Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and when He was seated, His disciples came to Him.

²Then He began to teach them, saying,

³"Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired] are the poor in spirit [those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever].

⁴"Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by God's grace] are those who mourn [over their sins and repent], for they will be comforted [when the burden of sin is lifted].

⁵"Blessed [inwardly peaceful, spiritually secure, worthy of respect] are the gentle [the kind-hearted, the sweet-spirited, the self-controlled], for they will inherit the earth.

⁶"Blessed [joyful, nourished by God's goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied.

⁷"Blessed [content, sheltered by God's promises] are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

⁸"Blessed [anticipating God's presence, spiritually mature] are the pure in heart [those with integrity, moral courage, and godly character], for they will see God.

⁹"Blessed [spiritually calm with life-joy in God's favor] are the makers and maintainers of peace, for they will [express His character and] be called the sons of God.

¹⁰"Blessed [comforted by inner peace and God's love] are those who are persecuted for doing that which is morally right, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever].

¹¹"Blessed [morally courageous and spiritually alive with life-joy in God's goodness] are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil things against you because of [your association with] Me.

¹²Be glad and exceedingly joyful, for your reward in heaven is great [absolutely inexhaustible]; for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

¹³"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost its taste (purpose), how can it be made salty? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and walked on by people [when the walkways are wet and slippery].

¹⁴"You are the light of [Christ to] the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;

¹⁵nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

¹⁶Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven.

¹⁷"Do not think that I came to do away with or undo the Law [of Moses] or the [writings of the] Prophets; I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

¹⁸For I assure you and most solemnly say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke [of the pen] will pass from the Law until all things [which it foreshadows] are accomplished.

¹⁹So whoever breaks one of the least [important] of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least [important] in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them, he will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

²⁰"For I say to you that unless your righteousness (uprightness, moral essence) is more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

²¹"You have heard that it was said to the men of old, 'You shall not murder,' and 'Whoever murders shall be guilty before the court.'

²²But I say to you that everyone who continues to be angry with his brother or harbors malice against him shall be guilty before the court; and whoever speaks [contemptuously and insultingly] to his brother, Raca (You empty-headed idiot)!' shall be guilty before the supreme court (Sanhedrin); and whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of the fiery hell.

²³So if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and while there you remember that your brother has something [such as a grievance or legitimate complaint] against you,

²⁴leave your offering there at the altar and go. First make peace with your brother, and then come and present your offering.

²⁵Come to terms quickly [at the earliest opportunity] with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way [to court], so that your opponent does not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you are thrown into prison.

²⁶I assure you and most solemnly say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid the last cent.

²⁷"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery';

²⁸but I say to you that everyone who [so much as] looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

²⁹If your right eye makes you stumble and leads you to sin, tear it out and throw it away [that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation]; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

³⁰If your right hand makes you stumble and leads you to sin, cut it off and throw it away [that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation]; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

³¹"It has also been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife is to give her a certificate of divorce';

³²but I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except on grounds of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who has been divorced commits adultery.

³³"Again, you have heard that it was said to the men of old, 'You shall not make false vows, but you shall fulfill your vows to the Lord [as a religious duty].'

³⁴But I say to you, do not make an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God;

³⁵or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.

³⁶Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you are not able to make a single hair white or black.

³⁷But let your statement be, 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no' [a firm yes or no]; anything more than that comes from the evil one.

³⁸"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth [punishment that fits the offense].'

³⁹But I say to you, do not resist an evil person [who insults you or violates your rights]; but whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other toward him also [simply ignore insignificant insults or trivial losses and do not bother to retaliate—maintain your dignity, your self-respect, your poise].

⁴⁰If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also [for the Lord repays the offender].

⁴¹And whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.

⁴²Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.

⁴³"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor (fellow man) and hate your enemy.'

⁴⁴"But I say to you, love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

⁴⁵so that you may [show yourselves to] be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on those who are evil and on those who are good, and makes the rain fall on the righteous [those who are morally upright] and the unrighteous [the unrepentant, those who oppose Him].

⁴⁶For if you love [only] those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that?

⁴⁷And if you greet only your brothers [wishing them God's blessing and peace], what more [than others] are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles [who do not know the Lord] do that?

⁴⁸You, therefore, will be perfect [growing into spiritual maturity both in mind and character, actively integrating godly values into your daily life], as your heavenly Father is perfect.

¹"So it shall be when all these things have come on you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind in all the nations where the LORD your God has driven you,

²and you have returned to the LORD your God and have listened to and obeyed His voice with all your heart and with all your soul, in accordance with everything that I am commanding you today, you and your children,

³then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes [in your return from exile], and have compassion on you, and will gather you together again from all the peoples (nations) where He has scattered you.

⁴Even if any of your dispersed are at the ends of the earth, the LORD your God will gather you together from there, and from there He will bring you back.

⁵The LORD your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you will take possession of it; and He shall make you prosper and multiply—even more than your fathers.

⁶"And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your descendants [that is, He will remove the desire to sin from your heart], so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and all your soul, so that you may live [as a recipient of His blessing].

⁷The LORD your God will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who have persecuted you.

⁸And you shall again listen to and obey the voice of the LORD, and do all His commandments which I command you today.

⁹Then the LORD your God shall make you abundantly prosperous in everything that you do, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your cattle and in the produce of your land; for the LORD will again delight over you for good, just as He delighted over your fathers,

¹⁰if you listen to and obey the voice of the LORD your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this Book of the Law, and if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul (your entire being).

¹¹"For this commandment which I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach.

¹²It is not [a secret hidden] in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will go up to heaven for us and bring it to us, so that we may hear it and obey it?'

¹³Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will cross the sea for us and bring it to us, so that we may hear it and obey it?'

¹⁴But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, so that you may obey it.

¹⁵"Listen closely, I have set before you today life and prosperity (good), and death and adversity (evil);

¹⁶in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk [that is, to live each and every day] in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments (precepts), so that you will live and multiply, and that the LORD your God will bless you in the land which you are entering to possess.

¹⁷But if your heart turns away and you will not hear and obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them,

¹⁸I declare to you today that you will certainly perish. You will not live long in the land which you cross the Jordan to enter and possess.

¹⁹I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse; therefore, you shall choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants,

²⁰by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding closely to Him; for He is your life [your good life, your abundant life, your fulfillment] and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD promised (swore) to give to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."

¹Imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

²I praise and appreciate you because you remember me in everything and you firmly hold to the traditions [the substance of my instructions], just as I have passed them on to you.

³But I want you to understand that Christ is the head (authority over) of every man, and man is the head of woman, and God is the head of Christ.

⁴Every man who prays or prophesies with something on his head dishonors his head [and the One who is his head].

⁵And every woman who prays or prophesies when she has her head uncovered disgraces her head; for she is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved [in disgrace].

⁶If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, she should cover her head.

⁷A man ought not have his head covered [during worship], since he is the image and [reflected] glory of God; but the woman is [the expression of] man's glory.

⁸For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man;

⁹for indeed man was not created for the sake of woman, but woman for the sake of man.

¹⁰Therefore the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head, for the sake of the angels [so as not to offend them].

¹¹Nevertheless, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.

¹²For as the woman originates from the man, so also man is born through the woman; and all things [whether male or female] originate from God [as their Creator].

¹³Judge for yourselves; is it proper for a woman to offer prayer to God [publicly] with her head uncovered?

¹⁴Does not common sense itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him,

¹⁵but if a woman has long hair, it is her ornament and glory? For her long hair is given to her as a covering.

¹⁶Now if anyone is inclined to be contentious [about this], we have no other practice [in worship than this], nor do the churches of God [in general].

¹⁷But in giving this next instruction, I do not praise you, because when you meet together it is not for the better but for the worse.

¹⁸For, in the first place, when you meet together in church, I hear that there are divisions among you; and in part I believe it,

¹⁹for [doubtless] there have to be factions among you, so that those who are of approved character may be clearly recognized among you.

²⁰So when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper,

²¹for when you eat, each one hurries to get his own supper first [not waiting for others or the poor]. So one goes hungry while another gets drunk.

²²What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you show contempt for the church of God and humiliate those [impoverished believers] who have nothing? What will I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? In this I will not praise you!

²³For I received from the Lord Himself that [instruction] which I passed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which He was betrayed took bread;

²⁴and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "This is (represents) My body, which is [offered as a sacrifice] for you. Do this in [affectionate] remembrance of Me."

²⁵In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant [ratified and established] in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in [affectionate] remembrance of Me."

²⁶For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are [symbolically] proclaiming [the fact of] the Lord's death until He comes [again].

²⁷So then whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in a way that is unworthy [of Him] will be guilty of [profaning and sinning against] the body and blood of the Lord.

²⁸But a person must [prayerfully] examine himself [and his relationship to Christ], and only when he has done so should he eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

²⁹For anyone who eats and drinks [without solemn reverence and heartfelt gratitude for the sacrifice of Christ], eats and drinks a judgment on himself if he does not recognize the body [of Christ].

³⁰That [careless and unworthy participation] is the reason why many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep [in death].

³¹But if we evaluated and judged ourselves honestly [recognizing our shortcomings and correcting our behavior], we would not be judged.

³²But when we [fall short and] are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined [by undergoing His correction] so that we will not be condemned [to eternal punishment] along with the world.

³³So then, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat [the Lord's Supper], wait for one another [and see to it that no one is left out].

³⁴If anyone is too hungry [to wait], let him eat at home, so that you will not come together for judgment [on yourselves]. About the remaining matters [of which I was informed], I will take care of them when I come.

¹Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed in a cloud, with a rainbow (halo) over his head; and his face was like the sun, and his feet (legs) were like columns of fire;

²and he had a little book (scroll) open in his hand. He set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land;

³and he shouted with a loud voice, like the roaring of a lion [compelling attention and inspiring awe]; and when he had shouted out, the seven peals of thunder spoke with their own voices [uttering their message in distinct words].

⁴And when the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them down."

⁵Then the angel whom I had seen standing on the sea and the land raised his right hand [to swear an oath] to heaven,

⁶and swore [an oath] by [the name of] Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that there will be delay no longer,

⁷but when it is time for the trumpet call of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God [that is, His hidden purpose and plan] is finished, as He announced the gospel to His servants the prophets.

⁸Then the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking to me, and saying, "Go, take the book (scroll) which is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land."

⁹So I went up to the angel and told him to give me the little book. And he said to me, "Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey."

¹⁰So I took the little book from the angel's hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was as sweet as honey; but once I had swallowed it, my stomach was bitter.

¹¹Then they said to me, "You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and languages and kings."

¹(The Bridegroom) "I have come into my garden, my sister, my [promised] bride; I have gathered my myrrh along with my balsam and spice [from your sweet words]. I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, friends; Drink and drink deeply, O lovers."

²(The Shulammite Bride) "I was asleep, but my heart was awake. A voice [in my dream]! My beloved was knocking: 'Open to me, my sister, my darling, My dove, my perfect one! For my head is drenched with the [heavy night] dew; My hair [is covered] with the dampness of the night.'

³"I had taken off my dress, How can I put it on again? I had washed my feet, How could I get them dirty again?

⁴"My beloved extended his hand through the opening [of the door], And my feelings were aroused for him.

⁵"I arose to open for my beloved; And my hands dripped with myrrh, And my fingers with liquid [sweet-scented] myrrh, On the handles of the bolt.

⁶"I opened for my beloved, But my beloved had turned away and was gone. My heart went out to him when he spoke. I searched for him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he did not answer me.

⁷"The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me. They struck me, they wounded me; The guardsmen of the walls took my shawl from me.

⁸"I command that you take an oath, O daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, As to what you tell him— [Say that] I am sick from love [sick from being without him]."

⁹(The Chorus) "What is your beloved more than another beloved, O most beautiful among women? What is your beloved more than another beloved, That you should so command us to take an oath?"

¹⁰(The Shulammite Bride) "My beloved is exquisitely handsome and ruddy, Outstanding among ten thousand.

¹¹"His head is like [precious] gold, pure gold; His hair is [curly] like clusters of dates And black as a raven.

¹²"His eyes are like doves Beside streams of water, Bathed in milk And reposed in their setting.

¹³"His cheeks are like a bed of balsam, Banks of sweet, fragrant herbs. His lips are lilies Dripping sweet-scented myrrh.

¹⁴"His hands are rods of gold Set with beryl; His abdomen is a figure of carved ivory Inlaid with sapphires.

¹⁵"His legs are [strong and steady] pillars of alabaster Set upon pedestals of fine gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, Stately and choice as the cedars.

¹⁶"His mouth is full of sweetness; Yes, he is altogether lovely and desirable. This is my beloved and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem."

¹Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous ones; Praise is becoming and appropriate for those who are upright [in heart—those with moral integrity and godly character].

²Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; Sing praises to Him with the harp of ten strings.

³Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully [on the strings] with a loud and joyful sound.

⁴For the word of the LORD is right; And all His work is done in faithfulness.

⁵He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the LORD.

⁶By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, And all their host by the breath of His mouth.

⁷He gathers the waters of the sea together as in a wineskin; He puts the deeps in storehouses.

⁸Let all the earth fear and worship the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.

⁹For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.

¹⁰The LORD nullifies the counsel of the nations; He makes the thoughts and plans of the people ineffective.

¹¹The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The thoughts and plans of His heart through all generations.

¹²Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people whom He has chosen as His own inheritance.

¹³The LORD looks [down] from heaven; He sees all the sons of man;

¹⁴From His dwelling place He looks closely Upon all the inhabitants of the earth—

¹⁵He who fashions the hearts of them all, Who considers and understands all that they do.

¹⁶The king is not saved by the great size of his army; A warrior is not rescued by his great strength.

¹⁷A horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.

¹⁸Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon those who fear Him [and worship Him with awe-inspired reverence and obedience], On those who hope [confidently] in His compassion and lovingkindness,

¹⁹To rescue their lives from death And keep them alive in famine.

²⁰We wait [expectantly] for the LORD; He is our help and our shield.

²¹For in Him our heart rejoices, Because we trust [lean on, rely on, and are confident] in His holy name.

²²Let Your [steadfast] lovingkindness, O LORD, be upon us, In proportion as we have hoped in You.

¹The wicked flee when no one pursues them, But the righteous are as bold as a lion.

²When a land does wrong, it has many princes, But when the ruler is a man of understanding and knowledge, its stability endures.

³A poor man who oppresses and exploits the lowly Is like a sweeping rain which leaves no food.

⁴Those who set aside the law [of God and man] praise the wicked, But those who keep the law [of God and man] struggle with them.

⁵Evil men do not understand justice, But they who long for and seek the LORD understand it fully.

⁶Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than he who is crooked and two-faced though he is rich.

⁷He who keeps the law [of God and man] is a wise and discerning son, But he who is a companion of gluttons humiliates his father [and himself].

⁸He who increases his wealth by interest and usury (excessive interest) Gathers it for him who is gracious to the poor.

⁹He who turns his ear away from listening to the law [of God and man], Even his prayer is repulsive [to God].

¹⁰He who leads the upright astray on an evil path Will himself fall into his own pit, But the blameless will inherit good.

¹¹The rich man [who is conceited and relies on his wealth instead of God] is wise in his own eyes, But the poor man who has understanding [because he relies on God] is able to see through him.

¹²When the righteous triumph, there is great glory and celebration; But when the wicked rise [to prominence], men hide themselves.

¹³He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But whoever confesses and turns away from his sins will find compassion and mercy.

¹⁴Blessed and favored by God is the man who fears [sin and its consequence] at all times, But he who hardens his heart [and is determined to sin] will fall into disaster.

¹⁵Like a roaring lion and a charging bear Is a wicked ruler over a poor people.

¹⁶A leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding and common sense [and his wickedness shortens his days], But he who hates unjust gain will [be blessed and] prolong his days.

¹⁷A man who is burdened with the guilt of human blood (murder) Will be a fugitive until death; let no one support him or give him refuge.

¹⁸He who walks blamelessly and uprightly will be kept safe, But he who is crooked (perverse) will suddenly fall.

¹⁹He who cultivates his land will have plenty of bread, But he who follows worthless people and frivolous pursuits will have plenty of poverty.

²⁰A faithful (right-minded) man will abound with blessings, But he who hurries to be rich will not go unpunished.

²¹To have regard for one person over another and to show favoritism is not good, Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.

²²He who has an evil and envious eye hurries to be rich And does not know that poverty will come upon him.

²³He who [appropriately] reprimands a [wise] man will afterward find more favor Than he who flatters with the tongue.

²⁴He who robs his father or his mother And says, "This is no sin," Is [not only a thief but also] the companion of a man who destroys.

²⁵An arrogant and greedy man stirs up strife, But he who trusts in the LORD will be blessed and prosper.

²⁶He who trusts confidently in his own heart is a [dull, thickheaded] fool, But he who walks in [skillful and godly] wisdom will be rescued.

²⁷He who gives to the poor will never want, But he who shuts his eyes [from their need] will have many curses.

²⁸When the wicked rise [to power], men hide themselves; But when the wicked perish, the [consistently] righteous increase and become great.

¹Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD appeared to his father David, in the place that David had prepared, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

²Solomon began to build on the second day of the second month in the fourth year of his reign.

³Now this is the [measurement of the] foundation which Solomon laid for the house of God: the length in cubits—by the old standard of measure—was sixty cubits (90 ft.), and the width was twenty cubits (30 ft.).

⁴The porch in front of the house was as long as the width of the house, twenty cubits, and the height was 120 cubits. He overlaid it inside with pure gold.

⁵He overlaid the main room [the Holy Place] with cypress wood and overlaid it with fine gold, and decorated it with palm trees and chains.

⁶And he adorned the house with precious stones; and the gold was gold from Parvaim.

⁷He also overlaid the house [the Holy Place] with gold—the beams, the thresholds, and its walls and its doors; and he carved cherubim on the walls.

⁸Now he made the room of the Holy of Holies: its length equaling the width of the house was twenty cubits, and its width was twenty cubits; and he overlaid it with 600 talents of fine gold.

⁹The weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. He also overlaid the upper rooms with gold.

¹⁰And in the Holy of Holies he made two sculptured cherubim, and overlaid them with gold.

¹¹The wingspan of the cherubim was twenty cubits: one wing of one cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house, and its other wing, of five cubits, touched the other cherub's wing.

¹²The wing of the other cherub, of five cubits, touched the wall of the house; and its other wing of five cubits touched the wing of the first cherub.

¹³The wings of these cherubim extended twenty cubits. The cherubim stood on their feet, their faces toward the Holy Place (the main room).

¹⁴He made the veil [between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies] of blue, purple, and crimson colors, and fine linen, and embroidered cherubim on it.

¹⁵He also made two pillars for the front of the house, thirty-five cubits high, and the capital on the top of each one was five cubits.

¹⁶He made chains [like a necklace] in the inner sanctuary and put them on the tops of the pillars; and he made a hundred pomegranates and put them on the chains.

¹⁷He erected the pillars in front of the temple, one on the right, the other on the left, and named the one on the right Jachin (may He establish) and the one on the left Boaz (in Him is strength).

¹"Now at that [end] time Michael, the great [angelic] prince who stands guard over the children of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; but at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the Book [of Life], will be rescued.

²Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake (resurrect), these to everlasting life, but some to disgrace and everlasting contempt (abhorrence).

³Those who are [spiritually] wise will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead many to righteousness, [will shine] like the stars forever and ever.

⁴But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the scroll until the end of time. Many will go back and forth and search anxiously [through the scroll], and knowledge [of the purpose of God as revealed by His prophets] will [greatly] increase."

⁵Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, there stood two others, the one [angel] on this bank of the river and the other [angel] on that bank of the river.

⁶And one said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long will it be until the end of these wonders?"

⁷And I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he held up his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and a half a time (three and a half years); and as soon as they finish shattering and crushing the power of the holy people, all these things will be finished.

⁸As for me, I heard, but I did not understand; so I said, "My lord, what will be the outcome of these things?"

⁹And the angel said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are concealed and sealed up until the end of time.

¹⁰Many will be purged, purified (made white) and refined, but the wicked will behave wickedly. None of the wicked shall understand, but those who are [spiritually] wise will understand.

¹¹From the time that the regular sacrifice [that is, the daily burnt offering] is taken away and the abomination of desolation is set up [ruining the temple for worship of the true God], there will be1,290 days.

¹²How blessed [happy, fortunate, spiritually prosperous] and beloved is he who waits expectantly [enduring without wavering for the period of tribulation] and comes to the1,335 days!

¹³But as for you (Daniel), go your way until the end [of your life]; for you will rest and rise again for your allotted inheritance at the end of the age."

¹Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised in accordance with the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."

²Paul and Barnabas disagreed greatly and debated with them, so it was determined that Paul and Barnabas and some of the others from their group would go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders [and confer with them] concerning this issue.

³So, after being supplied and sent on their way by the church, they went through both Phoenicia and Samaria telling in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they brought great joy to all the believers.

⁴When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were received warmly by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported to them all the things that God had accomplished through them.

⁵But some from the sect of the Pharisees who had believed [in Jesus as the Messiah] stood up and said, "It is necessary to circumcise the Gentile converts and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses."

⁶The apostles and the elders came together to consider this matter.

⁷After a long debate, Peter got up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the message of the gospel and believe.

⁸And God, who knows and understands the heart, testified to them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;

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

¹⁰Now then, why are you testing God by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we have been able to endure?

¹¹But we believe that we are saved through the [precious, undeserved] grace of the Lord Jesus [which makes us free of the guilt of sin and grants us eternal life], in just the same way as they are."

¹²All the people remained silent, and they listened [attentively] to Barnabas and Paul as they described all the signs and wonders (attesting miracles) that God had done through them among the Gentiles.

¹³When they had finished speaking, James replied, "Brothers, listen to me.

¹⁴Simeon (Simon Peter) has described how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name [to honor Him and be identified with Him].

¹⁵The words of the Prophets agree with this, just as it is written [in Scripture],

¹⁶'After these things I will return, And I will rebuild the tent of David which has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will restore it,

¹⁷So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, And all the Gentiles upon whom My name has been invoked,'

¹⁸Says the Lord, Who has been making these things known from long ago.

¹⁹Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble and make it difficult for those who are turning to God among the Gentiles [by putting obstacles in their way],

²⁰but that we write to them that they are to abstain from anything that has been contaminated by [being offered to] idols and from sexual impurity and from [eating the meat of] what has been strangled and from [the consumption of] blood.

²¹For from ancient generations [the writing of] Moses has been preached in every city, since he is read aloud in the synagogues every Sabbath."

²²Then the apostles and the elders, together with the whole church, decided to select some of their men to go to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas—Judas, who was called Barsabbas, and Silas [also called Silvanus, both], leading men among the brothers.

²³With them they sent the following letter: "The apostles and the brothers who are the elders, to the brothers and sisters who are from the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia, Greetings.

²⁴Since we have heard that some of our men have troubled you with their teachings, causing distress and confusion—men to whom we gave no such orders or instructions—

²⁵it has been decided by us, having met together, to select men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

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

²⁷So we have sent Judas and Silas, who will report by word of mouth the same things [that we decided in our meeting].

²⁸For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to place on you any greater burden than these essentials:

²⁹that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from [consuming] blood, and from [eating the meat of] things that have been strangled, and from sexual impurity. If you keep yourselves from these things, you will do well. Farewell."

³⁰So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch; and after assembling the congregation, they delivered the letter.

³¹And when they had read it, the people rejoiced greatly at the encouragement and comfort [it brought them].

³²Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets (divinely inspired spokesmen), encouraged and strengthened the believers with many words.

³³After spending some time there, they were sent back by the brothers with [the greeting of] peace to those who had sent them.

³⁴[However, Silas decided to stay there.]

³⁵But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, and with many others also continued teaching and proclaiming the good news, the word of the Lord [concerning eternal salvation through faith in Christ].

³⁶After some time Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the brothers and sisters (believers) in every city where we preached the message of the Lord, and see how they are doing."

³⁷Now Barnabas wanted to take [his cousin] John, who was called Mark, along with them.

³⁸But Paul kept insisting that they should not take along with them the one who had quit and deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone on with them to the work.

³⁹And it became such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took [John] Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus.

⁴⁰But Paul chose Silas [who was again in Antioch] and set out [on his second journey], commended by the brothers to the grace and favor of the Lord.

⁴¹And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.