Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

Luke 12; Exodus 6; Ephesians 5; Revelation 13; Song of Solomon 2; Psalms 56; Proverbs 25; 1 Samuel 7; Isaiah 56; Acts 28

Luke 12

1In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

2For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.

3Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

4“And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

5But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!

6“Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God.

7But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

8“Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.

9But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

10“And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.

11“Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say.

12For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

13Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

14But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?”

15And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

16Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.

17And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’

18So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.

19And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’

20But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’

21“So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

22Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.

23Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.

24Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?

25And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

26If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?

27Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

28If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?

29“And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.

30For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.

31But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

32“Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

33Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.

34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

35“Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning;

36and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.

37Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.

38And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

39But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.

40Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

41Then Peter said to Him, “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?

42And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?

43Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.

44Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.

45But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk,

46the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

47And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

48But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

49“I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!

50But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished!

51Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division.

52For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three.

53Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

54Then He also said to the multitudes, “Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming’; and so it is.

55And when you see the south wind blow, you say, ‘There will be hot weather’; and there is.

56Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?

57“Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right?

58When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.

59I tell you, you shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite.”

Exodus 6

1Then the LORD said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh. For with a strong hand he will let them go, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.”

2And God spoke to Moses and said to him: “I am the LORD.

3I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name LORD I was not known to them.

4I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, in which they were strangers.

5And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant.

6Therefore say to the children of Israel: ‘I am the LORD; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.

7I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

8And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the LORD.’ ”

9So Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel; but they did not heed Moses, because of anguish of spirit and cruel bondage.

10And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

11“Go in, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the children of Israel go out of his land.”

12And Moses spoke before the LORD, saying, “The children of Israel have not heeded me. How then shall Pharaoh heed me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?”

13Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, and gave them a command for the children of Israel and for Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

14These are the heads of their fathers’ houses: The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. These are the families of Reuben.

15And the sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. These are the families of Simeon.

16These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. And the years of the life of Levi were one hundred and thirty-seven.

17The sons of Gershon were Libni and Shimi according to their families.

18And the sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. And the years of the life of Kohath were one hundred and thirty-three.

19The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of Levi according to their generations.

20Now Amram took for himself Jochebed, his father’s sister, as wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses. And the years of the life of Amram were one hundred and thirty-seven.

21The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri.

22And the sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Zithri.

23Aaron took to himself Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Nahshon, as wife; and she bore him Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

24And the sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph. These are the families of the Korahites.

25Eleazar, Aaron’s son, took for himself one of the daughters of Putiel as wife; and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites according to their families.

26These are the same Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said, “Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies.”

27These are the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt. These are the same Moses and Aaron.

28And it came to pass, on the day the LORD spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt,

29that the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “I am the LORD. Speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say to you.”

30But Moses said before the LORD, “Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh heed me?”

Ephesians 5

1Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.

2And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

3But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints;

4neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

5For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

7Therefore do not be partakers with them.

8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

9(for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),

10finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.

11And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

12For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.

13But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.

14Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.”

15See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,

16redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

17Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

18And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

19speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,

20giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

21submitting to one another in the fear of God.

22Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

23For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.

24Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,

26that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,

27that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

28So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.

29For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.

30For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.

31“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”

32This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

33Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Revelation 13

1Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.

2Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.

3And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.

4So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”

5And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.

6Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.

7It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.

8All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

9If anyone has an ear, let him hear.

10He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

11Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.

12And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

13He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.

14And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.

15He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

16He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads,

17and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.

Song of Solomon 2

1I am the rose of Sharon, And the lily of the valleys.

2Like a lily among thorns, So is my love among the daughters.

3Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods, So is my beloved among the sons. I sat down in his shade with great delight, And his fruit was sweet to my taste.

4He brought me to the banqueting house, And his banner over me was love.

5Sustain me with cakes of raisins, Refresh me with apples, For I am lovesick.

6His left hand is under my head, And his right hand embraces me.

7I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles or by the does of the field, Do not stir up nor awaken love Until it pleases.

8The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes Leaping upon the mountains, Skipping upon the hills.

9My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Behold, he stands behind our wall; He is looking through the windows, Gazing through the lattice.

10My beloved spoke, and said to me: “Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away.

11For lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone.

12The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove Is heard in our land.

13The fig tree puts forth her green figs, And the vines with the tender grapes Give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away!

14“O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, In the secret places of the cliff, Let me see your face, Let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, And your face is lovely.”

15Catch us the foxes, The little foxes that spoil the vines, For our vines have tender grapes.

16My beloved is mine, and I am his. He feeds his flock among the lilies.

17Until the day breaks And the shadows flee away, Turn, my beloved, And be like a gazelle Or a young stag Upon the mountains of Bether.

Psalms 56

1To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Silent Dove in Distant Lands.” A Michtam of David when the Philistines captured him in Gath. [1] Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up; Fighting all day he oppresses me.

2My enemies would hound me all day, For there are many who fight against me, O Most High.

3Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.

4In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?

5All day they twist my words; All their thoughts are against me for evil.

6They gather together, They hide, they mark my steps, When they lie in wait for my life.

7Shall they escape by iniquity? In anger cast down the peoples, O God!

8You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book?

9When I cry out to You, Then my enemies will turn back; This I know, because God is for me.

10In God (I will praise His word), In the LORD (I will praise His word),

11In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

12Vows made to You are binding upon me, O God; I will render praises to You,

13For You have delivered my soul from death. Have You not kept my feet from falling, That I may walk before God In the light of the living?

Proverbs 25

1These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied:

2It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

3As the heavens for height and the earth for depth, So the heart of kings is unsearchable.

4Take away the dross from silver, And it will go to the silversmith for jewelry.

5Take away the wicked from before the king, And his throne will be established in righteousness.

6Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, And do not stand in the place of the great;

7For it is better that he say to you, “Come up here,” Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, Whom your eyes have seen.

8Do not go hastily to court; For what will you do in the end, When your neighbor has put you to shame?

9Debate your case with your neighbor, And do not disclose the secret to another;

10Lest he who hears it expose your shame, And your reputation be ruined.

11A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold In settings of silver.

12Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold Is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear.

13Like the cold of snow in time of harvest Is a faithful messenger to those who send him, For he refreshes the soul of his masters.

14Whoever falsely boasts of giving Is like clouds and wind without rain.

15By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded, And a gentle tongue breaks a bone.

16Have you found honey? Eat only as much as you need, Lest you be filled with it and vomit.

17Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, Lest he become weary of you and hate you.

18A man who bears false witness against his neighbor Is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.

19Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint.

20Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather, And like vinegar on soda, Is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

21If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;

22For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, And the LORD will reward you.

23The north wind brings forth rain, And a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.

24It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

25As cold water to a weary soul, So is good news from a far country.

26A righteous man who falters before the wicked Is like a murky spring and a polluted well.

27It is not good to eat much honey; So to seek one’s own glory is not glory.

28Whoever has no rule over his own spirit Is like a city broken down, without walls.

1 Samuel 7

1Then the men of Kirjath Jearim came and took the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab on the hill, and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD.

2So it was that the ark remained in Kirjath Jearim a long time; it was there twenty years. And all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

3Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”

4So the children of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and served the LORD only.

5And Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you.”

6So they gathered together at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out before the LORD. And they fasted that day, and said there, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged the children of Israel at Mizpah.

7Now when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel had gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines.

8So the children of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”

9And Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. Then Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him.

10Now as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the LORD thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines that day, and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel.

11And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and drove them back as far as below Beth Car.

12Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”

13So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not come anymore into the territory of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

14Then the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel recovered its territory from the hands of the Philistines. Also there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

15And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

16He went from year to year on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all those places.

17But he always returned to Ramah, for his home was there. There he judged Israel, and there he built an altar to the LORD.

Isaiah 56

1Thus says the LORD: “Keep justice, and do righteousness, For My salvation is about to come, And My righteousness to be revealed.

2Blessed is the man who does this, And the son of man who lays hold on it; Who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

3Do not let the son of the foreigner Who has joined himself to the LORD Speak, saying, “The LORD has utterly separated me from His people”; Nor let the eunuch say, “Here I am, a dry tree.”

4For thus says the LORD: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, And choose what pleases Me, And hold fast My covenant,

5Even to them I will give in My house And within My walls a place and a name Better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name That shall not be cut off.

6“Also the sons of the foreigner Who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, And to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants— Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And holds fast My covenant—

7Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

8The Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says, “Yet I will gather to him Others besides those who are gathered to him.”

9All you beasts of the field, come to devour, All you beasts in the forest.

10His watchmen are blind, They are all ignorant; They are all dumb dogs, They cannot bark; Sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.

11Yes, they are greedy dogs Which never have enough. And they are shepherds Who cannot understand; They all look to their own way, Every one for his own gain, From his own territory.

12“Come,” one says, “I will bring wine, And we will fill ourselves with intoxicating drink; Tomorrow will be as today, And much more abundant.”

Acts 28

1Now when they had escaped, they then found out that the island was called Malta.

2And the natives showed us unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold.

3But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand.

4So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.”

5But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.

6However, they were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

7In that region there was an estate of the leading citizen of the island, whose name was Publius, who received us and entertained us courteously for three days.

8And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him.

9So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed.

10They also honored us in many ways; and when we departed, they provided such things as were necessary.

11After three months we sailed in an Alexandrian ship whose figurehead was the Twin Brothers, which had wintered at the island.

12And landing at Syracuse, we stayed three days.

13From there we circled round and reached Rhegium. And after one day the south wind blew; and the next day we came to Puteoli,

14where we found brethren, and were invited to stay with them seven days. And so we went toward Rome.

15And from there, when the brethren heard about us, they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum and Three Inns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.

16Now when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him.

17And it came to pass after three days that Paul called the leaders of the Jews together. So when they had come together, he said to them: “Men and brethren, though I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans,

18who, when they had examined me, wanted to let me go, because there was no cause for putting me to death.

19But when the Jews spoke against it, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation.

20For this reason therefore I have called for you, to see you and speak with you, because for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.”

21Then they said to him, “We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren who came reported or spoken any evil of you.

22But we desire to hear from you what you think; for concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere.”

23So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening.

24And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.

25So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers,

26saying, ‘Go to this people and say: “Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand; And seeing you will see, and not perceive;

27For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.” ’

28“Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!”

29And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among themselves.

30Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him,

31preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.