Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him.

²And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!

³Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him.

⁴But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.”

⁵Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.

⁶And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

⁷And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.

⁸He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts—

⁹but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.

¹⁰Also He said to them, “In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place.

¹¹And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!”

¹²So they went out and preached that people should repent.

¹³And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.

¹⁴Now King Herod heard of Him, for His name had become well known. And he said, “John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.”

¹⁵Others said, “It is Elijah.” And others said, “It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets.”

¹⁶But when Herod heard, he said, “This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!”

¹⁷For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her.

¹⁸Because John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”

¹⁹Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not;

²⁰for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.

²¹Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee.

²²And when Herodias’ daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.”

²³He also swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”

²⁴So she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist!”

²⁵Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

²⁶And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her.

²⁷Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison,

²⁸brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.

²⁹When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.

³⁰Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught.

³¹And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.

³²So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.

³³But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him.

³⁴And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.

³⁵When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, “This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late.

³⁶Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat.”

³⁷But He answered and said to them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to Him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?”

³⁸But He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they found out they said, “Five, and two fish.”

³⁹Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass.

⁴⁰So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties.

⁴¹And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divided among them all.

⁴²So they all ate and were filled.

⁴³And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish.

⁴⁴Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men.

⁴⁵Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away.

⁴⁶And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray.

⁴⁷Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land.

⁴⁸Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by.

⁴⁹And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out;

⁵⁰for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

⁵¹Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled.

⁵²For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.

⁵³When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there.

⁵⁴And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him,

⁵⁵ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was.

⁵⁶Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.

¹Abraham again took a wife, and her name was Keturah.

²And she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.

³Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim.

⁴And the sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abidah, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.

⁵And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac.

⁶But Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the concubines which Abraham had; and while he was still living he sent them eastward, away from Isaac his son, to the country of the east.

⁷This is the sum of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived: one hundred and seventy-five years.

⁸Then Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.

⁹And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite,

¹⁰the field which Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth. There Abraham was buried, and Sarah his wife.

¹¹And it came to pass, after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac. And Isaac dwelt at Beer Lahai Roi.

¹²Now this is the genealogy of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maidservant, bore to Abraham.

¹³And these were the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,

¹⁴Mishma, Dumah, Massa,

¹⁵Hadar, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.

¹⁶These were the sons of Ishmael and these were their names, by their towns and their settlements, twelve princes according to their nations.

¹⁷These were the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred and thirty-seven years; and he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.

¹⁸(They dwelt from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt as you go toward Assyria.) He died in the presence of all his brethren.

¹⁹This is the genealogy of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham begot Isaac.

²⁰Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah as wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian.

²¹Now Isaac pleaded with the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

²²But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So she went to inquire of the LORD.

²³And the LORD said to her: “Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, And the older shall serve the younger.”

²⁴So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb.

²⁵And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name Esau.

²⁶Afterward his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau’s heel; so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

²⁷So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents.

²⁸And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

²⁹Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary.

³⁰And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom.

³¹But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.”

³²And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?”

³³Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.

³⁴And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

¹Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.

²And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

³But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints;

⁴neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

⁵For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

⁶Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

⁷Therefore do not be partakers with them.

⁸For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

⁹(for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),

¹⁰finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.

¹¹And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

¹²For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.

¹³But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.

¹⁴Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.”

¹⁵See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,

¹⁶redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

¹⁷Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

¹⁸And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

¹⁹speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,

²⁰giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

²¹submitting to one another in the fear of God.

²²Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

²³For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.

²⁴Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

²⁵Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,

²⁶that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,

²⁷that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

²⁸So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.

²⁹For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.

³⁰For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.

³¹“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”

³²This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

³³Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

¹But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:

²For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

³unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,

⁴traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

⁵having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

⁶For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,

⁷always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

⁸Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith;

⁹but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

¹⁰But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance,

¹¹persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me.

¹²Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

¹³But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

¹⁴But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,

¹⁵and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁶All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

¹⁷that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

¹But Job answered and said:

²“How have you helped him who is without power? How have you saved the arm that has no strength?

³How have you counseled one who has no wisdom? And how have you declared sound advice to many?

⁴To whom have you uttered words? And whose spirit came from you?

⁵“The dead tremble, Those under the waters and those inhabiting them.

⁶Sheol is naked before Him, And Destruction has no covering.

⁷He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth on nothing.

⁸He binds up the water in His thick clouds, Yet the clouds are not broken under it.

⁹He covers the face of His throne, And spreads His cloud over it.

¹⁰He drew a circular horizon on the face of the waters, At the boundary of light and darkness.

¹¹The pillars of heaven tremble, And are astonished at His rebuke.

¹²He stirs up the sea with His power, And by His understanding He breaks up the storm.

¹³By His Spirit He adorned the heavens; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent.

¹⁴Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, And how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?”

¹To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. [1] Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation.

²He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.

³How long will you attack a man? You shall be slain, all of you, Like a leaning wall and a tottering fence.

⁴They only consult to cast him down from his high position; They delight in lies; They bless with their mouth, But they curse inwardly. Selah

⁵My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him.

⁶He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.

⁷In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God.

⁸Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah

⁹Surely men of low degree are a vapor, Men of high degree are a lie; If they are weighed on the scales, They are altogether lighter than vapor.

¹⁰Do not trust in oppression, Nor vainly hope in robbery; If riches increase, Do not set your heart on them.

¹¹God has spoken once, Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God.

¹²Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy; For You render to each one according to his work.

¹As snow in summer and rain in harvest, So honor is not fitting for a fool.

²Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, So a curse without cause shall not alight.

³A whip for the horse, A bridle for the donkey, And a rod for the fool’s back.

⁴Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him.

⁵Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.

⁶He who sends a message by the hand of a fool Cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.

⁷Like the legs of the lame that hang limp Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

⁸Like one who binds a stone in a sling Is he who gives honor to a fool.

⁹Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

¹⁰The great God who formed everything Gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages.

¹¹As a dog returns to his own vomit, So a fool repeats his folly.

¹²Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

¹³The lazy man says, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion is in the streets!”

¹⁴As a door turns on its hinges, So does the lazy man on his bed.

¹⁵The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl; It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.

¹⁶The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes Than seven men who can answer sensibly.

¹⁷He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own Is like one who takes a dog by the ears.

¹⁸Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death,

¹⁹Is the man who deceives his neighbor, And says, “I was only joking!”

²⁰Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.

²¹As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle strife.

²²The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, And they go down into the inmost body.

²³Fervent lips with a wicked heart Are like earthenware covered with silver dross.

²⁴He who hates, disguises it with his lips, And lays up deceit within himself;

²⁵When he speaks kindly, do not believe him, For there are seven abominations in his heart;

²⁶Though his hatred is covered by deceit, His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly.

²⁷Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, And he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.

²⁸A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, And a flattering mouth works ruin.

¹After these deeds of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered Judah; he encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them over to himself.

²And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, and that his purpose was to make war against Jerusalem,

³he consulted with his leaders and commanders to stop the water from the springs which were outside the city; and they helped him.

⁴Thus many people gathered together who stopped all the springs and the brook that ran through the land, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?”

⁵And he strengthened himself, built up all the wall that was broken, raised it up to the towers, and built another wall outside; also he repaired the Millo in the City of David, and made weapons and shields in abundance.

⁶Then he set military captains over the people, gathered them together to him in the open square of the city gate, and gave them encouragement, saying,

⁷“Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him.

⁸With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

⁹After this Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem (but he and all the forces with him laid siege against Lachish), to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah who were in Jerusalem, saying,

¹⁰“Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria: ‘In what do you trust, that you remain under siege in Jerusalem?

¹¹Does not Hezekiah persuade you to give yourselves over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, “The LORD our God will deliver us from the hand of the king of Assyria”?

¹²Has not the same Hezekiah taken away His high places and His altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, “You shall worship before one altar and burn incense on it”?

¹³Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of other lands? Were the gods of the nations of those lands in any way able to deliver their lands out of my hand?

¹⁴Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed that could deliver his people from my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you from my hand?

¹⁵Now therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or persuade you like this, and do not believe him; for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you from my hand?’ ”

¹⁶Furthermore, his servants spoke against the LORD God and against His servant Hezekiah.

¹⁷He also wrote letters to revile the LORD God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, “As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver His people from my hand.”

¹⁸Then they called out with a loud voice in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them and trouble them, that they might take the city.

¹⁹And they spoke against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth— the work of men’s hands.

²⁰Now because of this King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, prayed and cried out to heaven.

²¹Then the LORD sent an angel who cut down every mighty man of valor, leader, and captain in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned shamefaced to his own land. And when he had gone into the temple of his god, some of his own offspring struck him down with the sword there.

²²Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others, and guided them on every side.

²³And many brought gifts to the LORD at Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations thereafter.

²⁴In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death, and he prayed to the LORD; and He spoke to him and gave him a sign.

²⁵But Hezekiah did not repay according to the favor shown him, for his heart was lifted up; therefore wrath was looming over him and over Judah and Jerusalem.

²⁶Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

²⁷Hezekiah had very great riches and honor. And he made himself treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of desirable items;

²⁸storehouses for the harvest of grain, wine, and oil; and stalls for all kinds of livestock, and folds for flocks.

²⁹Moreover he provided cities for himself, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance; for God had given him very much property.

³⁰This same Hezekiah also stopped the water outlet of Upper Gihon, and brought the water by tunnel to the west side of the City of David. Hezekiah prospered in all his works.

³¹However, regarding the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, whom they sent to him to inquire about the wonder that was done in the land, God withdrew from him, in order to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart.

³²Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, indeed they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

³³So Hezekiah rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the upper tombs of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him at his death. Then Manasseh his son reigned in his place.

¹Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the fish’s belly.

²And he said: “I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction, And He answered me. “Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, And You heard my voice.

³For You cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.

⁴Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’

⁵The waters surrounded me, even to my soul; The deep closed around me; Weeds were wrapped around my head.

⁶I went down to the moorings of the mountains; The earth with its bars closed behind me forever; Yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD, my God.

⁷“When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD; And my prayer went up to You, Into Your holy temple.

⁸“Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their own Mercy.

⁹But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.”

¹⁰So the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

¹Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek.

²He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium.

³Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek.

⁴And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem.

⁵So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.

⁶Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.

⁷After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them.

⁸So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.

⁹And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

¹⁰Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.

¹¹Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day came to Neapolis,

¹²and from there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city for some days.

¹³And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there.

¹⁴Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.

¹⁵And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.

¹⁶Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.

¹⁷This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.”

¹⁸And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour.

¹⁹But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities.

²⁰And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city;

²¹and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.”

²²Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods.

²³And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely.

²⁴Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

²⁵But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

²⁶Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.

²⁷And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself.

²⁸But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.”

²⁹Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.

³⁰And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

³¹So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

³²Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.

³³And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.

³⁴Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.

³⁵And when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, “Let those men go.”

³⁶So the keeper of the prison reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Now therefore depart, and go in peace.”

³⁷But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and have thrown us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! Let them come themselves and get us out.”

³⁸And the officers told these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans.

³⁹Then they came and pleaded with them and brought them out, and asked them to depart from the city.

⁴⁰So they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.