Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, He left Galilee and went into the part of Judea that is beyond the Jordan;

²and large crowds followed Him, and He healed them there.

³And Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him and asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?"

⁴He replied, "Have you never read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female,

⁵and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined inseparably to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'?

⁶So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate."

⁷The Pharisees said to Him, "Why then did Moses command us to give her a certificate of divorce and send her away?"

⁸He said to them, "Because your hearts were hard and stubborn Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way.

⁹I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."

¹⁰The disciples said to Jesus, "If the relationship of a man with his wife is like this, it is better not to marry."

¹¹But He said to them, "Not all men can accept this statement, but only those to whom [the capacity to receive] it has been given.

¹²For there are eunuchs who have been born that way from their mother's womb [making them incapable of consummating a marriage]; and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men [for royal service]; and there are eunuchs who have made themselves so for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to accept this, let him accept it."

¹³Then children were brought to Jesus so that He might place His hands on them [for a blessing] and pray; but the disciples reprimanded them.

¹⁴But He said, "Leave the children alone, and do not forbid them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

¹⁵After placing His hands on them [for a blessing], He went on from there.

¹⁶And someone came to Him and said, "Teacher, what [essentially] good thing shall I do to obtain eternal life [that is, eternal salvation in the Messiah's kingdom]?"

¹⁷Jesus answered, "Why are you asking Me about what is [essentially] good? There is only One who is [essentially] good; but if you wish to enter into eternal life, keep the commandments."

¹⁸He said to Jesus, "Which commandments?" And Jesus answered, "You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not give false testimony;

¹⁹Honor your father and mother; and love your neighbor as yourself" [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others].

²⁰The young man said to Him, "I have kept all these things [from my youth]; what do I still lack?"

²¹Jesus answered him, "If you wish to be perfect [that is, have the spiritual maturity that accompanies godly character with no moral or ethical deficiencies], go and sell what you have and give [the money] to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me [becoming My disciple, believing and trusting in Me and walking the same path of life that I walk]."

²²But when the young man heard this, he left grieving and distressed, for he owned much property and had many possessions [which he treasured more than his relationship with God].

²³Jesus said to His disciples, "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, it is difficult for a rich man [who clings to possessions and status as security] to enter the kingdom of heaven.

²⁴Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man [who places his faith in wealth and status] to enter the kingdom of God."

²⁵When the disciples heard this, they were completely astonished and bewildered, saying, "Then who can be saved [from the wrath of God]?"

²⁶But Jesus looked at them and said, "With people [as far as it depends on them] it is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

²⁷Then Peter answered Him, saying, "Look, we have given up everything and followed You [becoming Your disciples and accepting You as Teacher and Lord]; what then will there be for us?"

²⁸Jesus said to them, "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, in the renewal [that is, the Messianic restoration and regeneration of all things] when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you [who have followed Me, becoming My disciples] will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

²⁹And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name's sake will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life.

³⁰But many who are first [in this world] will be last [in the world to come]; and the last, first.

¹These are the records of the generations (descendants) of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah; and the sons born to them after the flood:

²the sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras;

³the sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah;

⁴the sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.

⁵From these, [the people of] the coastlands of the nations were separated and spread into their lands, every one according to his own language, according to their constituent groups (families), and into their nations:

⁶the sons of Ham: Cush, Mizraim [from whom descended the Egyptians], Put, and Canaan;

⁷the sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca; and the sons of Raamah; Sheba and Dedan.

⁸Cush became the father of Nimrod; he became a mighty one on the earth.

⁹He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, "Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD."

¹⁰The beginning of his kingdom was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar [in Babylonia].

¹¹From that land Nimrod went to Assyria, and built Nineveh, and Rehoboth-Ir, and Calah,

¹²and [Nimrod built] Resen, which is between Nineveh and Calah; all these [combined to form] the great city [Nineveh].

¹³Mizraim [the ancestor of the Egyptians] became the father of Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim

¹⁴and Pathrusim and Casluhim—from whom came the Philistines—and Caphtorim.

¹⁵Canaan became the father of Sidon, his firstborn, and Heth

¹⁶and the Jebusite and the Amorite and the Girgashite

¹⁷and the Hivite and the Arkite and the Sinite

¹⁸and the Arvadite and the Zemarite and the Hamathite. Afterward the families of the Canaanite were spread abroad.

¹⁹The territory of the Canaanite extended from Sidon as one goes to Gerar, as far as Gaza; and as one goes to Sodom and Gomorrah and Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.

²⁰These are the descendants of Ham according to their constituent groups, according to their languages, by their lands, and by their nations.

²¹Also to Shem, the father of all the children of Eber [including the Hebrews], the older brother of Japheth, children were born.

²²The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud and Aram;

²³the sons of Aram [ancestor of the Syrians]: Uz, Hul, Gether and Mash.

²⁴Arpachshad became the father of Shelah; and Shelah became the father of Eber.

²⁵Two sons were born to Eber; the name of one was Peleg (division), for [the inhabitants of] the earth were divided in his days; and his brother's name was Joktan.

²⁶Joktan became the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah,

²⁷and Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah,

²⁸and Obal, Abimael, Sheba,

²⁹and Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan.

³⁰Now their territory extended from Mesha as one goes toward Sephar, to the hill country of the east.

³¹These are Shem's descendants according to their constituent groups (families), according to their languages, by their lands, according to their nations.

³²These are the families of the sons of Noah, according to their descendants, by their nations; and from these [people] the nations were separated and spread abroad on the earth after the flood.

¹Now it is unnecessary for me to write to you about the offering [that is to be made] for the saints [in Jerusalem];

²for I know your eagerness [to promote this cause], and I have [proudly] boasted to the people of Macedonia about it, telling them that Achaia has been prepared since last year [for this contribution], and your enthusiasm has inspired the majority of them [to respond].

³Still, I am sending the brothers [on to you], so that our pride in you may not be an empty boast in this case, and so that you may be prepared, just as I told them you would be;

⁴otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—to say nothing of yourselves—will be humiliated for being so confident.

⁵That is why I thought it necessary to urge these brothers to go to you [before I come] and make arrangements in advance for this generous, previously promised gift of yours, so that it would be ready, not as something extorted [or wrung out of you], but as a [voluntary and] generous gift.

⁶Now [remember] this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows generously [that blessings may come to others] will also reap generously [and be blessed].

⁷Let each one give [thoughtfully and with purpose] just as he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver [and delights in the one whose heart is in his gift].

⁸And God is able to make all grace [every favor and earthly blessing] come in abundance to you, so that you may always [under all circumstances, regardless of the need] have complete sufficiency in everything [being completely self-sufficient in Him], and have an abundance for every good work and act of charity.

⁹As it is written and forever remains written, "He [the benevolent and generous person] scattered abroad, he gave to the poor, His righteousness endures forever!"

¹⁰Now He who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed for sowing [that is, your resources] and increase the harvest of your righteousness [which shows itself in active goodness, kindness, and love].

¹¹You will be enriched in every way so that you may be generous, and this [generosity, administered] through us is producing thanksgiving to God [from those who benefit].

¹²For the ministry of this service (offering) is not only supplying the needs of the saints (God's people), but is also overflowing through many expressions of thanksgiving to God.

¹³Because of this act of ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to the gospel of Christ which you confess, as well as for your generous participation [in this gift] for them and for all [the other believers in need],

¹⁴and they also long for you while they pray on your behalf, because of the surpassing measure of God's grace [His undeserved favor, mercy, and blessing which is revealed] in you.

¹⁵Now thanks be to God for His indescribable gift [which is precious beyond words]!

¹Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

²"Shall a multitude of words not be answered? And should a talkative man [making such a long-winded defense] be acquitted?

³"Should your boasts and babble silence men? And shall you scoff and no one put you to shame?

⁴"For you have said, 'My teaching (doctrine) [that God knowingly afflicts the righteous] is pure, And I am innocent in your eyes.'

⁵"But oh, that God would speak, And open His lips [to speak] against you,

⁶And [that He would] show you the secrets of wisdom! For sound wisdom has two sides. Know therefore that God forgets a part of your wickedness and guilt.

⁷"Can you discover the depths of God? Can you [by searching] discover the limits of the Almighty [ascend to His heights, extend to His widths, and comprehend His infinite perfection]?

⁸"His wisdom is as high as the heights of heaven. What can you do? It is deeper than Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead). What can you know?

⁹"It is longer in measure [and scope] than the earth, And broader than the sea.

¹⁰"If God passes by or arrests, Or calls an assembly [of judgment], who can restrain Him? [If He is against a man, who can call Him to account for it?]

¹¹"For He recognizes and knows false and worthless men, And He sees wickedness, will He not consider it?

¹²"But a hollow (empty-headed) man will become intelligent and wise [Only] when the colt of a wild donkey is born as a man.

¹³"If you direct your heart [on the right path] And stretch out your hands to Him,

¹⁴If sin is in your hand, put it far away [from you], And do not let wrongdoing dwell in your tents;

¹⁵Then, indeed, you could lift up your face [to Him] without moral defect, And you would be firmly established and secure and not fear.

¹⁶"For you would forget your trouble; You would remember it as waters that have passed by.

¹⁷"And your life would be brighter than the noonday; Darkness [then] would be like the morning.

¹⁸"Then you would trust [with confidence], because there is hope; You would look around you and rest securely.

¹⁹"You would lie down with no one to frighten you, And many would entreat and seek your favor.

²⁰"But the eyes of the wicked will fail, And they will not escape [the justice of God]; And their hope is to breathe their last [and die]."

¹To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. O clap your hands, all you people; Shout to God with the voice of triumph and songs of joy.

²For the LORD Most High is to be feared [and worshiped with awe-inspired reverence and obedience]; He is a great King over all the earth.

³He subdues peoples under us And nations under our feet.

⁴He chooses our inheritance for us, The glory and excellence of Jacob whom He loves. Selah.

⁵God has ascended amid shouting, The LORD with the sound of a trumpet.

⁶Sing praises to God, sing praises; Sing praises to our King, sing praises.

⁷For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises in a skillful psalm and with understanding.

⁸God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne.

⁹The princes of the people have gathered together as the people of the God of Abraham, For the shields of the earth belong to God; He is highly exalted.

¹A false balance and dishonest business practices are extremely offensive to the LORD, But an accurate scale is His delight.

²When pride comes [boiling up with an arrogant attitude of self-importance], then come dishonor and shame, But with the humble [the teachable who have been chiseled by trial and who have learned to walk humbly with God] there is wisdom and soundness of mind.

³The integrity and moral courage of the upright will guide them, But the crookedness of the treacherous will destroy them.

⁴Riches will not provide security in the day of wrath and judgment, But righteousness rescues from death.

⁵The righteousness of the blameless will smooth their way and keep it straight, But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.

⁶The righteousness of the upright will rescue them, But the treacherous will be caught by their own greed.

⁷When the wicked man dies, his expectation will perish; And the hope of [godless] strong men perishes.

⁸The righteous is rescued from trouble, And the wicked takes his place.

⁹With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge and discernment the righteous will be rescued.

¹⁰When it goes well for the righteous, the city rejoices, And when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.

¹¹By the blessing [of the influence] of the upright the city is exalted, But by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.

¹²He who despises his neighbor lacks sense, But a man of understanding keeps silent.

¹³He who goes about as a gossip reveals secrets, But he who is trustworthy and faithful keeps a matter hidden.

¹⁴Where there is no [wise, intelligent] guidance, the people fall [and go off course like a ship without a helm], But in the abundance of [wise and godly] counselors there is victory.

¹⁵He who puts up security and guarantees a debt for an outsider will surely suffer [for his foolishness], But he who hates (declines) being a guarantor is secure [from its penalties].

¹⁶A gracious and good woman attains honor, And ruthless men attain riches [but not respect].

¹⁷The merciful and generous man benefits his soul [for his behavior returns to bless him], But the cruel and callous man does himself harm.

¹⁸The wicked man earns deceptive wages, But he who sows righteousness and lives his life with integrity will have a true reward [that is both permanent and satisfying].

¹⁹He who is steadfast in righteousness attains life, But he who pursues evil attains his own death.

²⁰The perverse in heart are repulsive and shamefully vile to the LORD, But those who are blameless and above reproach in their walk are His delight!

²¹Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished, But the descendants of the righteous will be freed.

²²As a ring of gold in a swine's snout, So is a beautiful woman who is without discretion [her lack of character mocks her beauty].

²³The desire of the righteous brings only good, But the expectation of the wicked brings wrath.

²⁴There is the one who [generously] scatters [abroad], and yet increases all the more; And there is the one who withholds what is justly due, but it results only in want and poverty.

²⁵The generous man [is a source of blessing and] shall be prosperous and enriched, And he who waters will himself be watered [reaping the generosity he has sown].

²⁶The people curse him who holds back grain [when the public needs it], But a blessing [from God and man] is upon the head of him who sells it.

²⁷He who diligently seeks good seeks favor and grace, But he who seeks evil, evil will come to him.

²⁸He who leans on and trusts in and is confident in his riches will fall, But the righteous [who trust in God's provision] will flourish like a green leaf.

²⁹He who troubles (mismanages) his own house will inherit the wind (nothing), And the foolish will be a servant to the wise-hearted.

³⁰The fruit of the [consistently] righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise captures and wins souls [for God—he gathers them for eternity].

³¹If the righteous will be rewarded on the earth [with godly blessings], How much more [will] the wicked and the sinner [be repaid with punishment]!

¹Jehoshaphat his son then became king [of Judah] in Asa's place, and strengthened his position over Israel.

²He placed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim which his father Asa had captured.

³The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the example of his father (ancestor) David. He did not seek [to follow] the Baals [the false gods],

⁴but sought the God of his father, and walked in (obeyed) His commandments, and did not act as Israel did.

⁵Therefore the LORD established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great wealth and honor.

⁶His heart was encouraged and he took great pride in the ways of the LORD; moreover, he again removed the high places [of pagan worship] and the Asherim from Judah.

⁷Then in the third year of his reign he sent his officials, Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah;

⁸and with them were the Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah; and with them the priests Elishama and Jehoram.

⁹They taught in Judah having the Book of the Law of the LORD with them; they went throughout all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.

¹⁰Now the dread of the LORD was on all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat.

¹¹Some of the Philistines brought gifts and silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat; the Arabians also brought him flocks: 7,700 rams and 7,700 male goats.

¹²So Jehoshaphat became greater and greater. He built fortresses and storage cities in Judah.

¹³He had large supplies in the cities of Judah, and soldiers, courageous men, in Jerusalem.

¹⁴This was the number of them by their fathers' (ancestors') households: of Judah, the commanders of thousands, Adnah the commander, and with him 300,000 courageous men;

¹⁵and next to him was Jehohanan the commander, and with him 280,000;

¹⁶and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, who volunteered for the LORD, and with him 200,000 courageous men;

¹⁷and of Benjamin: Eliada, a brave man, and with him 200,000 men armed with bow and shield;

¹⁸and next to him was Jehozabad, and with him 180,000 armed and ready for military service.

¹⁹These are the ones who were in the service of the king, besides those he had placed in fortified cities throughout Judah.

¹O Israel, return [in repentance] to the LORD your God, For you have stumbled and fallen [visited by tragedy], because of your sin.

²Take the words [confessing your guilt] with you and return to the LORD. Say to Him, "Take away all our wickedness; Accept what is good and receive us graciously, So that we may present the fruit of our lips (gratitude).

³"Assyria will not save us; We will not ride on horses [relying on military might], Nor will we say again to [the idols who are] the work of our hands, 'You are our gods.' For in You [O LORD] the orphan finds love and compassion and mercy."

⁴I will heal their apostasy and faithlessness; I will love them freely, For My anger has turned away from Israel.

⁵I shall be like the dew to Israel; He will blossom like the lily, And he will take root like the cedars of Lebanon.

⁶His shoots will sprout, And his beauty will be like the olive tree And his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon.

⁷Those who live in his shadow Will again raise grain, And they will blossom like the vine. His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.

⁸O Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols? It is I who have answered and will care for you and watch over you. I am like a luxuriant cypress tree; With Me your fruit is found [which is to nourish you].

⁹Whoever is [spiritually] wise, let him understand these things; Whoever is [spiritually] discerning and understanding, let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right, And the righteous will walk in them, But transgressors will stumble and fall in them.

¹The first account I made, Theophilus, was [a continuous report] about all the things that Jesus began to do and to teach

²until the day when He ascended to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given instruction to the apostles (special messengers) whom He had chosen.

³To these [men] He also showed Himself alive after His suffering [in Gethsemane and on the cross], by [a series of] many infallible proofs and unquestionable demonstrations, appearing to them over a period of forty days and talking to them about the things concerning the kingdom of God.

⁴While being together and eating with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, "Of which," He said, "you have heard Me speak.

⁵For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized and empowered and united with the Holy Spirit, not long from now."

⁶So when they had come together, they asked Him repeatedly, "Lord, are You at this time reestablishing the kingdom and restoring it to Israel?"

⁷He said to them, "It is not for you to know the times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority.

⁸But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth."

⁹And after He said these things, He was caught up as they looked on, and a cloud took Him up out of their sight.

¹⁰While they were looking intently into the sky as He was going, two men in white clothing suddenly stood beside them,

¹¹who said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This [same] Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will return in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."

¹²Then the disciples returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet (Olive Grove), which is near Jerusalem, [only] a Sabbath day's journey (less than one mile) away.

¹³When they had entered the city, they went upstairs to the upper room where they were staying [indefinitely]; that is, Peter, and John and [his brother] James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew (Nathanael) and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas (Thaddaeus) the son of James.

¹⁴All these with one mind and one purpose were continually devoting themselves to prayer, [waiting together] along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

¹⁵Now on one of these days Peter stood up among the brothers and sisters (a gathering of about a hundred and twenty believers was there) and he said,

¹⁶"Brothers and sisters, it was necessary that the Scripture be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the lips of David [king of Israel] about Judas [Iscariot], who acted as guide to those who arrested Jesus.

¹⁷For he (Judas) was counted among us and received his share [by divine allotment] in this ministry."

¹⁸(Now Judas Iscariot acquired a piece of land [indirectly] with the [money paid him as a] reward for his treachery, and falling headlong, his body burst open in the middle and all his intestines poured out.

¹⁹All the people in Jerusalem learned about this, so in their own dialect—Aramaic—they called the piece of land Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

²⁰"For in the book of Psalms it is written, 'Let his place of residence become desolate, And let there be no one to live in it'; and [again], 'Let another take his position as overseer.'

²¹So of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus spent with us,

²²beginning with the baptism by John [at the outset of Jesus' ministry] until the day when He was taken up from us—one of these men must become a witness with us [to testify] of His resurrection."

²³And they put forward two men, Joseph, the one called Barsabbas (who was surnamed Justus), and Matthias.

²⁴They prayed and said, "You, Lord, who know all hearts [their thoughts, motives, desires], show us which one of these two You have chosen

²⁵to occupy this ministry and apostleship which Judas left to go to his own place [of evil]."

²⁶And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.