Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹Then He arose from there and came to the region of Judea by the other side of the Jordan. And multitudes gathered to Him again, and as He was accustomed, He taught them again.

²The Pharisees came and asked Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” testing Him.

³And He answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?”

⁴They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her.”

⁵And Jesus answered and said to them, “Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.

⁶But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.’

⁷‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,

⁸and the two shall become one flesh’; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.

⁹Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

¹⁰In the house His disciples also asked Him again about the same matter.

¹¹So He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.

¹²And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

¹³Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.

¹⁴But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.

¹⁵Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”

¹⁶And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.

¹⁷Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”

¹⁸So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.

¹⁹You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ”

²⁰And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.”

²¹Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”

²²But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

²³Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!”

²⁴And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!

²⁵It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

²⁶And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?”

²⁷But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”

²⁸Then Peter began to say to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You.”

²⁹So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s,

³⁰who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.

³¹But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

³²Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him:

³³“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles;

³⁴and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”

³⁵Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”

³⁶And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

³⁷They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.”

³⁸But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”

³⁹They said to Him, “We are able.” So Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized;

⁴⁰but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.”

⁴¹And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John.

⁴²But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.

⁴³Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.

⁴⁴And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.

⁴⁵For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

⁴⁶Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging.

⁴⁷And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁸Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁹So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.”

⁵⁰And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.

⁵¹So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.”

⁵²Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

¹It came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah.

²And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua, and he married her and went in to her.

³So she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er.

⁴She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan.

⁵And she conceived yet again and bore a son, and called his name Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him.

⁶Then Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.

⁷But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD killed him.

⁸And Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother.”

⁹But Onan knew that the heir would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother.

¹⁰And the thing which he did displeased the LORD; therefore He killed him also.

¹¹Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house till my son Shelah is grown.” For he said, “Lest he also die like his brothers.” And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house.

¹²Now in the process of time the daughter of Shua, Judah’s wife, died; and Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

¹³And it was told Tamar, saying, “Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”

¹⁴So she took off her widow’s garments, covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place which was on the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him as a wife.

¹⁵When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, because she had covered her face.

¹⁶Then he turned to her by the way, and said, “Please let me come in to you”; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. So she said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?”

¹⁷And he said, “I will send a young goat from the flock.” So she said, “Will you give me a pledge till you send it?”

¹⁸Then he said, “What pledge shall I give you?” So she said, “Your signet and cord, and your staff that is in your hand.” Then he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him.

¹⁹So she arose and went away, and laid aside her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood.

²⁰And Judah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand, but he did not find her.

²¹Then he asked the men of that place, saying, “Where is the harlot who was openly by the roadside?” And they said, “There was no harlot in this place.”

²²So he returned to Judah and said, “I cannot find her. Also, the men of the place said there was no harlot in this place.”

²³Then Judah said, “Let her take them for herself, lest we be shamed; for I sent this young goat and you have not found her.”

²⁴And it came to pass, about three months after, that Judah was told, saying, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; furthermore she is with child by harlotry.” So Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!”

²⁵When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “By the man to whom these belong, I am with child.” And she said, “Please determine whose these are—the signet and cord, and staff.”

²⁶So Judah acknowledged them and said, “She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son.” And he never knew her again.

²⁷Now it came to pass, at the time for giving birth, that behold, twins were in her womb.

²⁸And so it was, when she was giving birth, that the one put out his hand; and the midwife took a scarlet thread and bound it on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.”

²⁹Then it happened, as he drew back his hand, that his brother came out unexpectedly; and she said, “How did you break through? This breach be upon you!” Therefore his name was called Perez.

³⁰Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand. And his name was called Zerah.

¹We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

²For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

³We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed.

⁴But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses,

⁵in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings;

⁶by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,

⁷by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

⁸by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;

⁹as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed;

¹⁰as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

¹¹O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open.

¹²You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.

¹³Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open.

¹⁴Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

¹⁵And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?

¹⁶And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.”

¹⁷Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.”

¹⁸“I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.”

¹Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

²Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

³And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

⁴Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

⁵And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.

⁶Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

⁷Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.

⁸He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

⁹Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

¹⁰In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.

¹¹For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,

¹²not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.

¹³Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.

¹⁴We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.

¹⁵Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

¹⁶By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

¹⁷But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

¹⁸My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

¹⁹And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.

²⁰For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.

²¹Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.

²²And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

²³And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

²⁴Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

¹Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:

²“Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge?

³Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me.

⁴“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.

⁵Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it?

⁶To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone,

⁷When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

⁸“Or who shut in the sea with doors, When it burst forth and issued from the womb;

⁹When I made the clouds its garment, And thick darkness its swaddling band;

¹⁰When I fixed My limit for it, And set bars and doors;

¹¹When I said, ‘This far you may come, but no farther, And here your proud waves must stop!’

¹²“Have you commanded the morning since your days began, And caused the dawn to know its place,

¹³That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, And the wicked be shaken out of it?

¹⁴It takes on form like clay under a seal, And stands out like a garment.

¹⁵From the wicked their light is withheld, And the upraised arm is broken.

¹⁶“Have you entered the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in search of the depths?

¹⁷Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?

¹⁸Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this.

¹⁹“Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place,

²⁰That you may take it to its territory, That you may know the paths to its home?

²¹Do you know it, because you were born then, Or because the number of your days is great?

²²“Have you entered the treasury of snow, Or have you seen the treasury of hail,

²³Which I have reserved for the time of trouble, For the day of battle and war?

²⁴By what way is light diffused, Or the east wind scattered over the earth?

²⁵“Who has divided a channel for the overflowing water, Or a path for the thunderbolt,

²⁶To cause it to rain on a land where there is no one, A wilderness in which there is no man;

²⁷To satisfy the desolate waste, And cause to spring forth the growth of tender grass?

²⁸Has the rain a father? Or who has begotten the drops of dew?

²⁹From whose womb comes the ice? And the frost of heaven, who gives it birth?

³⁰The waters harden like stone, And the surface of the deep is frozen.

³¹“Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, Or loose the belt of Orion?

³²Can you bring out Mazzaroth in its season? Or can you guide the Great Bear with its cubs?

³³Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you set their dominion over the earth?

³⁴“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, That an abundance of water may cover you?

³⁵Can you send out lightnings, that they may go, And say to you, ‘Here we are!’?

³⁶Who has put wisdom in the mind? Or who has given understanding to the heart?

³⁷Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven,

³⁸When the dust hardens in clumps, And the clods cling together?

³⁹“Can you hunt the prey for the lion, Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

⁴⁰When they crouch in their dens, Or lurk in their lairs to lie in wait?

⁴¹Who provides food for the raven, When its young ones cry to God, And wander about for lack of food?

¹A Psalm of David. To bring to remembrance. [1] O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your wrath, Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure!

²For Your arrows pierce me deeply, And Your hand presses me down.

³There is no soundness in my flesh Because of Your anger, Nor any health in my bones Because of my sin.

⁴For my iniquities have gone over my head; Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

⁵My wounds are foul and festering Because of my foolishness.

⁶I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.

⁷For my loins are full of inflammation, And there is no soundness in my flesh.

⁸I am feeble and severely broken; I groan because of the turmoil of my heart.

⁹Lord, all my desire is before You; And my sighing is not hidden from You.

¹⁰My heart pants, my strength fails me; As for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me.

¹¹My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague, And my relatives stand afar off.

¹²Those also who seek my life lay snares for me; Those who seek my hurt speak of destruction, And plan deception all the day long.

¹³But I, like a deaf man, do not hear; And I am like a mute who does not open his mouth.

¹⁴Thus I am like a man who does not hear, And in whose mouth is no response.

¹⁵For in You, O LORD, I hope; You will hear, O Lord my God.

¹⁶For I said, “Hear me, lest they rejoice over me, Lest, when my foot slips, they exalt themselves against me.”

¹⁷For I am ready to fall, And my sorrow is continually before me.

¹⁸For I will declare my iniquity; I will be in anguish over my sin.

¹⁹But my enemies are vigorous, and they are strong; And those who hate me wrongfully have multiplied.

²⁰Those also who render evil for good, They are my adversaries, because I follow what is good.

²¹Do not forsake me, O LORD; O my God, be not far from me!

²²Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!

¹My son, keep my words, And treasure my commands within you.

²Keep my commands and live, And my law as the apple of your eye.

³Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” And call understanding your nearest kin,

⁵That they may keep you from the immoral woman, From the seductress who flatters with her words.

⁶For at the window of my house I looked through my lattice,

⁷And saw among the simple, I perceived among the youths, A young man devoid of understanding,

⁸Passing along the street near her corner; And he took the path to her house

⁹In the twilight, in the evening, In the black and dark night.

¹⁰And there a woman met him, With the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart.

¹¹She was loud and rebellious, Her feet would not stay at home.

¹²At times she was outside, at times in the open square, Lurking at every corner.

¹³So she caught him and kissed him; With an impudent face she said to him:

¹⁴“I have peace offerings with me; Today I have paid my vows.

¹⁵So I came out to meet you, Diligently to seek your face, And I have found you.

¹⁶I have spread my bed with tapestry, Colored coverings of Egyptian linen.

¹⁷I have perfumed my bed With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

¹⁸Come, let us take our fill of love until morning; Let us delight ourselves with love.

¹⁹For my husband is not at home; He has gone on a long journey;

²⁰He has taken a bag of money with him, And will come home on the appointed day.”

²¹With her enticing speech she caused him to yield, With her flattering lips she seduced him.

²²Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks,

²³Till an arrow struck his liver. As a bird hastens to the snare, He did not know it would cost his life.

²⁴Now therefore, listen to me, my children; Pay attention to the words of my mouth:

²⁵Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, Do not stray into her paths;

²⁶For she has cast down many wounded, And all who were slain by her were strong men.

²⁷Her house is the way to hell, Descending to the chambers of death.

¹Now Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines.

²So he went up and told his father and mother, saying, “I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore, get her for me as a wife.”

³Then his father and mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your brethren, or among all my people, that you must go and get a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” And Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she pleases me well.”

⁴But his father and mother did not know that it was of the LORD—that He was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines. For at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

⁵So Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother, and came to the vineyards of Timnah. Now to his surprise, a young lion came roaring against him.

⁶And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion apart as one would have torn apart a young goat, though he had nothing in his hand. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.

⁷Then he went down and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.

⁸After some time, when he returned to get her, he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion. And behold, a swarm of bees and honey were in the carcass of the lion.

⁹He took some of it in his hands and went along, eating. When he came to his father and mother, he gave some to them, and they also ate. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey out of the carcass of the lion.

¹⁰So his father went down to the woman. And Samson gave a feast there, for young men used to do so.

¹¹And it happened, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.

¹²Then Samson said to them, “Let me pose a riddle to you. If you can correctly solve and explain it to me within the seven days of the feast, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing.

¹³But if you cannot explain it to me, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing.” And they said to him, “Pose your riddle, that we may hear it.”

¹⁴So he said to them: “Out of the eater came something to eat, And out of the strong came something sweet.” Now for three days they could not explain the riddle.

¹⁵But it came to pass on the seventh day that they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband, that he may explain the riddle to us, or else we will burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you invited us in order to take what is ours? Is that not so?”

¹⁶Then Samson’s wife wept on him, and said, “You only hate me! You do not love me! You have posed a riddle to the sons of my people, but you have not explained it to me.” And he said to her, “Look, I have not explained it to my father or my mother; so should I explain it to you?”

¹⁷Now she had wept on him the seven days while their feast lasted. And it happened on the seventh day that he told her, because she pressed him so much. Then she explained the riddle to the sons of her people.

¹⁸So the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down: “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?” And he said to them: “If you had not plowed with my heifer, You would not have solved my riddle!”

¹⁹Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon him mightily, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of their men, took their apparel, and gave the changes of clothing to those who had explained the riddle. So his anger was aroused, and he went back up to his father’s house.

²⁰And Samson’s wife was given to his companion, who had been his best man.

¹In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’ ”

²Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the LORD,

³and said, “Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

⁴And the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, saying,

⁵“Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years.

⁶I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.” ’

⁷And this is the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing which He has spoken:

⁸“Behold, I will bring the shadow on the sundial, which has gone down with the sun on the sundial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward.” So the sun returned ten degrees on the dial by which it had gone down.

⁹This is the writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick and had recovered from his sickness:

¹⁰I said, “In the prime of my life I shall go to the gates of Sheol; I am deprived of the remainder of my years.”

¹¹I said, “I shall not see YAH, The LORD in the land of the living; I shall observe man no more among the inhabitants of the world.

¹²My life span is gone, Taken from me like a shepherd’s tent; I have cut off my life like a weaver. He cuts me off from the loom; From day until night You make an end of me.

¹³I have considered until morning— Like a lion, So He breaks all my bones; From day until night You make an end of me.

¹⁴Like a crane or a swallow, so I chattered; I mourned like a dove; My eyes fail from looking upward. O LORD, I am oppressed; Undertake for me!

¹⁵“What shall I say? He has both spoken to me, And He Himself has done it. I shall walk carefully all my years In the bitterness of my soul.

¹⁶O Lord, by these things men live; And in all these things is the life of my spirit; So You will restore me and make me live.

¹⁷Indeed it was for my own peace That I had great bitterness; But You have lovingly delivered my soul from the pit of corruption, For You have cast all my sins behind Your back.

¹⁸For Sheol cannot thank You, Death cannot praise You; Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your truth.

¹⁹The living, the living man, he shall praise You, As I do this day; The father shall make known Your truth to the children.

²⁰“The LORD was ready to save me; Therefore we will sing my songs with stringed instruments All the days of our life, in the house of the LORD.”

²¹Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a lump of figs, and apply it as a poultice on the boil, and he shall recover.”

²²And Hezekiah had said, “What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD?”

¹There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,

²a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.

³About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!”

⁴And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.

⁵Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter.

⁶He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.”

⁷And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually.

⁸So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa.

⁹The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.

¹⁰Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance

¹¹and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth.

¹²In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.

¹³And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”

¹⁴But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.”

¹⁵And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.”

¹⁶This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.

¹⁷Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate.

¹⁸And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there.

¹⁹While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you.

²⁰Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.”

²¹Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?”

²²And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.”

²³Then he invited them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

²⁴And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends.

²⁵As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.

²⁶But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.”

²⁷And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together.

²⁸Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

²⁹Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?”

³⁰So Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,

³¹and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God.

³²Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.’

³³So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.”

³⁴Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.

³⁵But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.

³⁶The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ— He is Lord of all—

³⁷that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached:

³⁸how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

³⁹And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree.

⁴⁰Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly,

⁴¹not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.

⁴²And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.

⁴³To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”

⁴⁴While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.

⁴⁵And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.

⁴⁶For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered,

⁴⁷“Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”

⁴⁸And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.