Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town.

²Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.”

³But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, “That’s blasphemy! Does he think he’s God?”

⁴Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts?

⁵Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’?

⁶So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”

⁷And the man jumped up and went home!

⁸Fear swept through the crowd as they saw this happen. And they praised God for giving humans such authority.

⁹As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.

¹⁰Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners.

¹¹But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum? ”

¹²When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor — sick people do.”

¹³Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

¹⁴One day the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked him, “Why don’t your disciples fast like we do and the Pharisees do?”

¹⁵Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

¹⁶“Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.

¹⁷“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved.”

¹⁸As Jesus was saying this, the leader of a synagogue came and knelt before him. “My daughter has just died,” he said, “but you can bring her back to life again if you just come and lay your hand on her.”

¹⁹So Jesus and his disciples got up and went with him.

²⁰Just then a woman who had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding came up behind him. She touched the fringe of his robe,

²¹for she thought, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.”

²²Jesus turned around, and when he saw her he said, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was healed at that moment.

²³When Jesus arrived at the official’s home, he saw the noisy crowd and heard the funeral music.

²⁴“Get out!” he told them. “The girl isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” But the crowd laughed at him.

²⁵After the crowd was put outside, however, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up!

²⁶The report of this miracle swept through the entire countryside.

²⁷After Jesus left the girl’s home, two blind men followed along behind him, shouting, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”

²⁸They went right into the house where he was staying, and Jesus asked them, “Do you believe I can make you see?” “Yes, Lord,” they told him, “we do.”

²⁹Then he touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen.”

³⁰Then their eyes were opened, and they could see! Jesus sternly warned them, “Don’t tell anyone about this.”

³¹But instead, they went out and spread his fame all over the region.

³²When they left, a demon-possessed man who couldn’t speak was brought to Jesus.

³³So Jesus cast out the demon, and then the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed. “Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel!” they exclaimed.

³⁴But the Pharisees said, “He can cast out demons because he is empowered by the prince of demons.”

³⁵Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness.

³⁶When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

³⁷He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few.

³⁸So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

¹The craftsmen made beautiful sacred garments of blue, purple, and scarlet cloth — clothing for Aaron to wear while ministering in the Holy Place, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

²Bezalel made the ephod of finely woven linen and embroidered it with gold and with blue, purple, and scarlet thread.

³He made gold thread by hammering out thin sheets of gold and cutting it into fine strands. With great skill and care, he worked it into the fine linen with the blue, purple, and scarlet thread.

⁴The ephod consisted of two pieces, front and back, joined at the shoulders with two shoulder-pieces.

⁵The decorative sash was made of the same materials: finely woven linen embroidered with gold and with blue, purple, and scarlet thread, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

⁶They mounted the two onyx stones in settings of gold filigree. The stones were engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel, just as a seal is engraved.

⁷He fastened these stones on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod as a reminder that the priest represents the people of Israel. All this was done just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

⁸Bezalel made the chestpiece with great skill and care. He made it to match the ephod, using finely woven linen embroidered with gold and with blue, purple, and scarlet thread.

⁹He made the chestpiece of a single piece of cloth folded to form a pouch nine inches square.

¹⁰They mounted four rows of gemstones on it. The first row contained a red carnelian, a pale-green peridot, and an emerald.

¹¹The second row contained a turquoise, a blue lapis lazuli, and a white moonstone.

¹²The third row contained an orange jacinth, an agate, and a purple amethyst.

¹³The fourth row contained a blue-green beryl, an onyx, and a green jasper. All these stones were set in gold filigree.

¹⁴Each stone represented one of the twelve sons of Israel, and the name of that tribe was engraved on it like a seal.

¹⁵To attach the chestpiece to the ephod, they made braided cords of pure gold thread.

¹⁶They also made two settings of gold filigree and two gold rings and attached them to the top corners of the chestpiece.

¹⁷They tied the two gold cords to the rings on the chestpiece.

¹⁸They tied the other ends of the cords to the gold settings on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod.

¹⁹Then they made two more gold rings and attached them to the inside edges of the chestpiece next to the ephod.

²⁰Then they made two more gold rings and attached them to the front of the ephod, below the shoulder-pieces, just above the knot where the decorative sash was fastened to the ephod.

²¹They attached the bottom rings of the chestpiece to the rings on the ephod with blue cords. In this way, the chestpiece was held securely to the ephod above the decorative sash. All this was done just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

²²Bezalel made the robe that is worn with the ephod from a single piece of blue woven cloth,

²³with an opening for Aaron’s head in the middle of it. The opening was reinforced with a woven collar so it would not tear.

²⁴They made pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and attached them to the hem of the robe.

²⁵They also made bells of pure gold and placed them between the pomegranates along the hem of the robe,

²⁶with bells and pomegranates alternating all around the hem. This robe was to be worn whenever the priest ministered before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

²⁷They made tunics for Aaron and his sons from fine linen cloth.

²⁸The turban and the special head coverings were made of fine linen, and the undergarments were also made of finely woven linen.

²⁹The sashes were made of finely woven linen and embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet thread, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

³⁰Finally, they made the sacred medallion — the badge of holiness — of pure gold. They engraved it like a seal with these words: HOLY TO THE LORD.

³¹They attached the medallion with a blue cord to Aaron’s turban, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

³²And so at last the Tabernacle was finished. The Israelites had done everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

³³And they brought the entire Tabernacle to Moses: the sacred tent with all its furnishings, clasps, frames, crossbars, posts, and bases;

³⁴the tent coverings of tanned ram skins and fine goatskin leather; the inner curtain to shield the Ark;

³⁵the Ark of the Covenant and its carrying poles; the Ark’s cover — the place of atonement;

³⁶the table and all its utensils; the Bread of the Presence;

³⁷the pure gold lampstand with its symmetrical lamp cups, all its accessories, and the olive oil for lighting;

³⁸the gold altar; the anointing oil and fragrant incense; the curtain for the entrance of the sacred tent;

³⁹the bronze altar; the bronze grating and its carrying poles and utensils; the washbasin with its stand;

⁴⁰the curtains for the walls of the courtyard; the posts and their bases; the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard; the ropes and tent pegs; all the furnishings to be used in worship at the Tabernacle;

⁴¹the beautifully stitched garments for the priests to wear while ministering in the Holy Place — the sacred garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments for his sons to wear as they minister as priests.

⁴²So the people of Israel followed all of the LORD’s instructions to Moses.

⁴³Then Moses inspected all their work. When he found it had been done just as the LORD had commanded him, he blessed them.

¹Now I, Paul, appeal to you with the gentleness and kindness of Christ — though I realize you think I am timid in person and bold only when I write from far away.

²Well, I am begging you now so that when I come I won’t have to be bold with those who think we act from human motives.

³We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do.

⁴We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.

⁵We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.

⁶And after you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains disobedient.

⁷Look at the obvious facts. Those who say they belong to Christ must recognize that we belong to Christ as much as they do.

⁸I may seem to be boasting too much about the authority given to us by the Lord. But our authority builds you up; it doesn’t tear you down. So I will not be ashamed of using my authority.

⁹I’m not trying to frighten you by my letters.

¹⁰For some say, “Paul’s letters are demanding and forceful, but in person he is weak, and his speeches are worthless!”

¹¹Those people should realize that our actions when we arrive in person will be as forceful as what we say in our letters from far away.

¹²Oh, don’t worry; we wouldn’t dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!

¹³We will not boast about things done outside our area of authority. We will boast only about what has happened within the boundaries of the work God has given us, which includes our working with you.

¹⁴We are not reaching beyond these boundaries when we claim authority over you, as if we had never visited you. For we were the first to travel all the way to Corinth with the Good News of Christ.

¹⁵Nor do we boast and claim credit for the work someone else has done. Instead, we hope that your faith will grow so that the boundaries of our work among you will be extended.

¹⁶Then we will be able to go and preach the Good News in other places far beyond you, where no one else is working. Then there will be no question of our boasting about work done in someone else’s territory.

¹⁷As the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD.”

¹⁸When people commend themselves, it doesn’t count for much. The important thing is for the Lord to commend them.

¹Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus.

²You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.

³Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

⁴Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them.

⁵And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules.

⁶And hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor.

⁷Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things.

⁸Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead. This is the Good News I preach.

⁹And because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained.

¹⁰So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.

¹¹This is a trustworthy saying: If we die with him, we will also live with him.

¹²If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us.

¹³If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.

¹⁴Remind everyone about these things, and command them in God’s presence to stop fighting over words. Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them.

¹⁵Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.

¹⁶Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior.

¹⁷This kind of talk spreads like cancer, as in the case of Hymenaeus and Philetus.

¹⁸They have left the path of truth, claiming that the resurrection of the dead has already occurred; in this way, they have turned some people away from the faith.

¹⁹But God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The LORD knows those who are his,” and “All who belong to the LORD must turn away from evil.”

²⁰In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use.

²¹If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.

²²Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.

²³Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights.

²⁴A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.

²⁵Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth.

²⁶Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.

¹“People know where to mine silver and how to refine gold.

²They know where to dig iron from the earth and how to smelt copper from rock.

³They know how to shine light in the darkness and explore the farthest regions of the earth as they search in the dark for ore.

⁴They sink a mine shaft into the earth far from where anyone lives. They descend on ropes, swinging back and forth.

⁵Food is grown on the earth above, but down below, the earth is melted as by fire.

⁶Here the rocks contain precious lapis lazuli, and the dust contains gold.

⁷These are treasures no bird of prey can see, no falcon’s eye observe.

⁸No wild animal has walked upon these treasures; no lion has ever set his paw there.

⁹People know how to tear apart flinty rocks and overturn the roots of mountains.

¹⁰They cut tunnels in the rocks and uncover precious stones.

¹¹They dam up the trickling streams and bring to light the hidden treasures.

¹²“But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding?

¹³No one knows where to find it, for it is not found among the living.

¹⁴‘It is not here,’ says the ocean. ‘Nor is it here,’ says the sea.

¹⁵It cannot be bought with gold. It cannot be purchased with silver.

¹⁶It’s worth more than all the gold of Ophir, greater than precious onyx or lapis lazuli.

¹⁷Wisdom is more valuable than gold and crystal. It cannot be purchased with jewels mounted in fine gold.

¹⁸Coral and jasper are worthless in trying to get it. The price of wisdom is far above rubies.

¹⁹Precious peridot from Ethiopia cannot be exchanged for it. It’s worth more than the purest gold.

²⁰“But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding?

²¹It is hidden from the eyes of all humanity. Even the sharp-eyed birds in the sky cannot discover it.

²²Destruction and Death say, ‘We’ve heard only rumors of where wisdom can be found.’

²³“God alone understands the way to wisdom; he knows where it can be found,

²⁴for he looks throughout the whole earth and sees everything under the heavens.

²⁵He decided how hard the winds should blow and how much rain should fall.

²⁶He made the laws for the rain and laid out a path for the lightning.

²⁷Then he saw wisdom and evaluated it. He set it in place and examined it thoroughly.

²⁸And this is what he says to all humanity: ‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.’”

¹When the LORD brought back his exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream!

²We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, “What amazing things the LORD has done for them.”

³Yes, the LORD has done amazing things for us! What joy!

⁴Restore our fortunes, LORD, as streams renew the desert.

⁵Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy.

⁶They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.

¹The wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions.

²When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily. But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability.

³A poor person who oppresses the poor is like a pounding rain that destroys the crops.

⁴To reject the law is to praise the wicked; to obey the law is to fight them.

⁵Evil people don’t understand justice, but those who follow the LORD understand completely.

⁶Better to be poor and honest than to be dishonest and rich.

⁷Young people who obey the law are wise; those with wild friends bring shame to their parents.

⁸Income from charging high interest rates will end up in the pocket of someone who is kind to the poor.

⁹God detests the prayers of a person who ignores the law.

¹⁰Those who lead good people along an evil path will fall into their own trap, but the honest will inherit good things.

¹¹Rich people may think they are wise, but a poor person with discernment can see right through them.

¹²When the godly succeed, everyone is glad. When the wicked take charge, people go into hiding.

¹³People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.

¹⁴Blessed are those who fear to do wrong, but the stubborn are headed for serious trouble.

¹⁵A wicked ruler is as dangerous to the poor as a roaring lion or an attacking bear.

¹⁶A ruler with no understanding will oppress his people, but one who hates corruption will have a long life.

¹⁷A murderer’s tormented conscience will drive him into the grave. Don’t protect him!

¹⁸The blameless will be rescued from harm, but the crooked will be suddenly destroyed.

¹⁹A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies ends up in poverty.

²⁰The trustworthy person will get a rich reward, but a person who wants quick riches will get into trouble.

²¹Showing partiality is never good, yet some will do wrong for a mere piece of bread.

²²Greedy people try to get rich quick but don’t realize they’re headed for poverty.

²³In the end, people appreciate honest criticism far more than flattery.

²⁴Anyone who steals from his father and mother and says, “What’s wrong with that?” is no better than a murderer.

²⁵Greed causes fighting; trusting the LORD leads to prosperity.

²⁶Those who trust their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe.

²⁷Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed.

²⁸When the wicked take charge, people go into hiding. When the wicked meet disaster, the godly flourish.

¹These are the nations that the LORD left in the land to test those Israelites who had not experienced the wars of Canaan.

²He did this to teach warfare to generations of Israelites who had no experience in battle.

³These are the nations: the Philistines (those living under the five Philistine rulers), all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the mountains of Lebanon from Mount Baal-hermon to Lebo-hamath.

⁴These people were left to test the Israelites — to see whether they would obey the commands the LORD had given to their ancestors through Moses.

⁵So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites,

⁶and they intermarried with them. Israelite sons married their daughters, and Israelite daughters were given in marriage to their sons. And the Israelites served their gods.

⁷The Israelites did evil in the LORD’s sight. They forgot about the LORD their God, and they served the images of Baal and the Asherah poles.

⁸Then the LORD burned with anger against Israel, and he turned them over to King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram-naharaim. And the Israelites served Cushan-rishathaim for eight years.

⁹But when the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help, the LORD raised up a rescuer to save them. His name was Othniel, the son of Caleb’s younger brother, Kenaz.

¹⁰The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he became Israel’s judge. He went to war against King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram, and the LORD gave Othniel victory over him.

¹¹So there was peace in the land for forty years. Then Othniel son of Kenaz died.

¹²Once again the Israelites did evil in the LORD’s sight, and the LORD gave King Eglon of Moab control over Israel because of their evil.

¹³Eglon enlisted the Ammonites and Amalekites as allies, and then he went out and defeated Israel, taking possession of Jericho, the city of palms.

¹⁴And the Israelites served Eglon of Moab for eighteen years.

¹⁵But when the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help, the LORD again raised up a rescuer to save them. His name was Ehud son of Gera, a left-handed man of the tribe of Benjamin. The Israelites sent Ehud to deliver their tribute money to King Eglon of Moab.

¹⁶So Ehud made a double-edged dagger that was about a foot long, and he strapped it to his right thigh, keeping it hidden under his clothing.

¹⁷He brought the tribute money to Eglon, who was very fat.

¹⁸After delivering the payment, Ehud started home with those who had helped carry the tribute.

¹⁹But when Ehud reached the stone idols near Gilgal, he turned back. He came to Eglon and said, “I have a secret message for you.” So the king commanded his servants, “Be quiet!” and he sent them all out of the room.

²⁰Ehud walked over to Eglon, who was sitting alone in a cool upstairs room. And Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you!” As King Eglon rose from his seat,

²¹Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled out the dagger strapped to his right thigh, and plunged it into the king’s belly.

²²The dagger went so deep that the handle disappeared beneath the king’s fat. So Ehud did not pull out the dagger, and the king’s bowels emptied.

²³Then Ehud closed and locked the doors of the room and escaped down the latrine.

²⁴After Ehud was gone, the king’s servants returned and found the doors to the upstairs room locked. They thought he might be using the latrine in the room,

²⁵so they waited. But when the king didn’t come out after a long delay, they became concerned and got a key. And when they opened the doors, they found their master dead on the floor.

²⁶While the servants were waiting, Ehud escaped, passing the stone idols on his way to Seirah.

²⁷When he arrived in the hill country of Ephraim, Ehud sounded a call to arms. Then he led a band of Israelites down from the hills.

²⁸“Follow me,” he said, “for the LORD has given you victory over Moab your enemy.” So they followed him. And the Israelites took control of the shallow crossings of the Jordan River across from Moab, preventing anyone from crossing.

²⁹They attacked the Moabites and killed about 10,000 of their strongest and most able-bodied warriors. Not one of them escaped.

³⁰So Moab was conquered by Israel that day, and there was peace in the land for eighty years.

³¹After Ehud, Shamgar son of Anath rescued Israel. He once killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad.

¹In that day, everyone in the land of Judah will sing this song: Our city is strong! We are surrounded by the walls of God’s salvation.

²Open the gates to all who are righteous; allow the faithful to enter.

³You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

⁴Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock.

⁵He humbles the proud and brings down the arrogant city. He brings it down to the dust.

⁶The poor and oppressed trample it underfoot, and the needy walk all over it.

⁷But for those who are righteous, the way is not steep and rough. You are a God who does what is right, and you smooth out the path ahead of them.

⁸LORD, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws; our heart’s desire is to glorify your name.

⁹In the night I search for you; in the morning I earnestly seek you. For only when you come to judge the earth will people learn what is right.

¹⁰Your kindness to the wicked does not make them do good. Although others do right, the wicked keep doing wrong and take no notice of the LORD’s majesty.

¹¹O LORD, they pay no attention to your upraised fist. Show them your eagerness to defend your people. Then they will be ashamed. Let your fire consume your enemies.

¹²LORD, you will grant us peace; all we have accomplished is really from you.

¹³O LORD our God, others have ruled us, but you alone are the one we worship.

¹⁴Those we served before are dead and gone. Their departed spirits will never return! You attacked them and destroyed them, and they are long forgotten.

¹⁵O LORD, you have made our nation great; yes, you have made us great. You have extended our borders, and we give you the glory!

¹⁶LORD, in distress we searched for you. We prayed beneath the burden of your discipline.

¹⁷Just as a pregnant woman writhes and cries out in pain as she gives birth, so were we in your presence, LORD.

¹⁸We, too, writhe in agony, but nothing comes of our suffering. We have not given salvation to the earth, nor brought life into the world.

¹⁹But those who die in the LORD will live; their bodies will rise again! Those who sleep in the earth will rise up and sing for joy! For your life-giving light will fall like dew on your people in the place of the dead!

²⁰Go home, my people, and lock your doors! Hide yourselves for a little while until the LORD’s anger has passed.

²¹Look! The LORD is coming from heaven to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will no longer hide those who have been killed. They will be brought out for all to see.

¹Five days later Ananias, the high priest, arrived with some of the Jewish elders and the lawyer Tertullus, to present their case against Paul to the governor.

²When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented the charges against Paul in the following address to the governor: “You have provided a long period of peace for us Jews and with foresight have enacted reforms for us.

³For all of this, Your Excellency, we are very grateful to you.

⁴But I don’t want to bore you, so please give me your attention for only a moment.

⁵We have found this man to be a troublemaker who is constantly stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the cult known as the Nazarenes.

⁶Furthermore, he was trying to desecrate the Temple when we arrested him.

⁷

⁸You can find out the truth of our accusations by examining him yourself.”

⁹Then the other Jews chimed in, declaring that everything Tertullus said was true.

¹⁰The governor then motioned for Paul to speak. Paul said, “I know, sir, that you have been a judge of Jewish affairs for many years, so I gladly present my defense before you.

¹¹You can quickly discover that I arrived in Jerusalem no more than twelve days ago to worship at the Temple.

¹²My accusers never found me arguing with anyone in the Temple, nor stirring up a riot in any synagogue or on the streets of the city.

¹³These men cannot prove the things they accuse me of doing.

¹⁴“But I admit that I follow the Way, which they call a cult. I worship the God of our ancestors, and I firmly believe the Jewish law and everything written in the prophets.

¹⁵I have the same hope in God that these men have, that he will raise both the righteous and the unrighteous.

¹⁶Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people.

¹⁷“After several years away, I returned to Jerusalem with money to aid my people and to offer sacrifices to God.

¹⁸My accusers saw me in the Temple as I was completing a purification ceremony. There was no crowd around me and no rioting.

¹⁹But some Jews from the province of Asia were there — and they ought to be here to bring charges if they have anything against me!

²⁰Ask these men here what crime the Jewish high council found me guilty of,

²¹except for the one time I shouted out, ‘I am on trial before you today because I believe in the resurrection of the dead!’”

²²At that point Felix, who was quite familiar with the Way, adjourned the hearing and said, “Wait until Lysias, the garrison commander, arrives. Then I will decide the case.”

²³He ordered an officer to keep Paul in custody but to give him some freedom and allow his friends to visit him and take care of his needs.

²⁴A few days later Felix came back with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish. Sending for Paul, they listened as he told them about faith in Christ Jesus.

²⁵As he reasoned with them about righteousness and self-control and the coming day of judgment, Felix became frightened. “Go away for now,” he replied. “When it is more convenient, I’ll call for you again.”

²⁶He also hoped that Paul would bribe him, so he sent for him quite often and talked with him.

²⁷After two years went by in this way, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And because Felix wanted to gain favor with the Jewish people, he left Paul in prison.