Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him

²and spoke to Him, saying, “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?”

³But He answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me:

⁴The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?”

⁵And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

⁶But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”

⁷So they answered that they did not know where it was from.

⁸And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

⁹Then He began to tell the people this parable: “A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time.

¹⁰Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed.

¹¹Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed.

¹²And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him out.

¹³“Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Probably they will respect him when they see him.’

¹⁴But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.’

¹⁵So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

¹⁶He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to others.” And when they heard it they said, “Certainly not!”

¹⁷Then He looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone’?

¹⁸Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”

¹⁹And the chief priests and the scribes that very hour sought to lay hands on Him, but they feared the people —for they knew He had spoken this parable against them.

²⁰So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor.

²¹Then they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth:

²²Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

²³But He perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Why do you test Me?

²⁴Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?” They answered and said, “Caesar’s.”

²⁵And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

²⁶But they could not catch Him in His words in the presence of the people. And they marveled at His answer and kept silent.

²⁷Then some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him,

²⁸saying: “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.

²⁹Now there were seven brothers. And the first took a wife, and died without children.

³⁰And the second took her as wife, and he died childless.

³¹Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they left no children, and died.

³²Last of all the woman died also.

³³Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become? For all seven had her as wife.”

³⁴Jesus answered and said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.

³⁵But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage;

³⁶nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.

³⁷But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’

³⁸For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.”

³⁹Then some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.”

⁴⁰But after that they dared not question Him anymore.

⁴¹And He said to them, “How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?

⁴²Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms: ‘The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand,

⁴³Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’

⁴⁴Therefore David calls Him ‘Lord’; how is He then his Son?”

⁴⁵Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples,

⁴⁶“Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts,

⁴⁷who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”

¹Then came the daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, from the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph; and these were the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

²And they stood before Moses, before Eleazar the priest, and before the leaders and all the congregation, by the doorway of the tabernacle of meeting, saying:

³“Our father died in the wilderness; but he was not in the company of those who gathered together against the LORD, in company with Korah, but he died in his own sin; and he had no sons.

⁴Why should the name of our father be removed from among his family because he had no son? Give us a possession among our father’s brothers.”

⁵So Moses brought their case before the LORD.

⁶And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:

⁷“The daughters of Zelophehad speak what is right; you shall surely give them a possession of inheritance among their father’s brothers, and cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them.

⁸And you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If a man dies and has no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter.

⁹If he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers.

¹⁰If he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.

¹¹And if his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to the relative closest to him in his family, and he shall possess it.’ ” And it shall be to the children of Israel a statute of judgment, just as the LORD commanded Moses.

¹²Now the LORD said to Moses: “Go up into this Mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the children of Israel.

¹³And when you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered.

¹⁴For in the Wilderness of Zin, during the strife of the congregation, you rebelled against My command to hallow Me at the waters before their eyes.” (These are the waters of Meribah, at Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin.)

¹⁵Then Moses spoke to the LORD, saying:

¹⁶“Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,

¹⁷who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be like sheep which have no shepherd.”

¹⁸And the LORD said to Moses: “Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him;

¹⁹set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and inaugurate him in their sight.

²⁰And you shall give some of your authority to him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.

²¹He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire before the LORD for him by the judgment of the Urim. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, he and all the children of Israel with him—all the congregation.”

²²So Moses did as the LORD commanded him. He took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation.

²³And he laid his hands on him and inaugurated him, just as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.

¹And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.

²I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;

³for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?

⁴For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?

⁵Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?

⁶I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.

⁷So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

⁸Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

⁹For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.

¹⁰According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.

¹¹For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

¹²Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,

¹³each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.

¹⁴If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.

¹⁵If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

¹⁶Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

¹⁷If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

¹⁸Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.

¹⁹For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”;

²⁰and again, “The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”

²¹Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours:

²²whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours.

²³And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

¹Then Job answered and said:

²“Listen carefully to my speech, And let this be your consolation.

³Bear with me that I may speak, And after I have spoken, keep mocking.

⁴“As for me, is my complaint against man? And if it were, why should I not be impatient?

⁵Look at me and be astonished; Put your hand over your mouth.

⁶Even when I remember I am terrified, And trembling takes hold of my flesh.

⁷Why do the wicked live and become old, Yes, become mighty in power?

⁸Their descendants are established with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes.

⁹Their houses are safe from fear, Neither is the rod of God upon them.

¹⁰Their bull breeds without failure; Their cow calves without miscarriage.

¹¹They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance.

¹²They sing to the tambourine and harp, And rejoice to the sound of the flute.

¹³They spend their days in wealth, And in a moment go down to the grave.

¹⁴Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us, For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.

¹⁵Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?’

¹⁶Indeed their prosperity is not in their hand; The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

¹⁷“How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? How often does their destruction come upon them, The sorrows God distributes in His anger?

¹⁸They are like straw before the wind, And like chaff that a storm carries away.

¹⁹They say, ‘God lays up one’s iniquity for his children’; Let Him recompense him, that he may know it.

²⁰Let his eyes see his destruction, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

²¹For what does he care about his household after him, When the number of his months is cut in half?

²²“Can anyone teach God knowledge, Since He judges those on high?

²³One dies in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and secure;

²⁴His pails are full of milk, And the marrow of his bones is moist.

²⁵Another man dies in the bitterness of his soul, Never having eaten with pleasure.

²⁶They lie down alike in the dust, And worms cover them.

²⁷“Look, I know your thoughts, And the schemes with which you would wrong me.

²⁸For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince? And where is the tent, The dwelling place of the wicked?’

²⁹Have you not asked those who travel the road? And do you not know their signs?

³⁰For the wicked are reserved for the day of doom; They shall be brought out on the day of wrath.

³¹Who condemns his way to his face? And who repays him for what he has done?

³²Yet he shall be brought to the grave, And a vigil kept over the tomb.

³³The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him; Everyone shall follow him, As countless have gone before him.

³⁴How then can you comfort me with empty words, Since falsehood remains in your answers?”

¹To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. [1] In You, O LORD, I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed; Deliver me in Your righteousness.

²Bow down Your ear to me, Deliver me speedily; Be my rock of refuge, A fortress of defense to save me.

³For You are my rock and my fortress; Therefore, for Your name’s sake, Lead me and guide me.

⁴Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, For You are my strength.

⁵Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.

⁶I have hated those who regard useless idols; But I trust in the LORD.

⁷I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, For You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities,

⁸And have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a wide place.

⁹Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am in trouble; My eye wastes away with grief, Yes, my soul and my body!

¹⁰For my life is spent with grief, And my years with sighing; My strength fails because of my iniquity, And my bones waste away.

¹¹I am a reproach among all my enemies, But especially among my neighbors, And am repulsive to my acquaintances; Those who see me outside flee from me.

¹²I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind; I am like a broken vessel.

¹³For I hear the slander of many; Fear is on every side; While they take counsel together against me, They scheme to take away my life.

¹⁴But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.”

¹⁵My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me.

¹⁶Make Your face shine upon Your servant; Save me for Your mercies’ sake.

¹⁷Do not let me be ashamed, O LORD, for I have called upon You; Let the wicked be ashamed; Let them be silent in the grave.

¹⁸Let the lying lips be put to silence, Which speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.

¹⁹Oh, how great is Your goodness, Which You have laid up for those who fear You, Which You have prepared for those who trust in You In the presence of the sons of men!

²⁰You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence From the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion From the strife of tongues.

²¹Blessed be the LORD, For He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city!

²²For I said in my haste, “I am cut off from before Your eyes”; Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications When I cried out to You.

²³Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! For the LORD preserves the faithful, And fully repays the proud person.

²⁴Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart, All you who hope in the LORD.

¹The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.

²Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the hearts.

³To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

⁴A haughty look, a proud heart, And the plowing of the wicked are sin.

⁵The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.

⁶Getting treasures by a lying tongue Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death.

⁷The violence of the wicked will destroy them, Because they refuse to do justice.

⁸The way of a guilty man is perverse; But as for the pure, his work is right.

⁹Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

¹⁰The soul of the wicked desires evil; His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.

¹¹When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise; But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.

¹²The righteous God wisely considers the house of the wicked, Overthrowing the wicked for their wickedness.

¹³Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be heard.

¹⁴A gift in secret pacifies anger, And a bribe behind the back, strong wrath.

¹⁵It is a joy for the just to do justice, But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.

¹⁶A man who wanders from the way of understanding Will rest in the assembly of the dead.

¹⁷He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not be rich.

¹⁸The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, And the unfaithful for the upright.

¹⁹Better to dwell in the wilderness, Than with a contentious and angry woman.

²⁰There is desirable treasure, And oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man squanders it.

²¹He who follows righteousness and mercy Finds life, righteousness, and honor.

²²A wise man scales the city of the mighty, And brings down the trusted stronghold.

²³Whoever guards his mouth and tongue Keeps his soul from troubles.

²⁴A proud and haughty man— “Scoffer” is his name; He acts with arrogant pride.

²⁵The desire of the lazy man kills him, For his hands refuse to labor.

²⁶He covets greedily all day long, But the righteous gives and does not spare.

²⁷The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; How much more when he brings it with wicked intent!

²⁸A false witness shall perish, But the man who hears him will speak endlessly.

²⁹A wicked man hardens his face, But as for the upright, he establishes his way.

³⁰There is no wisdom or understanding Or counsel against the LORD.

³¹The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But deliverance is of the LORD.

¹It happened after this that David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go up to any of the cities of Judah?” And the LORD said to him, “Go up.” David said, “Where shall I go up?” And He said, “To Hebron.”

²So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.

³And David brought up the men who were with him, every man with his household. So they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

⁴Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, “The men of Jabesh Gilead were the ones who buried Saul.”

⁵So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, “You are blessed of the LORD, for you have shown this kindness to your lord, to Saul, and have buried him.

⁶And now may the LORD show kindness and truth to you. I also will repay you this kindness, because you have done this thing.

⁷Now therefore, let your hands be strengthened, and be valiant; for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”

⁸But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim;

⁹and he made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and over all Israel.

¹⁰Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. Only the house of Judah followed David.

¹¹And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

¹²Now Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

¹³And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. So they sat down, one on one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the pool.

¹⁴Then Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men now arise and compete before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.”

¹⁵So they arose and went over by number, twelve from Benjamin, followers of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David.

¹⁶And each one grasped his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called the Field of Sharp Swords, which is in Gibeon.

¹⁷So there was a very fierce battle that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.

¹⁸Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab and Abishai and Asahel. And Asahel was as fleet of foot as a wild gazelle.

¹⁹So Asahel pursued Abner, and in going he did not turn to the right hand or to the left from following Abner.

²⁰Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Are you Asahel?” He answered, “I am.”

²¹And Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and lay hold on one of the young men and take his armor for yourself.” But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.

²²So Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I face your brother Joab?”

²³However, he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the blunt end of the spear, so that the spear came out of his back; and he fell down there and died on the spot. So it was that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died, stood still.

²⁴Joab and Abishai also pursued Abner. And the sun was going down when they came to the hill of Ammah, which is before Giah by the road to the Wilderness of Gibeon.

²⁵Now the children of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became a unit, and took their stand on top of a hill.

²⁶Then Abner called to Joab and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the latter end? How long will it be then until you tell the people to return from pursuing their brethren?”

²⁷And Joab said, “As God lives, unless you had spoken, surely then by morning all the people would have given up pursuing their brethren.”

²⁸So Joab blew a trumpet; and all the people stood still and did not pursue Israel anymore, nor did they fight anymore.

²⁹Then Abner and his men went on all that night through the plain, crossed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron; and they came to Mahanaim.

³⁰So Joab returned from pursuing Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing of David’s servants nineteen men and Asahel.

³¹But the servants of David had struck down, of Benjamin and Abner’s men, three hundred and sixty men who died.

³²Then they took up Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at daybreak.

¹Then the LORD said to me, “Even if Moses and Samuel stood before Me, My mind would not be favorable toward this people. Cast them out of My sight, and let them go forth.

²And it shall be, if they say to you, ‘Where should we go?’ then you shall tell them, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Such as are for death, to death; And such as are for the sword, to the sword; And such as are for the famine, to the famine; And such as are for the captivity, to the captivity.” ’

³“And I will appoint over them four forms of destruction,” says the LORD: “the sword to slay, the dogs to drag, the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.

⁴I will hand them over to trouble, to all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem.

⁵“For who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem? Or who will bemoan you? Or who will turn aside to ask how you are doing?

⁶You have forsaken Me,” says the LORD, “You have gone backward. Therefore I will stretch out My hand against you and destroy you; I am weary of relenting!

⁷And I will winnow them with a winnowing fan in the gates of the land; I will bereave them of children; I will destroy My people, Since they do not return from their ways.

⁸Their widows will be increased to Me more than the sand of the seas; I will bring against them, Against the mother of the young men, A plunderer at noonday; I will cause anguish and terror to fall on them suddenly.

⁹“She languishes who has borne seven; She has breathed her last; Her sun has gone down While it was yet day; She has been ashamed and confounded. And the remnant of them I will deliver to the sword Before their enemies,” says the LORD.

¹⁰Woe is me, my mother, That you have borne me, A man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent for interest, Nor have men lent to me for interest. Every one of them curses me.

¹¹The LORD said: “Surely it will be well with your remnant; Surely I will cause the enemy to intercede with you In the time of adversity and in the time of affliction.

¹²Can anyone break iron, The northern iron and the bronze?

¹³Your wealth and your treasures I will give as plunder without price, Because of all your sins, Throughout your territories.

¹⁴And I will make you cross over with your enemies Into a land which you do not know; For a fire is kindled in My anger, Which shall burn upon you.”

¹⁵O LORD, You know; Remember me and visit me, And take vengeance for me on my persecutors. In Your enduring patience, do not take me away. Know that for Your sake I have suffered rebuke.

¹⁶Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.

¹⁷I did not sit in the assembly of the mockers, Nor did I rejoice; I sat alone because of Your hand, For You have filled me with indignation.

¹⁸Why is my pain perpetual And my wound incurable, Which refuses to be healed? Will You surely be to me like an unreliable stream, As waters that fail?

¹⁹Therefore thus says the LORD: “If you return, Then I will bring you back; You shall stand before Me; If you take out the precious from the vile, You shall be as My mouth. Let them return to you, But you must not return to them.

²⁰And I will make you to this people a fortified bronze wall; And they will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you; For I am with you to save you And deliver you,” says the LORD.

²¹“I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked, And I will redeem you from the grip of the terrible.”

¹Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.”

²And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.

³Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?”

⁴And those who stood by said, “Do you revile God’s high priest?”

⁵Then Paul said, “I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’ ”

⁶But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!”

⁷And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the assembly was divided.

⁸For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection—and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.

⁹Then there arose a loud outcry. And the scribes of the Pharisees’ party arose and protested, saying, “We find no evil in this man; but if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God.”

¹⁰Now when there arose a great dissension, the commander, fearing lest Paul might be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.

¹¹But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.”

¹²And when it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.

¹³Now there were more than forty who had formed this conspiracy.

¹⁴They came to the chief priests and elders, and said, “We have bound ourselves under a great oath that we will eat nothing until we have killed Paul.

¹⁵Now you, therefore, together with the council, suggest to the commander that he be brought down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to make further inquiries concerning him; but we are ready to kill him before he comes near.”

¹⁶So when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their ambush, he went and entered the barracks and told Paul.

¹⁷Then Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to tell him.”

¹⁸So he took him and brought him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to say to you.”

¹⁹Then the commander took him by the hand, went aside, and asked privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?”

²⁰And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask that you bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire more fully about him.

²¹But do not yield to them, for more than forty of them lie in wait for him, men who have bound themselves by an oath that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you.”

²²So the commander let the young man depart, and commanded him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.”

²³And he called for two centurions, saying, “Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at the third hour of the night;

²⁴and provide mounts to set Paul on, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.”

²⁵He wrote a letter in the following manner:

²⁶Claudius Lysias, To the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.

²⁷This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them. Coming with the troops I rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.

²⁸And when I wanted to know the reason they accused him, I brought him before their council.

²⁹I found out that he was accused concerning questions of their law, but had nothing charged against him deserving of death or chains.

³⁰And when it was told me that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him immediately to you, and also commanded his accusers to state before you the charges against him. Farewell.

³¹Then the soldiers, as they were commanded, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.

³²The next day they left the horsemen to go on with him, and returned to the barracks.

³³When they came to Caesarea and had delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.

³⁴And when the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. And when he understood that he was from Cilicia,

³⁵he said, “I will hear you when your accusers also have come.” And he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s Praetorium.