Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹After this, Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Sea of Tiberias).

²A large crowd was following Him because they had seen the signs (attesting miracles) which He continually performed on those who were sick.

³And Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down there with His disciples.

⁴Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was approaching.

⁵Jesus looked up and saw that a large crowd was coming toward Him, and He said to Philip, "Where will we buy bread for these people to eat?"

⁶But He said this to test Philip, because He knew what He was about to do.

⁷Philip answered, "Two hundred denarii (200 days' wages) worth of bread is not enough for each one to receive even a little."

⁸One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him,

⁹"There is a little boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are these for so many people?"

¹⁰Jesus said, "Have the people sit down [to eat]." Now [the ground] there was [covered with] an abundance of grass, so the men sat down, about5,000 in number.

¹¹Then Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed them to those who were seated; the same also with the fish, as much as they wanted.

¹²When they had eaten enough, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the leftover pieces so that nothing will be lost."

¹³So they gathered them up, and they filled twelve large baskets with pieces from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.

¹⁴When the people saw the sign (attesting miracle) that He had done, they began saying, "This is without a doubt the promised Prophet who is to come into the world!"

¹⁵Then Jesus, knowing that they were going to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountainside by Himself.

¹⁶When evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,

¹⁷and they got into a boat and started to cross the sea to Capernaum. It was already dark, and Jesus had still not come [back] to them.

¹⁸The sea was getting rough and rising high because a strong wind was blowing.

¹⁹Then, when they had rowed three or four miles [and were near the center of the sea], they saw Jesus walking on the sea and approaching the boat; and they were [terribly] frightened.

²⁰But Jesus said to them, "It is I (I Am); do not be afraid."

²¹Then they were willing to take Him on board the boat, and immediately the boat reached the [shore of the] land to which they were going.

²²The next day the crowd that stood on the other side of the sea realized that there had been only one small boat there, and that Jesus had not boarded the boat with His disciples, but that His disciples had gone away alone.

²³[Now some] other small boats from Tiberias had come in near the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks.

²⁴So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor His disciples were there, they boarded the small boats themselves and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

²⁵And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they asked Him, "Rabbi, when did You get here?"

²⁶Jesus answered, "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, you have been searching for Me, not because you saw the signs (attesting miracles), but because you ate the loaves and were filled.

²⁷Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures [and leads] to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you; for God the Father has authorized Him and put His seal on Him."

²⁸Then they asked Him, "What are we to do, so that we may habitually be doing the works of God?"

²⁹Jesus answered, "This is the work of God: that you believe [adhere to, trust in, rely on, and have faith] in the One whom He has sent."

³⁰So they said to Him, "What sign (attesting miracle) will You do that we may see it and believe You? What [supernatural] work will You do [as proof]?

³¹Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written [in Scripture], 'He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.'"

³²Then Jesus said to them, "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven.

³³For the Bread of God is He who comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world."

³⁴Then they said to Him, "Lord, always give us this bread."

³⁵Jesus replied to them, " I am the Bread of Life. The one who comes to Me will never be hungry, and the one who believes in Me [as Savior] will never be thirsty [for that one will be sustained spiritually].

³⁶But as I told you, you have seen Me and still you do not believe.

³⁷All that My Father gives Me will come to Me; and the one who comes to Me I will most certainly not cast out [I will never, never reject anyone who follows Me].

³⁸For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.

³⁹This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but that I [give new life and] raise it up at the last day.

⁴⁰For this is My Father's will and purpose, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him [as Savior] will have eternal life, and I will raise him up [from the dead] on the last day."

⁴¹Now the Jews murmured and found fault with Him because He said, "I am the Bread that came down out of heaven."

⁴²They kept saying, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now [have the arrogance to] say, 'I have come down out of heaven'?"

⁴³So Jesus answered, "Stop murmuring among yourselves.

⁴⁴No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him [giving him the desire to come to Me]; and I will raise him up [from the dead] on the last day.

⁴⁵It is written in the prophets, 'And they will all be taught of God.' Everyone who has listened to and learned from the Father, comes to Me.

⁴⁶Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He [who was with the Father and] who is from God; He [alone] has seen the Father.

⁴⁷I assure you and most solemnly say to you, he who believes [in Me as Savior—whoever adheres to, trusts in, relies on, and has faith in Me—already] has eternal life [that is, now possesses it].

⁴⁸I am the Bread of Life [the Living Bread which gives and sustains life].

⁴⁹Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.

⁵⁰This is the Bread that comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.

⁵¹I am the Living Bread that came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this Bread [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior], he will live forever. And the Bread that I will give for the life of the world is My flesh (body)."

⁵²Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, "How can this man give us His flesh to eat?"

⁵³And Jesus said to them, "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood [unless you believe in Me as Savior and believe in the saving power of My blood which will be shed for you], you do not have life in yourselves.

⁵⁴The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior] has eternal life [that is, now possesses it], and I will raise him up [from the dead] on the last day.

⁵⁵For My flesh is true [spiritual] food, and My blood is true [spiritual] drink.

⁵⁶He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior] remains in Me, and I [in the same way remain] in him.

⁵⁷Just as the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, even so the one who feeds on Me [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior] will also live because of Me.

⁵⁸This is the Bread which came down out of heaven. It is not like [the manna that] our fathers ate and they [eventually] died; the one who eats this Bread [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior] will live forever."

⁵⁹He said these things in a synagogue while He was teaching in Capernaum.

⁶⁰When many of His disciples heard this, they said, "This is a difficult and harsh and offensive statement. Who can [be expected to] listen to it?"

⁶¹But Jesus, aware that His disciples were complaining about it, asked them, "Does this cause you to stumble and take offense?

⁶²What then [will you think] if you see the Son of Man ascending to [the realm] where He was before?

⁶³It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh conveys no benefit [it is of no account]. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life [providing eternal life].

⁶⁴But [still] there are some of you who do not believe and have faith." For Jesus knew from the beginning who did not believe, and who would betray Him.

⁶⁵And He was saying, "This is the reason why I have told you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him [that is, unless he is enabled to do so] by the Father."

⁶⁶As a result of this many of His disciples abandoned Him, and no longer walked with Him.

⁶⁷So Jesus said to the twelve [disciples], "You do not want to leave too, do you?"

⁶⁸Simon Peter answered, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You [alone] have the words of eternal life [you are our only hope].

⁶⁹We have believed and confidently trusted, and [even more] we have come to know [by personal observation and experience] that You are the Holy One of God [the Christ, the Son of the living God]."

⁷⁰Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve [disciples]? And yet one of you is a devil (ally of Satan)."

⁷¹Now He was speaking of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot; for he, one of the twelve [disciples], was about to betray Him.

¹"At that time the LORD said to me, 'Cut out for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and come up to Me on the mountain, and make an ark (chest) of wood for yourself.

²I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets which you shattered, and you shall put them in the ark.'

³So I made an ark of acacia wood and cut out two tablets of stone like the first, and went up the mountain with the two tablets in my hand.

⁴The LORD wrote on the tablets, like the first writing, the Ten Commandments which the LORD had spoken to you on the mountain from the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly; then the LORD gave them to me.

⁵Then I turned and came down from the mountain and put the tablets in the ark which I had made; and they are there, just as the LORD commanded me."

⁶(Now the sons of Israel traveled from the wells of the sons of Jaakan to Moserah. There Aaron died and there he was buried and Eleazar his son ministered as priest in his place.

⁷From there they traveled to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land of brooks of water.

⁸At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to serve Him and to bless in His name until this day.

⁹Therefore, Levi does not have a portion or inheritance [of tribal land] with his brothers; the LORD is his inheritance, as the LORD your God has promised him.)

¹⁰"And I stayed on the mountain, like the first time, forty days and nights, and the LORD listened to me at that time also; the LORD was not willing to destroy you.

¹¹Then the LORD said to me, 'Arise, go on your journey ahead of the people, so that they may go in and take possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give to them.'

¹²"And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear [and worship] the LORD your God [with awe-filled reverence and profound respect], to walk [that is, to live each and every day] in all His ways and to love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul [your choices, your thoughts, your whole being],

¹³and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good?

¹⁴Behold, the heavens and the highest of heavens belong to the LORD your God, the earth and all that is in it.

¹⁵Yet the LORD had a delight in loving your fathers and set His affection on them, and He chose their descendants after them, you above all peoples, as it is this day.

¹⁶So circumcise [that is, remove sin from] your heart, and be stiff-necked (stubborn, obstinate) no longer.

¹⁷For the LORD your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe.

¹⁸He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the stranger (resident alien, foreigner) by giving him food and clothing.

¹⁹Therefore, show your love for the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

²⁰You shall fear [and worship] the LORD your God [with awe-filled reverence and profound respect]; you shall serve Him and cling to Him [hold tightly to Him, be united with Him], and you shall swear [oaths] by His name.

²¹He is your praise and glory; He is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things which you have seen with your own eyes.

²²Your fathers went down to Egypt, seventy persons [in all], and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven.

¹Or do you not know, brothers and sisters (for I am speaking to those who know the Law), that the Law has jurisdiction [to rule] over a person as long as he lives?

²For the married woman [as an example] is bound and remains bound by law to her husband while he lives; but if her husband dies, she is released and exempt from the law concerning her husband.

³Accordingly, she will be designated as an adulteress if she unites herself to another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from the law [regarding marriage], so that she is not an adulteress if she marries another man.

⁴Therefore, my fellow believers, you too died to the Law through the [crucified] body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.

⁵When we were living in the flesh [trapped by sin], the sinful passions, which were awakened by [that which] the Law [identifies as sin], were at work in our body to bear fruit for death [since the willingness to sin led to death and separation from God].

⁶But now we have been released from the Law and its penalty, having died [through Christ] to that by which we were held captive, so that we serve [God] in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter [of the Law].

⁷What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, if it had not been for the Law, I would not have recognized sin. For I would not have known [for example] about coveting [what belongs to another, and would have had no sense of guilt] if the Law had not [repeatedly] said, "You shall not covet."

⁸But sin, finding an opportunity through the commandment [to express itself] produced in me every kind of coveting and selfish desire. For without the Law sin is dead [the recognition of sin is inactive].

⁹I was once alive without [knowledge of] the Law; but when the commandment came [and I understood its meaning], sin became alive and I died [since the Law sentenced me to death].

¹⁰And the very commandment which was intended to bring life, actually proved to bring death for me.

¹¹For sin, seizing its opportunity through the commandment, beguiled and completely deceived me, and using it as a weapon killed me [separating me from God].

¹²So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

¹³Did that which is good [the Law], then become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, in order that it might be revealed as sin, was producing death in me by [using] this good thing [as a weapon], so that through the commandment sin would become exceedingly sinful.

¹⁴We know that the Law is spiritual, but I am a creature of the flesh [worldly, self-reliant—carnal and unspiritual], sold into slavery to sin [and serving under its control].

¹⁵For I do not understand my own actions [I am baffled and bewildered by them]. I do not practice what I want to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate [and yielding to my human nature, my worldliness—my sinful capacity].

¹⁶Now if I habitually do what I do not want to do, [that means] I agree with the Law, confessing that it is good (morally excellent).

¹⁷So now [if that is the case, then] it is no longer I who do it [the disobedient thing which I despise], but the sin [nature] which lives in me.

¹⁸For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh [my human nature, my worldliness—my sinful capacity]. For the willingness [to do good] is present in me, but the doing of good is not.

¹⁹For the good that I want to do, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.

²⁰But if I am doing the very thing I do not want to do, I am no longer the one doing it [that is, it is not me that acts], but the sin [nature] which lives in me.

²¹So I find it to be the law [of my inner self], that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.

²²For I joyfully delight in the law of God in my inner self [with my new nature],

²³but I see a different law and rule of action in the members of my body [in its appetites and desires], waging war against the law of my mind and subduing me and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is within my members.

²⁴Wretched and miserable man that I am! Who will [rescue me and] set me free from this body of death [this corrupt, mortal existence]?

²⁵Thanks be to God [for my deliverance] through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind serve the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh [my human nature, my worldliness, my sinful capacity—I serve] the law of sin.

¹Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Jesus Christ, To those who have received and possess [by God's will] a precious faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:

²Grace and peace [that special sense of spiritual well-being] be multiplied to you in the [true, intimate] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

³For His divine power has bestowed on us [absolutely] everything necessary for [a dynamic spiritual] life and godliness, through true and personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

⁴For by these He has bestowed on us His precious and magnificent promises [of inexpressible value], so that by them you may escape from the immoral freedom that is in the world because of disreputable desire, and become sharers of the divine nature.

⁵For this very reason, applying your diligence [to the divine promises, make every effort] in [exercising] your faith to, develop moral excellence, and in moral excellence, knowledge (insight, understanding),

⁶and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, steadfastness, and in your steadfastness, godliness,

⁷and in your godliness, brotherly affection, and in your brotherly affection, [develop Christian] love [that is, learn to unselfishly seek the best for others and to do things for their benefit].

⁸For as these qualities are yours and are increasing [in you as you grow toward spiritual maturity], they will keep you from being useless and unproductive in regard to the true knowledge and greater understanding of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁹For whoever lacks these qualities is blind—shortsighted [closing his spiritual eyes to the truth], having become oblivious to the fact that he was cleansed from his old sins.

¹⁰Therefore, believers, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you [be sure that your behavior reflects and confirms your relationship with God]; for by doing these things [actively developing these virtues], you will never stumble [in your spiritual growth and will live a life that leads others away from sin];

¹¹for in this way entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly provided to you.

¹²Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them and are established in the truth which is held firmly in your grasp.

¹³I think it right, as long as I am in this earthly tent, to inspire you by reminding you,

¹⁴knowing that the laying aside of this earthly tent of mine is imminent, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.

¹⁵Moreover, I will diligently endeavor [to see to it] that even after my departure you will be able, at all times, to call these things to mind.

¹⁶For we did not follow cleverly devised stories or myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty [His grandeur, His authority, His sovereignty].

¹⁷For when He was invested with honor and [the radiance of the Shekinah] glory from God the Father, such a voice as this came to Him from the [splendid] Majestic Glory [in the bright cloud that overshadowed Him, saying],"This is My Son, My Beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased and delighted"—

¹⁸and we [actually] heard this voice made from heaven when we were together with Him on the holy mountain.

¹⁹So we have the prophetic word made more certain. You do well to pay [close] attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and light breaks through the gloom and the morning star arises in your hearts.

²⁰But understand this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of or comes from one's own [personal or special] interpretation,

²¹for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

¹"Do you know the time when the wild goats of the rock give birth [to their young]? Do you observe the calving of the deer?

²"Can you count the months that they carry offspring, Or do you know the time when they give birth?

³"They kneel down, they bring forth their young, They cast out their labor pains.

⁴"Their young ones become strong, they grow up in the open field; They leave and do not return to them.

⁵"Who sent out the wild donkey free [from dependence on man]? And who has loosed the bonds of the wild donkey [to survive in the wild],

⁶To whom I gave the wilderness as his home And the salt land as his dwelling place?

⁷"He scorns the tumult of the city, And does not hear the shouting of the taskmaster.

⁸"He explores the mountains as his pasture And searches after every green thing.

⁹"Will the wild ox be willing to serve you, Or remain beside your manger at night?

¹⁰"Can you bind the wild ox with a harness [to the plow] in the furrow? Or will he plow the valleys for you?

¹¹"Will you trust him because his strength is great And leave your labor to him?

¹²"Will you have faith and depend on him to return your grain And gather it from your threshing floor?

¹³"The [flightless] wings of the ostrich wave joyously; With the pinion (shackles, fetters) and plumage of love,

¹⁴For she leaves her eggs on the ground And warms them in the dust,

¹⁵Forgetting that a foot may crush them, Or that the wild beast may trample them.

¹⁶"She treats her young cruelly, as if they were not hers; Though her labor is in vain because she is unconcerned [for the safety of her brood],

¹⁷For God has made her forget wisdom, And has not given her a share of understanding.

¹⁸"Yet when she lifts herself on high, [So swift is she that] she laughs at the horse and his rider.

¹⁹"Have you given the horse his might? Have you clothed his neck with quivering and a shaking mane?

²⁰"Have you [Job] made him leap like a locust? The majesty of his snorting [nostrils] is terrible.

²¹"He paws in the valley and rejoices in his strength; He goes out to meet the weapons [of armed men].

²²"He laughs at fear and is not dismayed; And [in battle] he does not turn back from the sword.

²³"The quiver rattles against him, [As do] the flashing spear and the lance [of his rider].

²⁴"With fierceness and rage he races to devour the ground, And he does not stand still at the sound of the [war] trumpet.

²⁵"As often as the trumpet sounds he says, 'Aha!' And he smells the battle from far away, And senses the thunder of the captains and the war cry.

²⁶"Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars, Stretching his wings toward the south [as winter approaches]?

²⁷"Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up And makes his nest on high [in an inaccessible place]?

²⁸"On the cliff he dwells and remains [securely], Upon the point of the rock and the inaccessible stronghold.

²⁹"From there he spies out the prey; His eyes see it from far away.

³⁰"His young ones suck up blood; And where the slain are, there is he."

¹To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?

²How long must I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart day after day? How long will my enemy exalt himself and triumph over me?

³Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; Give light (life) to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,

⁴And my enemy will say, "I have overcome him," And my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken.

⁵But I have trusted and relied on and been confident in Your lovingkindness and faithfulness; My heart shall rejoice and delight in Your salvation.

⁶I will sing to the LORD, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.

¹Does not wisdom call, And understanding lift up her voice?

²On the top of the heights beside the way, Where the paths meet, wisdom takes her stand;

³Beside the gates, at the entrance to the city, At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:

⁴"To you, O men, I call, And my voice is directed to the sons of men.

⁵"O you naive or inexperienced [who are easily misled], understand prudence and seek astute common sense; And, O you [closed-minded, self-confident] fools, understand wisdom [seek the insight and self-discipline that leads to godly living].

⁶"Listen, for I will speak excellent and noble things; And the opening of my lips will reveal right things.

⁷"For my mouth will utter truth, And wickedness is repulsive and loathsome to my lips.

⁸"All the words of my mouth are in righteousness (upright, in right standing with God); There is nothing contrary to truth or perverted (crooked) in them.

⁹"They are all straightforward to him who understands [with an open and willing mind], And right to those who find knowledge and live by it.

¹⁰"Take my instruction rather than [seeking] silver, And take knowledge rather than choicest gold,

¹¹"For wisdom is better than rubies; And all desirable things cannot compare with her.

¹²"I, [godly] wisdom, reside with prudence [good judgment, moral courage and astute common sense], And I find knowledge and discretion.

¹³"The [reverent] fear and worshipful awe of the LORD includes the hatred of evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way, And the perverted mouth, I hate.

¹⁴"Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power and strength are mine.

¹⁵"By me kings reign And rulers decide and decree justice.

¹⁶"By me princes rule, and nobles, All who judge and govern rightly.

¹⁷"I love those who love me; And those who seek me early and diligently will find me.

¹⁸"Riches and honor are with me, Enduring wealth and righteousness (right standing with God).

¹⁹"My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold, And my yield is better than choicest silver.

²⁰"I, [Wisdom, continuously] walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice,

²¹That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth and true riches, And that I may fill their treasuries.

²²"The LORD created and possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old [were accomplished].

²³"From everlasting I was established and ordained, From the beginning, before the earth existed, [I, godly wisdom, existed].

²⁴"When there were no ocean depths I was born, When there were no fountains and springs overflowing with water.

²⁵"Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills, I was born;

²⁶While He had not yet made the earth and the fields, Or the first of the dust of the earth.

²⁷"When He established the heavens, I [Wisdom] was there; When He drew a circle upon the face of the deep,

²⁸When He made firm the skies above, When the fountains and springs of the deep became fixed and strong,

²⁹When He set for the sea its boundary So that the waters would not transgress [the boundaries set by] His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth—

³⁰Then I was beside Him, as a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight; Rejoicing before Him always,

³¹Rejoicing in the world, His inhabited earth, And having my delight in the sons of men.

³²"Now therefore, O sons, listen to me, For blessed [happy, prosperous, to be admired] are they who keep my ways.

³³"Heed (pay attention to) instruction and be wise, And do not ignore or neglect it.

³⁴"Blessed [happy, prosperous, to be admired] is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts.

³⁵"For whoever finds me (Wisdom) finds life And obtains favor and grace from the LORD.

³⁶"But he who fails to find me or sins against me injures himself; All those who hate me love and court death."

¹These are the ones who came to David at Ziklag, while he still concealed himself from Saul the son of Kish; they were among the courageous men who helped him in battle.

²They were armed with bows, and could use the right hand or the left to sling stones and shoot arrows from the bow; they were Saul's relatives from [the tribe of] Benjamin.

³The chief was Ahiezer and then Joash, the sons of Shemaah of Gibeah; Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth; Beracah, and Jehu of Anathoth,

⁴Ishmaiah of Gibeon, a mighty man among the thirty, and [a leader] over them; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad of Gederah,

⁵Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite,

⁶Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites,

⁷and Joelah and Zebadiah the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.

⁸Courageous men from the Gadites came over to David in the stronghold in the wilderness, men trained for war, who could handle shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and who were swift as gazelles on the mountains.

⁹Ezer was the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,

¹⁰Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,

¹¹Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,

¹²Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,

¹³Jeremiah the tenth, Machbannai the eleventh.

¹⁴These from the sons (descendants) of Gad were captains of the army; he who was least was equal to a hundred, and the greatest was equal to a thousand.

¹⁵These are the men who crossed over the Jordan in the first month when it had overflowed all its banks and they put to flight all those in the valleys, east and west.

¹⁶Then some of the men of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David.

¹⁷David went out to meet them and said to them, "If you have come peacefully to me to help me, my heart shall be united with you; but if you have come to betray me to my adversaries, since there is no violence or wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers look on [what you are doing] and punish [you]."

¹⁸Then the [Holy] Spirit came on Amasai, who was chief of the thirty, and he said, "We are yours, O David, And with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace be to you, And peace be to him who helps you; For your God helps you." Then David accepted and received them and made them officers of his troops.

¹⁹Some [of the men] of Manasseh also defected to David when he came with the Philistines to go to battle against Saul. But David's men did not [actually] assist the Philistines, for the lords (governors) of the Philistines after consultation sent him away, saying, "At the cost of our heads he may defect to his master Saul."

²⁰As David went to Ziklag, these men defected to him from Manasseh: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, captains of thousands who belonged to Manasseh.

²¹They helped David against the band of raiders, for they were all courageous men, and [all seven] became commanders in his army.

²²For day by day men kept coming to David to help him, until there was a great army, like the army of God.

²³These are the numbers of the [armed] units equipped for war who came to David at Hebron to turn [over] the kingdom of Saul to him, in accordance with the word of the LORD.

²⁴Those of the tribe of Judah who carried shield and spear were 6,800, armed for war;

²⁵of the tribe of Simeon, brave warriors, 7,100;

²⁶of the tribe of Levi, 4,600.

²⁷Jehoiada was the leader of [the house of] Aaron, and with him were 3,700,

²⁸and Zadok, a courageous young man, and twenty-two captains from his father's house.

²⁹Of the tribe of Benjamin, the relatives of [King] Saul, 3,000; for until now the majority of them had kept their allegiance to the house of Saul.

³⁰Of the tribe of Ephraim, 20,800, courageous men, famous in their fathers' houses.

³¹Of the half-tribe of Manasseh, 18,000, who were designated by name to come and make David king.

³²Of the tribe of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do, two hundred chiefs; and all their relatives were at their command;

³³of the tribe of Zebulun, there were 50,000 in military service who could draw up in battle formation with all kinds of weapons of war and helped David, men with an undivided heart.

³⁴Of the tribe of Naphtali, there were 1,000 captains, and with them 37,000 [of the rank and file armed] with shield and spear.

³⁵Of the tribe of Dan, 28,600 men who could draw up in battle formation.

³⁶Of the tribe of Asher, 40,000 men in military service, able to draw up in battle formation.

³⁷From the other side [east] of the Jordan River, of [the tribes of] Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, 120,000 men, armed with all kinds of weapons of war for the battle.

³⁸All these, being men of war arrayed in battle formation, came to Hebron with a perfect (committed) heart to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest of Israel were also of one mind to make David king.

³⁹They were there with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their relatives had prepared for them.

⁴⁰Also those who were [living] near them [from] as far as [the tribes of] Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, brought food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen, abundant supplies of flour, cakes of figs and raisins, wine, [olive] oil, oxen, and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.

¹In the twenty-fifth year of our exile [in Babylon], in the beginning of the year, on the tenth [day] of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city [of Jerusalem] was taken, on that [very] same day the hand of the LORD was upon me and He brought me there.

²In the visions of God He brought me to the land of Israel and set me down on a very high mountain, on the south side of which there was what seemed to be a structure of a city.

³So He brought me there; and behold, there was a man [an angel] whose appearance was like bronze, with a line of flax and a measuring rod in his hand; and he was standing in the gateway.

⁴The man said to me, "Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears and set your heart on all that I am going to show you; for you have been brought here that I may show it to you. Declare to the house of Israel all that you see."

⁵And behold, there was a wall all around the outside [area] of the temple (house) [of the LORD], and in the man's hand a measuring rod six cubits long (10.2 ft.), each cubit being longer than the standard one by a hand width. So he measured the thickness of the wall, one rod; and the height, one rod.

⁶Then he went to the gate which faced the east and went up its [seven] steps and measured the threshold of the gate, one rod in width; and the other threshold [of the gate inside the thick wall] was one rod in width.

⁷The guardroom was one rod long and one rod wide, and [the space] between the guardrooms was five cubits. And the threshold of the gate by the porch (portico) of the gate facing inward was one rod.

⁸He also measured the porch of the gate facing inward [toward the temple of the LORD], one rod.

⁹Then he measured the porch of the gate, eight cubits, and its side pillars, two cubits. The porch of the gate faced inward [toward the temple of the LORD].

¹⁰There were three guardrooms on each side of the gate toward the east; the three were the same size, and the side pillars on each side measured the same.

¹¹And he measured the width of the gateway, ten cubits, and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits.

¹²On each side a border (barrier wall) one cubit wide stood in front of the guardrooms on each side; and the guardrooms were six cubits square on each side.

¹³He measured the gate from the roof of one guardroom to the roof of the other, a width of twenty-five cubits from one door to the opposite door.

¹⁴He made [the measurement of] the side pillars sixty cubits high; the gate extended all around to the side pillar of the courtyard.

¹⁵From the front of the entrance gate [on the outside] to the front of the inner porch (portico) of the gate [the distance] was fifty cubits.

¹⁶There were shuttered windows looking toward the guardrooms, and toward their side pillars within the gate all around, and likewise for the porches. And windows were all around inside; and palm tree decorations were on each side pillar.

¹⁷Then he brought me into the outer courtyard, and behold, there were chambers and a pavement made for the courtyard all around; thirty chambers faced the pavement.

¹⁸The pavement (that is, the lower pavement) was by the side of the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates.

¹⁹Then he measured the width from the front of the lower gate to the front of the exterior of the inner court, a hundred cubits [both] on the east and on the north.

²⁰And as for the gate of the outer courtyard which faced the north he measured [both] its length and its width.

²¹Its guardrooms, three on each side, and its side pillars and its porches had the same measurement as the first gate. Its length was fifty cubits and the width was twenty-five cubits.

²²Its windows and its porches and its palm tree decorations had the same measurements as the gate that faced toward the east. It was reached by going up seven steps, and its porch was in front of them.

²³The inner courtyard had a gate opposite the gate on the north as well as the gate on the east; and he measured a hundred cubits from gate to gate.

²⁴Then he led me toward the south, and behold, there was a gate toward the south; and he measured its side pillars and its porches, and they measured the same as the others.

²⁵The gate and its porches had windows all around like those windows [in the other gateways]; the length was fifty cubits and the width was twenty-five cubits.

²⁶There were seven steps going up to the gate, and its porches were in front of them; and it had palm tree decorations [carved] on its side pillars, one on each side.

²⁷The inner courtyard had a gate toward the south; and he measured from gate to gate toward the south, a hundred cubits.

²⁸Then the man (angel) brought me to the inner courtyard by the south gate; and he measured the south gate according to those same measurements.

²⁹Its guardrooms also, its side pillars and its porches measured the same as the others. And the gate and its porches had windows all around; the length was fifty cubits and the width was twenty-five cubits.

³⁰There were porches all around, twenty-five cubits long and five cubits wide.

³¹Its porches faced the outer courtyard; and palm tree decorations were [carved] on its side pillars, and its stairway had eight steps.

³²He brought me into the inner courtyard toward the east, and he measured the gate; it measured the same as the others.

³³Its guardrooms also, its side pillars and its porches measured the same as the others. The gate and its porches had windows all around; it was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.

³⁴Its porches faced the outer courtyard; and palm tree decorations were [carved] on either side of its side pillars, and its stairway had eight steps.

³⁵Then he brought me to the north gate and he measured it; the measurements were the same as those of the other gates,

³⁶with its guardrooms, its side pillars, its porches; and the gate had windows all around. The length was fifty cubits and the width was twenty-five cubits.

³⁷Its side pillars faced the outer courtyard, and palm tree decorations were [carved] on them on either side. And its stairway had eight steps.

³⁸A chamber with its doorway was by the side pillars of the gates; there the burnt offering was to be washed.

³⁹In the porch (portico) of the gate were two tables on each side, on which to slaughter the burnt offering, the sin offering and the guilt offering.

⁴⁰On the outer side, as one went up to the gateway toward the north, were two tables; and on the other side of the porch of the gate were two tables.

⁴¹Four tables were on each side next to the gate; [a total of] eight tables on which they slaughter sacrifices.

⁴²Moreover, there were four tables of hewn stone (ashlar) for the burnt offering, a cubit and a half long, a cubit and a half wide, and one cubit high, on which they lay the instruments with which they slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice.

⁴³The double hooks, one hand width in length were installed in the house all around. The meat of the offering was [to be placed] on the tables.

⁴⁴From the outside to the inner gate were chambers for the singers in the inner courtyard, one of which was beside the north gate, with its front toward the south, and one beside the south gate facing toward the north.

⁴⁵He [who was guiding me] said to me, "This is the chamber which faces toward the south; it is for the priests who have the responsibility and take care of the temple;

⁴⁶but the chamber which faces toward the north is for the priests who have the responsibility and take care of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, who [alone] from the sons of Levi come near to the LORD to minister to Him."

⁴⁷He measured the courtyard, a hundred cubits long and a hundred cubits wide, a perfect square; and the altar was in front of the temple.

⁴⁸Then he brought me to the porch of the temple, and he measured each side pillar of the porch, five cubits on each side; and the width of the gate was three cubits on each side.

⁴⁹The length of the porch was twenty cubits and the width eleven cubits; and at the stairway by which it was ascended, there were [two] columns beside the side pillars, one on each side [of the entrance].

¹Then Paul, looking intently at the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), said, "Kinsmen, I have lived my life before God with a perfectly good conscience until this very day."

²[At this] the high priest Ananias ordered those who stood beside him to strike Paul on the mouth.

³Then Paul said to him, "God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you actually sit to judge me according to the Law, and yet in violation of the Law order me to be struck?"

⁴But those who stood near Paul said, "Are you insulting the high priest of God?"

⁵Paul said, "I was not aware, brothers, that he was high priest; for it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'"

⁶But recognizing that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began affirming loudly in the Council chamber, "Kinsmen, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!"

⁷When he said this, an angry dispute erupted between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the [whole crowded] assembly was divided [into two factions].

⁸For the Sadducees say that there is no [such thing as a] resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees [speak out freely and] acknowledge [their belief in] them all.

⁹Then a great uproar occurred, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees' party stood up and began to argue heatedly [in Paul's favor], saying, "We find nothing wrong with this man; suppose a spirit or an angel has [really] spoken to him?"

¹⁰And as the dissension became even greater, the commander, fearing that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, ordered the troops to go down and forcibly take him from them, and bring him to the barracks.

¹¹On the following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Be brave; for as you have solemnly and faithfully witnessed about Me at Jerusalem, so you must also testify at Rome."

¹²Now when day came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves under an oath (curse), saying that they would not eat or drink until they had killed Paul.

¹³There were more than forty [men] who formed this plot [and swore this oath].

¹⁴They went to the chief priests and elders and said, "We have bound ourselves under a solemn oath not to taste anything [neither food nor drink] until we have killed Paul.

¹⁵So now you, along with the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), notify the commander to bring Paul down to you, as if you were going to investigate his case more thoroughly. But we are ready to kill him before he comes near [the place]."

¹⁶But the son of Paul's sister heard of their [planned] ambush, and he went to the barracks and told Paul.

¹⁷Then Paul, calling in one of the centurions, said, "Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to tell him."

¹⁸So he took him and led him to the commander and said, "Paul the prisoner called for me and asked me to bring this young man to you, because he has something to tell you."

¹⁹The commander took him by the hand and stepping aside, began to ask him privately, "What is it that you have to tell me?"

²⁰And he said, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) tomorrow, as if they were going to interrogate him more thoroughly.

²¹But do not listen to them, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him, and they have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. Even now they are ready, just waiting for your promise."

²²So the commander let the young man leave, instructing him, "Do not tell anyone that you have given me this information."

²³Then summoning two of the centurions, he said, "Have two hundred soldiers ready by the third hour of the night (9:00 p.m.) to go as far as Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen;

²⁴also provide mounts for Paul to ride, and bring him safely to Felix the governor."

²⁵And [after instructing the centurions] he wrote a letter to this effect:

²⁶"Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor Felix, greetings.

²⁷"This man was seized [as a prisoner] by the Jews and was about to be killed by them, when I came upon him with the troops and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman citizen.

²⁸And wanting to know the exact charge which they were making against him, I brought him down to their Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court);

²⁹and I discovered that he was accused in regard to questions and issues in their Law, but [he was] under no accusation that would call for the penalty of death or [even] for imprisonment.

³⁰"When I was told that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you immediately, also directing his accusers to bring their charges against him before you."

³¹So the soldiers, in compliance with their orders, took Paul and brought him to Antipatris during the night.

³²And the next day, leaving the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the barracks.

³³When these [horsemen] reached Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor, and also presented Paul to him.

³⁴After reading the letter, he asked which province Paul was from, and when he learned that he was from Cilicia [an imperial province],

³⁵he said, "I will hear your case when your accusers have arrived," giving orders that Paul be kept under guard in Herod's Praetorium (the governor's official residence).