Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹They came to the other side of the sea, into the region of the Gerasenes.

²When He got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him.

³He lived among the tombs; and no one was able to bind him anymore, not even with a chain,

⁴because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces; and no one was strong enough to subdue him.

⁵Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, and cutting himself with stones.

⁶Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him;

⁷and shouting with a loud voice, he *said, “What business do You have with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!”

⁸For He had already been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”

⁹And He was asking him, “What is your name?” And he *said to Him, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”

¹⁰And he begged Him earnestly not to send them out of the region.

¹¹Now there was a large herd of pigs feeding nearby on the mountain.

¹²And the demons begged Him, saying, “Send us into the pigs so that we may enter them.”

¹³Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the pigs; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea.

¹⁴Their herdsmen ran away and reported it in the city and in the countryside. And the people came to see what it was that had happened.

¹⁵And then they *came to Jesus and *saw the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had previously had the “legion”; and they became frightened.

¹⁶Those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the pigs.

¹⁷And they began to beg Him to leave their region.

¹⁸And as He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was begging Him that he might accompany Him.

¹⁹And He did not let him, but He *said to him, “Go home to your people and report to themwhat great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.”

²⁰And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.

²¹When Jesus had crossed over again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him; and He stayed by the seashore.

²²And one of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, *came, and upon seeing Him, *fell at His feet

²³and *pleaded with Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will get well and live.”

²⁴And He went off with him; and a large crowd was following Him and pressing in on Him.

²⁵A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years,

²⁶and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but instead had become worse—

²⁷after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak.

²⁸For she had been saying to herself, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.”

²⁹And immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.

³⁰And immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that power from Him had gone out, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?”

³¹And His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”

³²And He looked around to see the woman who had done this.

³³But the woman, fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.

³⁴And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith hasmade you well; go in peace and be cured of your disease.”

³⁵While He was still speaking, people *came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; why bother the Teacher further?”

³⁶But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, *said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid, onlybelieve.”

³⁷And He allowed no one to accompany Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.

³⁸They *came to the house of the synagogue official, and He *saw a commotion, and people loudly weeping and wailing.

³⁹And after entering, He *said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child has not died, but is asleep.”

⁴⁰And they began laughing at Him. But putting them all outside, He *took along the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and *entered the room where the child was in bed.

⁴¹And taking the child by the hand, He *said to her, “Talitha, kum!” (which translated means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”).

⁴²And immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astonished.

⁴³And He gave them strict orders that no one was to know about this, and He told them to have something given her to eat.

¹Now Abraham was old, advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in every way.

²Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household who was in charge of all that he owned, “Please place your hand under my thigh,

³and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live;

⁴but you will go to my country and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”

⁵The servant said to him, “Suppose the woman is not willing to follow me to this land; should I take your son back to the land from where you came?”

⁶Then Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not take my son back there!

⁷The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me and who swore to me, saying, ‘To your descendants I will give this land’—He will send His angel ahead of you, and you will take a wife for my son from there.

⁸But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free of this oath of mine; only do not take my son back there.”

⁹So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham, and swore to him concerning this matter.

¹⁰Then the servant took ten camels from the camels of his master, and went out with a variety of good things of his master’s in his hand; so he set out and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.

¹¹He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water when it was evening, the time when women go out to draw water.

¹²And he said, “LORD, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.

¹³Behold, I am standing by the spring, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water;

¹⁴now may it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar so that I may drink,’ and who answers, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels also’—may she be the one whom You have appointed for Your servant Isaac; and by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”

¹⁵And it came about, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor, came out with her jar on her shoulder.

¹⁶The young woman was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had had relations with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up.

¹⁷Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar.”

¹⁸And she said, “Drink, my lord”; then she quickly lowered her jar to her hand, and gave him a drink.

¹⁹Now when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will also draw water for your camels until they have finished drinking.”

²⁰So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, and ran back to the well to draw, and she drew for all his camels.

²¹Meanwhile, the man was taking a close look at her in silence, to find out whether the LORD had made his journey successful or not.

²²When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half-shekel, and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels in gold,

²³and he said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room for us to stay overnight at your father’s house?”

²⁴She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, Milcah’s son, whom she bore to Nahor.”

²⁵Again she said to him, “We have plenty of both straw and feed, and room to stay overnight.”

²⁶Then the man bowed low and worshiped the LORD.

²⁷And he said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned His kindness and His trustworthiness toward my master; as for me, the LORD has guided me in the way to the house of my master’s brothers.”

²⁸Then the young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things.

²⁹Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban; and Laban ran outside to the man at the spring.

³⁰When he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and when he heard the words of his sister Rebekah, saying, “This is what the man said to me,” he went to the man; and behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring.

³¹And he said, “Come in, blessed of the LORD! Why do you stand outside, since I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels?”

³²So the man entered the house. Then Laban unloaded the camels, and he gave straw and feed to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.

³³But when food was set before him to eat, he said, “I will not eat until I have stated my business.” And he said, “Speak on.”

³⁴So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant.

³⁵The LORD has greatly blessed my master, so that he has become rich; and He has given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and servants and slave women, and camels and donkeys.

³⁶Now my master’s wife Sarah bore a son to my master in her old age, and he has given him all that he has.

³⁷My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live;

³⁸but you shall go to my father’s house and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.’

³⁹Then I said to my master, ‘Suppose the woman does not follow me.’

⁴⁰And he said to me, ‘The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you to make your journey successful, and you will take a wife for my son from my relatives and from my father’s house;

⁴¹then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my relatives; and if they do not give her to you, you will be free from my oath.’

⁴²“So I came today to the spring, and said, ‘LORD, God of my master Abraham, if now You will make my journey on which I have been going successful;

⁴³behold, I am standing by the spring, and may it be that the young unmarried woman who comes out to draw water, and to whom I say, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar”;

⁴⁴and she says to me, “You drink, and I will draw for your camels also”—let her be the woman whom the LORD has appointed for my master’s son.’

⁴⁵“Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder, and went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’

⁴⁶She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder, and said, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels also’; so I drank, and she watered the camels also.

⁴⁷Then I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him’; and I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her wrists.

⁴⁸And I bowed low and worshiped the LORD, and blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had guided me in the right way to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son.

⁴⁹So now if you are going to deal kindly and truthfully with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me now, so that I may turn to the right or the left.”

⁵⁰Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “The matter has come from the LORD; so we cannot speak to you bad or good.

⁵¹Here is Rebekah before you, take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has spoken.”

⁵²When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the ground before the LORD.

⁵³And the servant brought out articles of silver and articles of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother.

⁵⁴Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night. When they got up in the morning, he said, “Send me away to my master.”

⁵⁵But her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman stay with us a few days, say ten; afterward she may go.”

⁵⁶However, he said to them, “Do not delay me, since the LORD has prospered my way. Send me away so that I may go to my master.”

⁵⁷And they said, “We will call the young woman and ask her.”

⁵⁸Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.”

⁵⁹So they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse with Abraham’s servant and his men.

⁶⁰And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “May you, our sister, Become thousands of ten thousands, And may your descendants possess The gate of those who hate them.”

⁶¹Then Rebekah got up with her female attendants, and they mounted the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed.

⁶²Now Isaac had come back from a journey to Beer-lahai-roi; for he was living in the Negev.

⁶³Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening; and he raised his eyes and looked, and behold, camels were coming.

⁶⁴Rebekah raised her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel.

⁶⁵She said to the servant, “Who is that man walking in the field to meet us?” And the servant said, “He is my master.” Then she took her veil and covered herself.

⁶⁶The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.

⁶⁷Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and he took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her; so Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

¹Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,

²with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

³being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

⁴There is one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one hope of your calling;

⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

⁶one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

⁷But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

⁸Therefore it says, “WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE the captives, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO PEOPLE.”

⁹(Now this expression, “He ascended,” what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth?

¹⁰He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.)

¹¹And He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers,

¹²for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ;

¹³until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

¹⁴As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;

¹⁵but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Christ,

¹⁶from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

¹⁷So I say this, and affirm in the Lord, that you are to no longer walk just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their minds,

¹⁸being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;

¹⁹and they, having become callous, have given themselves up to indecent behavior for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.

²⁰But you did not learn Christ in this way,

²¹if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus,

²²that, in reference to your former way of life, you are to rid yourselves of the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,

²³and that you are to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,

²⁴and to put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

²⁵Therefore, ridding yourselves of falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you with his neighbor, because we are parts of one another.

²⁶BE ANGRY, AND yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

²⁷and do not give the devil an opportunity.

²⁸The one who steals must no longer steal; but rather he must labor, producing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with the one who has need.

²⁹Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for edification according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

³⁰Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

³¹All bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice.

³²Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

¹You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

²The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful people who will be able to teach others also.

³Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

⁴No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him.

⁵And if someone likewise competes as an athlete, he is not crowned as victor unless he competes according to the rules.

⁶The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops.

⁷Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

⁸Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel,

⁹for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned.

¹⁰For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.

¹¹The statement is trustworthy: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;

¹²If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He will also deny us;

¹³If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

¹⁴Remind them of these things, and solemnly exhort them in the presence of God not to dispute about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the listeners.

¹⁵Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

¹⁶But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness,

¹⁷and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

¹⁸men who have gone astray from the truth, claiming that the resurrection has already taken place; and they are jeopardizing the faith of some.

¹⁹Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His;” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to keep away from wickedness.”

²⁰Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver implements, but also implements of wood and of earthenware, and some are for honor while others are for dishonor.

²¹Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be an implement for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.

²²Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

²³But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels.

²⁴The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, skillful in teaching, patient when wronged,

²⁵with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,

²⁶and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

¹Then Bildad the Shuhite responded,

²“Dominion and awe belong to Him Who makes peace in His heights.

³Is there any number to His troops? And upon whom does His light not rise?

⁴How then can mankind be righteous with God? Or how can anyone who is born of woman be pure?

⁵If even the moon has no brightness And the stars are not pure in His sight,

⁶How much less man, that maggot, And a son of man, that worm!”

¹Hear my cry, God; Give Your attention to my prayer.

²From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

³For You have been a refuge for me, A tower of strength against the enemy.

⁴Let me dwell in Your tent forever; Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah

⁵For You have heard my vows, God; You have given me the inheritance of those who fear Your name.

⁶You will prolong the king’s life; His years will be like generations.

⁷He will sit enthroned before God forever; Appoint faithfulness and truth that they may watch over him.

⁸So I will sing praise to Your name forever, That I may pay my vows day by day.

¹These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, transcribed.

²It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

³As the heavens for height and the earth for depth, So the heart of kings is unsearchable.

⁴Take away the impurities from the silver, And there comes out a vessel for the smith;

⁵Take away the wicked before the king, And his throne will be established in righteousness.

⁶Do not boast in the presence of the king, And do not stand in the same place as great people;

⁷For it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,” Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the prince, Whom your eyes have seen.

⁸Do not go out hastily to argue your case; Otherwise, what will you do in the end, When your neighbor humiliates you?

⁹Argue your case with your neighbor, And do not reveal the secret of another,

¹⁰Or one who hears it will put you to shame, And the evil report about you will not pass away.

¹¹Like apples of gold in settings of silver, Is a word spoken at the proper time.

¹²Like an earring of gold and a jewelry piece of fine gold, Is a wise person who offers rebukes to a listening ear.

¹³Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest Is a faithful messenger to those who send him, For he refreshes the soul of his masters.

¹⁴Like clouds and wind without rain Is a person who boasts of his gifts falsely.

¹⁵Through patience a ruler may be persuaded, And a gentle tongue breaks bone.

¹⁶Have you found honey? Eat only what you need, So that you do not have it in excess and vomit it.

¹⁷Let your foot rarely be in your neighbor’s house, Or he will become weary of you and hate you.

¹⁸Like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow Is a person who gives false testimony against his neighbor.

¹⁹Like a bad tooth and an unsteady foot Is confidence in a treacherous person in time of trouble.

²⁰Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar on soda, Is one who sings songs to a troubled heart.

²¹If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;

²²For you will heap burning coals on his head, And the LORD will reward you.

²³The north wind brings rain, And a gossiping tongue brings an angry face.

²⁴It is better to live on a corner of the roof, Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

²⁵Like cold water to a weary soul, So is good news from a distant land.

²⁶Like a trampled spring and a polluted well, So is a righteous person who gives way before the wicked.

²⁷It is not good to eat much honey, Nor is it glory to search out one’s own glory.

²⁸Like a city that is broken into and without walls So is a person who has no self-control over his spirit.

¹Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah, broke the memorial stones in pieces, cut down the Asherim and pulled down the high places and the altars throughout Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the sons of Israel returned to their cities, each to his possession.

²And Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites by their divisions, each according to his service, both the priests and the Levites, for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to serve and to give thanks and to praise in the gates of the camp of the LORD.

³He also appointed the king’s portion of his property for the burnt offerings, namely, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths and for the new moons and for the appointed festivals, as it is written in the Law of the LORD.

⁴Also he told the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion due to the priests and the Levites, so that they might devote themselves to the Law of the LORD.

⁵As soon as the order spread, the sons of Israel abundantly provided the first fruits of grain, new wine, oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly the tithe of everything.

⁶The sons of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of sacred gifts which were consecrated to the LORD their God, and placed them in heaps.

⁷In the third month they began to make the heaps, and they finished them by the seventh month.

⁸When Hezekiah and the rulers came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD and His people Israel.

⁹Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps.

¹⁰Azariah, the chief priest of the house of Zadok, said to him, “Since the contributions started coming into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat with plenty left over, for the LORD has blessed His people, and this great quantity is left over.”

¹¹Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare rooms in the house of the LORD, and they prepared them.

¹²They faithfully brought in the contributions, the tithes, and the consecrated things; and Conaniah the Levite was the officer in charge of them, and his brother Shimei was second.

¹³Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers under the authority of Conaniah and his brother Shimei by the appointment of King Hezekiah, and Azariah was the chief officer of the house of God.

¹⁴Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the eastern gate, was in charge of the voluntary offerings for God, to distribute the contributions for the LORD and the most holy things.

¹⁵Under his authority were Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, to distribute their portions faithfully to their brothers by divisions, whether great or small,

¹⁶without regard to their genealogical enrollment, to the males from thirty years old and upward—everyone who entered the house of the LORD for his daily obligations—for their work in their duties according to their divisions;

¹⁷as well as the priests who were enrolled genealogically according to their fathers’ households, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, by their duties and their divisions.

¹⁸The genealogical enrollment included all their little children, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, for the whole assembly, for they consecrated themselves faithfully in holiness.

¹⁹Also for the sons of Aaron, the priests, who were in the pasture lands of their cities, or in each and every city, there were men who were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to everyone genealogically enrolled among the Levites.

²⁰Hezekiah did this throughout Judah; and he did what was good, right, and true before the LORD his God.

²¹Every work which he began in the service of the house of God in the Law and in the commandment, seeking his God, he did with all his heart and prospered.

¹The word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

²“Arise, go to Nineveh, the great city, and cry out against it, because their wickedness has come up before Me.”

³But Jonah got up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship that was going to Tarshish, paid the fare, and boarded it to go with them to Tarshish away from the presence of the LORD.

⁴However, the LORD hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea, so that the ship was about to break up.

⁵Then the sailors became afraid and every man cried out to his god, and they hurled the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone below into the stern of the ship, had lain down, and fallen sound asleep.

⁶So the captain approached him and said, “How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god! Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish.”

⁷And each man said to his mate, “Come, let’s cast lots so that we may find out on whose account this catastrophe has struck us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.

⁸Then they said to him, “Tell us, now! On whose account has this catastrophe struck us? What is your occupation, and where do you come from? What is your country, and from what people are you?”

⁹So he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land.”

¹⁰Then the men became extremely afraid, and they said to him, “How could you do this?” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

¹¹So they said to him, “What should we do to you so that the sea will become calm for us?”—for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy.

¹²And he said to them, “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea. Then the sea will become calm for you, because I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you.”

¹³However, the men rowed desperately to return to land, but they could not, because the sea was becoming even stormier against them.

¹⁴Then they cried out to the LORD and said, “We earnestly pray, O LORD, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life, and do not put innocent blood on us; for You, LORD, have done as You pleased.”

¹⁵So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging.

¹⁶Then the men became extremely afraid of the LORD, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.

¹⁷And the LORD designated a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish for three days and three nights.

¹Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

²And after Paul and Barnabas had a heated argument and debate with them, the brothers determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue.

³Therefore, after being sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they were bringing great joy to all the brothers and sisters.

⁴When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were received by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.

⁵But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to keep the Law of Moses.”

⁶The apostles and the elders came together to look into this matter.

⁷After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe.

⁸And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;

⁹and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.

¹⁰Since this is the case, why are you putting God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our forefathers nor we have been able to bear?

¹¹But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”

¹²All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating all the signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles.

¹³After they stopped speaking, James responded, saying, “Brothers, listen to me.

¹⁴Simeon has described how God first concerned Himself about taking a people for His name from among the Gentiles.

¹⁵The words of the Prophets agree with this, just as it is written:

¹⁶‘AFTER THESE THINGS I will return, AND I WILL REBUILD THE FALLEN TABERNACLE OF DAVID, AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS, AND I WILL RESTORE IT,

¹⁷SO THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD, AND ALL THE GENTILES WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME,’

¹⁸SAYS THE LORD, WHO MAKES THESE THINGS known from long ago.

¹⁹Therefore, it is my judgment that we do not cause trouble for those from the Gentiles who are turning to God,

²⁰but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols, from acts of sexual immorality, from what has been strangled, and from blood.

²¹For from ancient generations Moses has those who preach him in every city, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

²²Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers,

²³and they sent this letter with them: “The apostles and the brothers who are elders, to the brothers and sisters in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles: Greetings.

²⁴Since we have heard that some of our number to whom we gave no instruction have confused you by their teaching, upsetting your souls,

²⁵it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

²⁶men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

²⁷Therefore, we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth.

²⁸For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials:

²⁹that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from acts of sexual immorality; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.”

³⁰So when they were sent away, they went down to Antioch; and after gathering the congregation together, they delivered the letter.

³¹When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.

³²Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brothers and sisters with a lengthy message.

³³After they had spent time there, they were sent away from the brothers and sisters in peace to those who had sent them out.

³⁴

³⁵But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

³⁶After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return and visit the brothers and sisters in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”

³⁷Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also.

³⁸But Paul was of the opinion that they should not take along with them this man who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.

³⁹Now it turned into such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus.

⁴⁰But Paul chose Silas, and left after being entrusted by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.

⁴¹And he was traveling through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.