Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

Matthew 7; Exodus 37; 2 Corinthians 8; 1 Timothy 6; Job 26; Psalms 124; Proverbs 26; Judges 1; Isaiah 24; Acts 22

Matthew 7

1 “Judge not, that you be not judged.

2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.

3Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

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

5You hypocrite, first take 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 dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

8For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

9Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?

10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?

11If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

12“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

14For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

16You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

17So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.

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

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

20Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’

23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

25And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but 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 man who built his house on the sand.

27And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

28And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching,

29for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

Exodus 37

1Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood. Two cubits and a half was its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height.

2And he overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a molding of gold around it.

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

4And he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold

5and put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark.

6And he made a mercy seat of pure gold. Two cubits and a half was its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth.

7And he made two cherubim of gold. He made them of hammered work on the two ends of the mercy seat,

8one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat he made the cherubim on its two ends.

9The cherubim spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat were the faces of the cherubim.

10He also made the table of acacia wood. Two cubits was its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height.

11And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made a molding of gold around it.

12And he made a rim around it a handbreadth wide, and made a molding of gold around the rim.

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

14Close to the frame were the rings, as holders for the poles to carry the table.

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

16And he made the vessels of pure gold that were to be on the table, its plates and dishes for incense, and its bowls and flagons with which to pour drink offerings.

17He also made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lampstand of hammered work. Its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers were of one piece with it.

18And there were six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it;

19three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch — so for the six branches going out of the lampstand.

20And on the lampstand itself were four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers,

21and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out of it.

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

23And he made its seven lamps and its tongs and its trays of pure gold.

24He made it and all its utensils out of a talent of pure gold.

25He made the altar of incense of acacia wood. Its length was a cubit, and its breadth was a cubit. It was square, and two cubits was its height. Its horns were of one piece with it.

26He overlaid it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And he made a molding of gold around it,

27and made two rings of gold on it under its molding, on two opposite sides of it, as holders for the poles with which to carry it.

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

29He made the holy anointing oil also, and the pure fragrant incense, blended as by the perfumer.

2 Corinthians 8

1We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia,

2for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.

3For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord,

4begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints —

5and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.

6Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace.

7But as you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you — see that you excel in this act of grace also.

8I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine.

9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

10And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it.

11So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have.

12For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.

13For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness

14your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness.

15As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”

16But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you.

17For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord.

18With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel.

19And not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will.

20We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us,

21for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of man.

22And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you.

23As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit. And as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.

24So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to these men.

1 Timothy 6

1Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled.

2Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved. False Teachers and True Contentment Teach and urge these things.

3If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness,

4he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions,

5and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

6But godliness with contentment is great gain,

7for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.

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

9But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

11But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.

12Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

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

14to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,

15which he will display at the proper time — he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,

16who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

17As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

18They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,

19thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

20O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,”

21for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you.

Job 26

1Then Job answered and said:

2“How you have helped him who has no power! How you have saved the arm that has no strength!

3How you have counseled him who has no wisdom, and plentifully declared sound knowledge!

4With whose help have you uttered words, and whose breath has come out from you?

5The dead tremble under the waters and their inhabitants.

6Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering.

7He stretches out the north over the void and hangs the earth on nothing.

8He binds up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not split open under them.

9He covers the face of the full moon and spreads over it his cloud.

10He has inscribed a circle on the face of the waters at the boundary between light and darkness.

11The pillars of heaven tremble and are astounded at his rebuke.

12By his power he stilled the sea; by his understanding he shattered Rahab.

13By his wind the heavens were made fair; his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.

14Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

Psalms 124

1If it had not been the LORD who was on our side — let Israel now say —

2if it had not been the LORD who was on our side when people rose up against us,

3then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us;

4then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us;

5then over us would have gone the raging waters.

6Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey to their teeth!

7We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped!

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

Proverbs 26

1Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.

2Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, a curse that is causeless does not alight.

3A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools.

4Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself.

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

6Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.

7Like a lame man's legs, which hang useless, is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

8Like one who binds the stone in the sling is one who gives honor to a fool.

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

10Like an archer who wounds everyone is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.

11Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.

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

13The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets!”

14As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed.

15The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.

16The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.

17Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.

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

19is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I am only joking!”

20For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.

21As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

22The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.

23Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are fervent lips with an evil heart.

24Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart;

25when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart;

26though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

27Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.

28A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin.

Judges 1

1After the death of Joshua, the people of Israel inquired of the LORD, “Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?”

2The LORD said, “Judah shall go up; behold, I have given the land into his hand.”

3And Judah said to Simeon his brother, “Come up with me into the territory allotted to me, that we may fight against the Canaanites. And I likewise will go with you into the territory allotted to you.” So Simeon went with him.

4Then Judah went up and the LORD gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand, and they defeated 10,000 of them at Bezek.

5They found Adoni-bezek at Bezek and fought against him and defeated the Canaanites and the Perizzites.

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

7And Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and their big toes cut off used to pick up scraps under my table. As I have done, so God has repaid me.” And they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.

8And the men of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it and struck it with the edge of the sword and set the city on fire.

9And afterward the men of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who lived in the hill country, in the Negeb, and in the lowland.

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

11From there they went against the inhabitants of Debir. The name of Debir was formerly Kiriath-sepher.

12And Caleb said, “He who attacks Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give him Achsah my daughter for a wife.”

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

14When she came to him, she urged him to ask her father for a field. And she dismounted from her donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What do you want?”

15She said to him, “Give me a blessing. Since you have set me in the land of the Negeb, give me also springs of water.” And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

16And the descendants of the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, went up with the people of Judah from the city of palms into the wilderness of Judah, which lies in the Negeb near Arad, and they went and settled with the people.

17And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they defeated the Canaanites who inhabited Zephath and devoted it to destruction. So the name of the city was called Hormah.

18Judah also captured Gaza with its territory, and Ashkelon with its territory, and Ekron with its territory.

19And the LORD was with Judah, and he took possession of the hill country, but he could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain because they had chariots of iron.

20And Hebron was given to Caleb, as Moses had said. And he drove out from it the three sons of Anak.

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

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

23And the house of Joseph scouted out Bethel. (Now the name of the city was formerly Luz.)

24And the spies saw a man coming out of the city, and they said to him, “Please show us the way into the city, and we will deal kindly with you.”

25And he showed them the way into the city. And they struck the city with the edge of the sword, but they let the man and all his family go.

26And the man went to the land of the Hittites and built a city and called its name Luz. That is its name to this day.

27Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants 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, for the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land.

28When Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not drive them out completely.

29And Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them.

30Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, or the inhabitants of Nahalol, so the Canaanites lived among them, but became subject to forced labor.

31Asher 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, for they did not drive them out.

33Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, or the inhabitants of Beth-anath, so they lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land. Nevertheless, the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became subject to forced labor for them.

34The Amorites pressed the people of Dan back into the hill country, for they did not allow them to come down to the plain.

35The Amorites persisted in dwelling in Mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, but the hand of the house of Joseph rested heavily on them, and they became subject to forced labor.

36And the border of the Amorites ran from the ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela and upward.

Isaiah 24

1Behold, the LORD will empty the earth and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants.

2And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the slave, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the creditor, so with the debtor.

3The earth shall be utterly empty and utterly plundered; for the LORD has spoken this word.

4The earth mourns and withers; the world languishes and withers; the highest people of the earth languish.

5The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.

6Therefore a curse devours the earth, and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt; therefore the inhabitants of the earth are scorched, and few men are left.

7The wine mourns, the vine languishes, all the merry-hearted sigh.

8The mirth of the tambourines is stilled, the noise of the jubilant has ceased, the mirth of the lyre is stilled.

9No more do they drink wine with singing; strong drink is bitter to those who drink it.

10The wasted city is broken down; every house is shut up so that none can enter.

11There is an outcry in the streets for lack of wine; all joy has grown dark; the gladness of the earth is banished.

12Desolation is left in the city; the gates are battered into ruins.

13For thus it shall be in the midst of the earth among the nations, as when an olive tree is beaten, as at the gleaning when the grape harvest is done.

14They lift up their voices, they sing for joy; over the majesty of the LORD they shout from the west.

15Therefore in the east give glory to the LORD; in the coastlands of the sea, give glory to the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.

16From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise, of glory to the Righteous One. But I say, “I waste away, I waste away. Woe is me! For the traitors have betrayed, with betrayal the traitors have betrayed.”

17Terror and the pit and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth!

18He who flees at the sound of the terror shall fall into the pit, and he who climbs out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For the windows of heaven are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble.

19The earth is utterly broken, the earth is split apart, the earth is violently shaken.

20The earth staggers like a drunken man; it sways like a hut; its transgression lies heavy upon it, and it falls, and will not rise again.

21On that day the LORD will punish the host of heaven, in heaven, and the kings of the earth, on the earth.

22They will be gathered together as prisoners in a pit; they will be shut up in a prison, and after many days they will be punished.

23Then the moon will be confounded and the sun ashamed, for the LORD of hosts reigns on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and his glory will be before his elders.

Acts 22

1“Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.”

2And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said:

3“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day.

4I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women,

5as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.

6“As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly 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 answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, 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 said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’

11And since I could not see because of the 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 law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,

13came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him.

14And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth;

15for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard.

16And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

17“When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance

18and saw him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’

19And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you.

20And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’

21And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’

22Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.”

23And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air,

24the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, to find out why they were shouting against him like this.

25But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?”

26When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.”

27So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.”

28The tribune answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.”

29So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.

30But on the next day, desiring to know the real reason why he was being accused by the Jews, he unbound him and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and he brought Paul down and set him before them.