Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called Passover, was approaching.

²The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put him to death, because they were afraid of the people.

³Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, who was numbered among the Twelve.

⁴He went away and discussed with the chief priests and temple police how he could hand him over to them.

⁵They were glad and agreed to give him silver.

⁶So he accepted the offer and started looking for a good opportunity to betray him to them when the crowd was not present.

⁷Then the Day of Unleavened Bread came when the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.

⁸Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”

⁹“Where do you want us to prepare it?” they asked him.

¹⁰“Listen,” he said to them, “when you’ve entered the city, a man carrying a water jug will meet you. Follow him into the house he enters.

¹¹Tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover with my disciples?”’

¹²Then he will show you a large, furnished room upstairs. Make the preparations there.”

¹³So they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

¹⁴When the hour came, he reclined at the table, and the apostles with him.

¹⁵Then he said to them, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.

¹⁶For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

¹⁷Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves.

¹⁸For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

¹⁹And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

²⁰In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

²¹But look, the hand of the one betraying me is at the table with me.

²²For the Son of Man will go away as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!”

²³So they began to argue among themselves which of them it could be who was going to do it.

²⁴Then a dispute also arose among them about who should be considered the greatest.

²⁵But he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who have authority over them have themselves called ‘Benefactors.’

²⁶It is not to be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever is greatest among you should become like the youngest, and whoever leads, like the one serving.

²⁷For who is greater, the one at the table or the one serving? Isn’t it the one at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.

²⁸You are those who stood by me in my trials.

²⁹I bestow on you a kingdom, just as my Father bestowed one on me,

³⁰so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. And you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

³¹“Simon, Simon, look out. Satan has asked to sift you like wheat.

³²But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

³³“Lord,” he told him, “I’m ready to go with you both to prison and to death.”

³⁴“I tell you, Peter,” he said, “the rooster will not crow today until you deny three times that you know me.”

³⁵He also said to them, “When I sent you out without money-bag, traveling bag, or sandals, did you lack anything?” “Not a thing,” they said.

³⁶Then he said to them, “But now, whoever has a money-bag should take it, and also a traveling bag. And whoever doesn’t have a sword should sell his robe and buy one.

³⁷For I tell you, what is written must be fulfilled in me: And he was counted among the lawless. Yes, what is written about me is coming to its fulfillment.”

³⁸“Lord,” they said, “look, here are two swords.” “That is enough!” he told them.

³⁹He went out and made his way as usual to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him.

⁴⁰When he reached the place, he told them, “Pray that you may not fall into temptation.”

⁴¹Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and began to pray,

⁴²“Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me — nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

⁴³Then an angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him.

⁴⁴Being in anguish, he prayed more fervently, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.

⁴⁵When he got up from prayer and came to the disciples, he found them sleeping, exhausted from their grief.

⁴⁶“Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you won’t fall into temptation.”

⁴⁷While he was still speaking, suddenly a mob came, and one of the Twelve named Judas was leading them. He came near Jesus to kiss him,

⁴⁸but Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

⁴⁹When those around him saw what was going to happen, they asked, “Lord, should we strike with the sword?”

⁵⁰Then one of them struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear.

⁵¹But Jesus responded, “No more of this!” And touching his ear, he healed him.

⁵²Then Jesus said to the chief priests, temple police, and the elders who had come for him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a criminal?

⁵³Every day while I was with you in the temple, you never laid a hand on me. But this is your hour — and the dominion of darkness.”

⁵⁴They seized him, led him away, and brought him into the high priest’s house. Meanwhile Peter was following at a distance.

⁵⁵They lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, and Peter sat among them.

⁵⁶When a servant saw him sitting in the light, and looked closely at him, she said, “This man was with him too.”

⁵⁷But he denied it: “Woman, I don’t know him.”

⁵⁸After a little while, someone else saw him and said, “You’re one of them too.” “Man, I am not!” Peter said.

⁵⁹About an hour later, another kept insisting, “This man was certainly with him, since he’s also a Galilean.”

⁶⁰But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed.

⁶¹Then the Lord turned and looked at Peter. So Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.”

⁶²And he went outside and wept bitterly.

⁶³The men who were holding Jesus started mocking and beating him.

⁶⁴After blindfolding him, they kept asking, “Prophesy! Who was it that hit you?”

⁶⁵And they were saying many other blasphemous things to him.

⁶⁶When daylight came, the elders of the people, both the chief priests and the scribes, convened and brought him before their Sanhedrin.

⁶⁷They said, “If you are the Messiah, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I do tell you, you will not believe.

⁶⁸And if I ask you, you will not answer.

⁶⁹But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”

⁷⁰They all asked, “Are you, then, the Son of God?” And he said to them, “You say that I am.”

⁷¹“Why do we need any more testimony,” they said, “since we’ve heard it ourselves from his mouth?”

¹“You are to hold a sacred assembly in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, and you are not to do any daily work. This will be a day of trumpet blasts for you.

²Offer a burnt offering as a pleasing aroma to the LORD: one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old — all unblemished —

³with their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, six quarts with the bull, four quarts with the ram,

⁴and two quarts with each of the seven male lambs.

⁵Also offer one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for yourselves.

⁶These are in addition to the monthly and regular burnt offerings with their prescribed grain offerings and drink offerings. They are a pleasing aroma, a fire offering to the LORD.

⁷“You are to hold a sacred assembly on the tenth day of this seventh month and practice self-denial; do not do any work.

⁸Present a burnt offering to the LORD, a pleasing aroma: one young bull, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old. All your animals are to be unblemished.

⁹Their grain offering is to be of fine flour mixed with oil, six quarts with the bull, four quarts with the ram,

¹⁰and two quarts with each of the seven lambs.

¹¹Offer one male goat for a sin offering. The regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offerings are in addition to the sin offering of atonement.

¹²“You are to hold a sacred assembly on the fifteenth day of the seventh month; you do not do any daily work. You are to celebrate a seven-day festival for the LORD.

¹³Present a burnt offering, a fire offering as a pleasing aroma to the LORD: thirteen young bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old. They are to be unblemished.

¹⁴Their grain offering is to be of fine flour mixed with oil, six quarts with each of the thirteen bulls, four quarts with each of the two rams,

¹⁵and two quarts with each of the fourteen lambs.

¹⁶Also offer one male goat as a sin offering. These are in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings.

¹⁷“On the second day present twelve young bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old — all unblemished —

¹⁸with their grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, in proportion to their number.

¹⁹Also offer one male goat as a sin offering. These are in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink and their drink offerings.

²⁰“On the third day present eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old — all unblemished —

²¹with their grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, in proportion to their number.

²²Also offer one male goat as a sin offering. These are in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings.

²³“On the fourth day present ten bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old — all unblemished —

²⁴with their grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, in proportion to their number.

²⁵Also offer one male goat as a sin offering. These are in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings.

²⁶“On the fifth day present nine bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old — all unblemished —

²⁷with their grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, in proportion to their number.

²⁸Also offer one male goat as a sin offering. These are in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings.

²⁹“On the sixth day present eight bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old — all unblemished —

³⁰with their grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, in proportion to their number.

³¹Also offer one male goat as a sin offering. These are in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings.

³²“On the seventh day present seven bulls, two rams, and fourteen male lambs a year old — all unblemished —

³³with their grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, in proportion to their number.

³⁴Also offer one male goat as a sin offering. These are in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings.

³⁵“On the eighth day you are to hold a solemn assembly; you are not to do any daily work.

³⁶Present a burnt offering, a fire offering as a pleasing aroma to the LORD: one bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old — all unblemished —

³⁷with their grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams, and lambs, in proportion to their number.

³⁸Also offer one male goat as a sin offering. These are in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings.

³⁹“Offer these to the LORD at your appointed times in addition to your vow and freewill offerings, whether burnt, grain, drink, or fellowship offerings.”

⁴⁰So Moses told the Israelites everything the LORD had commanded him.

¹It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and the kind of sexual immorality that is not even tolerated among the Gentiles  — a man is sleeping with his father’s wife.

²And you are arrogant! Shouldn’t you be filled with grief and remove from your congregation the one who did this?

³Even though I am absent in the body, I am present in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who has been doing such a thing.

⁴When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus, and I am with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus,

⁵hand that one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

⁶Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough?

⁷Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new unleavened batch, as indeed you are. For Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed.

⁸Therefore, let us observe the feast, not with old leaven or with the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

⁹I wrote to you in a letter not to associate with sexually immoral people.

¹⁰I did not mean the immoral people of this world or the greedy and swindlers or idolaters; otherwise you would have to leave the world.

¹¹But actually, I wrote you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister and is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person.

¹²For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders? Don’t you judge those who are inside?

¹³God judges outsiders. Remove the evil person from among you.

¹Then Job answered:

²Today also my complaint is bitter. His hand is heavy despite my groaning.

³If only I knew how to find him, so that I could go to his throne.

⁴I would plead my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments.

⁵I would learn how he would answer me; and understand what he would say to me.

⁶Would he prosecute me forcefully? No, he would certainly pay attention to me.

⁷Then an upright man could reason with him, and I would escape from my Judge forever.

⁸If I go east, he is not there, and if I go west, I cannot perceive him.

⁹When he is at work to the north, I cannot see him; when he turns south, I cannot find him.

¹⁰Yet he knows the way I have taken; when he has tested me, I will emerge as pure gold.

¹¹My feet have followed in his tracks; I have kept to his way and not turned aside.

¹²I have not departed from the commands from his lips; I have treasured the words from his mouth more than my daily food.

¹³But he is unchangeable; who can oppose him? He does what he desires.

¹⁴He will certainly accomplish what he has decreed for me, and he has many more things like these in mind.

¹⁵Therefore I am terrified in his presence; when I consider this, I am afraid of him.

¹⁶God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me.

¹⁷Yet I am not destroyed by the darkness, by the thick darkness that covers my face.

¹Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous ones; praise from the upright is beautiful.

²Praise the LORD with the lyre; make music to him with a ten-stringed harp.

³Sing a new song to him; play skillfully on the strings, with a joyful shout.

⁴For the word of the LORD is right, and all his work is trustworthy.

⁵He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the LORD’s unfailing love.

⁶The heavens were made by the word of the LORD, and all the stars, by the breath of his mouth.

⁷He gathers the water of the sea into a heap; he puts the depths into storehouses.

⁸Let the whole earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

⁹For he spoke, and it came into being; he commanded, and it came into existence.

¹⁰The LORD frustrates the counsel of the nations; he thwarts the plans of the peoples.

¹¹The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart from generation to generation.

¹²Happy is the nation whose God is the LORD  — the people he has chosen to be his own possession!

¹³The LORD looks down from heaven; he observes everyone.

¹⁴He gazes on all the inhabitants of the earth from his dwelling place.

¹⁵He forms the hearts of them all; he considers all their works.

¹⁶A king is not saved by a large army; a warrior will not be rescued by great strength.

¹⁷The horse is a false hope for safety; it provides no escape by its great power.

¹⁸But look, the LORD keeps his eye on those who fear him — those who depend on his faithful love

¹⁹to rescue them from death and to keep them alive in famine.

²⁰We wait for the LORD; he is our help and shield.

²¹For our hearts rejoice in him because we trust in his holy name.

²²May your faithful love rest on us, LORD, for we put our hope in you.

¹When you sit down to dine with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you,

²and put a knife to your throat if you have a big appetite;

³don’t desire his choice food, for that food is deceptive.

⁴Don’t wear yourself out to get rich; because you know better, stop!

⁵As soon as your eyes fly to it, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.

⁶Don’t eat a stingy person’s bread, and don’t desire his choice food,

⁷for it’s like someone calculating inwardly. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

⁸You will vomit the little you’ve eaten and waste your pleasant words.

⁹Don’t speak to a fool, for he will despise the insight of your words.

¹⁰Don’t move an ancient boundary marker, and don’t encroach on the fields of the fatherless,

¹¹for their Redeemer is strong, and he will champion their cause against you.

¹²Apply yourself to discipline and listen to words of knowledge.

¹³Don’t withhold discipline from a youth; if you punish him with a rod, he will not die.

¹⁴Punish him with a rod, and you will rescue his life from Sheol.

¹⁵My son, if your heart is wise, my heart will indeed rejoice.

¹⁶My innermost being will celebrate when your lips say what is right.

¹⁷Don’t let your heart envy sinners; instead, always fear the LORD.

¹⁸For then you will have a future, and your hope will not be dashed.

¹⁹Listen, my son, and be wise; keep your mind on the right course.

²⁰Don’t associate with those who drink too much wine or with those who gorge themselves on meat.

²¹For the drunkard and the glutton will become poor, and grogginess will clothe them in rags.

²²Listen to your father who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old.

²³Buy — and do not sell — truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding.

²⁴The father of a righteous son will rejoice greatly, and one who fathers a wise son will delight in him.

²⁵Let your father and mother have joy, and let her who gave birth to you rejoice.

²⁶My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.

²⁷For a prostitute is a deep pit, and a wayward woman is a narrow well;

²⁸indeed, she sets an ambush like a robber and increases the number of unfaithful people.

²⁹Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has conflicts? Who has complaints? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has red eyes?

³⁰Those who linger over wine; those who go looking for mixed wine.

³¹Don’t gaze at wine because it is red, because it gleams in the cup and goes down smoothly.

³²In the end it bites like a snake and stings like a viper.

³³Your eyes will see strange things, and you will say absurd things.

³⁴You’ll be like someone sleeping out at sea or lying down on the top of a ship’s mast.

³⁵“They struck me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I didn’t know it! When will I wake up? I’ll look for another drink.”

¹When Saul’s son Ish-bosheth heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he gave up, and all Israel was dismayed.

²Saul’s son had two men who were leaders of raiding parties: one named Baanah and the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite of the Benjaminites. Beeroth is also considered part of Benjamin,

³and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and still reside there as aliens today.

⁴Saul’s son Jonathan had a son whose feet were crippled. He was five years old when the report about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nanny picked him up and fled, but as she was hurrying to flee, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.

⁵Rechab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, set out and arrived at Ish-bosheth’s house during the heat of the day while the king was taking his midday nap.

⁶They entered the interior of the house as if to get wheat and stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rechab and his brother Baanah escaped.

⁷They had entered the house while Ish-bosheth was lying on his bed in his bedroom and stabbed and killed him. They removed his head, took it, and traveled by way of the Arabah all night.

⁸They brought Ish-bosheth’s head to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Here’s the head of Ish-bosheth son of Saul, your enemy who intended to take your life. Today the LORD has granted vengeance to my lord the king against Saul and his offspring.”

⁹But David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As the LORD lives, the one who has redeemed my life from every distress,

¹⁰when the person told me, ‘Look, Saul is dead,’ he thought he was a bearer of good news, but I seized him and put him to death at Ziklag. That was my reward to him for his news!

¹¹How much more when wicked men kill a righteous man in his own house on his own bed! So now, should I not require his blood from you and purge you from the earth?”

¹²So David gave orders to the young men, and they killed Rechab and Baanah. They cut off their hands and feet and hung their bodies by the pool in Hebron, but they took Ish-bosheth’s head and buried it in Abner’s tomb in Hebron.

¹The sin of Judah is inscribed with an iron stylus. With a diamond point it is engraved on the tablet of their hearts and on the horns of their altars,

²while their children remember their altars and their Asherah poles, by the green trees on the high hills  —

³my mountains in the countryside. I will give up your wealth and all your treasures as plunder because of the sin of your high places in all your borders.

⁴You will, on your own, relinquish your inheritance that I gave you. I will make you serve your enemies in a land you do not know, for you have set my anger on fire; it will burn forever.

⁵This is what the LORD says: Cursed is the person who trusts in mankind. He makes human flesh his strength, and his heart turns from the LORD.

⁶He will be like a juniper in the Arabah; he cannot see when good comes but dwells in the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land where no one lives.

⁷The person who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence indeed is the LORD, is blessed.

⁸He will be like a tree planted by water: it sends its roots out toward a stream, it doesn’t fear when heat comes, and its foliage remains green. It will not worry in a year of drought or cease producing fruit.

⁹The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable — who can understand it?

¹⁰I, the LORD, examine the mind, I test the heart to give to each according to his way, according to what his actions deserve.

¹¹He who makes a fortune unjustly is like a partridge that hatches eggs it didn’t lay. In the middle of his life his riches will abandon him, so in the end he will be a fool.

¹²A glorious throne on high from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary.

¹³LORD, the hope of Israel, all who abandon you will be put to shame. All who turn away from me will be written in the dirt, for they have abandoned the LORD, the fountain of living water.

¹⁴Heal me, LORD, and I will be healed; save me, and I will be saved, for you are my praise.

¹⁵Hear how they keep challenging me, “Where is the word of the LORD? Let it come!”

¹⁶But I have not run away from being your shepherd, and I have not longed for the fatal day. You know my words were spoken in your presence.

¹⁷Don’t become a terror to me. You are my refuge in the day of disaster.

¹⁸Let my persecutors be put to shame, but don’t let me be put to shame. Let them be terrified, but don’t let me be terrified. Bring on them the day of disaster; shatter them with total destruction.

¹⁹This is what the LORD said to me, “Go and stand at the People’s Gate, through which the kings of Judah enter and leave, as well as at all the gates of Jerusalem.

²⁰Announce to them, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, kings of Judah, all Judah, and all the residents of Jerusalem who enter through these gates.

²¹This is what the LORD says: Watch yourselves; do not pick up a load and bring it in through Jerusalem’s gates on the Sabbath day.

²²Do not carry a load out of your houses on the Sabbath day or do any work, but keep the Sabbath day holy, just as I commanded your ancestors.

²³They wouldn’t listen or pay attention but became obstinate, not listening or accepting discipline.

²⁴“‘However, if you listen to me — this is the LORD’s declaration — and do not bring loads through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but keep the Sabbath day holy and do no work on it,

²⁵kings and princes will enter through the gates of this city. They will sit on the throne of David; they will ride in chariots and on horses with their officials, the men of Judah, and the residents of Jerusalem. This city will be inhabited forever.

²⁶Then people will come from the cities of Judah and from the area around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin and from the Judean foothills, from the hill country and from the Negev bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and frankincense, and thank offerings to the house of the LORD.

²⁷But if you do not listen to me to keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying a load while entering the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, I will set fire to its gates, and it will consume the citadels of Jerusalem and not be extinguished.’”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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