Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death.

²And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

³Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

⁴saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!”

⁵Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.

⁶But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.”

⁷And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in.

⁸Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.

⁹Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced,

¹⁰and gave them for the potter’s field, as the LORD directed me.”

¹¹Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.”

¹²And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing.

¹³Then Pilate said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?”

¹⁴But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.

¹⁵Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished.

¹⁶And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.

¹⁷Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”

¹⁸For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.

¹⁹While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.”

²⁰But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.

²¹The governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They said, “Barabbas!”

²²Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!”

²³Then the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!”

²⁴When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.”

²⁵And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.”

²⁶Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

²⁷Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him.

²⁸And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him.

²⁹When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

³⁰Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head.

³¹And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.

³²Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross.

³³And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull,

³⁴they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink.

³⁵Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: “They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.”

³⁶Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there.

³⁷And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

³⁸Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.

³⁹And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads

⁴⁰and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

⁴¹Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said,

⁴²“He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.

⁴³He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”

⁴⁴Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.

⁴⁵Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.

⁴⁶And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

⁴⁷Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!”

⁴⁸Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.

⁴⁹The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.”

⁵⁰And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

⁵¹Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split,

⁵²and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;

⁵³and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

⁵⁴So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

⁵⁵And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar,

⁵⁶among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

⁵⁷Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.

⁵⁸This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.

⁵⁹When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

⁶⁰and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.

⁶¹And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.

⁶²On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate,

⁶³saying, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’

⁶⁴Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.”

⁶⁵Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.”

⁶⁶So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.

¹Now it came to pass, when Isaac was old and his eyes were so dim that he could not see, that he called Esau his older son and said to him, “My son.” And he answered him, “Here I am.”

²Then he said, “Behold now, I am old. I do not know the day of my death.

³Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me.

⁴And make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.”

⁵Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt game and to bring it.

⁶So Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, “Indeed I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying,

⁷‘Bring me game and make savory food for me, that I may eat it and bless you in the presence of the LORD before my death.’

⁸Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to what I command you.

⁹Go now to the flock and bring me from there two choice kids of the goats, and I will make savory food from them for your father, such as he loves.

¹⁰Then you shall take it to your father, that he may eat it, and that he may bless you before his death.”

¹¹And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Look, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth-skinned man.

¹²Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be a deceiver to him; and I shall bring a curse on myself and not a blessing.”

¹³But his mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, get them for me.”

¹⁴And he went and got them and brought them to his mother, and his mother made savory food, such as his father loved.

¹⁵Then Rebekah took the choice clothes of her elder son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son.

¹⁶And she put the skins of the kids of the goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck.

¹⁷Then she gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.

¹⁸So he went to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?”

¹⁹Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn; I have done just as you told me; please arise, sit and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.”

²⁰But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” And he said, “Because the LORD your God brought it to me.”

²¹Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.”

²²So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.”

²³And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him.

²⁴Then he said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He said, “I am.”

²⁵He said, “Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s game, so that my soul may bless you.” So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank.

²⁶Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near now and kiss me, my son.”

²⁷And he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him and said: “Surely, the smell of my son Is like the smell of a field Which the LORD has blessed.

²⁸Therefore may God give you Of the dew of heaven, Of the fatness of the earth, And plenty of grain and wine.

²⁹Let peoples serve you, And nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, And let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, And blessed be those who bless you!”

³⁰Now it happened, as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.

³¹He also had made savory food, and brought it to his father, and said to his father, “Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that your soul may bless me.”

³²And his father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” So he said, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.”

³³Then Isaac trembled exceedingly, and said, “Who? Where is the one who hunted game and brought it to me? I ate all of it before you came, and I have blessed him— and indeed he shall be blessed.”

³⁴When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me—me also, O my father!”

³⁵But he said, “Your brother came with deceit and has taken away your blessing.”

³⁶And Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright, and now look, he has taken away my blessing!” And he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?”

³⁷Then Isaac answered and said to Esau, “Indeed I have made him your master, and all his brethren I have given to him as servants; with grain and wine I have sustained him. What shall I do now for you, my son?”

³⁸And Esau said to his father, “Have you only one blessing, my father? Bless me—me also, O my father!” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.

³⁹Then Isaac his father answered and said to him: “Behold, your dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth, And of the dew of heaven from above.

⁴⁰By your sword you shall live, And you shall serve your brother; And it shall come to pass, when you become restless, That you shall break his yoke from your neck.”

⁴¹So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”

⁴²And the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said to him, “Surely your brother Esau comforts himself concerning you by intending to kill you.

⁴³Now therefore, my son, obey my voice: arise, flee to my brother Laban in Haran.

⁴⁴And stay with him a few days, until your brother’s fury turns away,

⁴⁵until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him; then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I be bereaved also of you both in one day?”

⁴⁶And Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth; if Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, like these who are the daughters of the land, what good will my life be to me?”

¹Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

²Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you.

³But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

⁴Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head.

⁵But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved.

⁶For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered.

⁷For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.

⁸For man is not from woman, but woman from man.

⁹Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man.

¹⁰For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.

¹¹Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord.

¹²For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.

¹³Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?

¹⁴Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?

¹⁵But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering.

¹⁶But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.

¹⁷Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse.

¹⁸For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.

¹⁹For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you.

²⁰Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper.

²¹For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk.

²²What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.

²³For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;

²⁴and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

²⁵In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

²⁶For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

²⁷Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

²⁸But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

²⁹For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

³⁰For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.

³¹For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.

³²But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

³³Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

³⁴But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.

¹Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!

²Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.

³Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days.

⁴Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.

⁵You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter.

⁶You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you.

⁷Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.

⁸You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

⁹Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!

¹⁰My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience.

¹¹Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.

¹²But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment.

¹³Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.

¹⁴Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

¹⁵And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

¹⁶Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

¹⁷Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.

¹⁸And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

¹⁹Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back,

²⁰let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

¹Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said:

²“As God lives, who has taken away my justice, And the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter,

³As long as my breath is in me, And the breath of God in my nostrils,

⁴My lips will not speak wickedness, Nor my tongue utter deceit.

⁵Far be it from me That I should say you are right; Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.

⁶My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; My heart shall not reproach me as long as I live.

⁷“May my enemy be like the wicked, And he who rises up against me like the unrighteous.

⁸For what is the hope of the hypocrite, Though he may gain much, If God takes away his life?

⁹Will God hear his cry When trouble comes upon him?

¹⁰Will he delight himself in the Almighty? Will he always call on God?

¹¹“I will teach you about the hand of God; What is with the Almighty I will not conceal.

¹²Surely all of you have seen it; Why then do you behave with complete nonsense?

¹³“This is the portion of a wicked man with God, And the heritage of oppressors, received from the Almighty:

¹⁴If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword; And his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.

¹⁵Those who survive him shall be buried in death, And their widows shall not weep,

¹⁶Though he heaps up silver like dust, And piles up clothing like clay—

¹⁷He may pile it up, but the just will wear it, And the innocent will divide the silver.

¹⁸He builds his house like a moth, Like a booth which a watchman makes.

¹⁹The rich man will lie down, But not be gathered up; He opens his eyes, And he is no more.

²⁰Terrors overtake him like a flood; A tempest steals him away in the night.

²¹The east wind carries him away, and he is gone; It sweeps him out of his place.

²²It hurls against him and does not spare; He flees desperately from its power.

²³Men shall clap their hands at him, And shall hiss him out of his place.

¹A Psalm of David. [1] The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?

²When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell.

³Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident.

⁴One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple.

⁵For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.

⁶And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

⁷Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

⁸When You said, “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.”

⁹Do not hide Your face from me; Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation.

¹⁰When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the LORD will take care of me.

¹¹Teach me Your way, O LORD, And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.

¹²Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; For false witnesses have risen against me, And such as breathe out violence.

¹³I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.

¹⁴Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!

¹Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.

²Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips.

³A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, But a fool’s wrath is heavier than both of them.

⁴Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, But who is able to stand before jealousy?

⁵Open rebuke is better Than love carefully concealed.

⁶Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

⁷A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb, But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

⁸Like a bird that wanders from its nest Is a man who wanders from his place.

⁹Ointment and perfume delight the heart, And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel.

¹⁰Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend, Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity; Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.

¹¹My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, That I may answer him who reproaches me.

¹²A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; The simple pass on and are punished.

¹³Take the garment of him who is surety for a stranger, And hold it in pledge when he is surety for a seductress.

¹⁴He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, It will be counted a curse to him.

¹⁵A continual dripping on a very rainy day And a contentious woman are alike;

¹⁶Whoever restrains her restrains the wind, And grasps oil with his right hand.

¹⁷As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

¹⁸Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit; So he who waits on his master will be honored.

¹⁹As in water face reflects face, So a man’s heart reveals the man.

²⁰Hell and Destruction are never full; So the eyes of man are never satisfied.

²¹The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, And a man is valued by what others say of him.

²²Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.

²³Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, And attend to your herds;

²⁴For riches are not forever, Nor does a crown endure to all generations.

²⁵When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself, And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,

²⁶The lambs will provide your clothing, And the goats the price of a field;

²⁷You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food, For the food of your household, And the nourishment of your maidservants.

¹Now these are the nations which the LORD left, that He might test Israel by them, that is, all who had not known any of the wars in Canaan

²(this was only so that the generations of the children of Israel might be taught to know war, at least those who had not formerly known it),

³namely, five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who dwelt in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath.

⁴And they were left, that He might test Israel by them, to know whether they would obey the commandments of the LORD, which He had commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

⁵Thus the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

⁶And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons; and they served their gods.

⁷So the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD. They forgot the LORD their God, and served the Baals and Asherahs.

⁸Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel served Cushan-Rishathaim eight years.

⁹When the children of Israel cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for the children of Israel, who delivered them: Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.

¹⁰The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the LORD delivered Cushan-Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed over Cushan-Rishathaim.

¹¹So the land had rest for forty years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

¹²And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD. So the LORD strengthened Eglon king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.

¹³Then he gathered to himself the people of Ammon and Amalek, went and defeated Israel, and took possession of the City of Palms.

¹⁴So the children of Israel served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years.

¹⁵But when the children of Israel cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. By him the children of Israel sent tribute to Eglon king of Moab.

¹⁶Now Ehud made himself a dagger (it was double-edged and a cubit in length) and fastened it under his clothes on his right thigh.

¹⁷So he brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. (Now Eglon was a very fat man.)

¹⁸And when he had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people who had carried the tribute.

¹⁹But he himself turned back from the stone images that were at Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” He said, “Keep silence!” And all who attended him went out from him.

²⁰So Ehud came to him (now he was sitting upstairs in his cool private chamber). Then Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” So he arose from his seat.

²¹Then Ehud reached with his left hand, took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly.

²²Even the hilt went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the dagger out of his belly; and his entrails came out.

²³Then Ehud went out through the porch and shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.

²⁴When he had gone out, Eglon’s servants came to look, and to their surprise, the doors of the upper room were locked. So they said, “He is probably attending to his needs in the cool chamber.”

²⁵So they waited till they were embarrassed, and still he had not opened the doors of the upper room. Therefore they took the key and opened them. And there was their master, fallen dead on the floor.

²⁶But Ehud had escaped while they delayed, and passed beyond the stone images and escaped to Seirah.

²⁷And it happened, when he arrived, that he blew the trumpet in the mountains of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mountains; and he led them.

²⁸Then he said to them, “Follow me, for the LORD has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” So they went down after him, seized the fords of the Jordan leading to Moab, and did not allow anyone to cross over.

²⁹And at that time they killed about ten thousand men of Moab, all stout men of valor; not a man escaped.

³⁰So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest for eighty years.

³¹After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad; and he also delivered Israel.

¹In that day the LORD with His severe sword, great and strong, Will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan that twisted serpent; And He will slay the reptile that is in the sea.

²In that day sing to her, “A vineyard of red wine!

³I, the LORD, keep it, I water it every moment; Lest any hurt it, I keep it night and day.

⁴Fury is not in Me. Who would set briers and thorns Against Me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together.

⁵Or let him take hold of My strength, That he may make peace with Me; And he shall make peace with Me.”

⁶Those who come He shall cause to take root in Jacob; Israel shall blossom and bud, And fill the face of the world with fruit.

⁷Has He struck Israel as He struck those who struck him? Or has He been slain according to the slaughter of those who were slain by Him?

⁸In measure, by sending it away, You contended with it. He removes it by His rough wind In the day of the east wind.

⁹Therefore by this the iniquity of Jacob will be covered; And this is all the fruit of taking away his sin: When he makes all the stones of the altar Like chalkstones that are beaten to dust, Wooden images and incense altars shall not stand.

¹⁰Yet the fortified city will be desolate, The habitation forsaken and left like a wilderness; There the calf will feed, and there it will lie down And consume its branches.

¹¹When its boughs are withered, they will be broken off; The women come and set them on fire. For it is a people of no understanding; Therefore He who made them will not have mercy on them, And He who formed them will show them no favor.

¹²And it shall come to pass in that day That the LORD will thresh, From the channel of the River to the Brook of Egypt; And you will be gathered one by one, O you children of Israel.

¹³So it shall be in that day: The great trumpet will be blown; They will come, who are about to perish in the land of Assyria, And they who are outcasts in the land of Egypt, And shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.

¹And when it was decided that we should sail to Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to one named Julius, a centurion of the Augustan Regiment.

²So, entering a ship of Adramyttium, we put to sea, meaning to sail along the coasts of Asia. Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, was with us.

³And the next day we landed at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him liberty to go to his friends and receive care.

⁴When we had put to sea from there, we sailed under the shelter of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.

⁵And when we had sailed over the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.

⁶There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing to Italy, and he put us on board.

⁷When we had sailed slowly many days, and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, the wind not permitting us to proceed, we sailed under the shelter of Crete off Salmone.

⁸Passing it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.

⁹Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul advised them,

¹⁰saying, “Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives.”

¹¹Nevertheless the centurion was more persuaded by the helmsman and the owner of the ship than by the things spoken by Paul.

¹²And because the harbor was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised to set sail from there also, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete opening toward the southwest and northwest, and winter there.

¹³When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their desire, putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete.

¹⁴But not long after, a tempestuous head wind arose, called Euroclydon.

¹⁵So when the ship was caught, and could not head into the wind, we let her drive.

¹⁶And running under the shelter of an island called Clauda, we secured the skiff with difficulty.

¹⁷When they had taken it on board, they used cables to undergird the ship; and fearing lest they should run aground on the Syrtis Sands, they struck sail and so were driven.

¹⁸And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the ship.

¹⁹On the third day we threw the ship’s tackle overboard with our own hands.

²⁰Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up.

²¹But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss.

²²And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.

²³For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve,

²⁴saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’

²⁵Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me.

²⁶However, we must run aground on a certain island.”

²⁷Now when the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven up and down in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors sensed that they were drawing near some land.

²⁸And they took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and when they had gone a little farther, they took soundings again and found it to be fifteen fathoms.

²⁹Then, fearing lest we should run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern, and prayed for day to come.

³⁰And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, when they had let down the skiff into the sea, under pretense of putting out anchors from the prow,

³¹Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.”

³²Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff and let it fall off.

³³And as day was about to dawn, Paul implored them all to take food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have waited and continued without food, and eaten nothing.

³⁴Therefore I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you.”

³⁵And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it he began to eat.

³⁶Then they were all encouraged, and also took food themselves.

³⁷And in all we were two hundred and seventy-six persons on the ship.

³⁸So when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and threw out the wheat into the sea.

³⁹When it was day, they did not recognize the land; but they observed a bay with a beach, onto which they planned to run the ship if possible.

⁴⁰And they let go the anchors and left them in the sea, meanwhile loosing the rudder ropes; and they hoisted the mainsail to the wind and made for shore.

⁴¹But striking a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the violence of the waves.

⁴²And the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim away and escape.

⁴³But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land,

⁴⁴and the rest, some on boards and some on parts of the ship. And so it was that they all escaped safely to land.