Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

²He called a little child and set him before them,

³and said, "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless you repent [that is, change your inner self—your old way of thinking, live changed lives] and become like children [trusting, humble, and forgiving], you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

⁴Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

⁵Whoever receives and welcomes one child like this in My name receives Me;

⁶but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble and sin [by leading him away from My teaching], it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone [as large as one turned by a donkey] hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

⁷"Woe (judgment is coming) to the world because of stumbling blocks and temptations to sin! It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to the person on whose account or through whom the stumbling block comes!

⁸"If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble and sin, cut it off and throw it away from you [that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation]; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into everlasting fire.

⁹If your eye causes you to stumble and sin, pluck it out and throw it away from you [that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation]; it is better for you to enter life with only one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fiery hell.

¹⁰"See that you do not despise or think less of one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven [are in the presence of and] continually look upon the face of My Father who is in heaven.

¹¹[For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.]

¹²"What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them gets lost, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountain and go in search of the one that is lost?

¹³And if it turns out that he finds it, I assure you and most solemnly say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that did not get lost.

¹⁴So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones be lost.

¹⁵"If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens and pays attention to you, you have won back your brother.

¹⁶But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two others, so that every word may be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

¹⁷If he pays no attention to them [refusing to listen and obey], tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile (unbeliever) and a tax collector.

¹⁸I assure you and most solemnly say to you, whatever you bind [forbid, declare to be improper and unlawful] on earth shall have [already] been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose [permit, declare lawful] on earth shall have [already] been loosed in heaven.

¹⁹"Again I say to you, that if two believers on earth agree [that is, are of one mind, in harmony] about anything that they ask [within the will of God], it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.

²⁰For where two or three are gathered in My name [meeting together as My followers], I am there among them."

²¹Then Peter came to Him and asked, "Lord, how many times will my brother sin against me and I forgive him and let it go? Up to seven times?"

²²Jesus answered him, "I say to you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven.

²³"Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.

²⁴When he began the accounting, one who owed him 10,000 talents was brought to him.

²⁵"But because he could not repay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and his children and everything that he possessed, and payment to be made.

²⁶So the slave fell on his knees and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.'

²⁷And his master's heart was moved with compassion and he released him and forgave him [canceling] the debt.

²⁸But that same slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began choking him, saying, 'Pay what you owe!'

²⁹So his fellow slave fell on his knees and begged him earnestly, 'Have patience with me and I will repay you.'

³⁰But he was unwilling and he went and had him thrown in prison until he paid back the debt.

³¹When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and they went and reported to their master [with clarity and in detail] everything that had taken place.

³²Then his master called him and said to him, 'You wicked and contemptible slave, I forgave all that [great] debt of yours because you begged me.

³³Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave [who owed you little by comparison], as I had mercy on you?'

³⁴And in wrath his master turned him over to the torturers (jailers) until he paid all that he owed.

³⁵My heavenly Father will also do the same to [every one of] you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart."

¹Now the LORD appeared to Abraham by the terebinth trees of Mamre [in Hebron], while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day.

²When he raised his eyes and looked up, behold, three men were standing [a little distance] from him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed down [with his face] to the ground,

³and Abraham said, "My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass by your servant [without stopping to visit].

⁴Please let a little water be brought [by one of my servants] and [you may] wash your feet, and recline and rest comfortably under the tree.

⁵And I will bring a piece of bread to refresh and sustain you; after that you may go on, since you have come to your servant." And they replied, "Do as you have said."

⁶So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Quickly, get ready three measures of fine meal, knead it and bake cakes."

⁷Abraham also ran to the herd and brought a calf, tender and choice, and he gave it to the servant [to butcher], and he hurried to prepare it.

⁸Then he took curds and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before the men; and he stood beside them under the tree while they ate.

⁹Then they said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" And he said, "There, in the tent."

¹⁰He said, "I will surely return to you at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son." And Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him.

¹¹Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in years; she was past [the age of] childbearing.

¹²So Sarah laughed to herself [when she heard the Lord's words], saying, "After I have become old, shall I have pleasure and delight, my lord (husband) being also old?"

¹³And the LORD asked Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh [to herself], saying, 'Shall I really give birth [to a child] when I am so old?'

¹⁴Is anything too difficult or too wonderful for the LORD? At the appointed time, when the season [for her delivery] comes, I will return to you and Sarah will have a son."

¹⁵Then Sarah denied it, saying, "I did not laugh"; because she was afraid. And He (the LORD) said, "No, but you did laugh."

¹⁶Then the men got up from there, and looked toward Sodom; and Abraham walked with them to send them on the way.

¹⁷The LORD said, "Shall I keep secret from Abraham [My friend and servant] what I am going to do,

¹⁸since Abraham is destined to become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him?

¹⁹For I have known (chosen, acknowledged) him [as My own], so that he may teach and command his children and [the sons of] his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is righteous and just, so that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has promised him."

²⁰And the LORD said, "The outcry [of the sin] of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave.

²¹I will go down now, and see whether they have acted [as vilely and wickedly] as the outcry which has come to Me [indicates]; and if not, I will know."

²²Now the [two] men (angelic beings) turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD.

²³Abraham approached [the LORD] and said, "Will You really sweep away the righteous (those who do right) with the wicked (those who do evil)?

²⁴Suppose there are fifty righteous [people] within the city; will You really sweep it away and not spare it for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it?

²⁵Far be it from You to do such a thing—to strike the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right [by executing just and righteous judgment]?"

²⁶So the LORD said, "If I find within the city of Sodom fifty righteous [people], then I will spare the entire place for their sake."

²⁷Abraham answered, "Now behold, I who am but dust [in origin] and ashes have decided to speak to the Lord.

²⁸If five of the fifty righteous are lacking, will You destroy the entire city for lack of five?" And He said, "If I find [at least] forty-five [righteous people] there, I will not destroy it."

²⁹Abraham spoke to Him yet again and said, "Suppose [only] forty are found there." And He said, "I will not do it for the sake of the forty [who are righteous]."

³⁰Then Abraham said [to Him], "Oh, may the Lord not be angry, and I will speak; suppose thirty [righteous people] are found there?" And He said, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."

³¹And he said, "Now behold, I have decided to speak to the Lord [again]. Suppose [only] twenty [righteous people] are found there?" And the Lord said, "I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty."

³²Then Abraham said, "Oh may the Lord not be angry [with me], and I will speak only this once; suppose ten [righteous people] are found there?" And He said, "I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten."

³³As soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham the LORD departed, and Abraham returned to his own place.

¹And when I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming to you the testimony of God [concerning salvation through Christ], I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom [no lofty words of eloquence or of philosophy as a Greek orator might do];

²for I made the decision to know nothing [that is, to forego philosophical or theological discussions regarding inconsequential things and opinions while] among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified [and the meaning of His redemptive, substitutionary death and His resurrection].

³I came to you in [a state of] weakness and fear and great trembling.

⁴And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom [using clever rhetoric], but [they were delivered] in demonstration of the [Holy] Spirit [operating through me] and of [His] power [stirring the minds of the listeners and persuading them],

⁵so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom and rhetoric of men, but on the power of God.

⁶Yet we do speak wisdom among those spiritually mature [believers who have teachable hearts and a greater understanding]; but [it is a higher] wisdom not [the wisdom] of this present age nor of the rulers and leaders of this age, who are passing away;

⁷but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom once hidden [from man, but now revealed to us by God, that wisdom] which God predestined before the ages to our glory [to lift us into the glory of His presence].

⁸None of the rulers of this age recognized and understood this wisdom; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;

⁹but just as it is written [in Scripture], "Things which the eye has not seen and the ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him [who hold Him in affectionate reverence, who obey Him, and who gratefully recognize the benefits that He has bestowed]."

¹⁰For God has unveiled them and revealed them to us through the [Holy] Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things [diligently], even [sounding and measuring] the [profound] depths of God [the divine counsels and things far beyond human understanding].

¹¹For what person knows the thoughts and motives of a man except the man's spirit within him? So also no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

¹²Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the [Holy] Spirit who is from God, so that we may know and understand the [wonderful] things freely given to us by God.

¹³We also speak of these things, not in words taught or supplied by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual thoughts with spiritual words [for those being guided by the Holy Spirit].

¹⁴But the natural [unbelieving] man does not accept the things [the teachings and revelations] of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness [absurd and illogical] to him; and he is incapable of understanding them, because they are spiritually discerned and appreciated, [and he is unqualified to judge spiritual matters].

¹⁵But the spiritual man [the spiritually mature Christian] judges all things [questions, examines and applies what the Holy Spirit reveals], yet is himself judged by no one [the unbeliever cannot judge and understand the believer's spiritual nature].

¹⁶For who has known the mind and purposes of the Lord, so as to instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ [to be guided by His thoughts and purposes].

¹I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom:

²preach the word [as an official messenger]; be ready when the time is right and even when it is not [keep your sense of urgency, whether the opportunity seems favorable or unfavorable, whether convenient or inconvenient, whether welcome or unwelcome]; correct [those who err in doctrine or behavior], warn [those who sin], exhort and encourage [those who are growing toward spiritual maturity], with inexhaustible patience and [faithful] teaching.

³For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine and accurate instruction [that challenges them with God's truth]; but wanting to have their ears tickled [with something pleasing], they will accumulate for themselves [many] teachers [one after another, chosen] to satisfy their own desires and to support the errors they hold,

⁴and will turn their ears away from the truth and will wander off into myths and man-made fictions [and will accept the unacceptable].

⁵But as for you, be clear-headed in every situation [stay calm and cool and steady], endure every hardship [without flinching], do the work of an evangelist, fulfill [the duties of] your ministry.

⁶For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure [from this world] is at hand and I will soon go free.

⁷I have fought the good and worthy and noble fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith [firmly guarding the gospel against error].

⁸In the future there is reserved for me the [victor's] crown of righteousness [for being right with God and doing right], which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that [great] day—and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved and longed for and welcomed His appearing.

⁹Make every effort to come to me soon;

¹⁰for Demas, having loved [the pleasures of] this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.

¹¹Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very helpful to me for the ministry.

¹²But Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus.

¹³When you come bring the coat that I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments.

¹⁴Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; [but that is no concern of mine, for] the Lord will repay him according to his actions.

¹⁵Be on guard against him yourself, because he vigorously opposed our message.

¹⁶At my first trial no one supported me [as an advocate] or stood with me, but they all deserted me. May it not be counted against them [by God].

¹⁷But the Lord stood by me and strengthened and empowered me, so that through me the [gospel] message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear it; and I was rescued from the mouth of the lion.

¹⁸The Lord will rescue me from every evil assault, and He will bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

¹⁹Give my greetings to Prisca and Aquila, and to the household of Onesiphorus.

²⁰Erastus stayed on at Corinth, but I left Trophimus sick at Miletus.

²¹Try your best to come [to me] before winter. Eubulus wishes to be remembered to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers and sisters.

²²The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.

¹Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said,

²"How long will you hunt for words and continue these speeches? Do some clear thinking and show understanding and then we can talk.

³"Why are we regarded as beasts, As if [we are] stupid (senseless) in your eyes?

⁴"You who tear yourself apart in anger, Is the earth to be abandoned for your sake, Or the rock to be moved out of its place?

⁵"Indeed, the light of the wicked will be put out, And the flame of his fire will not shine.

⁶"The light will be dark in his tent, And his lamp beside him will be put out.

⁷"The vigorous stride will be shortened, And his own counsel and the scheme [in which he trusted] will bring his downfall.

⁸"For the wicked is thrown into a net by his own feet (wickedness), And he steps on the webbing [of the lattice-covered pit].

⁹"A snare catches him by the heel, And a trap snaps shut on him.

¹⁰"A noose is hidden for him on the ground, And a trap for him on the path.

¹¹"Terrors frighten him on every side And chase at his heels.

¹²"The strength [of the wicked] is famished and weakened, And disaster is ready at his side [if he stops].

¹³"His skin is devoured by disease; The firstborn of death [the worst of diseases] consumes his limbs.

¹⁴"He is torn from his tent which he trusted [for safety], And he is marched and brought to the king of terrors (death).

¹⁵"Nothing of his dwells in his tent; Brimstone (burning sulfur) is scattered over his dwelling [to purify it].

¹⁶"The roots [of the wicked] are dried up below, And above, his branch is cut off and withers.

¹⁷"Memory of him perishes from the earth, And he has no name on the street.

¹⁸"He is driven and propelled from light into darkness, And chased from the inhabited world.

¹⁹"He has no offspring or prosperity among his people, Nor any survivor where he sojourned.

²⁰"Those in the west are astonished and appalled at his fate, And those in the east are seized with horror.

²¹"Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked and the ungodly, And such is the place of him who does not know or recognize or honor God."

¹To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD, who spoke the words of this song to the LORD on the day when the LORD rescued him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said: "I love You [fervently and devotedly], O LORD, my strength."

²The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and the One who rescues me; My God, my rock and strength in whom I trust and take refuge; My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower—my stronghold.

³I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; And I am saved from my enemies.

⁴The cords of death surrounded me, And the streams of ungodliness and torrents of destruction terrified me.

⁵The cords of Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead) surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me.

⁶In my distress [when I seemed surrounded] I called upon the LORD And cried to my God for help; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry for help came before Him, into His very ears.

⁷Then the earth shook and quaked, The foundations of the mountains trembled; They were shaken because He was indignant and angry.

⁸Smoke went up from His nostrils, And fire from His mouth devoured; Coals were kindled by it.

⁹He bowed the heavens also and came down; And thick darkness was under His feet.

¹⁰And He rode upon a cherub (storm) and flew; And He sped on the wings of the wind.

¹¹He made darkness His hiding place (covering); His pavilion (canopy) around Him, The darkness of the waters, the thick clouds of the skies.

¹²Out of the brightness before Him passed His thick clouds, Hailstones and coals of fire.

¹³The LORD also thundered in the heavens, And the Most High uttered His voice, Hailstones and coals of fire.

¹⁴He sent out His arrows and scattered them; And He sent an abundance of lightning flashes and confused and routed them [in defeat].

¹⁵Then the stream beds of the waters appeared, And the foundations of the world were laid bare At Your rebuke, O LORD, At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.

¹⁶He reached from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters.

¹⁷He rescued me from my strong enemy, And from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me.

¹⁸They confronted me in the day of my disaster, But the LORD was my support.

¹⁹He brought me out into a broad place; He rescued me because He was pleased with me and delighted in me.

²⁰The LORD dealt with me according to my righteousness (moral character, spiritual integrity); According to the cleanness of my hands He has rewarded me.

²¹For I have kept the ways of the LORD, And have not wickedly departed from my God.

²²For all His ordinances were before me, And I did not put away His statutes from me.

²³I was blameless before Him, And I kept myself free from my sin.

²⁴Therefore the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness (moral character, spiritual integrity), According to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.

²⁵With the kind (merciful, faithful, loyal) You show Yourself kind, With the blameless You show Yourself blameless,

²⁶With the pure You show Yourself pure, And with the crooked You show Yourself astute.

²⁷For You save an afflicted and humble people, But bring down those [arrogant fools] with haughty eyes.

²⁸For You cause my lamp to be lighted and to shine; The LORD my God illumines my darkness.

²⁹For by You I can crush a troop, And by my God I can leap over a wall.

³⁰As for God, His way is blameless. The word of the LORD is tested [it is perfect, it is faultless]; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

³¹For who is God, but the LORD? Or who is a rock, except our God,

³²The God who encircles me with strength And makes my way blameless?

³³He makes my feet like hinds' feet [able to stand firmly and tread safely on paths of testing and trouble]; He sets me [securely] upon my high places.

³⁴He trains my hands for war, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

³⁵You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, And Your right hand upholds and sustains me; Your gentleness [Your gracious response when I pray] makes me great.

³⁶You enlarge the path beneath me and make my steps secure, So that my feet will not slip.

³⁷I pursued my enemies and overtook them; And I did not turn back until they were consumed.

³⁸I shattered them so that they were not able to rise; They fell [wounded] under my feet.

³⁹For You have encircled me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.

⁴⁰You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me [in defeat], And I silenced and destroyed those who hated me.

⁴¹They cried for help, but there was no one to save them— Even to the LORD [they cried], but He did not answer them.

⁴²Then I beat them fine as the dust before the wind; I emptied them out as the dirt of the streets.

⁴³You have rescued me from the contentions of the people; You have placed me as the head of the nations; A people whom I have not known serve me.

⁴⁴As soon as they hear me, they respond and obey me; Foreigners feign obedience to me.

⁴⁵Foreigners lose heart, And come trembling out of their strongholds.

⁴⁶The LORD lives, blessed be my rock; And may the God of my salvation be exalted,

⁴⁷The God who avenges me, And subdues peoples (nations) under me.

⁴⁸He rescues me from my enemies; Yes, You lift me up above those who rise up against me; You deliver me from the man of violence.

⁴⁹Therefore will I give thanks and praise You, O LORD, among the nations, And sing praises to Your name.

⁵⁰He gives great triumphs to His king, And shows steadfast love and mercy to His anointed, To David and his descendants forever.

¹He who [willfully] separates himself [from God and man] seeks his own desire, He quarrels against all sound wisdom.

²A [closed-minded] fool does not delight in understanding, But only in revealing his personal opinions [unwittingly displaying his self-indulgence and his stupidity].

³When the wicked man comes [to the depth of evil], contempt [of all that is pure and good] also comes, And with inner baseness (dishonor) comes outer shame (scorn).

⁴The words of a man's mouth are like deep waters [copious and difficult to fathom]; The fountain of [mature, godly] wisdom is like a bubbling stream [sparkling, fresh, pure, and life-giving].

⁵To show respect to the wicked person is not good, Nor to push aside and deprive the righteous of justice.

⁶A fool's lips bring contention and strife, And his mouth invites a beating.

⁷A fool's mouth is his ruin, And his lips are the snare of his soul.

⁸The words of a whisperer (gossip) are like dainty morsels [to be greedily eaten]; They go down into the innermost chambers of the body [to be remembered and mused upon].

⁹He who is careless in his work Is a brother to him who destroys.

¹⁰The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous runs to it and is safe and set on high [far above evil].

¹¹The rich man's wealth is his strong city, And like a high wall [of protection] in his own imagination and conceit.

¹²Before disaster the heart of a man is haughty and filled with self-importance, But humility comes before honor.

¹³He who answers before he hears [the facts]— It is folly and shame to him.

¹⁴The spirit of a man sustains him in sickness, But as for a broken spirit, who can bear it?

¹⁵The mind of the prudent [always] acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise [always] seeks knowledge.

¹⁶A man's gift [given in love or courtesy] makes room for him And brings him before great men.

¹⁷The first one to plead his case seems right, Until another comes and cross-examines him.

¹⁸To cast lots puts an end to quarrels And decides between powerful contenders.

¹⁹A brother offended is harder to win over than a fortified city, And contentions [separating families] are like the bars of a castle.

²⁰A man's stomach will be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; He will be satisfied with the consequence of his words.

²¹Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.

²²He who finds a [ true and faithful] wife finds a good thing And obtains favor and approval from the LORD.

²³The poor man pleads, But the rich man answers roughly.

²⁴The man of too many friends [chosen indiscriminately] will be broken in pieces and come to ruin, But there is a [true, loving] friend who [is reliable and] sticks closer than a brother.

¹Then the whole congregation of the Israelites assembled at Shiloh [in the tribal territory of Ephraim], and set up the Tent of Meeting there; and the land was subdued before them.

²There remained among the Israelites seven tribes who had not yet divided their inheritance.

³So Joshua asked them, "How long will you put off entering to take possession of the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you?

⁴Provide for yourselves three men from each tribe so that I may send them, and that they may go through the land and write a description of it with regard to their [tribal] inheritance; then they shall return to me.

⁵They shall divide it into seven parts; [the tribe of] Judah shall remain in its territory on the south, and the house of Joseph shall remain in its territory on the north.

⁶You shall describe the land in seven divisions, and bring the description here to me. I will cast lots for you here before the LORD our God.

⁷But the Levites have no portion among you, because the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance. Gad and Reuben and half the tribe of Manasseh also have received their inheritance eastward beyond the Jordan, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them."

⁸So the men arose and went [on their way], and Joshua commanded those who went to describe the land, saying, "Go and walk throughout the land and describe it, and return to me; and I will cast lots for you here before the LORD in Shiloh."

⁹So the men set out and passed through the land, and described it by cities in seven divisions in a book; and they came back to Joshua to the camp at Shiloh.

¹⁰Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD, and there Joshua divided the land to the sons of Israel, [to each tribe] according to their portions.

¹¹Now the lot (allotment) of the tribe of the sons of Benjamin came up according to their families, and the territory of their lot fell between [the tribes of] the sons of Judah and the sons of Joseph.

¹²On the north side their border began at the Jordan, then it went up the slope of Jericho on the north, and up through the hill country westward, and it ended at the Beth-aven wilderness.

¹³Then the border continued southward toward Luz, to the slope of Luz (that is, Bethel); then the border went down to Ataroth-addar, by the hill that lies south of lower Beth-horon.

¹⁴The border changed course [from there] and turned around on the western side southward, from the hill that lies to the south opposite Beth-horon; it ended at Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), a city of [the tribe of] the sons of Judah. This formed the western side [of Benjamin's territory].

¹⁵The southern side was from the edge of Kiriath-jearim, and the border went on westward and went to the source of the waters of Nephtoah.

¹⁶Then the border went down to the edge of the hill overlooking the Valley of Ben-hinnom (son of Hinnom), which is at the north end of the Valley of Rephaim; and it descended to the Valley of Hinnom, south to the slope of the Jebusite, and went on down to En-rogel.

¹⁷Then it turned toward the north and went on to En-shemesh and on to Geliloth, which is opposite the ascent of Adummim, and it went down to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben.

¹⁸It continued to the north to the side opposite [Beth-] Arabah and went down to the Arabah.

¹⁹The border continued along to the north of the slope of Beth-hoglah; and the border ended at the northern bay of the Salt (Dead) Sea, at the south end of the Jordan. This was the southern border.

²⁰And the Jordan River was its border on the east side. This was the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin, according to their families and according to its borders all around.

²¹Now the cities of the tribe of the sons of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho and Beth-hoglah and Emek-keziz,

²²and Beth-arabah and Zemaraim and Bethel,

²³and Avvim and Parah and Ophrah,

²⁴and Chephar-ammoni and Ophni and Geba; twelve cities with their villages;

²⁵Gibeon and Ramah and Beeroth,

²⁶and Mizpeh and Chephirah and Mozah,

²⁷and Rekem and Irpeel and Taralah,

²⁸and Zelah, Haeleph and the Jebusite (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah, Kiriath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of [the tribe of] the sons of Benjamin according to their families (clans).

¹Woe (judgment is coming) to the land of whirring wings Which is beyond the rivers of Cush (Ethiopia),

²Which sends ambassadors by the sea, Even in vessels of papyrus on the surface of the waters. Go, swift messengers, to a nation [of people] tall and smooth (clean shaven), To a people feared far and wide, A powerful and oppressive nation Whose land the rivers divide.

³All you inhabitants of the world, you who dwell on the earth, When a banner is raised on the mountains, you will see it! When a trumpet is blown, you will hear it!

⁴For this is what the LORD has said to me, "I will be quiet and I will look on from My dwelling place, Like shimmering heat above the sunshine, Like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest."

⁵For before the harvest, when the blossom is over And the flower becomes a ripening grape, He will cut off the sprigs [without buds] with pruning knives, And [He will] remove and cut away the spreading branches.

⁶They (warriors) will be left together for the mountain birds of prey, And for the beasts of the earth; And the birds of prey will [spend the] summer feeding on them, And all the beasts of the earth will spend harvest time on them.

⁷At that time a gift of homage will be brought to the LORD of hosts From a people tall and smooth (clean shaven), From a people feared far and wide, A powerful and oppressive nation, Whose land the rivers divide— To the place [of worship] of the name of the LORD of hosts, to Mount Zion [in Jerusalem].

¹After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

²There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife, Priscilla, because [the Roman Emperor] Claudius had issued an edict that all the Jews were to leave Rome. Paul went to see them,

³and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them; and they worked together for they were tent-makers.

⁴And he reasoned and debated in the synagogue every Sabbath, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks;

⁵but when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia (northern Greece), Paul began devoting himself completely to [preaching] the word, and solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).

⁶But since the Jews kept resisting and opposing him, and blaspheming [God], he shook out his robe and said to them, "Your blood (damnation) be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles."

⁷Then he moved on from there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, who worshiped God and whose house was next door to the synagogue.

⁸Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord together with his entire household [joyfully acknowledging Him as Messiah and Savior]; and many of the Corinthians who heard [Paul's message] were believing and being baptized.

⁹One night the Lord said to Paul in a vision, "Do not be afraid anymore, but go on speaking and do not be silent;

¹⁰for I am with you, and no one will attack you in order to hurt you, because I have many people in this city."

¹¹So he settled there for a year and six months, teaching them the word of God [concerning eternal salvation through faith in Christ].

¹²But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia (southern Greece), the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the judgment seat,

¹³declaring, "This man is persuading people to worship God in violation of the law [of Moses]."

¹⁴But when Paul was about to reply, Gallio said to the Jews, "If it were a matter of some misdemeanor or serious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to put up with you;

¹⁵but since it is merely a question [of doctrine within your religion] about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves; I am unwilling to judge these matters."

¹⁶And he drove them away from the judgment seat.

¹⁷Then the Greeks all seized Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and began beating him right in front of the judgment seat; but Gallio paid no attention to any of this.

¹⁸Paul stayed for a while longer, and then told the brothers and sisters goodbye and sailed for Syria; and he was accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchrea [the southeastern port of Corinth] he had his hair cut, because he was keeping a [Nazirite] vow [of abstention].

¹⁹Then they arrived in Ephesus, and he left the others there; but he entered the synagogue and reasoned and debated with the Jews.

²⁰When they asked him to stay for a longer time, he refused;

²¹but after telling them goodbye and saying, "I will return again if God is willing," he set sail from Ephesus.

²²When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church [at Jerusalem], and then went down to Antioch.

²³After spending some time there, he left and traveled through the territory of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening and encouraging all the disciples.

²⁴Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent and cultured man, and well versed in the [Hebrew] Scriptures.

²⁵This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and being spiritually impassioned, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things about Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John;

²⁶and he began to speak boldly and fearlessly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained more accurately to him the way of God [and the full story of the life of Christ].

²⁷And when Apollos wanted to go across to Achaia (southern Greece), the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples, [urging them] to welcome him gladly. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who, through grace, had believed and had followed Jesus as Lord and Savior,

²⁸for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public discussions, proving by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).