Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹He began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug out a pit for a winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went away.

²At harvest time he sent a servant to the farmers to collect some of the fruit of the vineyard from them.

³But they took him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.

⁴Again he sent another servant to them, and they hit him on the head and treated him shamefully.

⁵Then he sent another, and they killed that one. He also sent many others; some they beat, and others they killed.

⁶He still had one to send, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’

⁷But those tenant farmers said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’

⁸So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.

⁹What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill the farmers and give the vineyard to others.

¹⁰Haven’t you read this Scripture: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

¹¹ This came about from the Lord and is wonderful in our eyes?”

¹²They were looking for a way to arrest him but feared the crowd because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. So they left him and went away.

¹³Then they sent some of the Pharisees and the Herodians to Jesus to trap him in his words.

¹⁴When they came, they said to him, “Teacher, we know you are truthful and don’t care what anyone thinks, nor do you show partiality but teach the way of God truthfully. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

¹⁵But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius to look at.”

¹⁶They brought a coin. “Whose image and inscription is this?” he asked them. “Caesar’s,” they replied.

¹⁷Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were utterly amazed at him.

¹⁸Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him and questioned him:

¹⁹“Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife behind but no child, that man should take the wife and raise up offspring for his brother.

²⁰There were seven brothers. The first married a woman, and dying, left no offspring.

²¹The second also took her, and he died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise.

²²None of the seven left offspring. Last of all, the woman died too.

²³In the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be, since the seven had married her?”

²⁴Jesus spoke to them, “Isn’t this the reason why you’re mistaken: you don’t know the Scriptures or the power of God?

²⁵For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels in heaven.

²⁶And as for the dead being raised — haven’t you read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God said to him: I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob?

²⁷He is not the God of the dead but of the living. You are badly mistaken.”

²⁸One of the scribes approached. When he heard them debating and saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which command is the most important of all?”

²⁹Jesus answered, “The most important is Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

³⁰Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.

³¹The second is, Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other command greater than these.”

³²Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, teacher. You have correctly said that he is one, and there is no one else except him.

³³And to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is far more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

³⁴When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to question him any longer.

³⁵While Jesus was teaching in the temple, he asked, “How can the scribes say that the Messiah is the son of David?

³⁶David himself says by the Holy Spirit: The Lord declared to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.’

³⁷David himself calls him ‘Lord’; how then can he be his son?” And the large crowd was listening to him with delight.

³⁸He also said in his teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes and who want greetings in the marketplaces,

³⁹the best seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets.

⁴⁰They devour widows’ houses and say long prayers just for show. These will receive harsher judgment.”

⁴¹Sitting across from the temple treasury, he watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury. Many rich people were putting in large sums.

⁴²Then a poor widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little.

⁴³Summoning his disciples, he said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.

⁴⁴For they all gave out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had  — all she had to live on.”

¹These are the family records of Aaron and Moses at the time the LORD spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.

²These are the names of Aaron’s sons: Nadab, the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

³These are the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests.

⁴But Nadab and Abihu died in the LORD’s presence when they presented unauthorized fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai, and they had no sons. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests under the direction of Aaron their father.

⁵The LORD spoke to Moses:

⁶“Bring the tribe of Levi near and present them to the priest Aaron to assist him.

⁷They are to perform duties for him and the entire community before the tent of meeting by attending to the service of the tabernacle.

⁸They are to take care of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting and perform duties for the Israelites by attending to the service of the tabernacle.

⁹Assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they have been assigned exclusively to him from the Israelites.

¹⁰You are to appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out their priestly responsibilities, but any unauthorized person who comes near the sanctuary is to be put to death.”

¹¹The LORD spoke to Moses:

¹²“See, I have taken the Levites from the Israelites in place of every firstborn Israelite from the womb. The Levites belong to me,

¹³because every firstborn belongs to me. At the time I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated every firstborn in Israel to myself, both man and animal. They are mine; I am the LORD.”

¹⁴The LORD spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai:

¹⁵“Register the Levites by their ancestral families and their clans. You are to register every male one month old or more.”

¹⁶So Moses registered them in obedience to the LORD as he had been commanded:

¹⁷These were Levi’s sons by name: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

¹⁸These were the names of Gershon’s sons by their clans: Libni and Shimei.

¹⁹Kohath’s sons by their clans were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

²⁰Merari’s sons by their clans were Mahli and Mushi. These were the Levite clans by their ancestral families.

²¹The Libnite clan and the Shimeite clan came from Gershon; these were the Gershonite clans.

²²Those registered, counting every male one month old or more, numbered 7,500.

²³The Gershonite clans camped behind the tabernacle on the west side,

²⁴and the leader of the Gershonite families was Eliasaph son of Lael.

²⁵The Gershonites’ duties at the tent of meeting involved the tabernacle, the tent, its covering, the screen for the entrance to the tent of meeting,

²⁶the hangings of the courtyard, the screen for the entrance to the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and the altar, and the tent ropes — all the work relating to these.

²⁷The Amramite clan, the Izharite clan, the Hebronite clan, and the Uzzielite clan came from Kohath; these were the Kohathites.

²⁸Counting every male one month old or more, there were 8,600 responsible for the duties of the sanctuary.

²⁹The clans of the Kohathites camped on the south side of the tabernacle,

³⁰and the leader of the families of the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan son of Uzziel.

³¹Their duties involved the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the sanctuary utensils that were used with these, and the screen  — and all the work relating to them.

³²The chief of the Levite leaders was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest; he had oversight of those responsible for the duties of the sanctuary.

³³The Mahlite clan and the Mushite clan came from Merari; these were the Merarite clans.

³⁴Those registered, counting every male one month old or more, numbered 6,200.

³⁵The leader of the families of the Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail; they camped on the north side of the tabernacle.

³⁶The assigned duties of Merari’s descendants involved the tabernacle’s supports, crossbars, pillars, bases, all its equipment, and all the work related to these,

³⁷in addition to the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes.

³⁸Moses, Aaron, and his sons, who performed the duties of the sanctuary as a service on behalf of the Israelites, camped in front of the tabernacle on the east, in front of the tent of meeting toward the sunrise. Any unauthorized person who came near it was to be put to death.

³⁹The total number of all the Levite males one month old or more that Moses and Aaron registered by their clans at the LORD’s command was 22,000.

⁴⁰The LORD told Moses: “Register every firstborn male of the Israelites one month old or more, and list their names.

⁴¹You are to take the Levites for me — I am the LORD  — in place of every firstborn among the Israelites, and the Levites’ cattle in place of every firstborn among the Israelites’ cattle.”

⁴²So Moses registered every firstborn among the Israelites, as the LORD commanded him.

⁴³The total number of the firstborn males one month old or more listed by name was 22,273.

⁴⁴The LORD spoke to Moses again:

⁴⁵“Take the Levites in place of every firstborn among the Israelites, and the Levites’ cattle in place of their cattle. The Levites belong to me; I am the LORD.

⁴⁶As the redemption price for the 273 firstborn Israelites who outnumber the Levites,

⁴⁷collect five shekels for each person, according to the standard sanctuary shekel — twenty gerahs to the shekel.

⁴⁸Give the silver to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for those who are in excess among the Israelites.”

⁴⁹So Moses collected the redemption amount from those in excess of the ones redeemed by the Levites.

⁵⁰He collected the silver from the firstborn Israelites: 1,365 shekels measured by the standard sanctuary shekel.

⁵¹He gave the redemption silver to Aaron and his sons in obedience to the LORD, just as the LORD commanded Moses.

¹Now the main point of what is being said is this: We have this kind of high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,

²a minister of the sanctuary and the true tabernacle that was set up by the Lord and not man.

³For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; therefore, it was necessary for this priest also to have something to offer.

⁴Now if he were on earth, he wouldn’t be a priest, since there are those offering the gifts prescribed by the law.

⁵These serve as a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was warned when he was about to complete the tabernacle. For God said, Be careful that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown to you on the mountain.

⁶But Jesus has now obtained a superior ministry, and to that degree he is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been established on better promises.

⁷For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion for a second one.

⁸But finding fault with his people, he says: See, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah —

⁹not like the covenant that I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt. I showed no concern for them, says the Lord, because they did not continue in my covenant.

¹⁰For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

¹¹And each person will not teach his fellow citizen, and each his brother or sister, saying, “Know the Lord,” because they will all know me, from the least to the greatest of them.

¹²For I will forgive their wrongdoing, and I will never again remember their sins.

¹³By saying a new covenant, he has declared that the first is obsolete. And what is obsolete and growing old is about to pass away.

¹After this I looked, and there in heaven was an open door. The first voice that I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”

²Immediately I was in the Spirit, and there was a throne in heaven and someone was seated on it.

³The one seated there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian stone. A rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald surrounded the throne.

⁴Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones sat twenty-four elders dressed in white clothes, with golden crowns on their heads.

⁵Flashes of lightning and rumblings and peals of thunder came from the throne. Seven fiery torches were burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.

⁶Something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal, was also before the throne. Four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back were around the throne on each side.

⁷The first living creature was like a lion; the second living creature was like an ox; the third living creature had a face like a man; and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.

⁸Each of the four living creatures had six wings; they were covered with eyes around and inside. Day and night they never stop, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God, the Almighty, who was, who is, and who is to come.

⁹Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one seated on the throne, the one who lives forever and ever,

¹⁰the twenty-four elders fall down before the one seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne and say,

¹¹Our Lord and God, you are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because you have created all things, and by your will they exist and were created.

¹I have come to my garden — my sister, my bride. I gather my myrrh with my spices. I eat my honeycomb with my honey. I drink my wine with my milk. Eat, friends! Drink, be intoxicated with caresses!

²I was sleeping, but my heart was awake. A sound! My love was knocking! Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my perfect one. For my head is drenched with dew, my hair with droplets of the night.

³I have taken off my clothing. How can I put it back on? I have washed my feet. How can I get them dirty?

⁴My love thrust his hand through the opening, and my feelings were stirred for him.

⁵I rose to open for my love. My hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with flowing myrrh on the handles of the bolt.

⁶I opened to my love, but my love had turned and gone away. My heart sank because he had left. I sought him, but did not find him. I called him, but he did not answer.

⁷The guards who go about the city found me. They beat and wounded me; they took my cloak from me — the guardians of the walls.

⁸Young women of Jerusalem, I charge you, if you find my love, tell him that I am lovesick.

⁹What makes the one you love better than another, most beautiful of women? What makes him better than another, that you would give us this charge?

¹⁰My love is fit and strong, notable among ten thousand.

¹¹His head is purest gold. His hair is wavy and black as a raven.

¹²His eyes are like doves beside flowing streams, washed in milk and set like jewels.

¹³His cheeks are like beds of spice, mounds of perfume. His lips are lilies, dripping with flowing myrrh.

¹⁴His arms are rods of gold set with beryl. His body is an ivory panel covered with lapis lazuli.

¹⁵His legs are alabaster pillars set on pedestals of pure gold. His presence is like Lebanon, as majestic as the cedars.

¹⁶His mouth is sweetness. He is absolutely desirable. This is my love, and this is my friend, young women of Jerusalem.

¹A of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning the words of Cush, a Benjaminite. [1] LORD my God, I seek refuge in you; save me from all my pursuers and rescue me

²or they will tear me like a lion, ripping me apart with no one to rescue me.

³LORD my God, if I have done this, if there is injustice on my hands,

⁴if I have done harm to one at peace with me or have plundered my adversary without cause,

⁵may an enemy pursue and overtake me; may he trample me to the ground and leave my honor in the dust. Selah

⁶Rise up, LORD, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my adversaries; awake for me; you have ordained a judgment.

⁷Let the assembly of peoples gather around you; take your seat on high over it.

⁸The LORD judges the peoples; vindicate me, LORD, according to my righteousness and my integrity.

⁹Let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous. The one who examines the thoughts and emotions is a righteous God.

¹⁰My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.

¹¹God is a righteous judge and a God who shows his wrath every day.

¹²If anyone does not repent, he will sharpen his sword; he has strung his bow and made it ready.

¹³He has prepared his deadly weapons; he tips his arrows with fire.

¹⁴See, the wicked one is pregnant with evil, conceives trouble, and gives birth to deceit.

¹⁵He dug a pit and hollowed it out but fell into the hole he had made.

¹⁶His trouble comes back on his own head; his own violence comes down on top of his head.

¹⁷I will thank the LORD for his righteousness; I will sing about the name of the LORD Most High.

¹The wicked flee when no one is pursuing them, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

²When a land is in rebellion, it has many rulers, but with a discerning and knowledgeable person, it endures.

³A destitute leader who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no food.

⁴Those who reject the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law pit themselves against them.

⁵The evil do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand everything.

⁶Better the poor person who lives with integrity than the rich one who distorts right and wrong.

⁷A discerning son keeps the law, but a companion of gluttons humiliates his father.

⁸Whoever increases his wealth through excessive interest collects it for one who is kind to the poor.

⁹Anyone who turns his ear away from hearing the law — even his prayer is detestable.

¹⁰The one who leads the upright into an evil way will fall into his own pit, but the blameless will inherit what is good.

¹¹A rich person is wise in his own eyes, but a poor one who has discernment sees through him.

¹²When the righteous triumph, there is great rejoicing, but when the wicked come to power, people hide.

¹³The one who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.

¹⁴Happy is the one who is always reverent, but one who hardens his heart falls into trouble.

¹⁵A wicked ruler over a helpless people is like a roaring lion or a charging bear.

¹⁶A leader who lacks understanding is very oppressive, but one who hates dishonest profit prolongs his life.

¹⁷Someone burdened by bloodguilt will be a fugitive until death. Let no one help him.

¹⁸The one who lives with integrity will be helped, but one who distorts right and wrong will suddenly fall.

¹⁹The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.

²⁰A faithful person will have many blessings, but one in a hurry to get rich will not go unpunished.

²¹It is not good to show partiality  — yet even a courageous person may sin for a piece of bread.

²²A greedy one is in a hurry for wealth; he doesn’t know that poverty will come to him.

²³One who rebukes a person will later find more favor than one who flatters with his tongue.

²⁴The one who robs his father or mother and says, “That’s no sin,” is a companion to a person who destroys.

²⁵A greedy person stirs up conflict, but whoever trusts in the LORD will prosper.

²⁶The one who trusts in himself is a fool, but one who walks in wisdom will be safe.

²⁷The one who gives to the poor will not be in need, but one who turns his eyes away will receive many curses.

²⁸When the wicked come to power, people hide, but when they are destroyed, the righteous flourish.

¹There was a prominent man of Benjamin named Kish son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, son of a Benjaminite.

²He had a son named Saul, an impressive young man. There was no one more impressive among the Israelites than he. He stood a head taller than anyone else.

³One day the donkeys of Saul’s father Kish wandered off. Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go look for the donkeys.”

⁴Saul and his servant went through the hill country of Ephraim and then through the region of Shalishah, but they didn’t find them. They went through the region of Shaalim  — nothing. Then they went through the Benjaminite region but still didn’t find them.

⁵When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come on, let’s go back, or my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and start worrying about us.”

⁶“Look,” the servant said, “there’s a man of God in this city who is highly respected; everything he says is sure to come true. Let’s go there now. Maybe he’ll tell us which way we should go.”

⁷“Suppose we do go,” Saul said to his servant, “what do we take the man? The food from our packs is gone, and there’s no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?”

⁸The servant answered Saul: “Here, I have a little silver. I’ll give it to the man of God, and he will tell us which way we should go.”

⁹Formerly in Israel, a man who was going to inquire of God would say, “Come, let’s go to the seer,” for the prophet of today was formerly called the seer.

¹⁰“Good,” Saul replied to his servant. “Come on, let’s go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.

¹¹As they were climbing the hill to the city, they found some young women coming out to draw water and asked, “Is the seer here?”

¹²The women answered, “Yes, he is ahead of you. Hurry, he just now entered the city, because there’s a sacrifice for the people at the high place today.

¹³As soon as you enter the city, you will find him before he goes to the high place to eat. The people won’t eat until he comes because he must bless the sacrifice; after that, the guests can eat. Go up immediately — you can find him now.”

¹⁴So they went up toward the city. Saul and his servant were entering the city when they saw Samuel coming toward them on his way to the high place.

¹⁵Now the day before Saul’s arrival, the LORD had informed Samuel,

¹⁶“At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel. He will save them from the Philistines because I have seen the affliction of my people, for their cry has come to me.”

¹⁷When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD told him, “Here is the man I told you about; he will govern my people.”

¹⁸Saul approached Samuel in the city gate and asked, “Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”

¹⁹“I am the seer,” Samuel answered. “Go up ahead of me to the high place and eat with me today. When I send you off in the morning, I’ll tell you everything that’s in your heart.

²⁰As for the donkeys that wandered away from you three days ago, don’t worry about them because they’ve been found. And who does all Israel desire but you and all your father’s family?”

²¹Saul responded, “Am I not a Benjaminite from the smallest of Israel’s tribes and isn’t my clan the least important of all the clans of the Benjaminite tribe? So why have you said something like this to me?”

²²Samuel took Saul and his servant, brought them to the banquet hall, and gave them a place at the head of the thirty or so men who had been invited.

²³Then Samuel said to the cook, “Get the portion of meat that I gave you and told you to set aside.”

²⁴The cook picked up the thigh and what was attached to it and set it before Saul. Then Samuel said, “Notice that the reserved piece is set before you. Eat it because it was saved for you for this solemn event at the time I said, ‘I’ve invited the people.’” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

²⁵Afterward, they went down from the high place to the city, and Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof.

²⁶They got up early, and just before dawn, Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get up, and I’ll send you on your way!” Saul got up, and both he and Samuel went outside.

²⁷As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us, but you stay for a while, and I’ll reveal the word of God to you.” So the servant went on.

¹The righteous person perishes, and no one takes it to heart; the faithful are taken away, with no one realizing that the righteous person is taken away because of evil.

²He will enter into peace — they will rest on their beds  — everyone who lives uprightly.

³But come here, you witch’s sons, offspring of an adulterer and a prostitute!

⁴Who are you mocking? Who are you opening your mouth and sticking out your tongue at? Isn’t it you, you rebellious children, you offspring of liars,

⁵who burn with lust among the oaks, under every green tree, who slaughter children in the wadis below the clefts of the rocks?

⁶Your portion is among the smooth stones of the wadi; indeed, they are your lot. You have even poured out a drink offering to them; you have offered a grain offering; should I be satisfied with these?

⁷You have placed your bed on a high and lofty mountain; you also went up there to offer sacrifice.

⁸You have set up your memorial behind the door and doorpost. For away from me, you stripped, went up, and made your bed wide, and you have made a bargain for yourself with them. You have loved their bed; you have gazed on their genitals.

⁹You went to the king with oil and multiplied your perfumes; you sent your envoys far away and sent them down even to Sheol.

¹⁰You became weary on your many journeys, but you did not say, “It’s hopeless!” You found a renewal of your strength; therefore you did not grow weak.

¹¹Who was it you dreaded and feared, so that you lied and didn’t remember me or take it to heart? I have kept silent for a long time, haven’t I? So you do not fear me.

¹²I will announce your righteousness, and your works — they will not profit you.

¹³When you cry out, let your collection of idols rescue you! The wind will carry all of them off, a breath will take them away. But whoever takes refuge in me will inherit the land and possess my holy mountain.

¹⁴He said, “Build it up, build it up, prepare the way, remove every obstacle from my people’s way.”

¹⁵For the High and Exalted One, who lives forever, whose name is holy, says this: “I live in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and lowly of spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the oppressed.

¹⁶For I will not accuse you forever, and I will not always be angry; for then the spirit would grow weak before me, even the breath, which I have made.

¹⁷Because of his sinful greed I was angry, so I struck him; I was angry and hid; but he went on turning back to the desires of his heart.

¹⁸I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners,

¹⁹creating words of praise.” The LORD says, “Peace, peace to the one who is far or near, and I will heal him.

²⁰But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, for it cannot be still, and its water churns up mire and muck.

²¹There is no peace for the wicked,” says my God.

¹When it was decided that we were to sail to Italy, they handed over Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Imperial Regiment.

²When we had boarded a ship of Adramyttium, we put to sea, intending to sail to ports along the coast of Asia. Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, was with us.

³The next day we put in at Sidon, and Julius treated Paul kindly and allowed him to go to his friends to receive their care.

⁴When we had put out to sea from there, we sailed along the northern coast of Cyprus because the winds were against us.

⁵After sailing through the open sea off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we reached Myra in Lycia.

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

⁷Sailing slowly for many days, with difficulty we arrived off Cnidus. Since the wind did not allow us to approach it, we sailed along the south side of Crete off Salmone.

⁸With still more difficulty we sailed along the coast and came to a place called Fair Havens near the city of Lasea.

⁹By now much time had passed, and the voyage was already dangerous. Since the Day of Atonement was already over, Paul gave his advice

¹⁰and told them, “Men, I can see that this voyage is headed toward disaster and heavy loss, not only of the cargo and the ship but also of our lives.”

¹¹But the centurion paid attention to the captain and the owner of the ship rather than to what Paul said.

¹²Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided to set sail from there, hoping somehow to reach Phoenix, a harbor on Crete facing the southwest and northwest, and to winter there.

¹³When a gentle south wind sprang up, they thought they had achieved their purpose. They weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete.

¹⁴But before long, a fierce wind called the “northeaster” rushed down from the island.

¹⁵Since the ship was caught and unable to head into the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along.

¹⁶After running under the shelter of a little island called Cauda, we were barely able to get control of the skiff.

¹⁷After hoisting it up, they used ropes and tackle and girded the ship. Fearing they would run aground on the Syrtis, they lowered the drift-anchor, and in this way they were driven along.

¹⁸Because we were being severely battered by the storm, they began to jettison the cargo the next day.

¹⁹On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands.

²⁰For many days neither sun nor stars appeared, and the severe storm kept raging. Finally all hope was fading that we would be saved.

²¹Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul then stood up among them and said, “You men should have followed my advice not to sail from Crete and sustain this damage and loss.

²²Now I urge you to take courage, because there will be no loss of any of your lives, but only of the ship.

²³For last night an angel of the God I belong to and serve stood by me

²⁴and said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul. It is necessary for you to appear before Caesar. And indeed, God has graciously given you all those who are sailing with you.’

²⁵So take courage, men, because I believe God that it will be just the way it was told to me.

²⁶But we have to run aground on some island.”

²⁷When the fourteenth night came, we were drifting in the Adriatic Sea, and about midnight the sailors thought they were approaching land.

²⁸They took soundings and found it to be a hundred and twenty feet deep; when they had sailed a little farther and sounded again, they found it to be ninety feet deep.

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

³⁰Some sailors tried to escape from the ship; they had let down the skiff into the sea, pretending that they were going to put out anchors from the bow.

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

³²Then the soldiers cut the ropes holding the skiff and let it drop away.

³³When it was about daylight, Paul urged them all to take food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been waiting and going without food, having eaten nothing.

³⁴So I urge you to take some food. For this is for your survival, since none of you will lose a hair from your head.”

³⁵After he said these things and had taken some bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all of them, and after he broke it, he began to eat.

³⁶They all were encouraged and took food themselves.

³⁷In all there were 276 of us on the ship.

³⁸When they had eaten enough, they began to lighten the ship by throwing the grain overboard into the sea.

³⁹When daylight came, they did not recognize the land but sighted a bay with a beach. They planned to run the ship ashore if they could.

⁴⁰After cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and headed for the beach.

⁴¹But they struck a sandbar and ran the ship aground. The bow jammed fast and remained immovable, while the stern began to break up by the pounding of the waves.

⁴²The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners so that no one could swim away and escape.

⁴³But the centurion kept them from carrying out their plan because he wanted to save Paul, and so he ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land.

⁴⁴The rest were to follow, some on planks and some on debris from the ship. In this way, everyone safely reached the shore.