Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

Matthew 10; Exodus 40; 2 Corinthians 11; 2 Timothy 3; Job 29; Psalms 127; Proverbs 29; Judges 4; Isaiah 27; Acts 25

Matthew 10

1Summoning his twelve disciples, he gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness.

2These are the names of the twelve apostles: First, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;

4Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

5Jesus sent out these twelve after giving them instructions: “Don’t take the road that leads to the Gentiles, and don’t enter any Samaritan town.

6Instead, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7As you go, proclaim: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’

8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you received, freely give.

9Don’t acquire gold, silver, or copper for your money-belts.

10Don’t take a traveling bag for the road, or an extra shirt, sandals, or a staff, for the worker is worthy of his food.

11When you enter any town or village, find out who is worthy, and stay there until you leave.

12Greet a household when you enter it,

13and if the household is worthy, let your peace be on it; but if it is unworthy, let your peace return to you.

14If anyone does not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that house or town.

15Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

16“Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves.

17Beware of them, because they will hand you over to local courts and flog you in their synagogues.

18You will even be brought before governors and kings because of me, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles.

19But when they hand you over, don’t worry about how or what you are to speak. For you will be given what to say at that hour,

20because it isn’t you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father is speaking through you.

21“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.

22You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

23When they persecute you in one town, flee to another. For truly I tell you, you will not have gone through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

24A disciple is not above his teacher, or a slave above his master.

25It is enough for a disciple to become like his teacher and a slave like his master. If they called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much more the members of his household!

26“Therefore, don’t be afraid of them, since there is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered and nothing hidden that won’t be made known.

27What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light. What you hear in a whisper, proclaim on the housetops.

28Don’t fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

29Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s consent.

30But even the hairs of your head have all been counted.

31So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

32“Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge me before others, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.

33But whoever denies me before others, I will also deny him before my Father in heaven.

34Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

35For I came to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;

36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.

37The one who loves a father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; the one who loves a son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

38And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

39Anyone who finds his life will lose it, and anyone who loses his life because of me will find it.

40“The one who welcomes you welcomes me, and the one who welcomes me welcomes him who sent me.

41Anyone who welcomes a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. And anyone who welcomes a righteous person because he’s righteous will receive a righteous person’s reward.

42And whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”

Exodus 40

1The LORD spoke to Moses:

2“You are to set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, on the first day of the first month.

3Put the ark of the testimony there and screen off the ark with the curtain.

4Then bring in the table and lay out its arrangement; also bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps.

5Place the gold altar for incense in front of the ark of the testimony. Put up the screen for the entrance to the tabernacle.

6Position the altar of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting.

7Place the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it.

8Assemble the surrounding courtyard and hang the screen for the gate of the courtyard.

9“Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it along with all its furnishings so that it will be holy.

10Anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate the altar so that it will be especially holy.

11Anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate it.

12“Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting and wash them with water.

13Clothe Aaron with the holy garments, anoint him, and consecrate him, so that he can serve me as a priest.

14Have his sons come forward and clothe them in tunics.

15Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so that they may also serve me as priests. Their anointing will serve to inaugurate a permanent priesthood for them throughout their generations.”

16Moses did everything just as the LORD had commanded him.

17The tabernacle was set up in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month.

18Moses set up the tabernacle: He laid its bases, positioned its supports, inserted its crossbars, and set up its pillars.

19Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent on top of it, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

20Moses took the testimony and placed it in the ark, and attached the poles to the ark. He set the mercy seat on top of the ark.

21He brought the ark into the tabernacle, put up the curtain for the screen, and screened off the ark of the testimony, just as the LORD had commanded him.

22Moses placed the table in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the curtain.

23He arranged the bread on it before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded him.

24He put the lampstand in the tent of meeting opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle

25and set up the lamps before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded him.

26Moses installed the gold altar in the tent of meeting, in front of the curtain,

27and burned fragrant incense on it, just as the LORD had commanded him.

28He put up the screen at the entrance to the tabernacle.

29He placed the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, and offered the burnt offering and the grain offering on it, just as the LORD had commanded him.

30He set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing.

31Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and feet from it.

32They washed whenever they came to the tent of meeting and approached the altar, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

33Next Moses set up the surrounding courtyard for the tabernacle and the altar and hung a screen for the gate of the courtyard. So Moses finished the work.

34The cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

35Moses was unable to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud rested on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

36The Israelites set out whenever the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle throughout all the stages of their journey.

37If the cloud was not taken up, they did not set out until the day it was taken up.

38For the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and there was a fire inside the cloud by night, visible to the entire house of Israel throughout all the stages of their journey.

2 Corinthians 11

1I wish you would put up with a little foolishness from me. Yes, do put up with me!

2For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy, because I have promised you in marriage to one husband — to present a pure virgin to Christ.

3But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be seduced from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

4For if a person comes and preaches another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or you receive a different spirit, which you had not received, or a different gospel, which you had not accepted, you put up with it splendidly!

5Now I consider myself in no way inferior to those “super-apostles.”

6Even if I am untrained in public speaking, I am certainly not untrained in knowledge. Indeed, we have in every way made that clear to you in everything.

7Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?

8I robbed other churches by taking pay from them to minister to you.

9When I was present with you and in need, I did not burden anyone, since the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. I have kept myself, and will keep myself, from burdening you in any way.

10As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.

11Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows I do!

12But I will continue to do what I am doing, in order to deny an opportunity to those who want to be regarded as our equals in what they boast about.

13For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

14And no wonder! For Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

15So it is no great surprise if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will be according to their works.

16I repeat: Let no one consider me a fool. But if you do, at least accept me as a fool so that I can also boast a little.

17What I am saying in this matter of boasting, I don’t speak as the Lord would, but as it were, foolishly.

18Since many boast according to the flesh, I will also boast.

19For you, being so wise, gladly put up with fools!

20In fact, you put up with it if someone enslaves you, if someone exploits you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone is arrogant toward you, if someone slaps you in the face.

21I say this to our shame: We have been too weak for that! But in whatever anyone dares to boast — I am talking foolishly — I also dare:

22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the descendants of Abraham? So am I.

23Are they servants of Christ? I’m talking like a madman — I’m a better one: with far more labors, many more imprisonments, far worse beatings, many times near death.

24Five times I received the forty lashes minus one from the Jews.

25Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the open sea.

26On frequent journeys, I faced dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, and dangers among false brothers;

27toil and hardship, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, cold, and without clothing.

28Not to mention other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my concern for all the churches.

29Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?

30If boasting is necessary, I will boast about my weaknesses.

31The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed forever, knows I am not lying.

32In Damascus, a ruler under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus in order to arrest me.

33So I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped from his hands.

2 Timothy 3

1But know this: Hard times will come in the last days.

2For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, demeaning, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,

3unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good,

4traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

5holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid these people.

6For among them are those who worm their way into households and deceive gullible women overwhelmed by sins and led astray by a variety of passions,

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

8Just as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so these also resist the truth. They are men who are corrupt in mind and worthless in regard to the faith.

9But they will not make further progress, for their foolishness will be clear to all, as was the foolishness of Jannes and Jambres.

10But you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, and endurance,

11along with the persecutions and sufferings that came to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured — and yet the Lord rescued me from them all.

12In fact, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

13Evil people and impostors will become worse, deceiving and being deceived.

14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you,

15and you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

16All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness,

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

Job 29

1Job continued his discourse, saying:

2If only I could be as in months gone by, in the days when God watched over me,

3when his lamp shone above my head, and I walked through darkness by his light!

4I would be as I was in the days of my youth when God’s friendship rested on my tent,

5when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,

6when my feet were bathed in curds and the rock poured out streams of oil for me!

7When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the town square,

8the young men saw me and withdrew, while older men stood to their feet.

9City officials stopped talking and covered their mouths with their hands.

10The noblemen’s voices were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.

11When they heard me, they blessed me, and when they saw me, they spoke well of me.

12For I rescued the poor who cried out for help, and the fatherless child who had no one to support him.

13The dying blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart rejoice.

14I clothed myself in righteousness, and it enveloped me; my just decisions were like a robe and a turban.

15I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame.

16I was a father to the needy, and I examined the case of the stranger.

17I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.

18So I thought, “I will die in my own nest and multiply my days as the sand.

19My roots will have access to water, and the dew will rest on my branches all night.

20My whole being will be refreshed within me, and my bow will be renewed in my hand.”

21Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my advice.

22After a word from me they did not speak again; my speech settled on them like dew.

23They waited for me as for the rain and opened their mouths as for spring showers.

24If I smiled at them, they couldn’t believe it; they were thrilled at the light of my countenance.

25I directed their course and presided as chief. I lived as a king among his troops, like one who comforts those who mourn.

Psalms 127

1A song of ascents. Of Solomon. [1] Unless the LORD builds a house, its builders labor over it in vain; unless the LORD watches over a city, the watchman stays alert in vain.

2In vain you get up early and stay up late, working hard to have enough food —  yes, he gives sleep to the one he loves.

3Sons are indeed a heritage from the LORD, offspring, a reward.

4Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the sons born in one’s youth.

5Happy is the man who has filled his quiver with them. They will never be put to shame when they speak with their enemies at the city gate.

Proverbs 29

1One who becomes stiff-necked, after many reprimands will be shattered instantly — beyond recovery.

2When the righteous flourish, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, people groan.

3A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but one who consorts with prostitutes destroys his wealth.

4By justice a king brings stability to a land, but a person who demands “contributions” demolishes it.

5A person who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.

6An evil person is caught by sin, but the righteous one sings and rejoices.

7The righteous person knows the rights of the poor, but the wicked one does not understand these concerns.

8Mockers inflame a city, but the wise turn away anger.

9If a wise person goes to court with a fool, there will be ranting and raving but no resolution.

10Bloodthirsty men hate an honest person, but the upright care about him.

11A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise person holds it in check.

12If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials will be wicked.

13The poor and the oppressor have this in common: the LORD gives light to the eyes of both.

14A king who judges the poor with fairness — his throne will be established forever.

15A rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a youth left to himself is a disgrace to his mother.

16When the wicked increase, rebellion increases, but the righteous will see their downfall.

17Discipline your child, and it will bring you peace of mind and give you delight.

18Without revelation people run wild, but one who follows divine instruction will be happy.

19A servant cannot be disciplined by words; though he understands, he doesn’t respond.

20Do you see someone who speaks too soon? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

21A servant pampered from his youth will become arrogant later on.

22An angry person stirs up conflict, and a hot-tempered one increases rebellion.

23A person’s pride will humble him, but a humble spirit will gain honor.

24To be a thief’s partner is to hate oneself; he hears the curse but will not testify.

25The fear of mankind is a snare, but the one who trusts in the LORD is protected.

26Many desire a ruler’s favor, but a person receives justice from the LORD.

27An unjust person is detestable to the righteous, and one whose way is upright is detestable to the wicked.

Judges 4

1The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD after Ehud had died.

2So the LORD sold them to King Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera who lived in Harosheth of the Nations.

3Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, because Jabin had nine hundred iron chariots, and he harshly oppressed them twenty years.

4Deborah, a prophetess and the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time.

5She would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to settle disputes.

6She summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “Hasn’t the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded you: ‘Go, deploy the troops on Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the Naphtalites and Zebulunites?

7Then I will lure Sisera commander of Jabin’s army, his chariots, and his infantry at the Wadi Kishon to fight against you, and I will hand him over to you.’”

8Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go. But if you will not go with me, I will not go.”

9“I will gladly go with you,” she said, “but you will receive no honor on the road you are about to take, because the LORD will sell Sisera to a woman.” So Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh.

10Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; ten thousand men followed him, and Deborah also went with him.

11Now Heber the Kenite had moved away from the Kenites, the sons of Hobab, Moses’s father-in-law, and pitched his tent beside the oak tree of Zaanannim, which was near Kedesh.

12It was reported to Sisera that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up Mount Tabor.

13Sisera summoned all his nine hundred iron chariots and all the troops who were with him from Harosheth of the Nations to the Wadi Kishon.

14Then Deborah said to Barak, “Go! This is the day the LORD has handed Sisera over to you. Hasn’t the LORD gone before you?” So Barak came down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him.

15The LORD threw Sisera, all his charioteers, and all his army into a panic before Barak’s assault. Sisera left his chariot and fled on foot.

16Barak pursued the chariots and the army as far as Harosheth of the Nations, and the whole army of Sisera fell by the sword; not a single man was left.

17Meanwhile, Sisera had fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because there was peace between King Jabin of Hazor and the family of Heber the Kenite.

18Jael went out to greet Sisera and said to him, “Come in, my lord. Come in with me. Don’t be afraid.” So he went into her tent, and she covered him with a blanket.

19He said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink for I am thirsty.” She opened a container of milk, gave him a drink, and covered him again.

20Then he said to her, “Stand at the entrance to the tent. If a man comes and asks you, ‘Is there a man here? ’ say, ‘No.’”

21While he was sleeping from exhaustion, Heber’s wife Jael took a tent peg, grabbed a hammer, and went silently to Sisera. She hammered the peg into his temple and drove it into the ground, and he died.

22When Barak arrived in pursuit of Sisera, Jael went out to greet him and said to him, “Come and I will show you the man you are looking for.” So he went in with her, and there was Sisera lying dead with a tent peg through his temple!

23That day God subdued King Jabin of Canaan before the Israelites.

24The power of the Israelites continued to increase against King Jabin of Canaan until they destroyed him.

Isaiah 27

1On that day the LORD with his relentless, large, strong sword will bring judgment on Leviathan, the fleeing serpent — Leviathan, the twisting serpent. He will slay the monster that is in the sea.

2On that day sing about a desirable vineyard:

3I am the LORD, who watches over it to water it regularly. So that no one disturbs it, I watch over it night and day.

4I am not angry. If only there were thorns and briers for me to battle, I would trample them and burn them to the ground.

5Or let it take hold of my strength; let it make peace with me — make peace with me.

6In days to come, Jacob will take root. Israel will blossom and bloom and fill the whole world with fruit.

7Did the LORD strike Israel as he struck the one who struck Israel? Was Israel killed like those killed by the LORD?

8You disputed with Israel by banishing and driving her away. He removed her with his severe storm on the day of the east wind.

9Therefore Jacob’s iniquity will be atoned for in this way, and the result of the removal of his sin will be this: when he makes all the altar stones like crushed bits of chalk, no Asherah poles or incense altars will remain standing.

10For the fortified city will be desolate, pastures deserted and abandoned like a wilderness. Calves will graze there, and there they will spread out and strip its branches.

11When its branches dry out, they will be broken off. Women will come and make fires with them, for they are not a people with understanding. Therefore their Maker will not have compassion on them, and their Creator will not be gracious to them.

12On that day the LORD will thresh grain from the Euphrates River as far as the Wadi of Egypt, and you Israelites will be gathered one by one.

13On that day a great trumpet will be blown, and those lost in the land of Assyria will come, as well as those dispersed in the land of Egypt; and they will worship the LORD at Jerusalem on the holy mountain.

Acts 25

1Three days after Festus arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

2The chief priests and the leaders of the Jews presented their case against Paul to him; and they appealed,

3asking for a favor against Paul, that Festus summon him to Jerusalem. They were, in fact, preparing an ambush along the road to kill him.

4Festus, however, answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to go there shortly.

5“Therefore,” he said, “let those of you who have authority go down with me and accuse him, if he has done anything wrong.”

6When he had spent not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea. The next day, seated at the tribunal, he commanded Paul to be brought in.

7When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him and brought many serious charges that they were not able to prove.

8Then Paul made his defense: “Neither against the Jewish law, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I sinned in any way.”

9But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, replied to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to be tried before me there on these charges?”

10Paul replied: “I am standing at Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as even you yourself know very well.

11If then I did anything wrong and am deserving of death, I am not trying to escape death; but if there is nothing to what these men accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!”

12Then after Festus conferred with his council, he replied, “You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you will go.”

13Several days later, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea and paid a courtesy call on Festus.

14Since they were staying there several days, Festus presented Paul’s case to the king, saying, “There’s a man who was left as a prisoner by Felix.

15When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews presented their case and asked that he be condemned.

16I answered them that it is not the Roman custom to give someone up before the accused faces the accusers and has an opportunity for a defense against the charges.

17So when they had assembled here, I did not delay. The next day I took my seat at the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought in.

18The accusers stood up but brought no charge against him of the evils I was expecting.

19Instead they had some disagreements with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, a dead man Paul claimed to be alive.

20Since I was at a loss in a dispute over such things, I asked him if he wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding these matters.

21But when Paul appealed to be held for trial by the Emperor, I ordered him to be kept in custody until I could send him to Caesar.”

22Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow you will hear him,” he replied.

23So the next day, Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the auditorium with the military commanders and prominent men of the city. When Festus gave the command, Paul was brought in.

24Then Festus said: “King Agrippa and all men present with us, you see this man. The whole Jewish community has appealed to me concerning him, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he should not live any longer.

25I found that he had not done anything deserving of death, but when he himself appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.

26I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore, I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after this examination is over, I may have something to write.

27For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner without indicating the charges against him.”