Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples:

²“The scribes and the Pharisees are seated in the chair of Moses.

³Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don’t do what they do, because they don’t practice what they teach.

⁴They tie up heavy loads that are hard to carry and put them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves aren’t willing to lift a finger to move them.

⁵They do everything to be seen by others: They enlarge their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.

⁶They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the synagogues,

⁷greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people.

⁸“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ because you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters.

⁹Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is in heaven.

¹⁰You are not to be called instructors either, because you have one Instructor, the Messiah.

¹¹The greatest among you will be your servant.

¹²Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

¹³“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you don’t go in, and you don’t allow those entering to go in.

¹⁴

¹⁵“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make one convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as fit for hell as you are!

¹⁶“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the temple, it means nothing. But whoever takes an oath by the gold of the temple is bound by his oath.’

¹⁷Blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold?

¹⁸Also, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the altar, it means nothing; but whoever takes an oath by the gift that is on it is bound by his oath.’

¹⁹Blind people! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

²⁰Therefore, the one who takes an oath by the altar takes an oath by it and by everything on it.

²¹The one who takes an oath by the temple takes an oath by it and by him who dwells in it.

²²And the one who takes an oath by heaven takes an oath by God’s throne and by him who sits on it.

²³“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, and yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law — justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These things should have been done without neglecting the others.

²⁴Blind guides! You strain out a gnat, but gulp down a camel!

²⁵“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

²⁶Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside of it may also become clean.

²⁷“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and every kind of impurity.

²⁸In the same way, on the outside you seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

²⁹“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous,

³⁰and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we wouldn’t have taken part with them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’

³¹So you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets.

³²Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors’ sins!

³³“Snakes! Brood of vipers! How can you escape being condemned to hell?

³⁴This is why I am sending you prophets, sages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.

³⁵So all the righteous blood shed on the earth will be charged to you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.

³⁶Truly I tell you, all these things will come on this generation.

³⁷“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!

³⁸See, your house is left to you desolate.

³⁹For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say,’ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord’!”

¹In those days King Amraphel of Shinar, King Arioch of Ellasar, King Chedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim

²waged war against King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, and King Shemeber of Zeboiim, as well as the king of Bela (that is, Zoar ).

³All of these came as allies to the Siddim Valley (that is, the Dead Sea ).

⁴They were subject to Chedorlaomer for twelve years, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

⁵In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim,

⁶and the Horites in the mountains of Seir, as far as El-paran by the wilderness.

⁷Then they came back to invade En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh ), and they defeated the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar.

⁸Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and lined up for battle in the Siddim Valley

⁹against King Chedorlaomer of Elam, King Tidal of Goiim, King Amraphel of Shinar, and King Arioch of Ellasar — four kings against five.

¹⁰Now the Siddim Valley contained many asphalt pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, but the rest fled to the mountains.

¹¹The four kings took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food and went on.

¹²They also took Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, for he was living in Sodom, and they went on.

¹³One of the survivors came and told Abram the Hebrew, who lived near the oaks belonging to Mamre the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol and the brother of Aner. They were bound by a treaty with Abram.

¹⁴When Abram heard that his relative had been taken prisoner, he assembled his 318 trained men, born in his household, and they went in pursuit as far as Dan.

¹⁵And he and his servants deployed against them by night, defeated them, and pursued them as far as Hobah to the north of Damascus.

¹⁶He brought back all the goods and also his relative Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the other people.

¹⁷After Abram returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the Shaveh Valley (that is, the King’s Valley ).

¹⁸Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine; he was a priest to God Most High.

¹⁹He blessed him and said: Abram is blessed by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,

²⁰and blessed be God Most High who has handed over your enemies to you. And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

²¹Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, but take the possessions for yourself.”

²²But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand in an oath to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,

²³that I will not take a thread or sandal strap or anything that belongs to you, so you can never say, ‘I made Abram rich.’

²⁴I will take nothing except what the servants have eaten. But as for the share of the men who came with me — Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre — they can take their share.”

¹This is the third time I am coming to you. Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

²I gave a warning when I was present the second time, and now I give a warning while I am absent to those who sinned before and to all the rest: If I come again, I will not be lenient,

³since you seek proof of Christ speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but powerful among you.

⁴For he was crucified in weakness, but he lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by God’s power.

⁵Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you yourselves not recognize that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless you fail the test.

⁶And I hope you will recognize that we ourselves do not fail the test.

⁷But we pray to God that you do nothing wrong — not that we may appear to pass the test, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear to fail.

⁸For we can’t do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.

⁹We rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. We also pray that you become fully mature.

¹⁰This is why I am writing these things while absent, so that when I am there I may not have to deal harshly with you, in keeping with the authority the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.

¹¹Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice. Become mature, be encouraged, be of the same mind, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

¹²Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints send you greetings.

¹³The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

¹Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:

²Does a wise man answer with empty counsel or fill himself with the hot east wind?

³Should he argue with useless talk or with words that serve no good purpose?

⁴But you even undermine the fear of God and hinder meditation before him.

⁵Your iniquity teaches you what to say, and you choose the language of the crafty.

⁶Your own mouth condemns you, not I; your own lips testify against you.

⁷Were you the first human ever born, or were you brought forth before the hills?

⁸Do you listen in on the council of God, or have a monopoly on wisdom?

⁹What do you know that we don’t? What do you understand that is not clear to us?

¹⁰Both the gray-haired and the elderly are with us— older than your father.

¹¹Are God’s consolations not enough for you, even the words that deal gently with you?

¹²Why has your heart misled you, and why do your eyes flash

¹³as you turn your anger against God and allow such words to leave your mouth?

¹⁴What is a mere human, that he should be pure, or one born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

¹⁵If God puts no trust in his holy ones and the heavens are not pure in his sight,

¹⁶how much less one who is revolting and corrupt, who drinks injustice like water?

¹⁷Listen to me and I will inform you. I will describe what I have seen,

¹⁸what the wise have declared and not concealed, that came from their ancestors,

¹⁹to whom alone the land was given when no foreigner passed among them.

²⁰A wicked person writhes in pain all his days, throughout the number of years reserved for the ruthless.

²¹Dreadful sounds fill his ears; when he is at peace, a robber attacks him.

²²He doesn’t believe he will return from darkness; he is destined for the sword.

²³He wanders about for food, asking, “Where is it?” He knows the day of darkness is at hand.

²⁴Trouble and distress terrify him, overwhelming him like a king prepared for battle.

²⁵For he has stretched out his hand against God and has arrogantly opposed the Almighty.

²⁶He rushes headlong at him with his thick, studded shields.

²⁷Though his face is covered with fat and his waistline bulges with it,

²⁸he will dwell in ruined cities, in abandoned houses destined to become piles of rubble.

²⁹He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure. His possessions will not increase in the land.

³⁰He will not escape from the darkness; flames will wither his shoots, and by the breath of God’s mouth, he will depart.

³¹Let him not put trust in worthless things, being led astray, for what he gets in exchange will prove worthless.

³²It will be accomplished before his time, and his branch will not flourish.

³³He will be like a vine that drops its unripe grapes and like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms.

³⁴For the company of the godless will have no children, and fire will consume the tents of those who offer bribes.

³⁵They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb prepares deception.

¹For the choir director. A psalm of David, when the prophet Nathan came to him after he had gone to Bathsheba. [1] Be gracious to me, God, according to your faithful love; according to your abundant compassion, blot out my rebellion.

²Completely wash away my guilt and cleanse me from my sin.

³For I am conscious of my rebellion, and my sin is always before me.

⁴Against you — you alone — I have sinned and done this evil in your sight. So you are right when you pass sentence; you are blameless when you judge.

⁵Indeed, I was guilty when I was born; I was sinful when my mother conceived me.

⁶Surely you desire integrity in the inner self, and you teach me wisdom deep within.

⁷Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

⁸Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

⁹Turn your face away from my sins and blot out all my guilt.

¹⁰God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

¹¹Do not banish me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

¹²Restore the joy of your salvation to me, and sustain me by giving me a willing spirit.

¹³Then I will teach the rebellious your ways, and sinners will return to you.

¹⁴Save me from the guilt of bloodshed, God — God of my salvation — and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.

¹⁵Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.

¹⁶You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it; you are not pleased with a burnt offering.

¹⁷The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. You will not despise a broken and humbled heart, God.

¹⁸In your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper; build the walls of Jerusalem.

¹⁹Then you will delight in righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

¹A gentle answer turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath.

²The tongue of the wise makes knowledge attractive, but the mouth of fools blurts out foolishness.

³The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, observing the wicked and the good.

⁴The tongue that heals is a tree of life, but a devious tongue breaks the spirit.

⁵A fool despises his father’s discipline, but a person who accepts correction is sensible.

⁶The house of the righteous has great wealth, but trouble accompanies the income of the wicked.

⁷The lips of the wise broadcast knowledge, but not so the heart of fools.

⁸The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

⁹The LORD detests the way of the wicked, but he loves the one who pursues righteousness.

¹⁰Discipline is harsh for the one who leaves the path; the one who hates correction will die.

¹¹Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD  —  how much more, human hearts.

¹²A mocker doesn’t love one who corrects him; he will not consult the wise.

¹³A joyful heart makes a face cheerful, but a sad heart produces a broken spirit.

¹⁴A discerning mind seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.

¹⁵All the days of the oppressed are miserable, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.

¹⁶Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure with turmoil.

¹⁷Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened ox with hatred.

¹⁸A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but one slow to anger calms strife.

¹⁹A slacker’s way is like a thorny hedge, but the path of the upright is a highway.

²⁰A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.

²¹Foolishness brings joy to one without sense, but a person with understanding walks a straight path.

²²Plans fail when there is no counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

²³A person takes joy in giving an answer; and a timely word — how good that is!

²⁴For the prudent the path of life leads upward, so that he may avoid going down to Sheol.

²⁵The LORD tears apart the house of the proud, but he protects the widow’s territory.

²⁶The LORD detests the plans of the one who is evil, but pleasant words are pure.

²⁷The one who profits dishonestly troubles his household, but the one who hates bribes will live.

²⁸The mind of the righteous person thinks before answering, but the mouth of the wicked blurts out evil things.

²⁹The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

³⁰Bright eyes cheer the heart; good news strengthens the bones.

³¹One who listens to life-giving rebukes will be at home among the wise.

³²Anyone who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever listens to correction acquires good sense.

³³The fear of the LORD is what wisdom teaches, and humility comes before honor.

¹Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. His son Jehoram became king in his place.

²He had brothers, sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of King Jehoshaphat of Judah.

³Their father had given them many gifts of silver, gold, and valuable things, along with fortified cities in Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn.

⁴When Jehoram had established himself over his father’s kingdom, he strengthened his position by killing with the sword all his brothers as well as some of the princes of Israel.

⁵Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

⁶He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for Ahab’s daughter was his wife. He did what was evil in the LORD’s sight,

⁷but for the sake of the covenant the LORD had made with David, he was unwilling to destroy the house of David since the LORD had promised to give a lamp to David and to his sons forever.

⁸During Jehoram’s reign, Edom rebelled against Judah’s control and appointed their own king.

⁹So Jehoram crossed into Edom with his commanders and all his chariots. Then at night he set out to attack the Edomites who had surrounded him and the chariot commanders.

¹⁰And now Edom is still in rebellion against Judah’s control today. Libnah also rebelled at that time against his control because he had abandoned the LORD, the God of his ancestors.

¹¹Jehoram also built high places in the hills of Judah, and he caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves, and he led Judah astray.

¹²Then a letter came to Jehoram from the prophet Elijah, saying: This is what the LORD, the God of your ancestor David says: “Because you have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphat or in the ways of King Asa of Judah

¹³but have walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, have caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves like the house of Ahab prostituted itself, and also have killed your brothers, your father’s family, who were better than you,

¹⁴the LORD is now about to strike your people, your sons, your wives, and all your possessions with a horrible affliction.

¹⁵You yourself will be struck with many illnesses, including a disease of the intestines, until your intestines come out day after day because of the disease.”

¹⁶The LORD roused the spirit of the Philistines and the Arabs who lived near the Cushites to attack Jehoram.

¹⁷So they went to war against Judah and invaded it. They carried off all the possessions found in the king’s palace and also his sons and wives; not a son was left to him except Jehoahaz, his youngest son.

¹⁸After all these things, the LORD afflicted him in his intestines with an incurable disease.

¹⁹This continued day after day until two full years passed. Then his intestines came out because of his disease, and he died from severe illnesses. But his people did not hold a fire in his honor like the fire in honor of his fathers.

²⁰Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king; he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. He died to no one’s regret and was buried in the city of David but not in the tombs of the kings.

¹The words of Amos, who was one of the sheep breeders from Tekoa  — what he saw regarding Israel in the days of King Uzziah of Judah and Jeroboam son of Jehoash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.

²He said: The LORD roars from Zion and makes his voice heard from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the summit of Carmel withers.

³The LORD says: I will not relent from punishing Damascus for three crimes, even four, because they threshed Gilead with iron sledges.

⁴Therefore, I will send fire against Hazael’s palace, and it will consume Ben-hadad’s citadels.

⁵I will break down the gates of Damascus. I will cut off the ruler from the Valley of Aven, and the one who wields the scepter from Beth-eden. The people of Aram will be exiled to Kir. The LORD has spoken.

⁶The LORD says: I will not relent from punishing Gaza for three crimes, even four, because they exiled a whole community, handing them over to Edom.

⁷Therefore, I will send fire against the walls of Gaza, and it will consume its citadels.

⁸I will cut off the ruler from Ashdod, and the one who wields the scepter from Ashkelon. I will also turn my hand against Ekron, and the remainder of the Philistines will perish. The Lord GOD has spoken.

⁹The LORD says: I will not relent from punishing Tyre for three crimes, even four, because they handed over a whole community of exiles to Edom and broke a treaty of brotherhood.

¹⁰Therefore, I will send fire against the walls of Tyre, and it will consume its citadels.

¹¹The LORD says: I will not relent from punishing Edom for three crimes, even four, because he pursued his brother with the sword. He stifled his compassion, his anger tore at him continually, and he harbored his rage incessantly.

¹²Therefore, I will send fire against Teman, and it will consume the citadels of Bozrah.

¹³The LORD says: I will not relent from punishing the Ammonites for three crimes, even four, because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to enlarge their territory.

¹⁴Therefore, I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah, and it will consume its citadels. There will be shouting on the day of battle and a violent wind on the day of the storm.

¹⁵Their king and his princes will go into exile together. The LORD has spoken.

¹But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property.

²However, he kept back part of the proceeds with his wife’s knowledge, and brought a portion of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

³“Ananias,” Peter asked, “why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the proceeds of the land?

⁴Wasn’t it yours while you possessed it? And after it was sold, wasn’t it at your disposal? Why is it that you planned this thing in your heart? You have not lied to people but to God.”

⁵When he heard these words, Ananias dropped dead, and a great fear came on all who heard.

⁶The young men got up, wrapped his body, carried him out, and buried him.

⁷About three hours later, his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.

⁸“Tell me,” Peter asked her, “did you sell the land for this price?” “Yes,” she said, “for that price.”

⁹Then Peter said to her, “Why did you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”

¹⁰Instantly she dropped dead at his feet. When the young men came in, they found her dead, carried her out, and buried her beside her husband.

¹¹Then great fear came on the whole church and on all who heard these things.

¹²Many signs and wonders were being done among the people through the hands of the apostles. They were all together in Solomon’s Colonnade.

¹³No one else dared to join them, but the people spoke well of them.

¹⁴Believers were added to the Lord in increasing numbers — multitudes of both men and women.

¹⁵As a result, they would carry the sick out into the streets and lay them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on some of them.

¹⁶In addition, a multitude came together from the towns surrounding Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

¹⁷Then the high priest rose up. He and all who were with him, who belonged to the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy.

¹⁸So they arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.

¹⁹But an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail during the night, brought them out, and said,

²⁰“Go and stand in the temple, and tell the people all about this life.”

²¹Hearing this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. When the high priest and those who were with him arrived, they convened the Sanhedrin — the full council of the Israelites — and sent orders to the jail to have them brought.

²²But when the servants got there, they did not find them in the jail, so they returned and reported,

²³“We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing in front of the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside.”

²⁴As the captain of the temple police and the chief priests heard these things, they were baffled about them, wondering what would come of this.

²⁵Someone came and reported to them, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple and teaching the people.”

²⁶Then the commander went with the servants and brought them in without force, because they were afraid the people might stone them.

²⁷After they brought them in, they had them stand before the Sanhedrin, and the high priest asked,

²⁸“Didn’t we strictly order you not to teach in this name? Look, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”

²⁹Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than people.

³⁰The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had murdered by hanging him on a tree.

³¹God exalted this man to his right hand as ruler and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

³²We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

³³When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them.

³⁴But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was respected by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered the men to be taken outside for a little while.

³⁵He said to them, “Men of Israel, be careful about what you’re about to do to these men.

³⁶Some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, and all his followers were dispersed and came to nothing.

³⁷After this man, Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and attracted a following. He also perished, and all his followers were scattered.

³⁸So in the present case, I tell you, stay away from these men and leave them alone. For if this plan or this work is of human origin, it will fail;

³⁹but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even be found fighting against God.” They were persuaded by him.

⁴⁰After they called in the apostles and had them flogged, they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them.

⁴¹Then they went out from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be treated shamefully on behalf of the Name.

⁴²Every day in the temple, and in various homes, they continued teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.