Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹" Do not judge and criticize and condemn [others unfairly with an attitude of self-righteous superiority as though assuming the office of a judge], so that you will not be judged [unfairly].

²For just as you [hypocritically] judge others [when you are sinful and unrepentant], so will you be judged; and in accordance with your standard of measure [used to pass out judgment], judgment will be measured to you.

³Why do you look at the [insignificant] speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice and acknowledge the [egregious] log that is in your own eye?

⁴Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me get the speck out of your eye,' when there is a log in your own eye?

⁵You hypocrite (play-actor, pretender), first get the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

⁶"Do not give that which is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, for they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

⁷" Ask and keep on asking and it will be given to you; seek and keep on seeking and you will find; knock and keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you.

⁸For everyone who keeps on asking receives, and he who keeps on seeking finds, and to him who keeps on knocking, it will be opened.

⁹Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will [instead] give him a stone?

¹⁰Or if he asks for a fish, will [instead] give him a snake?

¹¹If you then, evil (sinful by nature) as you are, know how to give good and advantageous gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven [perfect as He is] give what is good and advantageous to those who keep on asking Him.

¹²"So then, in everything treat others the same way you want them to treat you, for this is [the essence of] the Law and the [writings of the] Prophets.

¹³"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad and easy to travel is the path that leads the way to destruction and eternal loss, and there are many who enter through it.

¹⁴But small is the gate and narrow and difficult to travel is the path that leads the way to [everlasting] life, and there are few who find it.

¹⁵"Beware of the false prophets, [teachers] who come to you dressed as sheep [appearing gentle and innocent], but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

¹⁶By their fruit you will recognize them [that is, by their contrived doctrine and self-focus]. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?

¹⁷Even so, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the unhealthy tree bears bad fruit.

¹⁸A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

¹⁹Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

²⁰Therefore, by their fruit you will recognize them [as false prophets].

²¹"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.

²²Many will say to Me on that day [when I judge them], 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and driven out demons in Your name, and done many miracles in Your name?'

²³And then I will declare to them publicly, 'I never knew you; depart from Me [you are banished from My presence], you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands].'

²⁴"So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, will be like a wise man [a far-sighted, practical, and sensible man] who built his house on the rock.

²⁵And the rain fell, and the floods and torrents came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

²⁶And everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them, will be like a foolish (stupid) man who built his house on the sand.

²⁷And the rain fell, and the floods and torrents came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great and complete was its fall."

²⁸When Jesus had finished [speaking] these words [on the mountain], the crowds were astonished and overwhelmed at His teaching;

²⁹for He was teaching them as one who had authority [to teach entirely of His own volition], and not as their scribes [who relied on others to confirm their authority].

¹Bezalel made the ark [of the covenant] of acacia wood—it was two and a half cubits long, and one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits high.

²And he overlaid it with pure gold inside and out, and made a molding (border) of gold to go all around [the top of it].

³He cast four rings of gold for it on its four feet, two rings on one side and two rings on the other side.

⁴He made carrying poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

⁵He put the carrying poles through the rings at the sides of the ark, to carry it.

⁶Bezalel made the mercy seat of pure gold; it was two and a half cubits long, and one and a half cubits wide.

⁷He made two cherubim of hammered gold; he made them at the two ends of the mercy seat,

⁸one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end; he made the cherubim [of one piece] with the mercy seat at the two ends.

⁹The cherubim spread out their wings upward, covering and protecting the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces toward each other; the faces of the cherubim were [looking downward] toward the mercy seat.

¹⁰Bezalel made the table [for the bread] of acacia wood; it was two cubits long, a cubit wide, and one and a half cubits high.

¹¹He overlaid it with pure gold, and made a border of gold for it all around [its top].

¹²He made a rim for it [just under the top] a hand width wide all around, and a border of gold around its rim.

¹³He cast four rings of gold for it and fastened the rings to the four corners that were at its four legs.

¹⁴Close by the rim were the rings, the holders for the poles [to pass through] to carry the table.

¹⁵Bezalel made the carrying poles of acacia wood to carry the table and overlaid them with gold.

¹⁶He made the utensils which were to be on the table, its dishes and its pans [for bread], its bowls and its jars for pouring drink offerings, of pure gold.

¹⁷Then he made the lampstand (menorah) of pure gold. He made the lampstand of hammered work, its base and its [center] shaft; its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers were all of one piece with it.

¹⁸There were six branches coming out of the sides of the lampstand, three branches from one side of the center shaft and three branches from the other side of it;

¹⁹three cups shaped like almond blossoms, a calyx and a flower in one branch, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms, a calyx and a flower in the opposite branch—so for the six branches coming out of the center shaft of the lampstand.

²⁰On the center shaft of the lampstand there were four cups shaped like almond blossoms, with calyxes and flowers [one at the top];

²¹and a calyx was under the first pair of branches coming out of it, and a calyx under the second pair of branches, coming out of it, and a calyx under the third pair of branches coming out of it, for the six branches coming out of the lampstand.

²²Their calyxes and their branches were of one piece with it; all of it was a single hammered work of pure gold.

²³He made its seven lamps with its snuffers and its trays of pure gold.

²⁴He made the lampstand and all its utensils from a talent of pure gold.

²⁵Then Bezalel made the incense altar of acacia wood; its top was a cubit square and it was two cubits high; the horns were of one piece with it.

²⁶He overlaid it with pure gold, its top, its sides all around and its horns; he also made a rim of gold around it.

²⁷He made two rings of gold for it under its rim, on its two opposite sides, as holders for the poles [to pass through] to carry it.

²⁸He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.

²⁹He also made the holy anointing oil and the pure, fragrant incense of spices, the work of a perfumer.

¹Now, brothers and sisters, we want to tell you about the grace of God which has been evident in the churches of Macedonia [awakening in them a longing to contribute];

²for during an ordeal of severe distress, their abundant joy and their deep poverty [together] overflowed in the wealth of their lavish generosity.

³For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave voluntarily,

⁴begging us insistently for the privilege of participating in the service for [the support of] the saints [in Jerusalem].

⁵Not only [did they give materially] as we had hoped, but first they gave themselves to the Lord and to us [as His representatives] by the will of God [disregarding their personal interests and giving as much as they possibly could].

⁶So we urged Titus that, as he began it, he should also complete this gracious work among you as well.

⁷But just as you excel in everything, [and lead the way] in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in genuine concern, and in your love for us, see that you excel in this gracious work [of giving] also.

⁸I am not saying this as a command [to dictate to you], but to prove, by [pointing out] the enthusiasm of others, the sincerity of your love as well.

⁹For you are recognizing [more clearly] the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [His astonishing kindness, His generosity, His gracious favor], that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that by His poverty you might become rich (abundantly blessed).

¹⁰I give you my opinion in this matter: this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin a year ago not only to take action [to help the believers in Jerusalem], but also [the first] to desire to do it.

¹¹So now finish this, so that your eagerness in desiring it may be equaled by your completion of it, according to your ability.

¹²For if the eagerness [to give] is there, it is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.

¹³For it is not [intended] that others be relieved [of their responsibility] and that you be burdened [unfairly], but that there be equality [in sharing the burden]—

¹⁴at this present time your surplus [over necessities] is going to supply their need, so that [at some other time] their surplus may be given to supply your need, that there may be equality;

¹⁵as it is written [in Scripture], "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not lack."

¹⁶But thanks be to God who puts the same genuine concern for you in the heart of Titus.

¹⁷For Titus not only accepted our appeal, but was so very interested in you that he has gone to visit you of his own accord.

¹⁸And we have sent along with him the brother who is praised in the gospel [ministry] throughout all the churches;

¹⁹and not only this, but he has also been appointed by the churches to travel with us in regard to this gracious offering which we are administering for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our eagerness [as believers to help one another].

²⁰We are taking precaution so that no one will [find anything with which to] discredit us in our administration of this generous gift.

²¹For we have regard for what is honorable [and above suspicion], not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

²²We have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found to be diligent in many things, but who is now even more diligent [than ever] because of his great confidence in you.

²³As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker in your service; and as for the [other two] brothers, they are [special] messengers of the churches, a glory and credit to Christ.

²⁴Therefore, show these men, in the sight of the churches, the proof of your love and our reason for being proud of you.

¹All who are under the yoke as bond-servants (slaves) are to regard their own masters as worthy of honor and respect so that the name of God and the teaching [about Him] will not be spoken against.

²Those who have believing masters are not to be disrespectful toward them because they are brothers [in Christ], but they should serve them even better, because those who benefit from their kindly service are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these [duties and principles].

³If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine and teaching which is in agreement with godliness (personal integrity, upright behavior),

⁴he is conceited and woefully ignorant [understanding nothing]. He has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, which produces envy, quarrels, verbal abuse, evil suspicions,

⁵and perpetual friction between men who are corrupted in mind and deprived of the truth, who think that godliness is a source of profit [a lucrative, money-making business—withdraw from them].

⁶But godliness actually is a source of great gain when accompanied by contentment [that contentment which comes from a sense of inner confidence based on the sufficiency of God].

⁷For we have brought nothing into the world, so [it is clear that] we cannot take anything out of it, either.

⁸But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.

⁹But those who [are not financially ethical and] crave to get rich [with a compulsive, greedy longing for wealth] fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction [leading to personal misery].

¹⁰For the love of money [that is, the greedy desire for it and the willingness to gain it unethically] is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves [through and through] with many sorrows.

¹¹But as for you, O man of God, flee from these things; aim at and pursue righteousness [true goodness, moral conformity to the character of God], godliness [the fear of God], faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness.

¹²Fight the good fight of the faith [in the conflict with evil]; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and [for which] you made the good confession [of faith] in the presence of many witnesses.

¹³I solemnly charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and [in the presence] of Christ Jesus, who made the good confession [in His testimony] before Pontius Pilate,

¹⁴to keep all His precepts without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,

¹⁵which He will bring about in His own time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign [the absolute Ruler], the King of those who reign as kings and Lord of those who rule as lords,

¹⁶He alone possesses immortality [absolute exemption from death] and lives in unapproachable light, whom no man has ever seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal power and dominion! Amen.

¹⁷As for the rich in this present world, instruct them not to be conceited and arrogant, nor to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly and ceaselessly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

¹⁸Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, willing to share [with others].

¹⁹In this way storing up for themselves the enduring riches of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

²⁰O Timothy, guard and keep safe the deposit [of godly truth] entrusted to you, turn away from worldly and godless chatter [with its profane, empty words], and the contradictions of what is falsely called "knowledge"—

²¹which some have professed and by doing so have erred (missed the mark) and strayed from the faith. Grace be with you.

¹But Job answered and said,

²"What a help you are to the weak (powerless)! How you have saved the arm that is without strength!

³"How you have counseled the one who has no wisdom! And how abundantly you have provided sound wisdom and helpful insight!

⁴"To whom have you uttered [these] words? And whose spirit [inspired what] came forth from you?

⁵"The spirits of the dead tremble Underneath the waters and their inhabitants.

⁶"Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead) is naked before God, And Abaddon (the place of destruction) has no covering [from His eyes].

⁷"It is He who spreads out the north over emptiness And hangs the earth on nothing.

⁸"He wraps the waters in His clouds [which otherwise would spill on earth all at once], And the cloud does not burst under them.

⁹"He covers the face of the full moon And spreads His cloud over it.

¹⁰"He has inscribed a circular limit (the horizon) on the face of the waters At the boundary between light and darkness.

¹¹"The pillars of the heavens tremble And are terrified at His rebuke.

¹²"He stirred up the sea by His power, And by His understanding He smashed [proud] Rahab.

¹³"By His breath the heavens are cleared; His hand has pierced the [swiftly] fleeing serpent.

¹⁴"Yet these are just the fringes of His ways [mere samples of His power], The faintest whisper of His voice! Who can contemplate the thunder of His [full] mighty power?"

¹A Song of Ascents. Of David. "If it had not been the LORD who was on our side," Let Israel now say,

²"If it had not been the LORD who was on our side When men rose up against us,

³Then they would have [quickly] swallowed us alive, When their wrath was kindled against us;

⁴Then the waters would have engulfed us, The torrent would have swept over our soul;

⁵Then the raging waters would have swept over our soul."

⁶Blessed be the LORD, Who has not given us as prey to be torn by their teeth.

⁷We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; The trap is broken and we have escaped.

⁸Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.

¹Like snow in summer and like rain in harvest, So honor is not fitting for a [shortsighted] fool.

²Like the sparrow in her wandering, like the swallow in her flying, So the curse without cause does not come and alight [on the undeserving].

³A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, And a rod for the backs of fools [who refuse to learn].

⁴Do not answer [nor pretend to agree with the frivolous comments of] a [closed-minded] fool according to his folly, Otherwise you, even you, will be like him.

⁵Answer [and correct the erroneous concepts of] a fool according to his folly, Otherwise he will be wise in his own eyes [if he thinks you agree with him].

⁶He who sends a message by the hand of a fool Cuts off his own feet (sabotages himself) and drinks the violence [it brings on himself as a consequence].

⁷Like the legs which are useless to the lame, So is a proverb in the mouth of a fool [who cannot learn from its wisdom].

⁸Like one who [absurdly] binds a stone in a sling [making it impossible to throw], So is he who [absurdly] gives honor to a fool.

⁹Like a thorn that goes [without being felt] into the hand of a drunken man, So is a proverb in the mouth of a fool [who remains unaffected by its wisdom].

¹⁰Like a [careless] archer who [shoots arrows wildly and] wounds everyone, So is he who hires a fool or those who [by chance just] pass by.

¹¹Like a dog that returns to his vomit Is a fool who repeats his foolishness.

¹²Do you see a man [who is unteachable and] wise in his own eyes and full of self-conceit? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

¹³The lazy person [who is self-indulgent and relies on lame excuses] says, "There is a lion in the road! A lion is in the open square [and if I go outside to work I will be killed]!"

¹⁴As the door turns on its hinges, So does the lazy person on his bed [never getting out of it].

¹⁵The lazy person buries his hand in the dish [losing opportunity after opportunity]; It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.

¹⁶The lazy person is wiser in his own eyes Than seven [sensible] men who can give a discreet answer.

¹⁷Like one who grabs a dog by the ears [and is likely to be bitten] Is he who, passing by, stops to meddle with a dispute that is none of his business.

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

¹⁹So is the man who deceives his neighbor (acquaintance, friend) And then says, "Was I not joking?"

²⁰For lack of wood the fire goes out, And where there is no whisperer [who gossips], contention quiets down.

²¹Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle strife.

²²The words of a whisperer (gossip) are like dainty morsels [to be greedily eaten]; They go down into the innermost chambers of the body [to be remembered and mused upon].

²³Like a [common] clay vessel covered with the silver dross [making it appear silver when it has no real value] Are burning lips [murmuring manipulative words] and a wicked heart.

²⁴He who hates, disguises it with his lips, But he stores up deceit in his heart.

²⁵When he speaks graciously and kindly [to conceal his malice], do not trust him, For seven abominations are in his heart.

²⁶Though his hatred covers itself with guile and deceit, His malevolence will be revealed openly before the assembly.

²⁷Whoever digs a pit [for another man's feet] will fall into it, And he who rolls a stone [up a hill to do mischief], it will come back on him.

²⁸A lying tongue hates those it wounds and crushes, And a flattering mouth works ruin.

¹Now it came about after the death of Joshua, that the sons (descendants) of Israel (Jacob) asked the LORD, "Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?"

²And the LORD said, "Judah shall go up [first]; behold, I have given the land into his hand."

³And [the tribe of the sons of] Judah said to [the tribe of the sons of] Simeon his brother, "Come up with me into my allotted territory, so that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with you into your allotted territory." So Simeon went with him.

⁴Then Judah went up, and the LORD gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand, and they struck down in defeat ten thousand men at Bezek.

⁵Then they found Adoni-bezek in Bezek and fought against him, and they struck down in defeat the Canaanites and the Perizzites.

⁶But Adoni-bezek fled; and they pursued him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and his big toes.

⁷Adoni-bezek said, "Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to gather up scraps of food under my table; as I have done [to others], so God has repaid me." So they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.

⁸Then the sons of Judah fought against [Jebusite] Jerusalem and captured it and struck it with the edge of the sword and set the city on fire.

⁹Afterward the sons of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who lived in the hill country, in the Negev (South country) and in the lowland.

¹⁰So Judah went against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron (the name of Hebron formerly was Kiriath-arba); and they defeated Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai.

¹¹From there [the tribe of] Judah went against the inhabitants of Debir (the name of Debir formerly was Kiriath-sepher [city of books and scribes]).

¹²And Caleb said, "Whoever attacks Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will even give him my daughter Achsah as a wife."

¹³Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, captured it; so he gave him his daughter Achsah as a wife.

¹⁴When she came to Othniel, she persuaded him to [allow her to] ask her father [Caleb] for a field. Then she [rode up to Caleb and] dismounted from her donkey, and Caleb said to her, "What do you want?"

¹⁵She said to him, "Give me a blessing; since you have given me the land of the Negev (South country), give me springs of water, too." So Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

¹⁶The sons of [ Jethro] the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, went up from the City of Palms (Jericho) with the sons of Judah, to the wilderness of Judah which is in the Negev (South country) near Arad; and they went and lived with the people.

¹⁷Then [the warriors of the tribe of] Judah went with [the warriors of the tribe of] Simeon his brother, and they struck the Canaanites living in Zephath and utterly destroyed it. So the city was called Hormah (destruction).

¹⁸Also [the warriors of] Judah captured Gaza with its territory and Ashkelon with its territory and Ekron with its territory.

¹⁹The LORD was with Judah, and [the tribe of] Judah took possession of the hill country, but they could not dispossess and drive out those inhabiting the valley because they had iron chariots.

²⁰Then they gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had said, and he drove out from there the three sons of Anak.

²¹But the sons of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem; so the Jebusites have lived with the sons of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.

²²The house of Joseph also went up against Bethel, and the LORD was with them.

²³The house of Joseph spied out Bethel (now the name of the city was formerly Luz).

²⁴The spies saw a man coming out of the city and they said to him, "Please show us the entrance to the city and we will treat you kindly."

²⁵So he showed them the entrance to the city, and they struck the city with the edge of the sword, but they let the man and all his family go free.

²⁶The man went into the land of the Hittites and built a city and named it Luz, which is its name to this day.

²⁷But [the tribe of] Manasseh did not take possession of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages; so the Canaanites remained in that land.

²⁸It happened when Israel became strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but they did not drive them out completely.

²⁹Neither did [the warriors of] Ephraim drive out the Canaanites who were living in Gezer; so the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them.

³⁰[The warriors of the tribe of] Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron or of Nahalol; so the Canaanites lived among them and were put to forced labor.

³¹[The warriors of the tribe of] Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants of Sidon, or of Ahlab, or of Achzib, or of Helbah, or of Aphik, or of Rehob.

³²So the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, because they did not drive them out.

³³Neither did [the warriors of] Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, or the inhabitants of Beth-anath, but they lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; and the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became forced labor for them.

³⁴Then the Amorites forced the sons of Dan [back] into the hill country, for they would not allow them to come down into the valley;

³⁵yet the Amorites persisted in living on Mount Heres (the mountain of the sun), in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim; but when the power of the house (descendants) of Joseph became strong and prevailed, they became forced labor.

³⁶The border of the Amorites ran from the ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela (rock) and upward.

¹Behold, the LORD lays waste to the earth, devastates it, twists and distorts its face and scatters its inhabitants.

²And the people will be like the priest, the servant like his master, the maid like her mistress, the buyer like the seller, the lender like the borrower, the creditor like the debtor [as God's impartial judgment of sin comes on all].

³The earth will be completely laid waste and utterly pillaged, for the LORD has spoken this word.

⁴The earth dries up and crumbles away, the world dries out and crumbles away, the exalted of the people of the earth fade away.

⁵The earth also is polluted by its inhabitants, because they have transgressed laws, violated statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant.

⁶Therefore, a curse devours the earth, and those who live on it suffer the punishment of their guilt. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned [under the curse of God's wrath], and few people are left.

⁷The new wine mourns, The vine decays; All the merry-hearted sigh and groan.

⁸The mirth of the timbrels (tambourines) ceases, The noise of those who rejoice ends, The joy of the harp ceases.

⁹They do not drink wine with a song; Strong drink is bitter to those who drink it.

¹⁰The city of chaos is broken down; Every house is shut up so that no one may enter.

¹¹There is an outcry in the streets concerning the wine; All jubilation is darkened, The joy of the earth is banished.

¹²Horrible desolation is left in the city, And the gate is battered into ruins.

¹³For so it will be in the midst of the earth among the peoples, As the shaking of an olive tree, As the gleanings when the grape harvest is over [and only a little of the fruit remains].

¹⁴They [who have escaped and remain] raise their voices, they shout for joy; They rejoice from the [Mediterranean] Sea in the majesty of the LORD.

¹⁵Therefore honor and glorify the LORD in the east [in the region of light], The name of the LORD, the God of Israel [honor His name], In the coastlands and islands of the [Mediterranean] Sea.

¹⁶From the ends of the earth we hear songs, "Glory and honor to the Righteous One," But I say, "I waste away, I waste away. Woe to me! The treacherous deal treacherously, Indeed, the treacherous deal very treacherously."

¹⁷Terror and pit [of destruction] and snare Confront you, O inhabitant of the earth.

¹⁸Then it will be that he who flees at the sound of terror will fall into the pit, And he who comes up out of the pit will be caught in the snare; For the windows of heaven are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble.

¹⁹The earth is broken completely apart, The earth is split apart, The earth is shaken violently.

²⁰The earth reels back and forth like a drunkard And sways like a shack; Its transgression lies heavily upon it, And it will fall and not rise again.

²¹So it will happen in that day That the LORD will visit and punish the host (fallen angels) of heaven on high, And the kings of the earth on the earth.

²²They will be gathered together As prisoners [are gathered] in a dungeon; They will be shut up in prison, And after many days they will be visited and punished.

²³Then the full moon will be embarrassed and the sun ashamed, For the LORD of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, And His glory and brilliance will shine before His elders.

¹"Brethren and fathers (kinsmen), hear my defense which I now offer to you."

²When they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew dialect, they became even more quiet. And he continued,

³"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strictness of the law of our fathers, being ardent and passionate for God just as all of you are today.

⁴I persecuted and pursued the followers of this Way to the death, binding them with chains and putting [followers of Jesus] both men and women into prisons,

⁵as the high priest and all the Council of the elders (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) can testify; because from them I received letters to the brothers, and I was on my way to Damascus in order to bring those [believers] who were there to Jerusalem in chains to be punished.

⁶"But as I was on my way, approaching Damascus about noontime, a great blaze of light suddenly flashed from heaven and shone around me.

⁷And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?'

⁸And I replied, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said to me, 'I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.'

⁹Now those who were with me saw the light, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me.

¹⁰And I asked, 'What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord answered me, 'Get up and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that is appointed and destined for you to do.'

¹¹But since I could not see because of the [glorious intensity and dazzling] brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me and came into Damascus.

¹²"And one Ananias, a devout man according to the standard of the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,

¹³came to [see] me, and standing near, he said to me, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight!' And at that very moment I [recovered my sight and] looked up at him.

¹⁴And he said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will, [and to progressively understand His plan with clarity and power] and to see the Righteous One [Jesus Christ, the Messiah] and to hear a message from His [own] mouth.

¹⁵For you will be His witness to all men testifying of what you have seen and heard.

¹⁶Now, why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins by calling on His name [for salvation].'

¹⁷"Then it happened when I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple [enclosure], that I fell into a trance (vision);

¹⁸and I saw Him saying to me, 'Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.'

¹⁹And I said, 'Lord, they themselves know [without any doubt] that in one synagogue after another I used to imprison and beat those who believed in You [and Your message of salvation].

²⁰And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing nearby approving and consenting [to his death], and guarding the coats of those who were killing him.'

²¹And the Lord said to me, 'Go, I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"

²²They listened to Paul until [he made] this [last] statement, but now they raised their voices and shouted, "Away with such a man from the earth! He is not fit to live!"

²³And as they were shouting and throwing off their coats [getting ready to stone Paul] and tossing dust into the air [expressing their anger],

²⁴the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, stating that he was to be interrogated with a whip in order to learn why the people were shouting against him that way.

²⁵But when they had stretched him out with the leather straps [in preparation for the whip], Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it legal for you to whip a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned [without a trial]?"

²⁶When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and said to him, "What are you about to do? This man is a Roman!"

²⁷So the commander came and asked Paul, "Tell me, are you a Roman?" And he said, "Yes."

²⁸The commander replied, "I purchased this citizenship [of mine] for a large sum of money [so how did you acquire yours?]." Paul said, "But I was actually born a citizen."

²⁹So those who were about to interrogate him by torture immediately let him go; and the commander was also afraid when he realized that Paul was a Roman and he had put him in chains.

³⁰But on the next day, wanting to know the real reason why Paul was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) to assemble; and brought Paul down and presented him before them.