Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹When Jesus had finished this discourse, He said to His disciples,

²"You know that the Passover is coming in two days, and the Son of Man is to be betrayed and handed over for crucifixion."

³Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the courtyard of the [elegant home of the Jewish] high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,

⁴and plotted together to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill Him.

⁵But they said, "It must not be during the festival (Passover), otherwise there might be a riot among the people."

⁶Now when Jesus was [back] in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper,

⁷a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very expensive perfume and she poured it on Jesus' head as He reclined at the table.

⁸But when the disciples saw it they were indignant and angry, saying, "Why all this waste [of money]?

⁹For this perfume might have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor."

¹⁰But Jesus, aware [of the malice] of this [remark], said to them, "Why are you bothering the woman? She has done a good thing to Me.

¹¹For you always have the poor with you; but you will not always have Me.

¹²When she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial.

¹³I assure you and most solemnly say to you, wherever this gospel [of salvation] is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her [for her act of love and devotion]."

¹⁴Then one of the twelve [disciples], who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests

¹⁵and said, "What are you willing to give me if I hand Jesus over to you?" And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver.

¹⁶And from that moment Judas began looking for an opportune time to betray Jesus.

¹⁷Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread (Passover Week) the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?"

¹⁸He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "My time [to suffer and atone for sin] is near; I am to keep the Passover at your house with My disciples."'"

¹⁹[Accordingly] the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.

²⁰When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples.

²¹And as they were eating, He said, "I assure you and most solemnly say to you that one of you will betray Me."

²²Being deeply grieved and extremely distressed, each one of them began to say to Him, "Surely not I, Lord?"

²³Jesus answered, "He who has dipped his hand in the bowl with Me [as apretense of friendship] will betray Me.

²⁴The Son of Man is to go [to the cross], just as it is written [in Scripture] of Him; but woe (judgment is coming) to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born."

²⁵And Judas, the betrayer, said, "Surely it is not I, Rabbi?" Jesus said to him, " You have said it yourself."

²⁶Now as they were eating Jesus took bread, and after blessing it, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."

²⁷And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you;

²⁸for this is My blood of the [new and better] covenant, which [ratifies the agreement and] is being poured out for many [as asubstitutionary atonement] for the forgiveness of sins.

²⁹But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."

³⁰After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

³¹Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of Me this night [disillusioned about Me, confused, and some even ashamed of Me], for it is written [in the Scriptures], 'I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'

³²But after I am raised [to life], I will go ahead of you [leading the way] to Galilee."

³³Peter replied to Him, "Though they all fall away because of You [and doubt and disown You], I will never fall away!"

³⁴Jesus said to him, "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, this night, before a rooster crows, you will [completely] deny Me three times."

³⁵Peter said to Jesus, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" And all the disciples said the same thing.

³⁶Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane (olive-press), and He told His disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."

³⁷And taking with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee [James and John], He began to be grieved and greatly distressed.

³⁸Then He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, so that I am almost dying of sorrow. Stay here and stay awake and keep watch with Me."

³⁹And after going a little farther, He fell face down and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible [that is, consistent with Your will], let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will."

⁴⁰And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "So, you men could not stay awake and keep watch with Me for one hour?

⁴¹Keep actively watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

⁴²He went away a second time and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done."

⁴³Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.

⁴⁴So, leaving them again, He went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words once more.

⁴⁵Then He returned to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Listen, the hour [of My sacrifice] is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners [whose way and nature is to oppose God].

⁴⁶Get up, let us go. Look, My betrayer is near!"

⁴⁷As Jesus was still speaking, Judas [Iscariot], one of the twelve [disciples], came up accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, [who came as representatives] from the chief priests and elders of the people.

⁴⁸Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him."

⁴⁹Immediately Judas went to Jesus and said, "Greetings (rejoice), Rabbi!" And he kissed Him [in a deliberate act of betrayal].

⁵⁰Jesus said to Judas, "Friend, do what you came for." Then they came and seized Jesus and arrested Him.

⁵¹And one of those who were with Jesus reached out and drew his sword, and struck [Malchus] the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear.

⁵²Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back in its place; for all those who habitually draw the sword will die by the sword.

⁵³Do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will immediately provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?

⁵⁴How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen this way?"

⁵⁵At that moment Jesus said to the crowds, "Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a robber? Day after day I used to sit in the porches and courts of the temple teaching, and you did not arrest Me.

⁵⁶But all this has taken place so that the Scriptures of the prophets would be fulfilled." Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled.

⁵⁷Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) had gathered [ illegally] together.

⁵⁸But Peter followed Him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the [elegant home of the Jewish] high priest, and went inside, and sat with the guards to see the outcome.

⁵⁹Now the chief priests and the whole Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) tried to get false witnesses to testify against Jesus, so that they might [have a reason to] put Him to death.

⁶⁰They found none, even though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward,

⁶¹and testified, "This man said, ' I am able to tear down the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.'"

⁶²The high priest stood up and said to Jesus, "Have You no answer to give? What is it that these men are testifying against You?"

⁶³But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, "I call on You to swear a binding oath by the living God, that you tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God."

⁶⁴Jesus said to him, "You have [in fact] said it; but more than that I tell you [regardless of what you do with Me now], in the future you will see [Me revealed as] the Son of Man seated at theright hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven."

⁶⁵Then the high priest tore his robes [in mock horror] and exclaimed, "He has blasphemed [by making Himself God's equal]! What further need have we of witnesses or evidence? See, you have now heard the blasphemy.

⁶⁶What do you think?" They answered, " He deserves to be put to death."

⁶⁷Then they spat in His face and struck Him with their fists; and some slapped Him,

⁶⁸saying, " Prophesy to us, You Christ (Messiah, Anointed); who was it that struck You?"

⁶⁹Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came up to him and said, "You too were with Jesus the Galilean."

⁷⁰But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you are talking about."

⁷¹And when he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and she said to the bystanders, "This man was with Jesus the Nazarene."

⁷²And again he denied it with an oath, "I do not know the man."

⁷³After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, "Surely you are one of them too; for even your [Galilean] accent gives you away."

⁷⁴Then he began to curse [that is, to invoke God's judgment on himself] and swear [an oath], "I do not know the man!" And at that moment a rooster crowed.

⁷⁵And Peter remembered the [prophetic] words of Jesus, when He had said, "Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly [in repentance].

¹When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; Walk [habitually] before Me [with integrity, knowing that you are always in My presence], and be blameless and complete [in obedience to Me].

²"I will establish My covenant (everlasting promise) between Me and you, And I will multiply you exceedingly [through your descendants]."

³Then Abram fell on his face [in worship], and God spoke with him, saying,

⁴"As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, And [as a result] you shall be the father of many nations.

⁵"No longer shall your name be Abram (exalted father), But your name shall be Abraham (father of a multitude); For I will make you the father of many nations.

⁶I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.

⁷I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you.

⁸I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger [moving from place to place], all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession [of property]; and I will be their God."

⁹Further, God said to Abraham, "As for you [your part of the agreement], you shall keep and faithfully obey [the terms of] My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.

¹⁰This is [the sign of] My covenant, which you shall keep and faithfully obey, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised.

¹¹And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be the sign (symbol, memorial) of the covenant between Me and you.

¹²Every male among you who is eight days old shall be circumcised throughout your generations, [including] a servant whether born in the house or one who is purchased with [your] money from any foreigner, who is not of your descendants.

¹³A servant who is born in your house or one who is purchased with your money must be circumcised; and [the sign of] My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

¹⁴And the male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant."

¹⁵Then God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai (my princess), but her name will be Sarah ( Princess).

¹⁶I will bless her, and indeed I will also give you a son by her. Yes, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her."

¹⁷Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, "Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?"

¹⁸And Abraham said to God, "Oh, that Ishmael [my firstborn] might live before You!"

¹⁹But God said, "No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son indeed, and you shall name him Isaac (laughter); and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant and with his descendants after him.

²⁰As for Ishmael, I have heard and listened to you; behold, I will bless him, and will make him fruitful and will greatly multiply him [through his descendants]. He will be the father of twelve princes (chieftains, sheiks), and I will make him a great nation.

²¹But My covenant [My promise, My solemn pledge], I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year."

²²And God finished speaking with him and went up from Abraham.

²³Then Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all the servants who were born in his house and all who were purchased with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's household, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin the very same day, as God had said to him.

²⁴So Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised.

²⁵And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised.

²⁶On the very same day Abraham was circumcised, as well as Ishmael his son.

²⁷All the men [servants] of his household, both those born in the house and those purchased with money from a foreigner, were circumcised along with him [as the sign of God's covenant with Abraham].

¹O you foolish and thoughtless and superficial Galatians, who has bewitched you [that you would act like this], to whom—right before your very eyes—Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified [in the gospel message]?

²This is all I want to ask of you: did you receive the [Holy] Spirit as the result of obeying [the requirements of] the Law, or was it the result of hearing [the message of salvation and] with faith [believing it]?

³Are you so foolish and senseless? Having begun [your new life by faith] with the Spirit, are you now being perfected and reaching spiritual maturity by the flesh [that is, by your own works and efforts to keep the Law]?

⁴Have you suffered so many things and experienced so much all for nothing—if indeed it was all for nothing?

⁵So then, does He who supplies you with His [marvelous Holy] Spirit and works miracles among you, do it as a result of the works of the Law [which you perform], or because you [believe confidently in the message which you] heard with faith?

⁶Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, [as conformity to God's will and purpose—so it is with you also].

⁷So understand that it is the people who live by faith [with confidence in the power and goodness of God] who are [the true] sons of Abraham.

⁸The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the good news [of the Savior] to Abraham in advance [with this promise], saying, "In you shall all the nations be blessed."

⁹So then those who are people of faith [whether Jew or Gentile] are blessed and favored by God [and declared free of the guilt of sin and its penalty, and placed in right standing with Him] along with Abraham, the believer.

¹⁰For all who depend on the Law [seeking justification and salvation by obedience to the Law and the observance of rituals] are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed (condemned to destruction) is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, so as to practice them."

¹¹Now it is clear that no one is justified [that is, declared free of the guilt of sin and its penalty, and placed in right standing] before God by the Law, for "The righteous (the just, the upright) shall live by faith."

¹²But the Law does not rest on or require faith [it has nothing to do with faith], but [instead, the Law] says, "He who practices them [the things prescribed by the Law] shall live by them [instead of faith]."

¹³Christ purchased our freedom and redeemed us from the curse of the Law and its condemnation by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs [crucified] on a tree (cross)"—

¹⁴in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might also come to the Gentiles, so that we would all receive [the realization of] the promise of the [Holy] Spirit through faith.

¹⁵Brothers and sisters, I speak in terms of human relations: even though a last will and testament is just a human covenant, yet when it has been signed and made legally binding, no one sets it aside or adds to it [modifying it in some way].

¹⁶Now the promises [in the covenants] were decreed to Abraham and to his seed. God does not say, "And to seeds (descendants, heirs)," as if [referring] to many [persons], but as to one, "And to your Seed," who is [none other than] Christ.

¹⁷This is what I mean: the Law, which came into existence four hundred and thirty years later [after the covenant concerning the coming Messiah], does not and cannot invalidate the covenant previously established by God, so as to abolish the promise.

¹⁸For if the inheritance [of what was promised] is based on [observing] the Law [as these false teachers claim], it is no longer based on a promise; however, God granted it to Abraham [as a gift] by virtue of His promise.

¹⁹Why, then, the Law [what was its purpose]? It was added [after the promise to Abraham, to reveal to people their guilt] because of transgressions [that is, to make people conscious of the sinfulness of sin], and [the Law] was ordained through angels and delivered to Israel by the hand of a mediator [Moses, the mediator between God and Israel, to be in effect] until the Seed would come to whom the promise had been made.

²⁰Now the mediator or go-between [in a transaction] is not [needed] for just one party; whereas God is only one [and was the only One giving the promise to Abraham, but the Law was a contract between two, God and Israel; its validity depended on both].

²¹Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a system of law had been given which could impart life, then righteousness (right standing with God) would actually have been based on law.

²²But the Scripture has imprisoned everyone [everything—the entire world] under sin, so that [the inheritance, the blessing of salvation] which was promised through faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe [in Him and acknowledge Him as God's precious Son].

²³Now before faith came, we were kept in custody under the Law, [perpetually] imprisoned [in preparation] for the faith that was destined to be revealed,

²⁴with the result that the Law has become our tutor and our disciplinarian to guide us to Christ, so that we may be justified [that is, declared free of the guilt of sin and its penalty, and placed in right standing with God] by faith.

²⁵But now that faith has come, we are no longer under [the control and authority of] a tutor and disciplinarian.

²⁶For you [who are born-again have been reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified and] are all children of God [set apart for His purpose with full rights and privileges] through faith in Christ Jesus.

²⁷For all of you who were baptized into Christ [into a spiritual union with the Christ, the Anointed] have clothed yourselves with Christ [that is, you have taken on His characteristics and values].

²⁸There is [now no distinction in regard to salvation] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you [who believe] are all one in Christ Jesus [no one can claim a spiritual superiority].

²⁹And if you belong to Christ [if you are in Him], then you are Abraham's descendants, and [spiritual] heirs according to [God's] promise.

¹Paul, an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Christ Jesus by the commandment of God our Savior, and of Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed) our Hope [the fulfillment of our salvation],

²to Timothy, my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

³As I urged you when I was on my way to Macedonia, stay on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain individuals not to teach any different doctrines,

⁴nor to pay attention to legends (fables, myths) and endless genealogies, which give rise to useless speculation and meaningless arguments rather than advancing God's program of instruction which is grounded in faith [and requires surrendering the entire self to God in absolute trust and confidence].

⁵But the goal of our instruction is love [which springs] from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

⁶Some individuals have wandered away from these things into empty arguments and useless discussions,

⁷wanting to be teachers of the Law [of Moses], even though they do not understand the terms they use or the subjects about which they make [such] confident declarations.

⁸Now we know [without any doubt] that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully and appropriately,

⁹understanding the fact that law is not enacted for the righteous person [the one in right standing with God], but for lawless and rebellious people, for the ungodly and sinful, for the irreverent and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers,

¹⁰for sexually immoral persons, for homosexuals, for kidnappers and slave traders, for liars, for perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine,

¹¹according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.

¹²I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has granted me [the needed] strength and made me able for this, because He considered me faithful and trustworthy, putting me into service [for this ministry],

¹³even though I was formerly a blasphemer [of our Lord] and a persecutor [of His church] and a shameful and outrageous and violent aggressor [toward believers]. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief.

¹⁴The grace of our Lord [His amazing, unmerited favor and blessing] flowed out in superabundance [for me, together] with the faith and love which are [realized] in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵This is a faithful and trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance and approval, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost.

¹⁶Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost [of sinners], Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example or pattern for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.

¹⁷Now to the King of the ages [eternal], immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

¹⁸This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, so that [inspired and aided] by them you may fight the good fight [in contending with false teachers],

¹⁹keeping your faith [leaning completely on God with absolute trust and confidence in His guidance] and having a good conscience; for some [people] have rejected [their moral compass] and have made a shipwreck of their faith.

²⁰Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be disciplined and taught not to blaspheme.

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; with stringed instruments. A skillful song, or a didactic or reflective poem, of David, when the Ziphites went and told Saul, "David is hiding among us." Save me, O God, by Your name; And vindicate me by Your [wondrous] power.

²Hear my prayer, O God; Listen to the words of my mouth.

³For strangers have risen against me And violent men have sought my life; They have not set God before them. Selah.

⁴Behold, God is my helper and ally; The Lord is the sustainer of my soul [my upholder].

⁵He will pay back the evil to my enemies; In Your faithfulness destroy them.

⁶With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to You; I will give thanks and praise Your name, O LORD, for it is good.

⁷For He has rescued me from every trouble, And my eye has looked with satisfaction (triumph) on my enemies.

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.

¹Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah from Beersheba.

²Joash did what was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest [his uncle].

³Jehoiada took two wives for him, and he fathered sons and daughters.

⁴Now it came about after this that Joash decided to restore the house (temple) of the LORD.

⁵He gathered the priests and the Levites and said to them, "Go out to the cities of Judah and collect money from all Israel to repair the house of your God from year to year; and see that you do it quickly." But the Levites did not act quickly.

⁶So the king called for Jehoiada the high priest and said to him, "Why have you not required the Levites to bring in from Judah and Jerusalem the tax for the tent of the testimony which was authorized by Moses, the servant of the LORD and the servant of the assembly of Israel?"

⁷For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken into the house of God and also had used all the holy and dedicated things of the house of the LORD for the Baals.

⁸So at the king's command they made a chest and set it outside by the gate of the house of the LORD.

⁹Then they made a proclamation in Judah and Jerusalem to bring in for the LORD the tax that Moses the servant of God imposed on Israel in the wilderness.

¹⁰All the officers and all the people rejoiced and brought their tax and dropped it into the chest until they had finished [and the chest was full].

¹¹It came about that whenever the Levites brought the chest to the king's official, and whenever they saw that there was a large amount of money, the king's secretary and the chief priest's representative would come and empty the chest, and take it, and return it to its place. They did this day after day and collected a large amount of money.

¹²The king and Jehoiada gave it to those who did the work of the service of the house of the LORD; and they would hire masons and carpenters (craftsmen) and also those who worked in iron and bronze to repair and restore the house of the LORD.

¹³So the workmen labored, and the repair work progressed in their hands; and they restored and organized the house of God in accordance with its specifications and strengthened it.

¹⁴When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada; and it was [melted down and] made into utensils for the house of the LORD, utensils for ministering and for burnt offerings, and bowls and utensils of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada.

¹⁵Now when Jehoiada grew old and was full of days, he died. He was a hundred and thirty years old at his death.

¹⁶They buried him in the City of David among the kings, because he had done good [things] in Israel and toward God and His house.

¹⁷Now after the death of Jehoiada [the priest, who had hidden Joash], the officials of Judah came and bowed down to King Joash; then the king listened to them.

¹⁸They abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols; so [God's] wrath came on Judah and Jerusalem for their sin and guilt.

¹⁹Yet God sent prophets among them to bring them back to the LORD; these prophets testified against them, but they would not listen.

²⁰Then the Spirit of God came over Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people and said to them, "This is what God has said: 'Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD so that you cannot prosper? Because you have abandoned (turned away from) the LORD, He has also abandoned (turned away from) you.'"

²¹So they conspired against Zechariah and stoned him [to death] at the command of the king, in the courtyard of the house of the LORD.

²²Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness which Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had shown him, but he murdered his son. And when Zechariah was dying, he said, "May the LORD see this and require an accounting!"

²³Now it happened at the end of the year, that the army of Aram (Syria) went up against Joash. They came to Judah and Jerusalem and killed all the leaders among the people and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus.

²⁴Though the army of the Arameans came with a small company of men, the LORD handed over a very large army into their hands, because Joash and Judah had abandoned (turned away from) the LORD, the God of their fathers. So the Arameans executed judgment against Joash.

²⁵When they left Joash (for they left him very ill), his own servants conspired against him because of the blood of the son of Jehoiada the priest, and they murdered him on his bed. So he died, and they buried him in the City of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings.

²⁶The conspirators against Joash were Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess.

²⁷Now as to his sons and the many prophecies uttered against him and the rebuilding of the house of God, they are written in the commentary on the Book of Kings. Then his son Amaziah became king in his place.

¹Hear this word, you [well-fed, pampered] cows (women) of Bashan who are on the mountain of Samaria, Who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, Who say to their husbands, "Bring [the wine] now, and let us drink!"

²The Lord GOD has sworn [an oath] by His holiness That, "Behold, the days are coming upon you When they shall take you away with meat hooks, And the last of you with fish hooks.

³"And you shall go out through the breaches [made in the city wall], Every woman straight before her [unable to turn aside], And you shall be cast to Harmon," Says the LORD.

⁴"Come to Bethel [where the golden calf is] and transgress; In Gilgal [where idols are worshiped] multiply transgression; Bring your sacrifices every morning, Your tithes every three days!

⁵" Offer [by burning] a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, And [boastfully] proclaim freewill offerings, announce them. For this you so love to do, O children of Israel!" Says the Lord GOD.

⁶"I also gave you cleanness of teeth [because of the famine] in all your cities And lack of bread in all your places, Yet you have not returned to Me [in repentance]," says the LORD.

⁷"Furthermore, I withheld the rain from you When there were still three months until the harvest. Then I would send rain on one city, And on another city I would not send rain; One piece of ground was rained on, While the part not rained on would dry up.

⁸"So [the people of] two or three cities would stagger into one city to drink water, But would not be satisfied; Yet you have not returned to Me [in repentance]," says the LORD.

⁹"I wounded you with blight [from the hot, blasting east wind] and with mildew; And the caterpillar devoured Your many gardens and vineyards, your fig trees and your olive trees; Yet you have not returned to Me [in repentance]," says the LORD.

¹⁰"I sent a plague among you like [those of] Egypt; I killed your young men with the sword and I captured your horses, I made the stench of your camp rise up into your nostrils; Yet you have not returned to Me [in repentance]," says the LORD.

¹¹"I overthrew and destroyed [some among] you, as [I, your] God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, And you were [rescued] like a log pulled out of the flame; Yet you have not returned to Me [in repentance]," says the LORD.

¹²"Therefore this is what I shall do to you, O Israel; Because I will do this to you, Prepare to meet your God [in judgment], O Israel!"

¹³For behold, He who forms the mountains and creates the wind And declares to man what are His thoughts, He who makes the dawn into darkness And treads on the heights of the earth— The LORD God of hosts is His name.

¹Saul wholeheartedly approved of Stephen's death. And on that day a great and relentless persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem; and the believers were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles.

²Some devout men buried Stephen, and mourned greatly over him [expressing a personal sense of loss].

³But Saul began ravaging the church [and assaulting believers]; entering house after house and dragging off men and women, putting them in prison.

⁴Now those [believers] who had been scattered went from place to place preaching the word [the good news of salvation through Christ].

⁵Philip [the evangelist] went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) to them.

⁶The crowds gathered and were paying close attention to everything Philip said, as they heard [the message] and saw the [miraculous] signs which he was doing [validating his message].

⁷For unclean spirits (demons), shouting loudly, were coming out of many who were possessed; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed.

⁸So there was great rejoicing in that city.

⁹Now there was a man named Simon, who previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great.

¹⁰They all paid [a great deal of] attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is what is called the Great Power of God!"

¹¹They were paying attention to him because for a long time he had mystified and dazzled them with his magic.

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

¹³Even Simon believed [Philip's message of salvation]; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he watched the attesting signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.

¹⁴When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that [the people of] Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.

¹⁵They came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit;

¹⁶for He had not yet fallen on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus [as His possession].

¹⁷Then Peter and John laid their hands on them [one by one], and they received the Holy Spirit.

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

¹⁹saying, "Give me this authority and power too, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit."

²⁰But Peter said to him, "May your money be destroyed along with you, because you thought you could buy the [free] gift of God with money!

²¹You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart (motive, purpose) is not right before God.

²²So repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, this thought of your heart may be forgiven you.

²³For I see that you are provoked by bitterness and bound by sin."

²⁴But Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me both of you, so that nothing of what you have said will come upon me."

²⁵So, when Peter and John had given their testimony and preached the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, preaching the good news [about salvation] in many Samaritan villages [along the way].

²⁶But an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Get up and go south to the road that runs from Jerusalem down to Gaza." (This is a desert road).

²⁷So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch [a man of great authority], a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship,

²⁸and he was returning, and sitting in his chariot he was reading [the scroll of] the prophet Isaiah.

²⁹Then the [Holy] Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot."

³⁰Philip ran up and heard the man reading the prophet Isaiah, and asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?"

³¹And he said, "Well, how could I [understand] unless someone guides me [correctly]?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

³²Now this was the passage of Scripture which he was reading: "Like a sheep He was led to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He does not open His mouth.

³³"In humiliation His judgment was taken away [justice was denied Him]. Who will describe His generation? For His life is taken from the earth."

³⁴The eunuch replied to Philip, "Please tell me, about whom does the prophet say this? About himself or about someone else?"

³⁵Then Philip spoke and beginning with this Scripture he preached Jesus to him [explaining that He is the promised Messiah and the source of salvation].

³⁶As they continued along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch exclaimed, "Look! Water! What forbids me from being baptized?"

³⁷[Philip said to him, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he replied, "I do believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."]

³⁸And he ordered that the chariot be stopped; and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

³⁹When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord [suddenly] took Philip [and carried him] away [to a different place]; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but he went on his way rejoicing.

⁴⁰But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the good news [of salvation] to all the cities, until he came to Caesarea [Maritima].