Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him.

²And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe.

³Then they said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck Him with their hands.

⁴Pilate then went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him.”

⁵Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Behold the Man!”

⁶Therefore, when the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him.”

⁷The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.”

⁸Therefore, when Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid,

⁹and went again into the Praetorium, and said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer.

¹⁰Then Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?”

¹¹Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”

¹²From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, “If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.”

¹³When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus out and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha.

¹⁴Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, and about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Behold your King!”

¹⁵But they cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!”

¹⁶Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus and led Him away.

¹⁷And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha,

¹⁸where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center.

¹⁹Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

²⁰Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.

²¹Therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘He said, “I am the King of the Jews.” ’ ”

²²Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

²³Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece.

²⁴They said therefore among themselves, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be,” that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: “They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.” Therefore the soldiers did these things.

²⁵Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

²⁶When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!”

²⁷Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

²⁸After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!”

²⁹Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth.

³⁰So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

³¹Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

³²Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him.

³³But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.

³⁴But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.

³⁵And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe.

³⁶For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.”

³⁷And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.”

³⁸After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus.

³⁹And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds.

⁴⁰Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.

⁴¹Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.

⁴²So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.

¹“He who is emasculated by crushing or mutilation shall not enter the assembly of the LORD.

²“One of illegitimate birth shall not enter the assembly of the LORD; even to the tenth generation none of his descendants shall enter the assembly of the LORD.

³“An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the assembly of the LORD; even to the tenth generation none of his descendants shall enter the assembly of the LORD forever,

⁴because they did not meet you with bread and water on the road when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you.

⁵Nevertheless the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam, but the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you.

⁶You shall not seek their peace nor their prosperity all your days forever.

⁷“You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you were an alien in his land.

⁸The children of the third generation born to them may enter the assembly of the LORD.

⁹“When the army goes out against your enemies, then keep yourself from every wicked thing.

¹⁰If there is any man among you who becomes unclean by some occurrence in the night, then he shall go outside the camp; he shall not come inside the camp.

¹¹But it shall be, when evening comes, that he shall wash with water; and when the sun sets, he may come into the camp.

¹²“Also you shall have a place outside the camp, where you may go out;

¹³and you shall have an implement among your equipment, and when you sit down outside, you shall dig with it and turn and cover your refuse.

¹⁴For the LORD your God walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you and give your enemies over to you; therefore your camp shall be holy, that He may see no unclean thing among you, and turn away from you.

¹⁵“You shall not give back to his master the slave who has escaped from his master to you.

¹⁶He may dwell with you in your midst, in the place which he chooses within one of your gates, where it seems best to him; you shall not oppress him.

¹⁷“There shall be no ritual harlot of the daughters of Israel, or a perverted one of the sons of Israel.

¹⁸You shall not bring the wages of a harlot or the price of a dog to the house of the LORD your God for any vowed offering, for both of these are an abomination to the LORD your God.

¹⁹“You shall not charge interest to your brother—interest on money or food or anything that is lent out at interest.

²⁰To a foreigner you may charge interest, but to your brother you shall not charge interest, that the LORD your God may bless you in all to which you set your hand in the land which you are entering to possess.

²¹“When you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not delay to pay it; for the LORD your God will surely require it of you, and it would be sin to you.

²²But if you abstain from vowing, it shall not be sin to you.

²³That which has gone from your lips you shall keep and perform, for you voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God what you have promised with your mouth.

²⁴“When you come into your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat your fill of grapes at your pleasure, but you shall not put any in your container.

²⁵When you come into your neighbor’s standing grain, you may pluck the heads with your hand, but you shall not use a sickle on your neighbor’s standing grain.

¹Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

²Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

³But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.

⁴For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.

⁵Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.

⁶Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other.

⁷For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

⁸You are already full! You are already rich! You have reigned as kings without us—and indeed I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you!

⁹For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.

¹⁰We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored!

¹¹To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless.

¹²And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;

¹³being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.

¹⁴I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you.

¹⁵For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

¹⁶Therefore I urge you, imitate me.

¹⁷For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.

¹⁸Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you.

¹⁹But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.

²⁰For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.

²¹What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?

¹“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.

²Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.

³Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

⁴You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.

⁵He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

⁶“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

⁷“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”:

⁸“I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

⁹Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.

¹⁰Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

¹¹Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.

¹²He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.

¹³“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

¹⁴“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:

¹⁵“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.

¹⁶So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.

¹⁷Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—

¹⁸I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

¹⁹As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.

²⁰Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

²¹To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

²²“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’ ”

¹Dead flies putrefy the perfumer’s ointment, And cause it to give off a foul odor; So does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor.

²A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, But a fool’s heart at his left.

³Even when a fool walks along the way, He lacks wisdom, And he shows everyone that he is a fool.

⁴If the spirit of the ruler rises against you, Do not leave your post; For conciliation pacifies great offenses.

⁵There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error proceeding from the ruler:

⁶Folly is set in great dignity, While the rich sit in a lowly place.

⁷I have seen servants on horses, While princes walk on the ground like servants.

⁸He who digs a pit will fall into it, And whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent.

⁹He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, And he who splits wood may be endangered by it.

¹⁰If the ax is dull, And one does not sharpen the edge, Then he must use more strength; But wisdom brings success.

¹¹A serpent may bite when it is not charmed; The babbler is no different.

¹²The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up;

¹³The words of his mouth begin with foolishness, And the end of his talk is raving madness.

¹⁴A fool also multiplies words. No man knows what is to be; Who can tell him what will be after him?

¹⁵The labor of fools wearies them, For they do not even know how to go to the city!

¹⁶Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, And your princes feast in the morning!

¹⁷Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, And your princes feast at the proper time— For strength and not for drunkenness!

¹⁸Because of laziness the building decays, And through idleness of hands the house leaks.

¹⁹A feast is made for laughter, And wine makes merry; But money answers everything.

²⁰Do not curse the king, even in your thought; Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom; For a bird of the air may carry your voice, And a bird in flight may tell the matter.

¹A Psalm of David. [1] Vindicate me, O LORD, For I have walked in my integrity. I have also trusted in the LORD; I shall not slip.

²Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart.

³For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, And I have walked in Your truth.

⁴I have not sat with idolatrous mortals, Nor will I go in with hypocrites.

⁵I have hated the assembly of evildoers, And will not sit with the wicked.

⁶I will wash my hands in innocence; So I will go about Your altar, O LORD,

⁷That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, And tell of all Your wondrous works.

⁸LORD, I have loved the habitation of Your house, And the place where Your glory dwells.

⁹Do not gather my soul with sinners, Nor my life with bloodthirsty men,

¹⁰In whose hands is a sinister scheme, And whose right hand is full of bribes.

¹¹But as for me, I will walk in my integrity; Redeem me and be merciful to me.

¹²My foot stands in an even place; In the congregations I will bless the LORD.

¹The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.

²Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the hearts.

³To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

⁴A haughty look, a proud heart, And the plowing of the wicked are sin.

⁵The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.

⁶Getting treasures by a lying tongue Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death.

⁷The violence of the wicked will destroy them, Because they refuse to do justice.

⁸The way of a guilty man is perverse; But as for the pure, his work is right.

⁹Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

¹⁰The soul of the wicked desires evil; His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.

¹¹When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise; But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.

¹²The righteous God wisely considers the house of the wicked, Overthrowing the wicked for their wickedness.

¹³Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be heard.

¹⁴A gift in secret pacifies anger, And a bribe behind the back, strong wrath.

¹⁵It is a joy for the just to do justice, But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.

¹⁶A man who wanders from the way of understanding Will rest in the assembly of the dead.

¹⁷He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not be rich.

¹⁸The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, And the unfaithful for the upright.

¹⁹Better to dwell in the wilderness, Than with a contentious and angry woman.

²⁰There is desirable treasure, And oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man squanders it.

²¹He who follows righteousness and mercy Finds life, righteousness, and honor.

²²A wise man scales the city of the mighty, And brings down the trusted stronghold.

²³Whoever guards his mouth and tongue Keeps his soul from troubles.

²⁴A proud and haughty man— “Scoffer” is his name; He acts with arrogant pride.

²⁵The desire of the lazy man kills him, For his hands refuse to labor.

²⁶He covets greedily all day long, But the righteous gives and does not spare.

²⁷The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; How much more when he brings it with wicked intent!

²⁸A false witness shall perish, But the man who hears him will speak endlessly.

²⁹A wicked man hardens his face, But as for the upright, he establishes his way.

³⁰There is no wisdom or understanding Or counsel against the LORD.

³¹The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But deliverance is of the LORD.

¹Moreover David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals. And the number of the skilled men performing their service was:

²Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah; the sons of Asaph were under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied according to the order of the king.

³Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp to give thanks and to praise the LORD.

⁴Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth.

⁵All these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer in the words of God, to exalt his horn. For God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

⁶All these were under the direction of their father for the music in the house of the LORD, with cymbals, stringed instruments, and harps, for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the authority of the king.

⁷So the number of them, with their brethren who were instructed in the songs of the LORD, all who were skillful, was two hundred and eighty-eight.

⁸And they cast lots for their duty, the small as well as the great, the teacher with the student.

⁹Now the first lot for Asaph came out for Joseph; the second for Gedaliah, him with his brethren and sons, twelve;

¹⁰the third for Zaccur, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

¹¹the fourth for Jizri, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

¹²the fifth for Nethaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

¹³the sixth for Bukkiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

¹⁴the seventh for Jesharelah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

¹⁵the eighth for Jeshaiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

¹⁶the ninth for Mattaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

¹⁷the tenth for Shimei, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

¹⁸the eleventh for Azarel, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

¹⁹the twelfth for Hashabiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

²⁰the thirteenth for Shubael, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

²¹the fourteenth for Mattithiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

²²the fifteenth for Jeremoth, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

²³the sixteenth for Hananiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

²⁴the seventeenth for Joshbekashah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

²⁵the eighteenth for Hanani, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

²⁶the nineteenth for Mallothi, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

²⁷the twentieth for Eliathah, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

²⁸the twenty-first for Hothir, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

²⁹the twenty-second for Giddalti, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

³⁰the twenty-third for Mahazioth, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

³¹the twenty-fourth for Romamti-Ezer, his sons and his brethren, twelve.

¹Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank wine in the presence of the thousand.

²While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in Jerusalem, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them.

³Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple of the house of God which had been in Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them.

⁴They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.

⁵In the same hour the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

⁶Then the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked against each other.

⁷The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck; and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”

⁸Now all the king’s wise men came, but they could not read the writing, or make known to the king its interpretation.

⁹Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, his countenance was changed, and his lords were astonished.

¹⁰The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came to the banquet hall. The queen spoke, saying, “O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your countenance change.

¹¹There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers.

¹²Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.”

¹³Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke, and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who is one of the captives from Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah?

¹⁴I have heard of you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.

¹⁵Now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not give the interpretation of the thing.

¹⁶And I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and explain enigmas. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”

¹⁷Then Daniel answered, and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another; yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

¹⁸O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor.

¹⁹And because of the majesty that He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he wished, he executed; whomever he wished, he kept alive; whomever he wished, he set up; and whomever he wished, he put down.

²⁰But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him.

²¹Then he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses.

²²“But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this.

²³And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified.

²⁴Then the fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written.

²⁵“And this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

²⁶This is the interpretation of each word. MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it;

²⁷TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting;

²⁸PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.”

²⁹Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a chain of gold around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

³⁰That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain.

³¹And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

¹Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

²And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

³As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

⁴Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.

⁵Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.

⁶And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

⁷For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.

⁸And there was great joy in that city.

⁹But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great,

¹⁰to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.”

¹¹And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time.

¹²But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.

¹³Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.

¹⁴Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,

¹⁵who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.

¹⁶For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

¹⁷Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,

¹⁹saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

²⁰But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!

²¹You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God.

²²Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.

²³For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”

²⁴Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.”

²⁵So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

²⁶Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert.

²⁷So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship,

²⁸was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet.

²⁹Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.”

³⁰So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

³¹And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.

³²The place in the Scripture which he read was this: “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth.

³³In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.”

³⁴So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?”

³⁵Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.

³⁶Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”

³⁷Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

³⁸So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.

³⁹Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.

⁴⁰But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.