Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹Now when morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus to put Him to death;

²and they bound Him and led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate the governor.

³Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

⁴saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? You shall see to it yourself!”

⁵And he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and left; and he went away and hanged himself.

⁶The chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, “It is not lawful to put them in the temple treasury, since it is money paid for blood.”

⁷And they conferred together and with the money bought the Potter’s Field as a burial place for strangers.

⁸For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.

⁹Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “AND THEY TOOK THE THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER, THE PRICE OF THE ONE WHOSE PRICE HAD BEEN SET by the sons of Israel;

¹⁰AND THEY GAVE THEM FOR THE POTTER’S FIELD, JUST AS THE LORD DIRECTED ME.”

¹¹Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor questioned Him, saying, “So You are the King of the Jews?” And Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.”

¹²And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He did not offer any answer.

¹³Then Pilate *said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they are testifying against You?”

¹⁴And still He did not answer him in regard to even a single charge, so the governor was greatly amazed.

¹⁵Now at the Passover Feast the governor was accustomed to release for the people any one prisoner whom they wanted.

¹⁶And at that time they were holding a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.

¹⁷So when the people gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”

¹⁸For he knew that it was because of envy that they had handed Him over.

¹⁹And while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, “See that you have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him.”

²⁰But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas, and to put Jesus to death.

²¹And the governor said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.”

²²Pilate *said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all *said, “Crucify Him!”

²³But he said, “Why, what evil has He done?” Yet they kept shouting all the more, saying, “Crucify Him!”

²⁴Now when Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this Man’s blood; you yourselves shall see.”

²⁵And all the people replied, “His blood shall be on us and on our children!”

²⁶Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Jesus flogged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

²⁷Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman cohort to Him.

²⁸And they stripped Him and put a red cloak on Him.

²⁹And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and put a reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

³⁰And they spit on Him, and took the reed and beat Him on the head.

³¹And after they had mocked Him, they took the cloak off Him and put His own garments back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him.

³²As they were coming out, they found a man of Cyrene named Simon, whom they compelled to carry His cross.

³³And when they came to a place called Golgotha, which means Place of a Skull,

³⁴they gave Him wine mixed with bile to drink; and after tasting it, He was unwilling to drink it.

³⁵And when they had crucified Him, they divided His garments among themselves by casting lots.

³⁶And sitting down, they began to keep watch over Him there.

³⁷And above His head they put up the charge against Him which read, “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

³⁸At that time two rebels *were being crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left.

³⁹And those passing by were speaking abusively to Him, shaking their heads,

⁴⁰and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

⁴¹In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying,

⁴²“He saved others; He cannot save Himself! He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him.

⁴³HE HAS TRUSTED IN GOD; LET GOD RESCUE Him now, IF HE TAKES PLEASURE IN HIM; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”

⁴⁴And the rebels who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him in the same way.

⁴⁵Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour.

⁴⁶And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “ELI, ELI, LEMA SABAKTANEI?” that is, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?”

⁴⁷And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, said, “This man is calling for Elijah.”

⁴⁸And immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink.

⁴⁹But the rest of them said, “Let us see if Elijah comes to save Him.”

⁵⁰And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and gave up His spirit.

⁵¹And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split.

⁵²Also the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;

⁵³and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many.

⁵⁴Now as for the centurion and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the other things that were happening, they became extremely frightened and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

⁵⁵And many women were there watching from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee while caring for Him.

⁵⁶Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

⁵⁷Now when it was evening, a rich man from Arimathea came, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.

⁵⁸This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him.

⁵⁹And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

⁶⁰and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away.

⁶¹And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.

⁶²Now on the next day, that is, the day which is after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate,

⁶³and they said, “Sir, we remember that when that deceiver was still alive, He said, ‘After three days I am rising.’

⁶⁴Therefore, give orders for the tomb to be made secure until the third day; otherwise, His disciples may come and steal Him, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.”

⁶⁵Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how.”

⁶⁶And they went and made the tomb secure with the guard, sealing the stone.

¹Now the LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day.

²When he raised his eyes and looked, behold, three men were standing opposite him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed down to the ground,

³and said, “My Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, please do not pass Your servant by.

⁴Please let a little water be brought and wash your feet, and make yourselves comfortable under the tree;

⁵and I will bring a piece of bread, so that you may refresh yourselves; after that you may go on, since you have visited your servant.” And they said, “So do as you have said.”

⁶So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly, prepare three measures of fine flour, knead it, and make bread cakes.”

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

⁸He took curds and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he was standing by them under the tree as they ate.

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

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

¹¹Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was past childbearing.

¹²So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I have become old, am I to have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

¹³But the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I actually give birth to a child, when I am so old?’

¹⁴Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

¹⁵Sarah denied it, however, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh.”

¹⁶Then the men rose up from there, and looked down toward Sodom; and Abraham was walking with them to send them off.

¹⁷The LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,

¹⁸since Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed?

¹⁹For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.”

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

²¹I will go down now and see whether they have done entirely as the outcry, which has come to Me indicates; and if not, I will know.”

²²Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before the LORD.

²³Abraham approached and said, “Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

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

²⁵Far be it from You to do such a thing, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?”

²⁶So the LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the entire place on their account.”

²⁷And Abraham replied, “Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am only dust and ashes.

²⁸Suppose the fifty righteous are lacking five, will You destroy the entire city because of five?” And He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”

²⁹And he spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose forty are found there?” And He said, “I will not do it on account of the forty.”

³⁰Then he said, “Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak; suppose thirty are found there?” And He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

³¹And he said, “Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord; suppose twenty are found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it on account of the twenty.”

³²Then he said, “Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak only this once: suppose ten are found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it on account of the ten.”

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

¹Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave, although he is owner of everything,

²but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father.

³So we too, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elementary principles of the world.

⁴But when the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,

⁵so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons and daughters.

⁶Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba! Father!”

⁷Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.

⁸However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are not gods.

⁹But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles, to which you want to be enslaved all over again?

¹⁰You meticulously observe days and months and seasons and years.

¹¹I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.

¹²I beg of you, brothers and sisters, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong;

¹³but you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time;

¹⁴and you did not despise that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition, nor express contempt, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.

¹⁵Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I testify about you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

¹⁶So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?

¹⁷They eagerly seek you, not in a commendable way, but they want to shut you out so that you will seek them.

¹⁸But it is good always to be eagerly sought in a commendable way, and not only when I am present with you.

¹⁹My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you—

²⁰but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone of voice, for I am at a loss about you!

²¹Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the Law?

²²For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and one by the free woman.

²³But the son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.

²⁴This is speaking allegorically, for these women are two covenants: one coming from Mount Sinai giving birth to children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar.

²⁵Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is enslaved with her children.

²⁶But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.

²⁷For it is written: “REJOICE, INFERTILE ONE, YOU WHO DO NOT GIVE BIRTH; BREAK FORTH AND SHOUT, YOU WHO ARE NOT IN LABOR; FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE DESOLATE ONE are more numerous THAN those of the one who has a husband.”

²⁸And you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.

²⁹But as at that time the son who was born according to the flesh persecuted the one who was born according to the Spirit, so it is even now.

³⁰But what does the Scripture say? “DRIVE OUT THE SLAVE WOMAN AND HER SON, FOR THE SON OF THE SLAVE WOMAN SHALL NOT BE AN HEIR WITH THE SON OF THE FREE WOMAN.”

³¹So then, brothers and sisters, we are not children of a slave woman, but of the free woman.

¹First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made in behalf of all people,

²for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

³This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,

⁴who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

⁵For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,

⁶who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.

⁷For this I was appointed as a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

⁸Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger and dispute.

⁹Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or expensive apparel,

¹⁰but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.

¹¹A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness.

¹²But I do not allow a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.

¹³For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve.

¹⁴And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a wrongdoer.

¹⁵But women will be preserved through childbirth—if they continue in faith, love, and sanctity, with moderation.

¹Then Job responded,

²“How long will you torment me And crush me with words?

³These ten times you have insulted me; You are not ashamed to wrong me.

⁴Even if I have truly done wrong, My error stays with me.

⁵If indeed you exalt yourselves against me And prove my disgrace to me,

⁶Know then that God has wronged me And has surrounded me with His net.

⁷“Behold, I cry, ‘Violence!’ but I get no answer; I shout for help, but there is no justice.

⁸He has blocked my way so that I cannot pass, And He has put darkness on my paths.

⁹He has stripped my honor from me And removed the crown from my head.

¹⁰He breaks me down on every side, and I am gone; And He has uprooted my hope like a tree.

¹¹He has also kindled His anger against me And considered me as His enemy.

¹²His troops come together And build up their way against me And camp around my tent.

¹³“He has removed my brothers far from me, And my acquaintances have completely turned away from me.

¹⁴My relatives have failed, And my close friends have forgotten me.

¹⁵Those who live in my house and my servant women consider me a stranger. I am a foreigner in their sight.

¹⁶I call to my servant, but he does not answer; I have to implore his favor with my mouth.

¹⁷My breath is offensive to my wife, And I am loathsome to my own brothers.

¹⁸Even young children despise me; I stand up and they speak against me.

¹⁹All my associates loathe me, And those I love have turned against me.

²⁰My bone clings to my skin and my flesh, And I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.

²¹Pity me, pity me, you friends of mine, For the hand of God has struck me.

²²Why do you persecute me as God does, And are not satisfied with my flesh?

²³“Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were recorded in a book!

²⁴That with an iron stylus and lead They were engraved in the rock forever!

²⁵Yet as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, And at the last, He will take His stand on the earth.

²⁶Even after my skin is destroyed, Yet from my flesh I will see God,

²⁷Whom I, on my part, shall behold for myself, And whom my eyes will see, and not another. My heart faints within me!

²⁸If you say, ‘How shall we persecute him?’ And ‘What pretext for a case against him can we find?’

²⁹Then be afraid of the sword for yourselves, For wrath brings the punishment of the sword, So that you may know there is judgment.”

¹Listen to my prayer, God; And do not hide Yourself from my pleading.

²Give Your attention to me and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and severely distracted,

³Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the pressure of the wicked; For they bring down trouble upon me And in anger they hold a grudge against me.

⁴My heart is in anguish within me, And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.

⁵Fear and trembling come upon me, And horror has overwhelmed me.

⁶I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.

⁷Behold, I would flee far away, I would spend my nights in the wilderness. Selah

⁸I would hurry to my place of refuge From the stormy wind and heavy gale.”

⁹Confuse them, Lord, divide their tongues, For I have seen violence and strife in the city.

¹⁰Day and night they go around her upon her walls, And evil and harm are in her midst.

¹¹Destruction is in her midst; Oppression and deceit do not depart from her streets.

¹²For it is not an enemy who taunts me, Then I could endure it; Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me, Then I could hide myself from him.

¹³But it is you, a man my equal, My companion and my confidant;

¹⁴We who had sweet fellowship together, Walked in the house of God among the commotion.

¹⁵May death come deceitfully upon them; May they go down alive to Sheol, For evil is in their dwelling, in their midst.

¹⁶As for me, I shall call upon God, And the LORD will save me.

¹⁷Evening and morning and at noon, I will complain and moan, And He will hear my voice.

¹⁸He will redeem my soul in peace from the battle which is against me, For they are many who are aggressive toward me.

¹⁹God will hear and humiliate them— Even the one who sits enthroned from ancient times— Selah With whom there is no change, And who do not fear God.

²⁰He has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him; He has violated his covenant.

²¹His speech was smoother than butter, But his heart was war; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.

²²Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.

²³But You, God, will bring them down to the pit of destruction; Men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days. But I will trust in You.

¹Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity Than a person who is perverse in speech and is a fool.

²Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge, And one who hurries his footsteps errs.

³The foolishness of a person ruins his way, And his heart rages against the LORD.

⁴Wealth adds many friends, But a poor person is separated from his friend.

⁵A false witness will not go unpunished, And one who declares lies will not escape.

⁶Many will seek the favor of a generous person, And every person is a friend to him who gives gifts.

⁷All the brothers of a poor person hate him; How much more do his friends abandon him! He pursues them with words, but they are gone.

⁸One who gets wisdom loves his own soul; One who keeps understanding will find good.

⁹A false witness will not go unpunished, And one who declares lies will perish.

¹⁰Luxury is not fitting for a fool; Much less for a slave to rule over princes.

¹¹A person’s discretion makes him slow to anger, And it is his glory to overlook an offense.

¹²A king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion, But his favor is like dew on the grass.

¹³A foolish son is destruction to his father, And the quarrels of a wife are a constant dripping.

¹⁴House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the LORD.

¹⁵Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, And a lazy person will suffer hunger.

¹⁶One who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, But one who is careless of conduct will die.

¹⁷One who is gracious to a poor person lends to the LORD, And He will repay him for his good deed.

¹⁸Discipline your son while there is hope, And do not desire his death.

¹⁹A person of great anger will suffer the penalty, For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.

²⁰Listen to advice and accept discipline, So that you may be wise the rest of your days.

²¹Many plans are in a person’s heart, But the advice of the LORD will stand.

²²What is desirable in a person is his kindness, And it is better to be a poor person than a liar.

²³The fear of the LORD leads to life, So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.

²⁴The lazy one buries his hand in the dish, But will not even bring it back to his mouth.

²⁵Strike a scoffer and the naive may become clever, But rebuke one who has understanding, and he will gain knowledge.

²⁶He who assaults his father and drives his mother away Is a shameful and disgraceful son.

²⁷Stop listening, my son, to discipline, And you will stray from the words of knowledge.

²⁸A worthless witness makes a mockery of justice, And the mouth of the wicked swallows wrongdoing.

²⁹Judgments are prepared for scoffers, And beatings for the backs of fools.

¹Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.

²He did what was right in the sight of the LORD, only not wholeheartedly.

³Now it came about, as soon as the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, that he killed his servants who had killed his father the king.

⁴However, he did not put their children to death, but did as it is written in the Law in the Book of Moses, which the LORD commanded, saying, “Fathers shall not be put to death for sons, nor sons be put to death for fathers; but each shall be put to death for his own sin.”

⁵Moreover, Amaziah assembled Judah and appointed them according to their fathers’ households under commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds throughout Judah and Benjamin; and he took a census of those from twenty years old and upward and found them to be three hundred thousand choice men, able to go to war and handle spear and shield.

⁶He also hired a hundred thousand valiant warriors from Israel for a hundred talents of silver.

⁷But a man of God came to him saying, “O king, do not let the army of Israel come with you, for the LORD is not with Israel nor with any of the sons of Ephraim.

⁸But if you do go, do it, be strong for the battle; yet God will bring you down before the enemy, for God has the power to help and to bring down.”

⁹Amaziah said to the man of God, “But what are we to do about the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?” And the man of God answered, “The LORD has much more to give you than this.”

¹⁰Then Amaziah dismissed the troops which came to him from Ephraim, to go home; so their anger burned against Judah, and they returned home in fierce anger.

¹¹Now Amaziah gathered his courage and led his people out, and went to the Valley of Salt, and struck and killed ten thousand of the sons of Seir.

¹²The sons of Judah also captured ten thousand alive and brought them to the top of the cliff, and threw them down from the top of the cliff so that they were all dashed to pieces.

¹³But the troops whom Amaziah sent back, those not going with him to battle, raided the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth-horon, and struck and killed three thousand of them, and plundered a large amount of spoils.

¹⁴Now after Amaziah came from slaughtering the Edomites, he brought the gods of the sons of Seir and set them up as his gods. Then he bowed down before them and burned incense to them.

¹⁵So the anger of the LORD burned against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, “Why have you sought the gods of the people who have not saved their own people from your hand?”

¹⁶As he was talking with him, the king said to him, “Have we appointed you to be a royal counselor? Stop! Why should you be put to death?” Then the prophet stopped and said, “I know that God has planned to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.”

¹⁷Then Amaziah king of Judah took counsel and sent word to Joash the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, the king of Israel, saying, “Come, let’s face each other.”

¹⁸But Joash the king of Israel sent a reply to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The thorn bush that was in Lebanon sent word to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ But a wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thorn bush.

¹⁹You said, ‘Behold, you have defeated Edom.’ And your heart has lifted you up in boasting. Now stay home; why should you provoke trouble so that you, would fall, you and Judah with you?”

²⁰But Amaziah would not listen, for it was from God, so that He might hand them over to Joash, because they had sought the gods of Edom.

²¹So Joash king of Israel went up, and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth-shemesh, which belonged to Judah.

²²And Judah was defeated by Israel, and they fled, every man to his tent.

²³Then Joash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem and tore down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, four hundred cubits.

²⁴He took all the gold and silver and all the utensils which were found in the house of God with Obed-edom, and the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages too, and returned to Samaria.

²⁵And Amaziah, the son of Joash king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Joash, son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel.

²⁶Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, from the first to the last, behold, are they not written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel?

²⁷From the time that Amaziah turned away from following the LORD they conspired against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent men after him to Lachish, and they killed him there.

²⁸Then they brought him on horses and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.

¹Hear this word which I am taking up for you as a song of mourning, house of Israel:

²She has fallen, she will not rise again— The virgin Israel. She lies unnoticed on her land; There is no one to raise her up.

³For this is what the Lord GOD says: “The city which goes forth a thousand strong Will have a hundred left, And the one which goes forth a hundred strong Will have ten left to the house of Israel.”

⁴For this is what the LORD says to the house of Israel: “Seek Me so that you may live.

⁵But do not resort to Bethel And do not come to Gilgal, Nor cross over to Beersheba; For Gilgal will certainly go into captivity And Bethel will come to nothing.

⁶Seek the LORD so that you may live, Or He will break through like a fire, house of Joseph, And it will consume with no one to extinguish it for Bethel,

⁷For those who turn justice into wormwood, And throw righteousness to the earth.”

⁸He who made the Pleiades and Orion, And changes deep darkness into morning, Who also darkens day into night, Who calls for the waters of the sea And pours them out on the surface of the earth, The LORD is His name.

⁹It is He who makes destruction flash upon the strong, So that destruction comes upon the fortress.

¹⁰They hate him who rebukes in the gate, And they despise him who speaks with integrity.

¹¹Therefore because you impose heavy rent on the poor And take a tribute of grain from them, Though you have built houses of cut stone, Yet you will not live in them; You have planted beautiful vineyards, yet you will not drink their wine.

¹²For I know your offenses are many and your sins are great, You who are hostile to the righteous and accept bribes, And turn away the poor from justice at the gate.

¹³Therefore at such a time the prudent person keeps quiet, because it is an evil time.

¹⁴Seek good and not evil, so that you may live; And so may the LORD God of armies be with you, Just as you have said!

¹⁵Hate evil, love good, And establish justice in the gate! Perhaps the LORD God of armies Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

¹⁶Therefore this is what the LORD God of armies, the Lord says: “There is mourning in all the public squares, And in all the streets they say, ‘Oh no! Oh no!’ They also call the farmer to mourning And professional mourners to mourning rites.

¹⁷And in all the vineyards there is mourning, Because I will pass through the midst of you,” says the LORD.

¹⁸Woe to you who are longing for the day of the LORD, For what purpose will the day of the LORD be to you? It will be darkness and not light;

¹⁹As when a man flees from a lion And a bear confronts him, Or he goes home, leans with his hand against the wall, And a snake bites him.

²⁰Will the day of the LORD not be darkness instead of light, Even gloom with no brightness in it?

²¹“I hate, I reject your festivals, Nor do I delight in your festive assemblies.

²²Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them; And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fattened oxen.

²³Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.

²⁴But let justice roll out like waters, And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

²⁵“Did you present Me with sacrifices and grain offerings in the wilderness for forty years, house of Israel?

²⁶You also carried along Sikkuth your king and Kiyyun, your images, the star of your gods which you made for yourselves.

²⁷Therefore I will make you go into exile beyond Damascus,” says the LORD, whose name is the God of armies.

¹Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,

²and asked for letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them in shackles to Jerusalem.

³Now as he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him;

⁴and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

⁵And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,

⁶but get up and enter the city, and it will be told to you what you must do.”

⁷The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.

⁸Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus.

⁹And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

¹⁰Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

¹¹And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying,

¹²and he has seenin a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.”

¹³But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints in Jerusalem;

¹⁴and here he has authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.”

¹⁵But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a choseninstrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;

¹⁶for I will show him how much he must suffer in behalf of My name.”

¹⁷So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

¹⁸And immediately something like fish scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized;

¹⁹and he took food and was strengthened. Now for several days he was with the disciples who were in Damascus,

²⁰and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”

²¹All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not the one who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?”

²²But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

²³When many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him,

²⁴but their plot became known to Saul. They were also closely watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death;

²⁵but his disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.

²⁶When he came to Jerusalem, he tried repeatedly to associate with the disciples; and yet they were all afraid of him, as they did not believe that he was a disciple.

²⁷But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus at Damascus.

²⁸And he was with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord.

²⁹And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death.

³⁰Now when the brothers learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.

³¹So the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed peace, as it was being built up; and as it continued in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it kept increasing.

³²Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he also came down to the saints who lived at Lydda.

³³There he found a man named Aeneas who had been bedridden for eight years, because he was paralyzed.

³⁴Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your own bed.” Immediately he got up.

³⁵And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

³⁶Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which when translated means Dorcas); this woman was excelling in acts of kindness and charity which she did habitually.

³⁷But it happened at that time that she became sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upstairs room.

³⁸Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Do not delay in coming to us.”

³⁹So Peter got ready and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the room upstairs; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them.

⁴⁰But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

⁴¹And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.

⁴²It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

⁴³And Peter stayed in Joppa many days with a tanner named Simon.