Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death.

²And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

³Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

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

⁵Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.

⁶But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.”

⁷And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in.

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

⁹Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced,

¹⁰and gave them for the potter’s field, as the LORD directed me.”

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

¹²And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing.

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

¹⁴But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.

¹⁵Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished.

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

¹⁷Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”

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

¹⁹While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.”

²⁰But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.

²¹The governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They said, “Barabbas!”

²²Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!”

²³Then the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!”

²⁴When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.”

²⁵And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.”

²⁶Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

²⁷Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him.

²⁸And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him.

²⁹When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

³⁰Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head.

³¹And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.

³²Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross.

³³And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull,

³⁴they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink.

³⁵Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: “They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.”

³⁶Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there.

³⁷And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

³⁸Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.

³⁹And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads

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

⁴¹Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said,

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

⁴³He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”

⁴⁴Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.

⁴⁵Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.

⁴⁶And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

⁴⁷Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!”

⁴⁸Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.

⁴⁹The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.”

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

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

⁵²and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;

⁵³and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

⁵⁴So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

⁵⁵And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar,

⁵⁶among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

⁵⁷Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, 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 commanded the body to be given to him.

⁵⁹When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

⁶⁰and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.

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

⁶²On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate,

⁶³saying, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’

⁶⁴Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.”

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

⁶⁶So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.

¹Then the LORD appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day.

²So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground,

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

⁴Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.

⁵And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.” They said, “Do as you have said.”

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

⁷And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it.

⁸So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate.

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

¹⁰And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.)

¹¹Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.

¹²Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

¹³And the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’

¹⁴Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”

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

¹⁶Then the men rose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on the way.

¹⁷And the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing,

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

¹⁹For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.”

²⁰And the LORD said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave,

²¹I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”

²²Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the LORD.

²³And Abraham came near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

²⁴Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it?

²⁵Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

²⁶So the LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.”

²⁷Then Abraham answered and said, “Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord:

²⁸Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?” So He said, “If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.”

²⁹And he spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose there should be forty found there?” So He said, “I will not do it for the sake of forty.”

³⁰Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?” So He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

³¹And he said, “Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there?” So He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.”

³²Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.”

³³So the LORD went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.

¹Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all,

²but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.

³Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.

⁴But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

⁵to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

⁶And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”

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

⁸But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods.

⁹But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?

¹⁰You observe days and months and seasons and years.

¹¹I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.

¹²Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. You have not injured me at all.

¹³You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first.

¹⁴And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

¹⁵What then was the blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me.

¹⁶Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?

¹⁷They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them.

¹⁸But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you.

¹⁹My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you,

²⁰I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you.

²¹Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?

²²For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman.

²³But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise,

²⁴which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar—

²⁵for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children—

²⁶but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.

²⁷For it is written: “Rejoice, O barren, You who do not bear! Break forth and shout, You who are not in labor! For the desolate has many more children Than she who has a husband.”

²⁸Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.

²⁹But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now.

³⁰Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.”

³¹So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.

¹Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,

²for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.

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

⁴who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

⁵For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,

⁶who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,

⁷for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying— a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

⁸I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;

⁹in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing,

¹⁰but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.

¹¹Let a woman learn in silence with all submission.

¹²And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.

¹³For Adam was formed first, then Eve.

¹⁴And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.

¹⁵Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.

¹Then Job answered and said:

²“How long will you torment my soul, And break me in pieces with words?

³These ten times you have reproached me; You are not ashamed that you have wronged me.

⁴And if indeed I have erred, My error remains with me.

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

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

⁷“If I cry out concerning wrong, I am not heard. If I cry aloud, there is no justice.

⁸He has fenced up my way, so that I cannot pass; And He has set darkness in my paths.

⁹He has stripped me of my glory, And taken the crown from my head.

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

¹¹He has also kindled His wrath against me, And He counts me as one of His enemies.

¹²His troops come together And build up their road against me; They encamp all around my tent.

¹³“He has removed my brothers far from me, And my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.

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

¹⁵Those who dwell in my house, and my maidservants, Count me as a stranger; I am an alien in their sight.

¹⁶I call my servant, but he gives no answer; I beg him with my mouth.

¹⁷My breath is offensive to my wife, And I am repulsive to the children of my own body.

¹⁸Even young children despise me; I arise, and they speak against me.

¹⁹All my close friends abhor me, And those whom I love have turned against me.

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

²¹“Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends, 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 inscribed in a book!

²⁴That they were engraved on a rock With an iron pen and lead, forever!

²⁵For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth;

²⁶And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God,

²⁷Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!

²⁸If you should say, ‘How shall we persecute him?’— Since the root of the matter is found in me,

²⁹Be afraid of the sword for yourselves; For wrath brings the punishment of the sword, That you may know there is a judgment.”

¹To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A Contemplation of David. [1] Give ear to my prayer, O God, And do not hide Yourself from my supplication.

²Attend to me, and hear me; I am restless in my complaint, and moan noisily,

³Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked; For they bring down trouble upon me, And in wrath they hate me.

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

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

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

⁷Indeed, I would wander far off, And remain in the wilderness. Selah

⁸I would hasten my escape From the windy storm and tempest.”

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

¹⁰Day and night they go around it on its walls; Iniquity and trouble are also in the midst of it.

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

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

¹³But it was you, a man my equal, My companion and my acquaintance.

¹⁴We took sweet counsel together, And walked to the house of God in the throng.

¹⁵Let death seize them; Let them go down alive into hell, For wickedness is in their dwellings and among them.

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

¹⁷Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice.

¹⁸He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, For there were many against me.

¹⁹God will hear, and afflict them, Even He who abides from of old. Selah Because they do not change, Therefore they do not fear God.

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

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

²²Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.

²³But You, O God, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction; Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; But I will trust in You.

¹Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

²Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge, And he sins who hastens with his feet.

³The foolishness of a man twists his way, And his heart frets against the LORD.

⁴Wealth makes many friends, But the poor is separated from his friend.

⁵A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who speaks lies will not escape.

⁶Many entreat the favor of the nobility, And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts.

⁷All the brothers of the poor hate him; How much more do his friends go far from him! He may pursue them with words, yet they abandon him.

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

⁹A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who speaks lies shall perish.

¹⁰Luxury is not fitting for a fool, Much less for a servant to rule over princes.

¹¹The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.

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

¹³A foolish son is the ruin of his father, And the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping.

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

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

¹⁶He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, But he who is careless of his ways will die.

¹⁷He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, And He will pay back what he has given.

¹⁸Chasten your son while there is hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction.

¹⁹A man of great wrath will suffer punishment; For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.

²⁰Listen to counsel and receive instruction, That you may be wise in your latter days.

²¹There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the LORD’s counsel—that will stand.

²²What is desired in a man is kindness, And a poor man is better than a liar.

²³The fear of the LORD leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil.

²⁴A lazy man buries his hand in the bowl, And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

²⁵Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become wary; Rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge.

²⁶He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother Is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.

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

²⁸A disreputable witness scorns justice, And the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.

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 twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.

²And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a loyal heart.

³Now it happened, as soon as the kingdom was established for him, that he executed his servants who had murdered his father the king.

⁴However he did not execute their children, but did as it is written in the Law in the Book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, “The fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall the children be put to death for their fathers; but a person shall die for his own sin.”

⁵Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together and set over them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, according to their fathers’ houses, throughout all Judah and Benjamin; and he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them to be three hundred thousand choice men, able to go to war, who could handle spear and shield.

⁶He also hired one hundred thousand mighty men of valor from Israel for one hundred talents of silver.

⁷But a man of God came to him, saying, “O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the LORD is not with Israel—not with any of the children of Ephraim.

⁸But if you go, be gone! Be strong in battle! Even so, God shall make you fall before the enemy; for God has power to help and to overthrow.”

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

¹⁰So Amaziah discharged the troops that had come to him from Ephraim, to go back home. Therefore their anger was greatly aroused against Judah, and they returned home in great anger.

¹¹Then Amaziah strengthened himself, and leading his people, he went to the Valley of Salt and killed ten thousand of the people of Seir.

¹²Also the children of Judah took captive ten thousand alive, brought them to the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, so that they all were dashed in pieces.

¹³But as for the soldiers of the army which Amaziah had discharged, so that they would not go with him to battle, they raided the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth Horon, killed three thousand in them, and took much spoil.

¹⁴Now it was so, after Amaziah came from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the people of Seir, set them up to be his gods, and bowed down before them and burned incense to them.

¹⁵Therefore the anger of the LORD was aroused against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, “Why have you sought the gods of the people, which could not rescue their own people from your hand?”

¹⁶So it was, as he talked with him, that the king said to him, “Have we made you the king’s counselor? Cease! Why should you be killed?” Then the prophet ceased, and said, “I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not heeded my advice.”

¹⁷Now Amaziah king of Judah asked advice and sent to Joash the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face one another in battle.”

¹⁸And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as wife’; and a wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle.

¹⁹Indeed you say that you have defeated the Edomites, and your heart is lifted up to boast. Stay at home now; why should you meddle with trouble, that you should fall—you and Judah with you?”

²⁰But Amaziah would not heed, for it came from God, that He might give them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought the gods of Edom.

²¹So Joash king of Israel went out; and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced one another at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah.

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

²³Then Joash the king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth Shemesh; and he brought him to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate—four hundred cubits.

²⁴And he took all the gold and silver, all the articles that were found in the house of God with Obed-Edom, the treasures of the king’s house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.

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

²⁶Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, from first to last, indeed are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?

²⁷After the time that Amaziah turned away from following the LORD, they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish and 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 take up against you, a lamentation, O house of Israel:

²The virgin of Israel has fallen; She will rise no more. She lies forsaken on her land; There is no one to raise her up.

³For thus says the Lord GOD: “The city that goes out by a thousand Shall have a hundred left, And that which goes out by a hundred Shall have ten left to the house of Israel.”

⁴For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel: “Seek Me and live;

⁵But do not seek Bethel, Nor enter Gilgal, Nor pass over to Beersheba; For Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, And Bethel shall come to nothing.

⁶Seek the LORD and live, Lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, And devour it, With no one to quench it in Bethel—

⁷You who turn justice to wormwood, And lay righteousness to rest in the earth!”

⁸He made the Pleiades and Orion; He turns the shadow of death into morning And makes the day dark as night; He calls for the waters of the sea And pours them out on the face of the earth; The LORD is His name.

⁹He rains ruin upon the strong, So that fury comes upon the fortress.

¹⁰They hate the one who rebukes in the gate, And they abhor the one who speaks uprightly.

¹¹Therefore, because you tread down the poor And take grain taxes from him, Though you have built houses of hewn stone, Yet you shall not dwell in them; You have planted pleasant vineyards, But you shall not drink wine from them.

¹²For I know your manifold transgressions And your mighty sins: Afflicting the just and taking bribes; Diverting the poor from justice at the gate.

¹³Therefore the prudent keep silent at that time, For it is an evil time.

¹⁴Seek good and not evil, That you may live; So the LORD God of hosts will be with you, As you have spoken.

¹⁵Hate evil, love good; Establish justice in the gate. It may be that the LORD God of hosts Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

¹⁶Therefore the LORD God of hosts, the Lord, says this: “There shall be wailing in all streets, And they shall say in all the highways, ‘Alas! Alas!’ They shall call the farmer to mourning, And skillful lamenters to wailing.

¹⁷In all vineyards there shall be wailing, For I will pass through you,” Says the LORD.

¹⁸Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! For what good is the day of the LORD to you? It will be darkness, and not light.

¹⁹It will be as though a man fled from a lion, And a bear met him! Or as though he went into the house, Leaned his hand on the wall, And a serpent bit him!

²⁰Is not the day of the LORD darkness, and not light? Is it not very dark, with no brightness in it?

²¹“I hate, I despise your feast days, And I do not savor your sacred assemblies.

²²Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them, Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings.

²³Take away from Me the noise of your songs, For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments.

²⁴But let justice run down like water, And righteousness like a mighty stream.

²⁵“Did you offer Me sacrifices and offerings In the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?

²⁶You also carried Sikkuth your king And Chiun, your idols, The star of your gods, Which you made for yourselves.

²⁷Therefore I will send you into captivity beyond Damascus,” Says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts.

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

²and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

³As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.

⁴Then 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?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

⁶So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

⁷And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.

⁸Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.

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

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

¹¹So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying.

¹²And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”

¹³Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.

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

¹⁵But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.

¹⁶For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

¹⁷And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

¹⁸Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

¹⁹So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.

²⁰Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.

²¹Then all who heard were amazed, and said, “Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?”

²²But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

²³Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him.

²⁴But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him.

²⁵Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket.

²⁶And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple.

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

²⁸So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out.

²⁹And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him.

³⁰When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus.

³¹Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.

³²Now it came to pass, as Peter went through all parts of the country, that he also came down to the saints who dwelt in Lydda.

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

³⁴And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed.” Then he arose immediately.

³⁵So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

³⁶At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did.

³⁷But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.

³⁸And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them.

³⁹Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them.

⁴⁰But Peter put 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.

⁴¹Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive.

⁴²And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord.

⁴³So it was that he stayed many days in Joppa with Simon, a tanner.