Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.

²And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

³Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.

⁴I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.

⁵As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

⁶When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.

⁷And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

⁸Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”

⁹Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.” He said, “I am he.”

¹⁰Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”

¹¹He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.”

¹²Then they said to him, “Where is He?” He said, “I do not know.”

¹³They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees.

¹⁴Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.

¹⁵Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”

¹⁶Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them.

¹⁷They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”

¹⁸But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight.

¹⁹And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”

²⁰His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind;

²¹but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.”

²²His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.

²³Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

²⁴So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.”

²⁵He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”

²⁶Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”

²⁷He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”

²⁸Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples.

²⁹We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.”

³⁰The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes!

³¹Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.

³²Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind.

³³If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”

³⁴They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out.

³⁵Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”

³⁶He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”

³⁷And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”

³⁸Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.

³⁹And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”

⁴⁰Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?”

⁴¹Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.

¹“Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers is giving you.

²You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

³Your eyes have seen what the LORD did at Baal Peor; for the LORD your God has destroyed from among you all the men who followed Baal of Peor.

⁴But you who held fast to the LORD your God are alive today, every one of you.

⁵“Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess.

⁶Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’

⁷“For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him?

⁸And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day?

⁹Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren,

¹⁰especially concerning the day you stood before the LORD your God in Horeb, when the LORD said to me, ‘Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.’

¹¹“Then you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire to the midst of heaven, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness.

¹²And the LORD spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of the words, but saw no form; you only heard a voice.

¹³So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone.

¹⁴And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that you might observe them in the land which you cross over to possess.

¹⁵“Take careful heed to yourselves, for you saw no form when the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire,

¹⁶lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure: the likeness of male or female,

¹⁷the likeness of any animal that is on the earth or the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air,

¹⁸the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground or the likeness of any fish that is in the water beneath the earth.

¹⁹And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the LORD your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage.

²⁰But the LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be His people, an inheritance, as you are this day.

²¹Furthermore the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, and swore that I would not cross over the Jordan, and that I would not enter the good land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance.

²²But I must die in this land, I must not cross over the Jordan; but you shall cross over and possess that good land.

²³Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the LORD your God has forbidden you.

²⁴For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

²⁵“When you beget children and grandchildren and have grown old in the land, and act corruptly and make a carved image in the form of anything, and do evil in the sight of the LORD your God to provoke Him to anger,

²⁶I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you will soon utterly perish from the land which you cross over the Jordan to possess; you will not prolong your days in it, but will be utterly destroyed.

²⁷And the LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the LORD will drive you.

²⁸And there you will serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell.

²⁹But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.

³⁰When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the LORD your God and obey His voice

³¹(for the LORD your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them.

³²“For ask now concerning the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether any great thing like this has happened, or anything like it has been heard.

³³Did any people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live?

³⁴Or did God ever try to go and take for Himself a nation from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?

³⁵To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD Himself is God; there is none other besides Him.

³⁶Out of heaven He let you hear His voice, that He might instruct you; on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire.

³⁷And because He loved your fathers, therefore He chose their descendants after them; and He brought you out of Egypt with His Presence, with His mighty power,

³⁸driving out from before you nations greater and mightier than you, to bring you in, to give you their land as an inheritance, as it is this day.

³⁹Therefore know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the LORD Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.

⁴⁰You shall therefore keep His statutes and His commandments which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the LORD your God is giving you for all time.”

⁴¹Then Moses set apart three cities on this side of the Jordan, toward the rising of the sun,

⁴²that the manslayer might flee there, who kills his neighbor unintentionally, without having hated him in time past, and that by fleeing to one of these cities he might live:

⁴³Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau for the Reubenites, Ramoth in Gilead for the Gadites, and Golan in Bashan for the Manassites.

⁴⁴Now this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel.

⁴⁵These are the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments which Moses spoke to the children of Israel after they came out of Egypt,

⁴⁶on this side of the Jordan, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel defeated after they came out of Egypt.

⁴⁷And they took possession of his land and the land of Og king of Bashan, two kings of the Amorites, who were on this side of the Jordan, toward the rising of the sun,

⁴⁸from Aroer, which is on the bank of the River Arnon, even to Mount Sion (that is, Hermon),

⁴⁹and all the plain on the east side of the Jordan as far as the Sea of the Arabah, below the slopes of Pisgah.

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.

¹Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness,

²in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,

³but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;

⁴To Titus, a true son in our common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

⁵For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you—

⁶if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination.

⁷For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money,

⁸but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled,

⁹holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.

¹⁰For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,

¹¹whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.

¹²One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

¹³This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,

¹⁴not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth.

¹⁵To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.

¹⁶They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.

¹Elihu further answered and said:

²“Hear my words, you wise men; Give ear to me, you who have knowledge.

³For the ear tests words As the palate tastes food.

⁴Let us choose justice for ourselves; Let us know among ourselves what is good.

⁵“For Job has said, ‘I am righteous, But God has taken away my justice;

⁶Should I lie concerning my right? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’

⁷What man is like Job, Who drinks scorn like water,

⁸Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, And walks with wicked men?

⁹For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing That he should delight in God.’

¹⁰“Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding: Far be it from God to do wickedness, And from the Almighty to commit iniquity.

¹¹For He repays man according to his work, And makes man to find a reward according to his way.

¹²Surely God will never do wickedly, Nor will the Almighty pervert justice.

¹³Who gave Him charge over the earth? Or who appointed Him over the whole world?

¹⁴If He should set His heart on it, If He should gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath,

¹⁵All flesh would perish together, And man would return to dust.

¹⁶“If you have understanding, hear this; Listen to the sound of my words:

¹⁷Should one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn Him who is most just?

¹⁸Is it fitting to say to a king, ‘You are worthless,’ And to nobles, ‘You are wicked’?

¹⁹Yet He is not partial to princes, Nor does He regard the rich more than the poor; For they are all the work of His hands.

²⁰In a moment they die, in the middle of the night; The people are shaken and pass away; The mighty are taken away without a hand.

²¹“For His eyes are on the ways of man, And He sees all his steps.

²²There is no darkness nor shadow of death Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

²³For He need not further consider a man, That he should go before God in judgment.

²⁴He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry, And sets others in their place.

²⁵Therefore He knows their works; He overthrows them in the night, And they are crushed.

²⁶He strikes them as wicked men In the open sight of others,

²⁷Because they turned back from Him, And would not consider any of His ways,

²⁸So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him; For He hears the cry of the afflicted.

²⁹When He gives quietness, who then can make trouble? And when He hides His face, who then can see Him, Whether it is against a nation or a man alone?—

³⁰That the hypocrite should not reign, Lest the people be ensnared.

³¹“For has anyone said to God, ‘I have borne chastening; I will offend no more;

³²Teach me what I do not see; If I have done iniquity, I will do no more’?

³³Should He repay it according to your terms, Just because you disavow it? You must choose, and not I; Therefore speak what you know.

³⁴“Men of understanding say to me, Wise men who listen to me:

³⁵‘Job speaks without knowledge, His words are without wisdom.’

³⁶Oh, that Job were tried to the utmost, Because his answers are like those of wicked men!

³⁷For he adds rebellion to his sin; He claps his hands among us, And multiplies his words against God.”

¹To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of the sons of Korah. [1] We have heard with our ears, O God, Our fathers have told us, The deeds You did in their days, In days of old:

²You drove out the nations with Your hand, But them You planted; You afflicted the peoples, and cast them out.

³For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, Nor did their own arm save them; But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, Because You favored them.

⁴You are my King, O God; Command victories for Jacob.

⁵Through You we will push down our enemies; Through Your name we will trample those who rise up against us.

⁶For I will not trust in my bow, Nor shall my sword save me.

⁷But You have saved us from our enemies, And have put to shame those who hated us.

⁸In God we boast all day long, And praise Your name forever. Selah

⁹But You have cast us off and put us to shame, And You do not go out with our armies.

¹⁰You make us turn back from the enemy, And those who hate us have taken spoil for themselves.

¹¹You have given us up like sheep intended for food, And have scattered us among the nations.

¹²You sell Your people for next to nothing, And are not enriched by selling them.

¹³You make us a reproach to our neighbors, A scorn and a derision to those all around us.

¹⁴You make us a byword among the nations, A shaking of the head among the peoples.

¹⁵My dishonor is continually before me, And the shame of my face has covered me,

¹⁶Because of the voice of him who reproaches and reviles, Because of the enemy and the avenger.

¹⁷All this has come upon us; But we have not forgotten You, Nor have we dealt falsely with Your covenant.

¹⁸Our heart has not turned back, Nor have our steps departed from Your way;

¹⁹But You have severely broken us in the place of jackals, And covered us with the shadow of death.

²⁰If we had forgotten the name of our God, Or stretched out our hands to a foreign god,

²¹Would not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.

²²Yet for Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

²³Awake! Why do You sleep, O Lord? Arise! Do not cast us off forever.

²⁴Why do You hide Your face, And forget our affliction and our oppression?

²⁵For our soul is bowed down to the dust; Our body clings to the ground.

²⁶Arise for our help, And redeem us for Your mercies’ sake.

¹My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands;

²For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you.

³Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart,

⁴And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man.

⁵Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;

⁶In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

⁷Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.

⁸It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.

⁹Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase;

¹⁰So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.

¹¹My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor detest His correction;

¹²For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

¹³Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding;

¹⁴For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold.

¹⁵She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.

¹⁶Length of days is in her right hand, In her left hand riches and honor.

¹⁷Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace.

¹⁸She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who retain her.

¹⁹The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens;

²⁰By His knowledge the depths were broken up, And clouds drop down the dew.

²¹My son, let them not depart from your eyes— Keep sound wisdom and discretion;

²²So they will be life to your soul And grace to your neck.

²³Then you will walk safely in your way, And your foot will not stumble.

²⁴When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.

²⁵Do not be afraid of sudden terror, Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes;

²⁶For the LORD will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught.

²⁷Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so.

²⁸Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it,” When you have it with you.

²⁹Do not devise evil against your neighbor, For he dwells by you for safety’s sake.

³⁰Do not strive with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm.

³¹Do not envy the oppressor, And choose none of his ways;

³²For the perverse person is an abomination to the LORD, But His secret counsel is with the upright.

³³The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the home of the just.

³⁴Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble.

³⁵The wise shall inherit glory, But shame shall be the legacy of fools.

¹After this it happened that Absalom provided himself with chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

²Now Absalom would rise early and stand beside the way to the gate. So it was, whenever anyone who had a lawsuit came to the king for a decision, that Absalom would call to him and say, “What city are you from?” And he would say, “Your servant is from such and such a tribe of Israel.”

³Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your case is good and right; but there is no deputy of the king to hear you.”

⁴Moreover Absalom would say, “Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him justice.”

⁵And so it was, whenever anyone came near to bow down to him, that he would put out his hand and take him and kiss him.

⁶In this manner Absalom acted toward all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

⁷Now it came to pass after forty years that Absalom said to the king, “Please, let me go to Hebron and pay the vow which I made to the LORD.

⁸For your servant took a vow while I dwelt at Geshur in Syria, saying, ‘If the LORD indeed brings me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.’ ”

⁹And the king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron.

¹⁰Then Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron!’ ”

¹¹And with Absalom went two hundred men invited from Jerusalem, and they went along innocently and did not know anything.

¹²Then Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city—from Giloh—while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy grew strong, for the people with Absalom continually increased in number.

¹³Now a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.”

¹⁴So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, or we shall not escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring disaster upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”

¹⁵And the king’s servants said to the king, “We are your servants, ready to do whatever my lord the king commands.”

¹⁶Then the king went out with all his household after him. But the king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house.

¹⁷And the king went out with all the people after him, and stopped at the outskirts.

¹⁸Then all his servants passed before him; and all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had followed him from Gath, passed before the king.

¹⁹Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you also going with us? Return and remain with the king. For you are a foreigner and also an exile from your own place.

²⁰In fact, you came only yesterday. Should I make you wander up and down with us today, since I go I know not where? Return, and take your brethren back. Mercy and truth be with you.”

²¹But Ittai answered the king and said, “As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in whatever place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be.”

²²So David said to Ittai, “Go, and cross over.” Then Ittai the Gittite and all his men and all the little ones who were with him crossed over.

²³And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people crossed over. The king himself also crossed over the Brook Kidron, and all the people crossed over toward the way of the wilderness.

²⁴There was Zadok also, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar went up until all the people had finished crossing over from the city.

²⁵Then the king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me back and show me both it and His dwelling place.

²⁶But if He says thus: ‘I have no delight in you,’ here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him.”

²⁷The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

²⁸See, I will wait in the plains of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”

²⁹Therefore Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem. And they remained there.

³⁰So David went up by the Ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered and went barefoot. And all the people who were with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went up.

³¹Then someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O LORD, I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”

³²Now it happened when David had come to the top of the mountain, where he worshiped God—there was Hushai the Archite coming to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head.

³³David said to him, “If you go on with me, then you will become a burden to me.

³⁴But if you return to the city, and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; as I was your father’s servant previously, so I will now also be your servant,’ then you may defeat the counsel of Ahithophel for me.

³⁵And do you not have Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? Therefore it will be that whatever you hear from the king’s house, you shall tell to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

³⁶Indeed they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and by them you shall send me everything you hear.”

³⁷So Hushai, David’s friend, went into the city. And Absalom came into Jerusalem.

¹And it happened in the same year, at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year and in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, who was from Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of the LORD in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,

²“Thus speaks the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying: ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.

³Within two full years I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the LORD’s house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon.

⁴And I will bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah who went to Babylon,’ says the LORD, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’ ”

⁵Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and in the presence of all the people who stood in the house of the LORD,

⁶and the prophet Jeremiah said, “Amen! The LORD do so; the LORD perform your words which you have prophesied, to bring back the vessels of the LORD’s house and all who were carried away captive, from Babylon to this place.

⁷Nevertheless hear now this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people:

⁸The prophets who have been before me and before you of old prophesied against many countries and great kingdoms—of war and disaster and pestilence.

⁹As for the prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet comes to pass, the prophet will be known as one whom the LORD has truly sent.”

¹⁰Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck and broke it.

¹¹And Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Even so I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years.’ ” And the prophet Jeremiah went his way.

¹²Now the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, after Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying,

¹³“Go and tell Hananiah, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD: “You have broken the yokes of wood, but you have made in their place yokes of iron.”

¹⁴For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him. I have given him the beasts of the field also.” ’ ”

¹⁵Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Hear now, Hananiah, the LORD has not sent you, but you make this people trust in a lie.

¹⁶Therefore thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I will cast you from the face of the earth. This year you shall die, because you have taught rebellion against the LORD.’ ”

¹⁷So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.

¹Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

²And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

³As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

⁴Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.

⁵Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.

⁶And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

⁷For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.

⁸And there was great joy in that city.

⁹But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great,

¹⁰to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.”

¹¹And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time.

¹²But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.

¹³Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.

¹⁴Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,

¹⁵who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.

¹⁶For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

¹⁷Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,

¹⁹saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

²⁰But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!

²¹You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God.

²²Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.

²³For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”

²⁴Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.”

²⁵So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

²⁶Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert.

²⁷So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship,

²⁸was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet.

²⁹Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.”

³⁰So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

³¹And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.

³²The place in the Scripture which he read was this: “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth.

³³In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.”

³⁴So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?”

³⁵Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.

³⁶Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”

³⁷Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

³⁸So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.

³⁹Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.

⁴⁰But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.