have reason to boast in Christ Jesus regarding what pertains to God.

¹⁸For I would not dare say anything except what Christ has accomplished through me by word and deed for the obedience of the Gentiles,

¹⁹by the power of miraculous signs and wonders, and by the power of God’s Spirit. As a result, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum.

²⁰My aim is to preach the gospel where Christ has not been named, so that I will not build on someone else’s foundation,

²¹but, as it is written, Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.

²²That is why I have been prevented many times from coming to you.

²³But now I no longer have any work to do in these regions, and I have strongly desired for many years to come to you

²⁴whenever I travel to Spain. For I hope to see you when I pass through and to be assisted by you for my journey there, once I have first enjoyed your company for a while.

²⁵Right now I am traveling to Jerusalem to serve the saints,

²⁶because Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.

²⁷Yes, they were pleased, and indeed are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual benefits, then they are obligated to minister to them in material needs.

²⁸So when I have finished this and safely delivered the funds to them, I will visit you on the way to Spain.

²⁹I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.

³⁰Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in fervent prayers to God on my behalf.

³¹Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea, that my ministry to Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,

³²and that, by God’s will, I may come to you with joy and be refreshed together with you.

³³May the God of peace be with all of you. Amen.

¹Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will, for the sake of the promise of life in Christ Jesus:

²To Timothy, my dearly loved son. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

³I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience as my ancestors did, when I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day.

⁴Remembering your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy.

⁵I recall your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and now, I am convinced, is in you also.

⁶Therefore, I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands.

⁷For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.

⁸So don’t be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, or of me his prisoner. Instead, share in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God.

⁹He has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.

¹⁰This has now been made evident through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who has abolished death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

¹¹For this gospel I was appointed a herald, apostle, and teacher,

¹²and that is why I suffer these things. But I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to guard what has been entrusted to me until that day.

¹³Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

¹⁴Guard the good deposit through the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

¹⁵You know that all those in the province of Asia have deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.

¹⁶May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains.

¹⁷On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he diligently searched for me and found me.

¹⁸May the Lord grant that he obtain mercy from him on that day. You know very well how much he ministered at Ephesus.

¹Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:

²Does a wise man answer with empty counsel or fill himself with the hot east wind?

³Should he argue with useless talk or with words that serve no good purpose?

⁴But you even undermine the fear of God and hinder meditation before him.

⁵Your iniquity teaches you what to say, and you choose the language of the crafty.

⁶Your own mouth condemns you, not I; your own lips testify against you.

⁷Were you the first human ever born, or were you brought forth before the hills?

⁸Do you listen in on the council of God, or have a monopoly on wisdom?

⁹What do you know that we don’t? What do you understand that is not clear to us?

¹⁰Both the gray-haired and the elderly are with us— older than your father.

¹¹Are God’s consolations not enough for you, even the words that deal gently with you?

¹²Why has your heart misled you, and why do your eyes flash

¹³as you turn your anger against God and allow such words to leave your mouth?

¹⁴What is a mere human, that he should be pure, or one born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

¹⁵If God puts no trust in his holy ones and the heavens are not pure in his sight,

¹⁶how much less one who is revolting and corrupt, who drinks injustice like water?

¹⁷Listen to me and I will inform you. I will describe what I have seen,

¹⁸what the wise have declared and not concealed, that came from their ancestors,

¹⁹to whom alone the land was given when no foreigner passed among them.

²⁰A wicked person writhes in pain all his days, throughout the number of years reserved for the ruthless.

²¹Dreadful sounds fill his ears; when he is at peace, a robber attacks him.

²²He doesn’t believe he will return from darkness; he is destined for the sword.

²³He wanders about for food, asking, “Where is it?” He knows the day of darkness is at hand.

²⁴Trouble and distress terrify him, overwhelming him like a king prepared for battle.

²⁵For he has stretched out his hand against God and has arrogantly opposed the Almighty.

²⁶He rushes headlong at him with his thick, studded shields.

²⁷Though his face is covered with fat and his waistline bulges with it,

²⁸he will dwell in ruined cities, in abandoned houses destined to become piles of rubble.

²⁹He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure. His possessions will not increase in the land.

³⁰He will not escape from the darkness; flames will wither his shoots, and by the breath of God’s mouth, he will depart.

³¹Let him not put trust in worthless things, being led astray, for what he gets in exchange will prove worthless.

³²It will be accomplished before his time, and his branch will not flourish.

³³He will be like a vine that drops its unripe grapes and like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms.

³⁴For the company of the godless will have no children, and fire will consume the tents of those who offer bribes.

³⁵They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb prepares deception.

¹A psalm of David. [1] LORD, who can dwell in your tent? Who can live on your holy mountain?

²The one who lives blamelessly, practices righteousness, and acknowledges the truth in his heart  —

³who does not slander with his tongue, who does not harm his friend or discredit his neighbor,

⁴who despises the one rejected by the LORD but honors those who fear the LORD, who keeps his word whatever the cost,

⁵who does not lend his silver at interest or take a bribe against the innocent  — the one who does these things will never be shaken.

¹A gentle answer turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath.

²The tongue of the wise makes knowledge attractive, but the mouth of fools blurts out foolishness.

³The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, observing the wicked and the good.

⁴The tongue that heals is a tree of life, but a devious tongue breaks the spirit.

⁵A fool despises his father’s discipline, but a person who accepts correction is sensible.

⁶The house of the righteous has great wealth, but trouble accompanies the income of the wicked.

⁷The lips of the wise broadcast knowledge, but not so the heart of fools.

⁸The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

⁹The LORD detests the way of the wicked, but he loves the one who pursues righteousness.

¹⁰Discipline is harsh for the one who leaves the path; the one who hates correction will die.

¹¹Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD  —  how much more, human hearts.

¹²A mocker doesn’t love one who corrects him; he will not consult the wise.

¹³A joyful heart makes a face cheerful, but a sad heart produces a broken spirit.

¹⁴A discerning mind seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.

¹⁵All the days of the oppressed are miserable, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.

¹⁶Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure with turmoil.

¹⁷Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened ox with hatred.

¹⁸A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but one slow to anger calms strife.

¹⁹A slacker’s way is like a thorny hedge, but the path of the upright is a highway.

²⁰A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.

²¹Foolishness brings joy to one without sense, but a person with understanding walks a straight path.

²²Plans fail when there is no counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

²³A person takes joy in giving an answer; and a timely word — how good that is!

²⁴For the prudent the path of life leads upward, so that he may avoid going down to Sheol.

²⁵The LORD tears apart the house of the proud, but he protects the widow’s territory.

²⁶The LORD detests the plans of the one who is evil, but pleasant words are pure.

²⁷The one who profits dishonestly troubles his household, but the one who hates bribes will live.

²⁸The mind of the righteous person thinks before answering, but the mouth of the wicked blurts out evil things.

²⁹The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

³⁰Bright eyes cheer the heart; good news strengthens the bones.

³¹One who listens to life-giving rebukes will be at home among the wise.

³²Anyone who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever listens to correction acquires good sense.

³³The fear of the LORD is what wisdom teaches, and humility comes before honor.

¹Now the allotment for the tribe of the descendants of Judah by their clans was in the southernmost region, south to the Wilderness of Zin and over to the border of Edom.

²Their southern border began at the tip of the Dead Sea on the south bay

³and went south of the Scorpions’ Ascent, proceeded to Zin, ascended to the south of Kadesh-barnea, passed Hezron, ascended to Addar, and turned to Karka.

⁴It proceeded to Azmon and to the Brook of Egypt and so the border ended at the Mediterranean Sea. This is your southern border.

⁵Now the eastern border was along the Dead Sea to the mouth of the Jordan. The border on the north side was from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan.

⁶It ascended to Beth-hoglah, proceeded north of Beth-arabah, and ascended to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben.

⁷Then the border ascended to Debir from the Valley of Achor, turning north to the Gilgal that is opposite the Ascent of Adummim, which is south of the ravine. The border proceeded to the Waters of En-shemesh and ended at En-rogel.

⁸From there the border ascended Ben Hinnom Valley to the southern Jebusite slope (that is, Jerusalem) and ascended to the top of the hill that faces Hinnom Valley on the west, at the northern end of Rephaim Valley.

⁹From the top of the hill the border curved to the spring of the Waters of Nephtoah, went to the cities of Mount Ephron, and then curved to Baalah (that is, Kiriath-jearim ).

¹⁰The border turned westward from Baalah to Mount Seir, went to the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Chesalon), descended to Beth-shemesh, and proceeded to Timnah.

¹¹Then the border reached to the slope north of Ekron, curved to Shikkeron, proceeded to Mount Baalah, went to Jabneel, and ended at the Mediterranean Sea.

¹²Now the western border was the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea. This was the boundary of the descendants of Judah around their clans.

¹³He gave Caleb son of Jephunneh the following portion among the descendants of Judah based on the LORD’s instruction to Joshua: Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron; Arba was the father of Anak).

¹⁴Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, descendants of Anak.

¹⁵From there he marched against the inhabitants of Debir, which used to be called Kiriath-sepher,

¹⁶and Caleb said, “Whoever attacks and captures Kiriath-sepher, I will give my daughter Achsah to him as a wife.”

¹⁷So Othniel son of Caleb’s brother, Kenaz, captured it, and Caleb gave his daughter Achsah to him as a wife.

¹⁸When she arrived, she persuaded Othniel to ask her father for a field. As she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What can I do for you?”

¹⁹She replied, “Give me a blessing. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me the springs also.” So he gave her the upper and lower springs.

²⁰This was the inheritance of the tribe of the descendants of Judah by their clans.

²¹These were the outermost cities of the tribe of the descendants of Judah toward the border of Edom in the Negev: Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur,

²²Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,

²³Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan,

²⁴Ziph, Telem, Bealoth,

²⁵Hazor-hadattah, Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor),

²⁶Amam, Shema, Moladah,

²⁷Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-pelet,

²⁸Hazar-shual, Beer-sheba, Biziothiah,

²⁹Baalah, Iim, Ezem,

³⁰Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah,

³¹Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,

³²Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon — twenty-nine cities in all, with their settlements.

³³In the Judean foothills: Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah,

³⁴Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah, Enam,

³⁵Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,

³⁶Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah, and Gederothaim — fourteen cities, with their settlements;

³⁷Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal-gad,

³⁸Dilan, Mizpeh, Jokthe-el,

³⁹Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,

⁴⁰Cabbon, Lahmam, Chitlish,

⁴¹Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah — sixteen cities, with their settlements;

⁴²Libnah, Ether, Ashan,

⁴³Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,

⁴⁴Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah — nine cities, with their settlements;

⁴⁵Ekron, with its surrounding villages and settlements;

⁴⁶from Ekron to the sea, all the cities near Ashdod, with their settlements;

⁴⁷Ashdod, with its surrounding villages and settlements; Gaza, with its surrounding villages and settlements, to the Brook of Egypt and the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea.

⁴⁸In the hill country: Shamir, Jattir, Socoh,

⁴⁹Dannah, Kiriath-sannah (that is, Debir),

⁵⁰Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,

⁵¹Goshen, Holon, and Giloh — eleven cities, with their settlements;

⁵²Arab, Dumah, Eshan,

⁵³Janim, Beth-tappuah, Aphekah,

⁵⁴Humtah, Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior — nine cities, with their settlements;

⁵⁵Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah,

⁵⁶Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah,

⁵⁷Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah — ten cities, with their settlements;

⁵⁸Halhul, Beth-zur, Gedor,

⁵⁹Maarath, Beth-anoth, and Eltekon — six cities, with their settlements;

⁶⁰Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), and Rabbah — two cities, with their settlements.

⁶¹In the wilderness: Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah,

⁶²Nibshan, the City of Salt, and En-gedi — six cities, with their settlements.

⁶³But the descendants of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem. So the Jebusites still live in Jerusalem among the descendants of Judah today.

¹A pronouncement concerning Moab: Ar in Moab is devastated, destroyed in a night. Kir in Moab is devastated, destroyed in a night.

²Dibon went up to its temple to weep at its high places. Moab wails on Nebo and at Medeba. Every head is shaved; every beard is chopped short.

³In its streets they wear sackcloth; on its rooftops and in its public squares everyone wails, falling down and weeping.

⁴Heshbon and Elealeh cry out; their voices are heard as far away as Jahaz. Therefore the soldiers of Moab cry out, and they tremble.

⁵My heart cries out over Moab, whose fugitives flee as far as Zoar, to Eglath-shelishiyah; they go up the Ascent of Luhith weeping; they raise a cry of destruction on the road to Horonaim.

⁶The Waters of Nimrim are desolate; the grass is withered, the foliage is gone, and the vegetation has vanished.

⁷So they carry their wealth and belongings over the Wadi of the Willows.

⁸For their cry echoes throughout the territory of Moab. Their wailing reaches Eglaim; their wailing reaches Beer-elim.

⁹The Waters of Dibon are full of blood, but I will bring on Dibon even more than this — a lion for those who escape from Moab, and for the survivors in the land.

¹Some men came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom prescribed by Moses, you cannot be saved.”

²After Paul and Barnabas had engaged them in serious argument and debate, Paul and Barnabas and some others were appointed to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem about this issue.

³When they had been sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they brought great joy to all the brothers and sisters.

⁴When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.

⁵But some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”

⁶The apostles and the elders gathered to consider this matter.

⁷After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them: “Brothers and sisters, you are aware that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the gospel message and believe.

⁸And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he also did to us.

⁹He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.

¹⁰Now then, why are you testing God by putting a yoke on the disciples’ necks that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear?

¹¹On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way they are.”

¹²The whole assembly became silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul describe all the signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

¹³After they stopped speaking, James responded: “Brothers and sisters, listen to me.

¹⁴Simeon has reported how God first intervened to take from the Gentiles a people for his name.

¹⁵And the words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written:

¹⁶After these things I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. I will rebuild its ruins and set it up again,

¹⁷so the rest of humanity may seek the Lord — even all the Gentiles who are called by my name — declares the Lord who makes these things

¹⁸known from long ago.

¹⁹Therefore, in my judgment, we should not cause difficulties for those among the Gentiles who turn to God,

²⁰but instead we should write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from blood.

²¹For since ancient times, Moses has had those who proclaim him in every city, and every Sabbath day he is read aloud in the synagogues.”

²²Then the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, decided to select men who were among them and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas, called Barsabbas, and Silas, both leading men among the brothers.

²³They wrote: “From the apostles and the elders, your brothers, To the brothers and sisters among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.

²⁴Since we have heard that some without our authorization went out from us and troubled you with their words and unsettled your hearts,

²⁵we have unanimously decided to select men and send them to you along with our dearly loved Barnabas and Paul,

²⁶who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

²⁷Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who will personally report the same things by word of mouth.

²⁸For it was the Holy Spirit’s decision — and ours — not to place further burdens on you beyond these requirements:

²⁹that you abstain from food offered to idols, from blood, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. You will do well if you keep yourselves from these things. Farewell.”

³⁰So they were sent off and went down to Antioch, and after gathering the assembly, they delivered the letter.

³¹When they read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.

³²Both Judas and Silas, who were also prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers and sisters and strengthened them with a long message.

³³After spending some time there, they were sent back in peace by the brothers and sisters to those who had sent them.

³⁴

³⁵But Paul and Barnabas, along with many others, remained in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming the word of the Lord.

³⁶After some time had passed, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit the brothers and sisters in every town where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they’re doing.”

³⁷Barnabas wanted to take along John Mark.

³⁸But Paul insisted that they should not take along this man who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone on with them to the work.

³⁹They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed off to Cyprus.

⁴⁰But Paul chose Silas and departed, after being commended by the brothers and sisters to the grace of the Lord.

⁴¹He traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.