Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

Luke 15; Genesis 50; Romans 3; 3 John 1; Ecclesiastes 9; Psalms 87; Proverbs 20; Nehemiah 11; Zechariah 5; Acts 13

Luke 15

1Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him.

2And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.”

3So He spoke this parable to them, saying:

4“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?

5And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

6And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’

7I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

8“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?

9And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’

10Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

11Then He said: “A certain man had two sons.

12And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood.

13And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.

14But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.

15Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

17“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,

19and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’

20“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.

21And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.

23And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;

24for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

25“Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

26So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.

27And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’

28“But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.

29So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.

30But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’

31“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.

32It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ”

Genesis 50

1Then Joseph fell on his father’s face, and wept over him, and kissed him.

2And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel.

3Forty days were required for him, for such are the days required for those who are embalmed; and the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.

4Now when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the hearing of Pharaoh, saying,

5‘My father made me swear, saying, “Behold, I am dying; in my grave which I dug for myself in the land of Canaan, there you shall bury me.” Now therefore, please let me go up and bury my father, and I will come back.’ ”

6And Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear.”

7So Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt,

8as well as all the house of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s house. Only their little ones, their flocks, and their herds they left in the land of Goshen.

9And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen, and it was a very great gathering.

10Then they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and they mourned there with a great and very solemn lamentation. He observed seven days of mourning for his father.

11And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a deep mourning of the Egyptians.” Therefore its name was called Abel Mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan.

12So his sons did for him just as he had commanded them.

13For his sons carried him to the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite as property for a burial place.

14And after he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers and all who went up with him to bury his father.

15When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him.”

16So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, “Before your father died he commanded, saying,

17‘Thus you shall say to Joseph: “I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you.” ’ Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

18Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.”

19Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God?

20But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.

21Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

22So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father’s household. And Joseph lived one hundred and ten years.

23Joseph saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation. The children of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were also brought up on Joseph’s knees.

24And Joseph said to his brethren, “I am dying; but God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”

25Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.”

26So Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

Romans 3

1What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision?

2Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God.

3For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect?

4Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: “That You may be justified in Your words, And may overcome when You are judged.”

5But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.)

6Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world?

7For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?

8And why not say, “Let us do evil that good may come”?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.

9What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.

10As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;

11There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.

12They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.”

13“Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit”; “The poison of asps is under their lips”;

14“Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”

15“Their feet are swift to shed blood;

16Destruction and misery are in their ways;

17And the way of peace they have not known.”

18“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

19Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

20Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

21But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,

22even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;

23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

24being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

25whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,

26to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

27Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.

28Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

29Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also,

30since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.

31Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

3 John 1

1The Elder, To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth:

2Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

3For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth.

4I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

5Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers,

6who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well,

7because they went forth for His name’s sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles.

8We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth.

9I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us.

10Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church.

11Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.

12Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true.

13I had many things to write, but I do not wish to write to you with pen and ink;

14but I hope to see you shortly, and we shall speak face to face. Peace to you. Our friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.

Ecclesiastes 9

1For I considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God. People know neither love nor hatred by anything they see before them.

2All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; To the good, the clean, and the unclean; To him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; He who takes an oath as he who fears an oath.

3This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

4But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

5For the living know that they will die; But the dead know nothing, And they have no more reward, For the memory of them is forgotten.

6Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; Nevermore will they have a share In anything done under the sun.

7Go, eat your bread with joy, And drink your wine with a merry heart; For God has already accepted your works.

8Let your garments always be white, And let your head lack no oil.

9Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun.

10Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.

11I returned and saw under the sun that— The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor bread to the wise, Nor riches to men of understanding, Nor favor to men of skill; But time and chance happen to them all.

12For man also does not know his time: Like fish taken in a cruel net, Like birds caught in a snare, So the sons of men are snared in an evil time, When it falls suddenly upon them.

13This wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it seemed great to me:

14There was a little city with few men in it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great snares around it.

15Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that same poor man.

16Then I said: “Wisdom is better than strength. Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, And his words are not heard.

17Words of the wise, spoken quietly, should be heard Rather than the shout of a ruler of fools.

18Wisdom is better than weapons of war; But one sinner destroys much good.”

Psalms 87

1A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song. [1] His foundation is in the holy mountains.

2The LORD loves the gates of Zion More than all the dwellings of Jacob.

3Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God! Selah

4“I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to those who know Me; Behold, O Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia: ‘This one was born there.’ ”

5And of Zion it will be said, “This one and that one were born in her; And the Most High Himself shall establish her.”

6The LORD will record, When He registers the peoples: “This one was born there.” Selah

7Both the singers and the players on instruments say, “All my springs are in you.”

Proverbs 20

1Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

2The wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion; Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life.

3It is honorable for a man to stop striving, Since any fool can start a quarrel.

4The lazy man will not plow because of winter; He will beg during harvest and have nothing.

5Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, But a man of understanding will draw it out.

6Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, But who can find a faithful man?

7The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him.

8A king who sits on the throne of judgment Scatters all evil with his eyes.

9Who can say, “I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin”?

10Diverse weights and diverse measures, They are both alike, an abomination to the LORD.

11Even a child is known by his deeds, Whether what he does is pure and right.

12The hearing ear and the seeing eye, The LORD has made them both.

13Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty; Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread.

14It is good for nothing,” cries the buyer; But when he has gone his way, then he boasts.

15There is gold and a multitude of rubies, But the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

16Take the garment of one who is surety for a stranger, And hold it as a pledge when it is for a seductress.

17Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.

18Plans are established by counsel; By wise counsel wage war.

19He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips.

20Whoever curses his father or his mother, His lamp will be put out in deep darkness.

21An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning Will not be blessed at the end.

22Do not say, “I will recompense evil”; Wait for the LORD, and He will save you.

23Diverse weights are an abomination to the LORD, And dishonest scales are not good.

24A man’s steps are of the LORD; How then can a man understand his own way?

25It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy, And afterward to reconsider his vows.

26A wise king sifts out the wicked, And brings the threshing wheel over them.

27The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, Searching all the inner depths of his heart.

28Mercy and truth preserve the king, And by lovingkindness he upholds his throne.

29The glory of young men is their strength, And the splendor of old men is their gray head.

30Blows that hurt cleanse away evil, As do stripes the inner depths of the heart.

Nehemiah 11

1Now the leaders of the people dwelt at Jerusalem; the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city, and nine-tenths were to dwell in other cities.

2And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem.

3These are the heads of the province who dwelt in Jerusalem. (But in the cities of Judah everyone dwelt in his own possession in their cities—Israelites, priests, Levites, Nethinim, and descendants of Solomon’s servants.)

4Also in Jerusalem dwelt some of the children of Judah and of the children of Benjamin. The children of Judah: Athaiah the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, of the children of Perez;

5and Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Col-Hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of Shiloni.

6All the sons of Perez who dwelt at Jerusalem were four hundred and sixty-eight valiant men.

7And these are the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah;

8and after him Gabbai and Sallai, nine hundred and twenty-eight.

9Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer, and Judah the son of Senuah was second over the city.

10Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, and Jachin;

11Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, was the leader of the house of God.

12Their brethren who did the work of the house were eight hundred and twenty-two; and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah,

13and his brethren, heads of the fathers’ houses, were two hundred and forty-two; and Amashai the son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer,

14and their brethren, mighty men of valor, were one hundred and twenty-eight. Their overseer was Zabdiel the son of one of the great men.

15Also of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni;

16Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the heads of the Levites, had the oversight of the business outside of the house of God;

17Mattaniah the son of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, the leader who began the thanksgiving with prayer; Bakbukiah, the second among his brethren; and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.

18All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred and eighty-four.

19Moreover the gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren who kept the gates, were one hundred and seventy-two.

20And the rest of Israel, of the priests and Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, everyone in his inheritance.

21But the Nethinim dwelt in Ophel. And Ziha and Gishpa were over the Nethinim.

22Also the overseer of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micha, of the sons of Asaph, the singers in charge of the service of the house of God.

23For it was the king’s command concerning them that a certain portion should be for the singers, a quota day by day.

24Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel, of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, was the king’s deputy in all matters concerning the people.

25And as for the villages with their fields, some of the children of Judah dwelt in Kirjath Arba and its villages, Dibon and its villages, Jekabzeel and its villages;

26in Jeshua, Moladah, Beth Pelet,

27Hazar Shual, and Beersheba and its villages;

28in Ziklag and Meconah and its villages;

29in En Rimmon, Zorah, Jarmuth,

30Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages; in Lachish and its fields; in Azekah and its villages. They dwelt from Beersheba to the Valley of Hinnom.

31Also the children of Benjamin from Geba dwelt in Michmash, Aija, and Bethel, and their villages;

32in Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah;

33in Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim;

34in Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat;

35in Lod, Ono, and the Valley of Craftsmen.

36Some of the Judean divisions of Levites were in Benjamin.

Zechariah 5

1Then I turned and raised my eyes, and saw there a flying scroll.

2And he said to me, “What do you see?” So I answered, “I see a flying scroll. Its length is twenty cubits and its width ten cubits.”

3Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole earth: ‘Every thief shall be expelled,’ according to this side of the scroll; and, ‘Every perjurer shall be expelled,’ according to that side of it.”

4“I will send out the curse,” says the LORD of hosts; “It shall enter the house of the thief And the house of the one who swears falsely by My name. It shall remain in the midst of his house And consume it, with its timber and stones.”

5Then the angel who talked with me came out and said to me, “Lift your eyes now, and see what this is that goes forth.”

6So I asked, “What is it?” And he said, “It is a basket that is going forth.” He also said, “This is their resemblance throughout the earth:

7Here is a lead disc lifted up, and this is a woman sitting inside the basket”;

8then he said, “This is Wickedness!” And he thrust her down into the basket, and threw the lead cover over its mouth.

9Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were two women, coming with the wind in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven.

10So I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are they carrying the basket?”

11And he said to me, “To build a house for it in the land of Shinar; when it is ready, the basket will be set there on its base.”

Acts 13

1Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

2As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

3Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.

4So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

5And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as their assistant.

6Now when they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus,

7who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.

8But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.

9Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him

10and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?

11And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.” And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.

12Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

13Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem.

14But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down.

15And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, “Men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.”

16Then Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen:

17The God of this people Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He brought them out of it.

18Now for a time of about forty years He put up with their ways in the wilderness.

19And when He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land to them by allotment.

20“After that He gave them judges for about four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.

21And afterward they asked for a king; so God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.

22And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’

23From this man’s seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior—Jesus—

24after John had first preached, before His coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

25And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not He. But behold, there comes One after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose.’

26“Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent.

27For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him.

28And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death.

29Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb.

30But God raised Him from the dead.

31He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people.

32And we declare to you glad tidings— that promise which was made to the fathers.

33God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.’

34And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus: ‘I will give you the sure mercies of David.’

35Therefore He also says in another Psalm: ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.’

36“For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption;

37but He whom God raised up saw no corruption.

38Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins;

39and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.

40Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you:

41‘Behold, you despisers, Marvel and perish! For I work a work in your days, A work which you will by no means believe, Though one were to declare it to you.’ ”

42So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.

43Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

44On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.

45But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul.

46Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.

47For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”

48Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.

49And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region.

50But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.

51But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and came to Iconium.

52And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.