Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹Jesus began to speak to them [the chief priests, scribes and elders who were questioning Him] in parables: "A man planted a vineyard and put awall around it, and dug a pit for the wine press and built a tower; and he rented it out to tenant farmers and left the country.

²When the harvest season came he sent a servant to the tenants, in order to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard.

³They took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed.

⁴Again he sent them another servant, and they [threw stones and] wounded him in the head, and treated him disgracefully.

⁵And he sent another, and that one they killed; then many others—some they beat and some they killed.

⁶He still had one man left to send, a beloved son; he sent him last of all to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.'

⁷But those tenants said to each other, 'This man is the heir! Come on, let us kill him [and destroy the evidence], and his inheritance will be ours!'

⁸So they took him and killed him, and threw his body outside the vineyard.

⁹What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants, and will give the vineyard to others.

¹⁰Have you not even read this Scripture: 'The stone which the builders regarded as unworthy and rejected, This [very stone] has become the chief Cornerstone

¹¹This came about from the Lord, And it is marvelous and wonderful in our eyes'?"

¹²And they were looking for a way to seize Him, but they were afraid of the crowd; for they knew that He spoke this parable in reference to [and as a charge against] them. And so they left Him and went away.

¹³Then they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus in order to trap Him into making a statement [that they could use against Him].

¹⁴They came and said to Him, "Teacher, we know that You are truthful and have no personal bias toward anyone; for You are not influenced by outward appearances or social status, but in truth You teach the way of God. Is it lawful [according to Jewish law and tradition] to pay the poll-tax to [ Tiberius] Caesar, or not?

¹⁵Should we pay [the tax] or should we not pay?" But knowing their hypocrisy, He asked them, "Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a coin (denarius) to look at."

¹⁶So they brought one. Then He asked them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" They said to Him, "Caesar's."

¹⁷Jesus said to them, "Pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they were greatly amazed at Him.

¹⁸Some Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection) came to Him, and began questioning Him, saying,

¹⁹"Teacher, Moses wrote for us [a law] that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife but leaves no child, his brother is tomarry the widow and raise up children for his brother.

²⁰There were seven brothers; the first [one] took a wife, and died leaving no children.

²¹The second brother married her, and died leaving no children; and the third likewise;

²²and so all seven [married her and died, and] left no children. Last of all the woman died also.

²³In the resurrection, whose wife will she be? For all seven [brothers] were married to her."

²⁴Jesus said to them, "Is this not why you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures [that teach the resurrection] nor the power of God [who is able to raise the dead]?

²⁵For when they rise from the dead, they do not marry nor are they given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

²⁶But concerning the raising of the dead, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him, saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?

²⁷He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; you are greatly mistaken and you are deceiving yourselves!"

²⁸Then one of the scribes [an expert in Mosaic Law] came up and listened to them arguing [with one another], and noticing that Jesus answered them well, asked Him, "Which commandment is first and most important of all?"

²⁹Jesus answered, "The first and most important one is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord;

³⁰and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul (life), and with all your mind (thought, understanding), and with all your strength.'

³¹This is the second: 'You shall [unselfishly]love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

³²The scribe said to Him, "Admirably answered, Teacher; You truthfully stated that He is One, and there is no other but Him;

³³and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to [unselfishly] love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."

³⁴When Jesus saw that he answered thoughtfully and intelligently, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And after that, no one would dare to ask Him any more questions.

³⁵Jesus began to say, as He taught in [a portico or court of] the temple, " How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?

³⁶David himself said [when inspired] by the Holy Spirit, 'The Lord (the Father) said to my Lord (the Son, the Messiah), "Sit at My right hand, Until I put Your enemies under Your feet."'

³⁷David himself calls Him (the Son, the Messiah) 'Lord'; so how can it be that He is David's Son?" The large crowd enjoyed hearing Jesus and listened to Him with delight.

³⁸In [the course of] His teaching He was saying, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes [displaying their prominence], and like to receive respectful greetings in the market places,

³⁹and [they love] the chief seats in the synagogues and the places of distinction and honor at banquets,

⁴⁰[these scribes] who devour (confiscate) widows' houses, and offer long prayers for appearance's sake [to impress others]. These men will receive greater condemnation."

⁴¹And He sat down opposite the [temple] treasury, and began watching how the people were putting money into the treasury. And many rich people were putting in large sums.

⁴²A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a mite.

⁴³Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, this poor widow put in [proportionally] more than all the contributors to the treasury.

⁴⁴For they all contributed from their surplus, but she, from her poverty, put in all she had, all she had to live on."

¹Now some time later, the cupbearer (butler) and the baker for the king of Egypt offended their lord, Egypt's king.

²Pharaoh ( Sesostris II) was extremely angry with his two officials, the chief of the cupbearers and the chief of the bakers.

³He put them in confinement in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined.

⁴The captain of the guard put Joseph in charge of them, and he served them; and they continued to be in custody for some time.

⁵Then the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, both dreamed a dream in the same night, each man with his [own significant] dream and each dream with its [personal] interpretation.

⁶When Joseph came to them in the morning and looked at them, [he saw that] they were sad and depressed.

⁷So he asked Pharaoh's officials who were in confinement with him in his master's house, "Why do you look so down-hearted today?"

⁸And they said to him, "We have [each] dreamed [distinct] dreams and there is no one to interpret them." So Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell me [your dreams]."

⁹So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, "In my dream there was a grapevine in front of me;

¹⁰and on the vine were three branches. Then as soon as it budded, its blossoms burst open, and its clusters produced ripe grapes [in rapid succession].

¹¹Now Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and squeezed them into Pharaoh's cup; then I placed the cup into Pharaoh's hand."

¹²Then Joseph said to him, "This is the interpretation of it: the three branches represent three days;

¹³within three more days Pharaoh will lift up your head (present you in public) and restore you to your position; and you will [again] put Pharaoh's cup into his hand just as [you did] when you were his cupbearer.

¹⁴Only think of me when it goes well with you, and please show me kindness by mentioning me to Pharaoh and get me out of this house.

¹⁵For in fact I was taken (stolen) from the land of the Hebrews by [unlawful] force, and even here I have done nothing for which they should put me in the dungeon."

¹⁶When the chief baker saw that the interpretation [of the dream] was good, he said to Joseph, "I also dreamed, and [in my dream] there were three cake baskets on my head;

¹⁷and in the top basket there were some of all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds [of prey] were eating [these foods] out of the basket on my head."

¹⁸Joseph answered, "This is the interpretation of it: the three baskets represent three days;

¹⁹within three more days Pharaoh will lift up your head and will hang you on a tree (gallows, pole), and [you will not so much as be given a burial, but] the birds will eat your flesh."

²⁰Now on the third day, [which was] the Pharaoh's birthday, he [released the two men from prison and] made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker [that is, presented them in public] among his servants.

²¹He restored the chief cupbearer to his office, and the cupbearer [once again] put the cup into Pharaoh's hand;

²²but Pharaoh hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had interpreted [the meaning of the dreams] to them.

²³Yet [even after all that] the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot [all about] him.

¹Now, brothers and sisters, we want to tell you about the grace of God which has been evident in the churches of Macedonia [awakening in them a longing to contribute];

²for during an ordeal of severe distress, their abundant joy and their deep poverty [together] overflowed in the wealth of their lavish generosity.

³For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave voluntarily,

⁴begging us insistently for the privilege of participating in the service for [the support of] the saints [in Jerusalem].

⁵Not only [did they give materially] as we had hoped, but first they gave themselves to the Lord and to us [as His representatives] by the will of God [disregarding their personal interests and giving as much as they possibly could].

⁶So we urged Titus that, as he began it, he should also complete this gracious work among you as well.

⁷But just as you excel in everything, [and lead the way] in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in genuine concern, and in your love for us, see that you excel in this gracious work [of giving] also.

⁸I am not saying this as a command [to dictate to you], but to prove, by [pointing out] the enthusiasm of others, the sincerity of your love as well.

⁹For you are recognizing [more clearly] the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [His astonishing kindness, His generosity, His gracious favor], that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that by His poverty you might become rich (abundantly blessed).

¹⁰I give you my opinion in this matter: this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin a year ago not only to take action [to help the believers in Jerusalem], but also [the first] to desire to do it.

¹¹So now finish this, so that your eagerness in desiring it may be equaled by your completion of it, according to your ability.

¹²For if the eagerness [to give] is there, it is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.

¹³For it is not [intended] that others be relieved [of their responsibility] and that you be burdened [unfairly], but that there be equality [in sharing the burden]—

¹⁴at this present time your surplus [over necessities] is going to supply their need, so that [at some other time] their surplus may be given to supply your need, that there may be equality;

¹⁵as it is written [in Scripture], "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not lack."

¹⁶But thanks be to God who puts the same genuine concern for you in the heart of Titus.

¹⁷For Titus not only accepted our appeal, but was so very interested in you that he has gone to visit you of his own accord.

¹⁸And we have sent along with him the brother who is praised in the gospel [ministry] throughout all the churches;

¹⁹and not only this, but he has also been appointed by the churches to travel with us in regard to this gracious offering which we are administering for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our eagerness [as believers to help one another].

²⁰We are taking precaution so that no one will [find anything with which to] discredit us in our administration of this generous gift.

²¹For we have regard for what is honorable [and above suspicion], not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

²²We have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found to be diligent in many things, but who is now even more diligent [than ever] because of his great confidence in you.

²³As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker in your service; and as for the [other two] brothers, they are [special] messengers of the churches, a glory and credit to Christ.

²⁴Therefore, show these men, in the sight of the churches, the proof of your love and our reason for being proud of you.

¹Everyone who believes [with a deep, abiding trust in the fact] that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) is born of God [that is, reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose], and everyone who loves the Father also loves the child born of Him.

²By this we know [without any doubt] that we love the children of God: [expressing that love] when we love God and obey His commandments.

³For the [true] love of God is this: that we habitually keep His commandments and remain focused on His precepts. And His commandments and His precepts are not difficult [to obey].

⁴For everyone born of God is victorious and overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has conquered and overcome the world—our [continuing, persistent] faith [in Jesus the Son of God].

⁵Who is the one who is victorious and overcomes the world? It is the one who believes and recognizes the fact that Jesus is the Son of God.

⁶This is He who came through water and blood [His baptism and death], Jesus Christ—not by the water only, but by the water and the blood. It is the [Holy] Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. [He is the essence and origin of truth itself.]

⁷For there are three witnesses:

⁸the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three are in agreement [their testimony is perfectly consistent].

⁹If we accept [as we do] the testimony of men [that is, if we are willing to take the sworn statements of fallible humans as evidence], the testimony of God is greater [far more authoritative]; for this is the testimony of God, that He has testified regarding His Son.

¹⁰The one who believes in the Son of God [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies confidently on Him as Savior] has the testimony within himself [because he can speak authoritatively about Christ from his own personal experience]. The one who does not believe God [in this way] has made Him [out to be] a liar, because he has not believed in the evidence that God has given regarding His Son.

¹¹And the testimony is this: God has given us eternal life [we already possess it], and this life is in His Son [resulting in our spiritual completeness, and eternal companionship with Him].

¹²He who has the Son [by accepting Him as Lord and Savior] has the life [that is eternal]; he who does not have the Son of God [by personal faith] does not have the life.

¹³These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God [which represents all that Jesus Christ is and does], so that you will know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that you [already] have eternal life.

¹⁴This is the [remarkable degree of] confidence which we [as believers are entitled to] have before Him: that if we ask anything according to His will, [that is, consistent with His plan and purpose] He hears us.

¹⁵And if we know [for a fact, as indeed we do] that He hears and listens to us in whatever we ask, we [also] know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted to us] the requests which we have asked from Him.

¹⁶If anyone sees his brother committing a sin that does not lead to death, he will pray and ask [on the believer's behalf] and God will for him give life to those whose sin is not leading to death. There is a sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for this [kind of sin].

¹⁷All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death [one can repent of it and be forgiven].

¹⁸We know [with confidence] that anyone born of God does not habitually sin; but He (Jesus) who was born of God [carefully] keeps and protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

¹⁹We know [for a fact] that we are of God, and the whole world [around us] lies in the power of the evil one [opposing God and His precepts].

²⁰And we [have seen and] know [by personal experience] that the Son of God has [actually] come [to this world], and has given us understanding and insight so that we may [progressively and personally] know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true—in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

²¹Little children (believers, dear ones), guard yourselves from idols—[false teachings, moral compromises, and anything that would take God's place in your heart].

¹Then the LORD said to Job,

²"Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who disputes with God answer it."

³Then Job replied to the LORD and said,

⁴"Behold, I am of little importance and contemptible; what can I reply to You? I lay my hand on my mouth.

⁵"I have spoken once, but I will not reply again— Indeed, twice [I have answered], and I will add nothing further."

⁶Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, saying,

⁷"Now gird up your loins (prepare yourself) like a man, And I will ask you, and you instruct Me.

⁸"Will you really annul My judgment and set it aside as void? Will you condemn Me [your God] that you may [appear to] be righteous and justified?

⁹"Have you an arm like God, And can you thunder with a voice like His?

¹⁰"Adorn yourself with eminence and dignity [since you question the Almighty], And array yourself with honor and majesty.

¹¹"Pour out the overflowings of your wrath, And look at everyone who is proud and make him low.

¹²Look at everyone who is proud, and humble him, And [if you are so able] tread down the wicked where they stand.

¹³"[Crush and] hide them in the dust together; Shut them up in the hidden place [the house of death].

¹⁴"[If you can do all this, Job, proving your divine power] then I [God] will also praise you and acknowledge That your own right hand can save you.

¹⁵"Behold now, Behemoth, which I created as well as you; He eats grass like an ox.

¹⁶"See now, his strength is in his loins And his power is in the muscles and sinews of his belly.

¹⁷"He sways his tail like a cedar; The tendons of his thighs are twisted and knit together [like a rope].

¹⁸"His bones are tubes of bronze; His limbs are like bars of iron.

¹⁹"He is the first [in magnitude and power] of the works of God; [Only] He who made him can bring near His sword [to master him].

²⁰"Surely the mountains bring him food, And all the wild animals play there.

²¹"He lies down under the lotus plants, In the hidden shelter of the reeds in the marsh.

²²"The lotus plants cover him with their shade; The willows of the brook surround him.

²³"If a river rages and overflows, he does not tremble; He is confident, though the Jordan [River] swells and rushes against his mouth.

²⁴"Can anyone capture him when he is on watch, Or pierce his nose with barbs [to trap him]?

¹To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. I waited patiently and expectantly for the LORD; And He inclined to me and heard my cry.

²He brought me up out of a horrible pit [of tumult and of destruction], out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock, steadying my footsteps and establishing my path.

³He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear [with great reverence] And will trust confidently in the LORD.

⁴Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who makes the LORD his trust, And does not regard the proud nor those who lapse into lies.

⁵Many, O LORD my God, are the wonderful works which You have done, And Your thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of your wonders, They would be too many to count.

⁶Sacrifice and meal offering You do not desire, nor do You delight in them; You have opened my ears and given me the capacity to hear [and obey Your word]; Burnt offerings and sin offerings You do not require.

⁷Then I said, "Behold, I come [to the throne]; In the scroll of the book it is written of me.

⁸"I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart."

⁹I have proclaimed good news of righteousness [and the joy that comes from obedience to You] in the great assembly; Behold, I will not restrain my lips [from proclaiming Your righteousness], As You know, O LORD.

¹⁰I have not concealed Your righteousness within my heart; I have proclaimed Your faithfulness and Your salvation. I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great assembly.

¹¹Do not withhold Your compassion and tender mercy from me, O LORD; Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me.

¹²For innumerable evils have encompassed me; My sins have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see. They are more numerous than the hairs of my head, And my heart has failed me.

¹³Be pleased, O LORD, to save me; O LORD, make haste to help me.

¹⁴Let those be ashamed and humiliated together Who seek my life to destroy it; Let those be turned back [in defeat] and dishonored Who delight in my hurt.

¹⁵Let those be appalled and desolate because of their shame Who say to me, "Aha, aha [rejoicing in my misfortune]!"

¹⁶Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let those who love Your salvation say continually, "The LORD be magnified!"

¹⁷Even though I am afflicted and needy, Still the Lord takes thought and is mindful of me. You are my help and my rescuer. O my God, do not delay.

¹Wisdom has built her [spacious and sufficient] house; She has hewn out and set up her seven pillars.

²She has prepared her food, she has mixed her wine; She has also set her table.

³She has sent out her maidens, she calls From the highest places of the city:

⁴"Whoever is naive or inexperienced, let him turn in here!" As for him who lacks understanding, she says,

⁵"Come, eat my food And drink the wine I have mixed [and accept my gifts].

⁶"Leave [behind] your foolishness [and the foolish] and live, And walk in the way of insight and understanding."

⁷He who corrects and instructs a scoffer gets dishonor for himself, And he who rebukes a wicked man gets insults for himself.

⁸Do not correct a scoffer [who foolishly ridicules and takes no responsibility for his error] or he will hate you; Correct a wise man [who learns from his error], and he will love you.

⁹Give instruction to a wise man and he will become even wiser; Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning.

¹⁰The [reverent] fear of the LORD [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of wisdom [its starting point and its essence], And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding and spiritual insight.

¹¹For by me (wisdom from God) your days will be multiplied, And years of life shall be increased.

¹²If you are wise, you are wise for yourself [for your own benefit]; If you scoff [thoughtlessly ridicule and disdain], you alone will pay the penalty.

¹³The foolish woman is restless and noisy; She is naive and easily misled and thoughtless, and knows nothing at all [of eternal value].

¹⁴She sits at the doorway of her house, On a seat by the high and conspicuous places of the city,

¹⁵Calling to those who pass by, Who are making their paths straight:

¹⁶"Whoever is naive or inexperienced, let him turn in here!" And to him who lacks understanding (common sense), she says,

¹⁷"Stolen waters (pleasures) are sweet [because they are forbidden]; And bread eaten in secret is pleasant."

¹⁸But he does not know that the spirits of the dead are there, And that her guests are [already] in the depths of Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead).

¹Then Samson went to Gaza and saw a prostitute there, and went in to her.

²The Gazites were told, "Samson has come here." So they surrounded the place and waited all night at the gate of the city to ambush him. They kept quiet all night, saying, "In the morning, when it is light, we will kill him."

³But Samson lay [resting] until midnight, then at midnight he got up and took hold of the doors of the city gate and the two door-posts, and pulled them up, [security] bar and all, and he put them on his shoulders and carried them up to the top of the hill which is opposite Hebron.

⁴After this he fell in love with a [Philistine] woman [living] in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.

⁵So the [five] lords (governors) of the Philistines came to her and said to her, "Persuade him, and see where his great strength lies and [find out] how we may overpower him so that we may bind him to subdue him. And each of us will give you eleven hundred pieces of silver."

⁶So Delilah said to Samson, "Please tell me where your great strength lies and with what you may be bound and subdued."

⁷Samson said to her, "If they bind me with seven fresh cords ( tendons) that have not been dried, then I will be weak and be like any [other] man."

⁸Then the Philistine lords brought her seven fresh cords that had not been dried, and she bound him with them.

⁹Now she had men lying in ambush in an inner room. And she said to him, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" And he broke the cords as a string of tow breaks when it touches fire. So [the secret of] his strength was not discovered.

¹⁰Then Delilah said to Samson, "See now, you have mocked me and told me lies; now please tell me [truthfully] how you may be bound."

¹¹He said to her, "If they bind me tightly with new ropes that have not been used, then I will become weak and be like any [other] man."

¹²So Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them and said to him, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" And the men lying in ambush were in the inner room. But he snapped the ropes off his arms like [sewing] thread.

¹³Then Delilah said to Samson, "Until now you have mocked me and told me lies; tell me [truthfully] with what you may be bound." And he said to her, "If you weave the seven braids of my hair with the web [and fasten it with a pin, then I will become weak and be like any other man."

¹⁴So while he slept, Delilah took the seven locks (braids) of his hair and wove them into the web]. And she fastened it with the pin [of the loom] and said to him, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" And he awoke from his sleep and pulled out the pin of the [weaver's] loom and the web.

¹⁵Then she said to him, "How can you say, 'I love you,' when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times and have not told me where your great strength lies."

¹⁶When she pressured him day after day with her words and pleaded with him, he was annoyed to death.

¹⁷Then [finally] he told her everything that was in his heart and said to her, "A razor has never been used on my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother's womb. If I am shaved, then my strength will leave me, and I will become weak and be like any [other] man."

¹⁸Then Delilah realized that he had told her everything in his heart, so she sent and called for the Philistine lords, saying, "Come up this once, because he has told me everything in his heart." Then the Philistine lords came up to her and brought the money [they had promised] in their hands.

¹⁹She made Samson sleep on her knees, and she called a man and had him shave off the seven braids of his head. Then she began to abuse Samson, and his strength left him.

²⁰She said, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" And he awoke from his sleep and said, "I will go out as I have time after time and shake myself free." For Samson did not know that the LORD had departed from him.

²¹Then the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza and bound him with [two] bronze chains; and he was forced to be a grinder [of grain into flour at the mill] in the prison.

²²But the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved off.

²³Now the Philistine lords gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to celebrate, for they said, "Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hands!"

²⁴When the people saw Samson, they praised their god, for they said, "Our god has handed over our enemy to us, The ravager of our country, Who has killed many of us."

²⁵Now when they were in high spirits, they said, "Call for Samson, so that he may amuse us." So they called Samson out of the prison, and he entertained them. They made him stand between the pillars.

²⁶Then Samson said to the boy who held him by the hand, "Let me feel the pillars on which the [roof of the] house rests, so that I may lean against them."

²⁷Now the house was full of men and women; all the Philistine lords were there, and on the flat roof were about three thousand men and women who looked on while Samson was entertaining them.

²⁸Then Samson called to the LORD and said, "O Lord GOD, please remember me and please strengthen me just this one time, O God, and let me take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes."

²⁹Samson took hold of the two middle [support] pillars on which the house rested, and braced himself against them, one with his right hand and the other with his left.

³⁰And Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines!" And he stretched out with all his might [collapsing the support pillars], and the house fell on the lords and on all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he had killed during his life.

³¹Then his brothers and his father's entire [tribal] household came down, took him, and brought him up; and they buried him in the tomb of Manoah his father, [which was] between Zorah and Eshtaol. So Samson had judged Israel for twenty years.

¹"Comfort, O comfort My people," says your God.

²"Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, And call out to her, that her time of compulsory service in warfare is finished, That her wickedness has been taken away [since her punishment is sufficient], That she has received from the Lord's hand Double [punishment] for all her sins."

³A voice of one is calling out, "Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness [remove the obstacles]; Make straight and smooth in the desert a highway for our God.

⁴"Every valley shall be raised, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the rough ground become a plain, And the rugged places a broad valley.

⁵"And the glory and majesty and splendor of the LORD will be revealed, And all humanity shall see it together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken it."

⁶A voice says, "Call out [prophesy]." Then he answered, "What shall I call out?" [The voice answered:] All humanity is [as frail as] grass, and all that makes it attractive [its charm, its loveliness] is [momentary] like the flower of the field.

⁷The grass withers, the flower fades, When the breath of the LORD blows upon it; Most certainly [all] the people are [like] grass.

⁸The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.

⁹O Zion, herald of good news, Get up on a high mountain. O Jerusalem, herald of good news, Lift up your voice with strength, Lift it up, do not fear; Say to the cities of Judah, "Here is your God!"

¹⁰Listen carefully, the Lord GOD will come with might, And His arm will rule for Him. Most certainly His reward is with Him, And His restitution accompanies Him.

¹¹He will protect His flock like a shepherd, He will gather the lambs in His arm, He will carry them in His bosom; He will gently and carefully lead those nursing their young.

¹²Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, And marked off the heavens with a span [of the hand], And calculated the dust of the earth with a measure, And weighed the mountains in a balance And the hills in a pair of scales?

¹³Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or has taught Him as His counselor?

¹⁴With whom did He consult and who enlightened Him? Who taught Him the path of justice and taught Him knowledge And informed Him of the way of understanding?

¹⁵In fact, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales; Now look, He lifts up the islands like fine dust.

¹⁶And [the forests of] Lebanon cannot supply sufficient fuel to start a fire, Nor are its wild beasts enough for a burnt offering [worthy of the LORD].

¹⁷All the nations are as nothing before Him, They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless.

¹⁸To whom then will you liken God? Or with what likeness will you compare Him?

¹⁹As for the cast image (idol), a metalworker casts it, A goldsmith overlays it with gold And a silversmith casts its silver chains.

²⁰He who is too impoverished for such an offering [to give to his god] Chooses a tree that will not rot; He seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman To [carve and] set up an idol that will not totter.

²¹Do you [who worship idols] not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told to you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth [the omnipotence of God and the stupidity of bowing to idols]?

²²It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; [It is He] who stretches out the heavens like a veil And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.

²³It is He who reduces dignitaries to nothing, Who makes the judges (rulers) of the earth meaningless (useless).

²⁴Scarcely have they been planted, Scarcely have they been sown, Scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth, But He merely blows on them, and they wither, And a strong wind carries them away like stubble.

²⁵"To whom then will you compare Me That I would be his equal?" says the Holy One.

²⁶Lift up your eyes on high And see who has created these heavenly bodies, The One who brings out their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, Not one is missing.

²⁷Why, O Jacob, do you say, and declare, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the LORD, And the justice due me escapes the notice of my God"?

²⁸Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become tired or grow weary; There is no searching of His understanding.

²⁹He gives strength to the weary, And to him who has no might He increases power.

³⁰Even youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly,

³¹But those who wait for the LORD [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] Will gain new strength and renew their power; They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; They will run and not become weary, They will walk and not grow tired.

¹Now at that time Herod [Agrippa I] the king [of the Jews] arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to harm them.

²And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword;

³and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to have Peter arrested as well. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread [the Passover week].

⁴When he had seized Peter, he put him in prison, turning him over to four squads of soldiers of four each to guard him [in rotation throughout the night], planning after the Passover to bring him out before the people [for execution].

⁵So Peter was kept in prison, but fervent and persistent prayer for him was being made to God by the church.

⁶The very night before Herod was to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries were in front of the door guarding the prison.

⁷Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared [beside him] and a light shone in the cell. The angel struck Peter's side and awakened him, saying, "Get up quickly!" And the chains fell off his hands.

⁸The angel said to him, "Prepare yourself and strap on your sandals [to get ready for whatever may happen]." And he did so. Then the angel told him, "Put on your robe and follow me."

⁹And Peter went out following the angel. He did not realize that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.

¹⁰When they had passed the first guard and the second, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city. Of its own accord it swung open for them; and they went out and went along one street, and at once the angel left him.

¹¹When Peter came to his senses, he said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel and has rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting [to do to me]."

¹²When he realized what had happened, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, who was also called Mark, where many [believers] were gathered together and were praying continually [and had been praying all night].

¹³When he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer.

¹⁴Recognizing Peter's voice, in her joy she failed to open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gateway.

¹⁵They said to her, "You are out of your mind!" But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, "It is his angel!"

¹⁶But [meanwhile] Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were completely amazed.

¹⁷But motioning to them with his hand to be quiet and listen, he described how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, "Report these things to James and the brothers and sisters." Then he left and went to another place.

¹⁸Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter.

¹⁹When Herod had searched for him and could not find him, he interrogated the guards and commanded that they be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea [Maritima] and spent some time there.

²⁰Now Herod [Agrippa I] was extremely angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; and their delegates came to him in a united group, and after persuading Blastus, the king's chamberlain [to support their cause], they asked for peace, because their country was fed by [imports of grain and other goods from] the king's country.

²¹On an appointed day Herod dressed himself in his royal robes, sat on his throne (tribunal, rostrum) and began delivering a speech to the people.

²²The assembled people kept shouting, "It is the voice of a god and not of a man!"

²³And at once an angel of the Lord struck him down because he did not give God the glory [and instead permitted himself to be worshiped], and he was eaten by worms and died [five days later].

²⁴But the word of the Lord [the good news about salvation through Christ] continued to grow and spread [increasing in effectiveness].

²⁵Barnabas and Saul came back from Jerusalem when they had completed their mission, bringing with them John, who was also called Mark.