Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea.

²Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:

³“Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow.

⁴And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.

⁵Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth.

⁶But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.

⁷And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.

⁸But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

⁹And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

¹⁰But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable.

¹¹And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables,

¹²so that ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.’ ”

¹³And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?

¹⁴The sower sows the word.

¹⁵And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.

¹⁶These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness;

¹⁷and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble.

¹⁸Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word,

¹⁹and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

²⁰But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

²¹Also He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand?

²²For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.

²³If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

²⁴Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.

²⁵For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”

²⁶And He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground,

²⁷and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.

²⁸For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.

²⁹But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

³⁰Then He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it?

³¹It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth;

³²but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.”

³³And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.

³⁴But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.

³⁵On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.”

³⁶Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him.

³⁷And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.

³⁸But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

³⁹Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

⁴⁰But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”

⁴¹And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

¹So Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

²When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is God’s camp.” And he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

³Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

⁴And he commanded them, saying, “Speak thus to my lord Esau, ‘Thus your servant Jacob says: “I have dwelt with Laban and stayed there until now.

⁵I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight.” ’ ”

⁶Then the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.”

⁷So Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies.

⁸And he said, “If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the other company which is left will escape.”

⁹Then Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the LORD who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you’:

¹⁰I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two companies.

¹¹Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children.

¹²For You said, ‘I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’ ”

¹³So he lodged there that same night, and took what came to his hand as a present for Esau his brother:

¹⁴two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,

¹⁵thirty milk camels with their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten foals.

¹⁶Then he delivered them to the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass over before me, and put some distance between successive droves.”

¹⁷And he commanded the first one, saying, “When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, saying, ‘To whom do you belong, and where are you going? Whose are these in front of you?’

¹⁸then you shall say, ‘They are your servant Jacob’s. It is a present sent to my lord Esau; and behold, he also is behind us.’ ”

¹⁹So he commanded the second, the third, and all who followed the droves, saying, “In this manner you shall speak to Esau when you find him;

²⁰and also say, ‘Behold, your servant Jacob is behind us.’ ” For he said, “I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.”

²¹So the present went on over before him, but he himself lodged that night in the camp.

²²And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of Jabbok.

²³He took them, sent them over the brook, and sent over what he had.

²⁴Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day.

²⁵Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him.

²⁶And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!”

²⁷So He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob.”

²⁸And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.”

²⁹Then Jacob asked, saying, “Tell me Your name, I pray.” And He said, “Why is it that you ask about My name?” And He blessed him there.

³⁰So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.”

³¹Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip.

³²Therefore to this day the children of Israel do not eat the muscle that shrank, which is on the hip socket, because He touched the socket of Jacob’s hip in the muscle that shrank.

¹Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also:

²On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.

³And when I come, whomever you approve by your letters I will send to bear your gift to Jerusalem.

⁴But if it is fitting that I go also, they will go with me.

⁵Now I will come to you when I pass through Macedonia (for I am passing through Macedonia).

⁶And it may be that I will remain, or even spend the winter with you, that you may send me on my journey, wherever I go.

⁷For I do not wish to see you now on the way; but I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits.

⁸But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost.

⁹For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

¹⁰And if Timothy comes, see that he may be with you without fear; for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do.

¹¹Therefore let no one despise him. But send him on his journey in peace, that he may come to me; for I am waiting for him with the brethren.

¹²Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to come to you with the brethren, but he was quite unwilling to come at this time; however, he will come when he has a convenient time.

¹³Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.

¹⁴Let all that you do be done with love.

¹⁵I urge you, brethren—you know the household of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints—

¹⁶that you also submit to such, and to everyone who works and labors with us.

¹⁷I am glad about the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, for what was lacking on your part they supplied.

¹⁸For they refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men.

¹⁹The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.

²⁰All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

²¹The salutation with my own hand—Paul’s.

²²If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come!

²³The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

²⁴My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

¹The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:

²Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;

³nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;

⁴and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

⁵Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

⁶Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

⁷casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

⁸Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

⁹Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

¹⁰But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

¹¹To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

¹²By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.

¹³She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son.

¹⁴Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

¹So these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.

²Then the wrath of Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, was aroused against Job; his wrath was aroused because he justified himself rather than God.

³Also against his three friends his wrath was aroused, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.

⁴Now because they were years older than he, Elihu had waited to speak to Job.

⁵When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, his wrath was aroused.

⁶So Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, answered and said: “I am young in years, and you are very old; Therefore I was afraid, And dared not declare my opinion to you.

⁷I said, ‘Age should speak, And multitude of years should teach wisdom.’

⁸But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.

⁹Great men are not always wise, Nor do the aged always understand justice.

¹⁰“Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me, I also will declare my opinion.’

¹¹Indeed I waited for your words, I listened to your reasonings, while you searched out what to say.

¹²I paid close attention to you; And surely not one of you convinced Job, Or answered his words—

¹³Lest you say, ‘We have found wisdom’; God will vanquish him, not man.

¹⁴Now he has not directed his words against me; So I will not answer him with your words.

¹⁵“They are dismayed and answer no more; Words escape them.

¹⁶And I have waited, because they did not speak, Because they stood still and answered no more.

¹⁷I also will answer my part, I too will declare my opinion.

¹⁸For I am full of words; The spirit within me compels me.

¹⁹Indeed my belly is like wine that has no vent; It is ready to burst like new wineskins.

²⁰I will speak, that I may find relief; I must open my lips and answer.

²¹Let me not, I pray, show partiality to anyone; Nor let me flatter any man.

²²For I do not know how to flatter, Else my Maker would soon take me away.

¹A Psalm of David. A Contemplation. [1] Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered.

²Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit.

³When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long.

⁴For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah

⁵I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

⁶For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You In a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters They shall not come near him.

⁷You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah

⁸I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.

⁹Do not be like the horse or like the mule, Which have no understanding, Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, Else they will not come near you.

¹⁰Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; But he who trusts in the LORD, mercy shall surround him.

¹¹Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

¹The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:

²To know wisdom and instruction, To perceive the words of understanding,

³To receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, judgment, and equity;

⁴To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion—

⁵A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,

⁶To understand a proverb and an enigma, The words of the wise and their riddles.

⁷The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

⁸My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother;

⁹For they will be a graceful ornament on your head, And chains about your neck.

¹⁰My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent.

¹¹If they say, “Come with us, Let us lie in wait to shed blood; Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;

¹²Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, And whole, like those who go down to the Pit;

¹³We shall find all kinds of precious possessions, We shall fill our houses with spoil;

¹⁴Cast in your lot among us, Let us all have one purse”—

¹⁵My son, do not walk in the way with them, Keep your foot from their path;

¹⁶For their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed blood.

¹⁷Surely, in vain the net is spread In the sight of any bird;

¹⁸But they lie in wait for their own blood, They lurk secretly for their own lives.

¹⁹So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; It takes away the life of its owners.

²⁰Wisdom calls aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open squares.

²¹She cries out in the chief concourses, At the openings of the gates in the city She speaks her words:

²²“How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge.

²³Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.

²⁴Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,

²⁵Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke,

²⁶I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes,

²⁷When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you.

²⁸“Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.

²⁹Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD,

³⁰They would have none of my counsel And despised my every rebuke.

³¹Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies.

³²For the turning away of the simple will slay them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them;

³³But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without fear of evil.”

¹Now the men of Ephraim said to him, “Why have you done this to us by not calling us when you went to fight with the Midianites?” And they reprimanded him sharply.

²So he said to them, “What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?

³God has delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. And what was I able to do in comparison with you?” Then their anger toward him subsided when he said that.

⁴When Gideon came to the Jordan, he and the three hundred men who were with him crossed over, exhausted but still in pursuit.

⁵Then he said to the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me, for they are exhausted, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.”

⁶And the leaders of Succoth said, “Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?”

⁷So Gideon said, “For this cause, when the LORD has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers!”

⁸Then he went up from there to Penuel and spoke to them in the same way. And the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.

⁹So he also spoke to the men of Penuel, saying, “When I come back in peace, I will tear down this tower!”

¹⁰Now Zebah and Zalmunna were at Karkor, and their armies with them, about fifteen thousand, all who were left of all the army of the people of the East; for one hundred and twenty thousand men who drew the sword had fallen.

¹¹Then Gideon went up by the road of those who dwell in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah; and he attacked the army while the camp felt secure.

¹²When Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued them; and he took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and routed the whole army.

¹³Then Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle, from the Ascent of Heres.

¹⁴And he caught a young man of the men of Succoth and interrogated him; and he wrote down for him the leaders of Succoth and its elders, seventy-seven men.

¹⁵Then he came to the men of Succoth and said, “Here are Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you ridiculed me, saying, ‘Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your weary men?’ ”

¹⁶And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.

¹⁷Then he tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.

¹⁸And he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?” So they answered, “As you are, so were they; each one resembled the son of a king.”

¹⁹Then he said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the LORD lives, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.”

²⁰And he said to Jether his firstborn, “Rise, kill them!” But the youth would not draw his sword; for he was afraid, because he was still a youth.

²¹So Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Rise yourself, and kill us; for as a man is, so is his strength.” So Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescent ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.

²²Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you and your son, and your grandson also; for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.”

²³But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the LORD shall rule over you.”

²⁴Then Gideon said to them, “I would like to make a request of you, that each of you would give me the earrings from his plunder.” For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.

²⁵So they answered, “We will gladly give them.” And they spread out a garment, and each man threw into it the earrings from his plunder.

²⁶Now the weight of the gold earrings that he requested was one thousand seven hundred shekels of gold, besides the crescent ornaments, pendants, and purple robes which were on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were around their camels’ necks.

²⁷Then Gideon made it into an ephod and set it up in his city, Ophrah. And all Israel played the harlot with it there. It became a snare to Gideon and to his house.

²⁸Thus Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted their heads no more. And the country was quiet for forty years in the days of Gideon.

²⁹Then Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.

³⁰Gideon had seventy sons who were his own offspring, for he had many wives.

³¹And his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.

³²Now Gideon the son of Joash died at a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

³³So it was, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel again played the harlot with the Baals, and made Baal-Berith their god.

³⁴Thus the children of Israel did not remember the LORD their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side;

³⁵nor did they show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal (Gideon) in accordance with the good he had done for Israel.

¹Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, And princes will rule with justice.

²A man will be as a hiding place from the wind, And a cover from the tempest, As rivers of water in a dry place, As the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.

³The eyes of those who see will not be dim, And the ears of those who hear will listen.

⁴Also the heart of the rash will understand knowledge, And the tongue of the stammerers will be ready to speak plainly.

⁵The foolish person will no longer be called generous, Nor the miser said to be bountiful;

⁶For the foolish person will speak foolishness, And his heart will work iniquity: To practice ungodliness, To utter error against the LORD, To keep the hungry unsatisfied, And he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.

⁷Also the schemes of the schemer are evil; He devises wicked plans To destroy the poor with lying words, Even when the needy speaks justice.

⁸But a generous man devises generous things, And by generosity he shall stand.

⁹Rise up, you women who are at ease, Hear my voice; You complacent daughters, Give ear to my speech.

¹⁰In a year and some days You will be troubled, you complacent women; For the vintage will fail, The gathering will not come.

¹¹Tremble, you women who are at ease; Be troubled, you complacent ones; Strip yourselves, make yourselves bare, And gird sackcloth on your waists.

¹²People shall mourn upon their breasts For the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.

¹³On the land of my people will come up thorns and briers, Yes, on all the happy homes in the joyous city;

¹⁴Because the palaces will be forsaken, The bustling city will be deserted. The forts and towers will become lairs forever, A joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks—

¹⁵Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, And the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, And the fruitful field is counted as a forest.

¹⁶Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, And righteousness remain in the fruitful field.

¹⁷The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.

¹⁸My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, In secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places,

¹⁹Though hail comes down on the forest, And the city is brought low in humiliation.

²⁰Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, Who send out freely the feet of the ox and the donkey.

¹Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them,

²being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

³And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.

⁴However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

⁵And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes,

⁶as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.

⁷And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?”

⁸Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel:

⁹If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well,

¹⁰let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.

¹¹This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’

¹²Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

¹³Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.

¹⁴And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

¹⁵But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,

¹⁶saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

¹⁷But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”

¹⁸So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

¹⁹But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge.

²⁰For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

²¹So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done.

²²For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.

²³And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.

²⁴So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them,

²⁵who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: ‘Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things?

²⁶The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the LORD and against His Christ.’

²⁷“For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together

²⁸to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.

²⁹Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word,

³⁰by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

³¹And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

³²Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.

³³And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.

³⁴Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,

³⁵and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

³⁶And Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus,

³⁷having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.