Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women went to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared [to finish anointing the body].

²And they found the [large, circular] stone rolled back from the tomb,

³but when they went inside, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

⁴While they were perplexed and wondering about this, suddenly, two men in dazzling clothing stood near them;

⁵and as the women were terrified and were bowing their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why are you looking for the living One among the dead?

⁶He is not here, but has risen. Remember how He told you, while He was still in Galilee,

⁷saying that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise [from death to life]."

⁸And they remembered His words,

⁹and after returning from the tomb, they reported all these things to the eleven [apostles] and to all the rest.

¹⁰Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna [the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward] and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles.

¹¹But their report seemed to them like idle talk and nonsense, and they would not believe them.

¹²But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. Stooping [at the small entrance] and looking in, he saw only the linen wrappings; and he went away, wondering about what had happened.

¹³And then, that very day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem.

¹⁴And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place.

¹⁵While they were talking and discussing it, Jesus Himself came up and began walking with them.

¹⁶But their eyes were [miraculously] prevented from recognizing Him.

¹⁷Then Jesus asked them, "What are you discussing with one another as you walk along?" And they stood still, looking brokenhearted.

¹⁸One of them, named Cleopas, answered Him, "Are you the only stranger visiting Jerusalem who is unaware of the things which have happened here in these [recent] days?"

¹⁹He asked, "What things?" And they replied, "The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet powerful in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people,

²⁰and how the chief priests and our rulers handed Him over to be sentenced to death, and crucified Him.

²¹But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel and set our nation free. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened.

²²And also some of the women among us shocked us. They were at the tomb early in the morning,

²³and they did not find His body. Then they came back, saying that they had even seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive!

²⁴Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women had said, but they did not see Him."

²⁵Then Jesus said to them, "O foolish men, and slow of heart to trust and believe in everything that the prophets have spoken!

²⁶Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and [only then to] enter His glory?"

²⁷Then beginning with Moses and [throughout] all the [writings of the] prophets, He explained and interpreted for them the things referring to Himself [found] in all the Scriptures.

²⁸Then they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as if He were going farther.

²⁹But they urged Him [not to go on], saying, "Stay with us, because it is almost evening, and the day has just about ended." So He went inside to stay with them.

³⁰And it happened that as He reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them.

³¹Then their eyes were [suddenly] opened [by God] and they [clearly] recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight.

³²They said to one another, "Were not our hearts burning within us while He was talking with us on the road and opening the Scriptures to us?"

³³They got up that very hour and went back to Jerusalem, and found the eleven [apostles] gathered together and those who were with them,

³⁴saying, "The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon [Peter]!"

³⁵They began describing in detail what had happened on the road, and how Jesus was recognized by them when He broke the bread.

³⁶While they were talking about this, Jesus Himself [suddenly] stood among them and said to them, "Peace be to you."

³⁷But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a spirit.

³⁸And He said, "Why are you troubled, and why are doubts rising in your hearts?

³⁹Look at [the marks in] My hands and My feet, [and see] that it is I Myself. Touch Me and see; a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see that I have."

⁴⁰After saying this, He showed them His hands and His feet.

⁴¹While they still did not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?"

⁴²They gave Him a piece of broiled fish,

⁴³and He took it and ate it in front of them.

⁴⁴Then He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you, everything which has been written about Me in the Law of Moses and the [writings of the] Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled."

⁴⁵Then He opened their minds to [help them] understand the Scriptures,

⁴⁶and said, "And so it is written, that the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,

⁴⁷and that repentance [necessary] for forgiveness of sins would be preached in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

⁴⁸You are witnesses of these things.

⁴⁹Listen carefully: I am sending the Promise of My Father [the Holy Spirit] upon you; but you are to remain in the city [of Jerusalem] until you are clothed (fully equipped) with power from on high."

⁵⁰Then He led them out as far as Bethany, and lifted up His hands and blessed them.

⁵¹While He was blessing them, He left them and was taken up into heaven.

⁵²And they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy [fully understanding that He lives and that He is the Son of God];

⁵³and they were continually in the temple blessing and praising God.

¹Now Jethro (Reuel), the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people, and that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.

²Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Moses' wife Zipporah, after he had sent her away [from Egypt],

³along with her two sons, of whom one was named Gershom (stranger), for Moses said, "I have been a stranger in a foreign land."

⁴The other [son] was named Eliezer (my God is help), for Moses said, "The God of my father was my help, and He rescued me from the sword of Pharaoh."

⁵Then Jethro, his father-in-law, came with Moses' sons and his wife to [join] Moses in the wilderness where he was camped, at the mountain of God [that is, Mt. Sinai in Horeb].

⁶He sent a message to Moses, "I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons [who are] with her."

⁷So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down [in respect] and kissed him. They asked each other about their well-being and went into the tent.

⁸Moses told his father-in-law about all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake, and about all the hardship that had happened during the journey, and how the LORD had rescued them.

⁹Jethro rejoiced over all the good things the LORD had done to Israel, in that He had rescued them from the hand of the Egyptians.

¹⁰Jethro said, "Blessed be the LORD, who has rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and who has rescued the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

¹¹Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods; indeed, it was proven when they acted insolently toward Israel [and the LORD showed Himself infinitely superior to all their gods]."

¹²Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took a burnt offering and [other] sacrifices [to offer] to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses' father-in-law before God.

¹³Now the next day Moses sat to judge [the disputes] the people [had with one another], and the people stood around Moses from dawn to dusk.

¹⁴When Moses' father-in-law saw everything that he was doing for the people, he said, "What is this that you are doing for the people? Why are you sitting alone [as a judge] with all the people standing around you from dawn to dusk?"

¹⁵Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to ask [about the will] of God.

¹⁶When they have a dispute they come to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor and I make known the statutes of God and His laws."

¹⁷Moses' father-in-law said to him, "The thing that you are doing is not good.

¹⁸You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you [to bear]; you cannot do it alone.

¹⁹Now listen to me; I will advise you, and may God be with you [to confirm my advice]. You shall represent the people before God. You shall bring their disputes and causes to Him.

²⁰You shall teach them the decrees and laws. You shall show them the way they are to live and the work they are to do.

²¹Furthermore, you shall select from all the people competent men who [reverently] fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; you shall place these over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens.

²²They shall judge the people at all times; have them bring every major dispute to you, but let them judge every minor dispute themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.

²³If you will do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure [the responsibility], and all these people will also go [back] to their tents in peace."

²⁴So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything that he had said.

²⁵Moses chose able men from all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens [from the highest to the lowest judicial levels].

²⁶And they judged the people at all times; they would bring the difficult cases to Moses, but every minor dispute they judged and decided themselves.

²⁷Then Moses said goodbye to his father-in-law, and Jethro went back to his own land (Midian).

¹Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, [thoughtfully and attentively] consider the Apostle and High Priest whom we confessed [as ours when we accepted Him as Savior], namely, Jesus;

²He was faithful to Him who appointed Him [Apostle and High Priest], as Moses also was faithful in all God's house.

³Yet Jesus has been considered worthy of much greater glory and honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has more honor than the house.

⁴For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.

⁵Now Moses was faithful in [the administration of] all God's house, [but only] as a ministering servant, [his ministry serving] as a testimony of the things which were to be spoken afterward [the revelation to come in Christ];

⁶but Christ is faithful as a Son over His [Father's] house. And we are His house if we hold fast our confidence and sense of triumph in our hope [in Christ].

⁷Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, "Today if you hear His voice,

⁸Do not harden your hearts as [your fathers did] in the rebellion [of Israel at Meribah], On the day of testing in the wilderness,

⁹Where your fathers tried Me by testing [My forbearance and tolerance], And saw My works for forty years [And found I stood their test].

¹⁰"Therefore I was angered with this generation, And I said, 'They always go astray in their heart, And they did not know My ways [nor become progressively better and more intimately acquainted with them]';

¹¹So I swore [an oath] in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest [the promised land].'"

¹²Take care, brothers and sisters, that there not be in any one of you a wicked, unbelieving heart [which refuses to trust and rely on the Lord, a heart] that turns away from the living God.

¹³But continually encourage one another every day, as long as it is called "Today" [and there is an opportunity], so that none of you will be hardened [into settled rebellion] by the deceitfulness of sin [its cleverness, delusive glamour, and sophistication].

¹⁴For we [believers] have become partakers of Christ [sharing in all that the Messiah has for us], if only we hold firm our newborn confidence [which originally led us to Him] until the end,

¹⁵while it is said, "Today [while there is still opportunity] if you hear His voice, Do not harden your heart, as when they provoked Me [in the rebellion in the desert at Meribah]."

¹⁶For who were they who heard and yet provoked Him [with rebellious acts]? Was it not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?

¹⁷And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose dead bodies were scattered in the desert?

¹⁸And to whom did He swear [an oath] that they would not enter His rest, but to those who disobeyed [those who would not listen to His word]?

¹⁹So we see that they were not able to enter [into His rest—the promised land] because of unbelief and an unwillingness to trust in God.

¹Then Job answered and said,

²"Oh, that my grief could actually be weighed And placed in the balances together with my tragedy [to see if my grief is the grief of a coward]!

³"For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea; Therefore my words have been incoherent,

⁴Because the arrows of the Almighty are within me, My spirit drinks their poison; The terrors of God are arrayed against me.

⁵"Does the wild donkey bray when he has grass? Or does the ox low over his fodder?

⁶"Can something that has no taste to it be eaten without salt? Or is there any flavor in the white of an egg?

⁷"My soul refuses to touch them; Such things are like loathsome food to me [sickening and repugnant].

⁸"Oh that my request would come to pass, And that God would grant me the thing that I long for!

⁹"I wish that it would please God to crush me, That He would let loose His hand and cut me off.

¹⁰"Then I would still have consolation, And I would jump for joy amid unsparing pain, That I have not denied or hidden the words of the Holy One.

¹¹"What strength do I have left, that I should wait [and hope]? And what is ahead of me, that I should be patient and endure?

¹²"Is my strength and endurance that of stones, Or is my flesh made of bronze?

¹³"Is it that I have no help within myself, And that success and wisdom have been driven from me?

¹⁴"For the despairing man there should be kindness from his friend; So that he does not abandon (turn away from) the fear of the Almighty.

¹⁵"My brothers have acted deceitfully like a brook, Like the torrents of brooks that vanish,

¹⁶Which are dull and dirty because of ice, And into which the snow melts and hides itself;

¹⁷When it is warm, they are silent and cease to flow; When it is hot, they vanish from their place.

¹⁸"The paths of their course wind along, They go up into nothing and perish. [Your counsel is as helpful to me as a dry streambed in the heat of summer.]

¹⁹"The caravans of Tema looked [for water], The caravans of Sheba waited for them [in vain].

²⁰"They were put to shame and disappointed because they had trusted [that they would find water]; They came there and were ashamed.

²¹"Indeed, you have now become like a dried-up stream, You see a terror [believing me to be a victim of the wrath of God] and are afraid [to be compassionate].

²²"Did I ever say, 'Give me something,' Or, 'Pay a bribe for me from your wealth,'

²³Or, 'Rescue me from the adversary's hand,' Or, 'Redeem me from the hand of the tyrants'?

²⁴"Teach me, and I will be silent; And show me how I have erred.

²⁵"How painful are words of honesty. But what does your argument prove?

²⁶"Do you intend to reprove my words [with a convincing argument], When the words of one in despair belong to the wind [and go ignored]?

²⁷"You would cast lots (gamble) over the fatherless And bargain away your friend.

²⁸"Now please look at me, And see if I lie to your face [for you know that I would not].

²⁹"Turn away [from your suspicion], let there be no injustice; Turn away, my righteousness and vindication is still in it.

³⁰"Is there injustice or malice on my tongue? Can my palate not discern what is destructive?

¹To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. A Song. Let God arise, and His enemies be scattered; Let those who hate Him flee before Him.

²As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; As wax melts before the fire, So let the wicked and guilty perish before [the presence of] God.

³But let the righteous be glad; let them be in good spirits before God, Yes, let them rejoice with delight.

⁴Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Lift up a song for Him who rides through the desert— His name is the LORD—be in good spirits before Him.

⁵A father of the fatherless and a judge and protector of the widows, Is God in His holy habitation.

⁶God makes a home for the lonely; He leads the prisoners into prosperity, Only the stubborn and rebellious dwell in a parched land.

⁷O God, when You went out before Your people, When You marched through the wilderness, Selah.

⁸The earth trembled; The heavens also poured down rain at the presence of God; Sinai itself trembled at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

⁹You, O God, sent abroad plentiful rain; You confirmed Your inheritance when it was parched and weary.

¹⁰Your flock found a dwelling place in it; O God, in Your goodness You provided for the poor.

¹¹The Lord gives the command [to take Canaan]; The women who proclaim the good news are a great host (army);

¹²"The kings of the [enemies'] armies flee, they flee, And the beautiful woman who remains at home divides the spoil [left behind]."

¹³When you lie down [to rest] among the sheepfolds, You [Israel] are like the wings of a dove [of victory] overlaid with silver, Its feathers glistening with gold [trophies taken from the enemy].

¹⁴When the Almighty scattered [the Canaanite] kings in the land of Canaan, It was snowing on Zalmon.

¹⁵A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan; A [high] mountain of many summits is Mount Bashan [rising east of the Jordan].

¹⁶Why do you look with envy, mountains with many peaks, At the mountain [of the city of Zion] which God has desired for His dwelling place? Yes, the LORD will dwell there forever.

¹⁷The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands; The Lord is among them as He was at Sinai, in holiness.

¹⁸You have ascended on high, You have led away captive Your captives; You have received gifts among men, Even from the rebellious also, that the LORD God may dwell there.

¹⁹Blessed be the Lord, who bears our burden day by day, The God who is our salvation! Selah.

²⁰God is to us a God of acts of salvation; And to GOD the Lord belong escapes from death [setting us free].

²¹Surely God will shatter the head of His enemies, The hairy scalp of one who goes on in his guilty ways.

²²The Lord said, "I will bring your enemies back from Bashan; I will bring them back from the depths of the [Red] Sea,

²³That your foot may crush them in blood, That the tongue of your dogs may have its share from your enemies."

²⁴They have seen Your [solemn] procession, O God, The procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary [in holiness].

²⁵The singers go in front, the players of instruments last; Between them the maidens playing on tambourines.

²⁶Bless God in the congregations, [give thanks, gratefully praise Him], The LORD, you who are from [Jacob] the fountain of Israel.

²⁷The youngest is there, Benjamin, ruling them, The princes of Judah and their company [the southern tribes], The princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali [the northern tribes].

²⁸Your God has commanded your strength [your power in His service and your resistance to temptation]; Show Yourself strong, O God, who acted on our behalf.

²⁹Because of Your temple at Jerusalem [Pagan] kings will bring gifts to You [out of respect].

³⁰Rebuke the beasts [living] among the reeds [in Egypt], The herd of bulls (the leaders) with the calves of the peoples; Trampling underfoot the pieces of silver; He has scattered the peoples who delight in war.

³¹Princes and envoys shall come from Egypt; Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands [with the offerings of submission] to God.

³²Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth, Sing praises to the Lord! Selah.

³³To Him who rides in the highest heavens, the ancient heavens, Behold, He sends out His voice, a mighty and majestic voice.

³⁴Ascribe strength to God; His majesty is over Israel And His strength is in the skies.

³⁵O God, You are awesome and profoundly majestic from Your sanctuary; The God of Israel gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God!

¹My son, if you have become surety (guaranteed a debt or obligation) for your neighbor, If you have given your pledge for [the debt of] a stranger or another [outside your family],

²If you have been snared with the words of your lips, If you have been trapped by the speech of your mouth,

³Do this now, my son, and release yourself [from the obligation]; Since you have come into the hand of your neighbor, Go humble yourself, and plead with your neighbor [to pay his debt and release you].

⁴Give no [unnecessary] sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids;

⁵Tear yourself away like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

⁶Go to the ant, O lazy one; Observe her ways and be wise,

⁷Which, having no chief, Overseer or ruler,

⁸She prepares her food in the summer And brings in her provisions [of food for the winter] in the harvest.

⁹How long will you lie down, O lazy one? When will you arise from your sleep [and learn self-discipline]?

¹⁰"Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to lie down and rest"—

¹¹So your poverty will come like an approaching prowler who walks [slowly, but surely] And your need [will come] like an armed man [making you helpless].

¹²A worthless person, a wicked man, Is one who walks with a perverse (corrupt, vulgar) mouth.

¹³Who winks with his eyes [in mockery], who shuffles his feet [to signal], Who points with his fingers [to give subversive instruction];

¹⁴Who perversely in his heart plots trouble and evil continually; Who spreads discord and strife.

¹⁵Therefore [the crushing weight of] his disaster will come suddenly upon him; Instantly he will be broken, and there will be no healing or remedy [because he has no heart for God].

¹⁶These six things the LORD hates; Indeed, seven are repulsive to Him:

¹⁷A proud look [the attitude that makes one overestimate oneself and discount others], a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood,

¹⁸A heart that creates wicked plans, Feet that run swiftly to evil,

¹⁹A false witness who breathes out lies [even half-truths], And one who spreads discord (rumors) among brothers.

²⁰My son, be guided by your father's [God-given] commandment (instruction) And do not reject the teaching of your mother;

²¹Bind them continually upon your heart (in your thoughts), And tie them around your neck.

²²When you walk about, they (the godly teachings of your parents) will guide you; When you sleep, they will keep watch over you; And when you awake, they will talk to you.

²³For the commandment is a lamp, and the teaching [of the law] is light, And reproofs (rebukes) for discipline are the way of life,

²⁴To keep you from the evil woman, From [the flattery of] the smooth tongue of an immoral woman.

²⁵Do not desire (lust after) her beauty in your heart, Nor let her capture you with her eyelashes.

²⁶For on account of a prostitute one is reduced to a piece of bread [to be eaten up], And the immoral woman hunts [with a hook] the precious life [of a man].

²⁷Can a man take fire to his chest And his clothes not be burned?

²⁸Or can a man walk on hot coals And his feet not be scorched?

²⁹So is the one who goes in to his neighbor's wife; Whoever touches her will not be found innocent or go unpunished.

³⁰People do not despise a thief if he steals To satisfy himself when he is hungry;

³¹But when he is found, he must repay seven times [what he stole]; He must give all the property of his house [if necessary to meet his fine].

³²But whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks common sense and sound judgment and an understanding [of moral principles]; He who would destroy his soul does it.

³³Wounds and disgrace he will find, And his reproach (blame) will not be blotted out.

³⁴For jealousy enrages the [wronged] husband; He will not spare [the guilty one] on the day of vengeance.

³⁵He will not accept any ransom [offered to buy him off from demanding full punishment]; Nor will he be satisfied though you offer him many gifts (bribes).

¹Now Saul told his son Jonathan and all his servants to kill David, but Jonathan, Saul's son, greatly delighted in David.

²So he told David, "Saul my father is seeking to kill you. Now then, please be on guard in the morning, and stay in a secret place and hide yourself.

³As for me, I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak with my father about you, and if I learn anything, then I will tell you."

⁴Then Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, "May the king not sin against his servant David, since he has not sinned against you, and since his deeds have been very beneficial to you.

⁵For he took his life in his hand and killed the Philistine, and the LORD brought about a great victory for all Israel; you saw it and rejoiced. Why then would you sin against innocent blood by killing David without a cause?"

⁶Saul listened to Jonathan and swore [an oath], "As the LORD lives, he shall not be put to death."

⁷So Jonathan called David and told him all these things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence [serving him] as previously.

⁸Then there was war again, and David went out and fought with the Philistines and defeated them with a great slaughter, and they fled before him.

⁹Then an evil spirit from the LORD came on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand, and David was playing the harp with his hand.

¹⁰Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he escaped from Saul's presence, so that Saul only stuck the spear into the wall. Then David fled and escaped that night.

¹¹Then Saul sent messengers to David's house to watch for him, so that he might kill him in the morning. But Michal, David's wife, told him, "If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed."

¹²So Michal let David down through the window, and he fled and escaped.

¹³And Michal took the household idol and laid it on the bed, put a pillow of goats' hair at its head, and covered it with clothes.

¹⁴And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, "He is sick."

¹⁵Then Saul sent the messengers [again] to see David, saying, "Bring him up to me on his bed [if necessary], so that I may kill him."

¹⁶When the messengers came in, there was the household idol on the bed with a quilt of goats' hair at its head.

¹⁷Saul said to Michal, "Why have you deceived me like this and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?" Michal answered Saul, "He said to me, 'Let me go! Why should I kill you?'"

¹⁸So David fled and escaped and came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him everything that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth.

¹⁹Saul was told, "David is at Naioth in Ramah."

²⁰Then Saul sent messengers to take David; but when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing and presiding over them, the Spirit of God came on the messengers of Saul; and they also prophesied.

²¹When Saul was informed, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. So Saul sent messengers again, the third time, and they prophesied as well.

²²Then Saul went to Ramah himself and came to the great well that is in Secu; and he asked, "Where are Samuel and David?" And he was told, "They are at Naioth [with the prophets] in Ramah."

²³So he went on to Naioth in Ramah; and the Spirit of God came upon him too, and he went along continually prophesying until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

²⁴He also took off his [royal] robes [and armor] and prophesied before Samuel and lay down naked all that day and night. So they say, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"

¹Now the word of the LORD came to me saying,

²"Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, 'Thus says the LORD, "I remember [earnestly] the lovingkindness and devotion of your youth, Your time of betrothal [like that of a bride during the early years in Egypt and again at Sinai], When you followed Me in the wilderness, Through a land not sown.

³" Israel was holy [something set apart from ordinary purposes, consecrated] to the LORD, The first fruits of His harvest [in which no outsider was allowed to share]. All who ate of it [injuring Israel] became guilty; Evil came on them," says the LORD.'"

⁴Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel.

⁵Thus says the LORD, "What injustice or unrighteousness did your fathers find in Me, That they have wandered far from Me And [habitually] walked after emptiness and futility and became empty?

⁶"They did not say, 'Where is the LORD Who brought us up from the land of Egypt, Who led us through the wilderness, Through a land of deserts and of pits, Through a land of drought and of the deep darkness [of the shadow of death], Through a land that no man passed through And where no man lived?'

⁷"I brought you into a plentiful land To eat its fruit and [enjoy] its good things. But you came and defiled My land And you made My inheritance repulsive.

⁸"[Even] the priests did not say, 'Where is the LORD?' And those who deal with the law [given to Moses] did not know Me. The rulers and shepherds also transgressed against Me, And the prophets prophesied by [the authority and in the name of] Baal And walked after [idolatrous] things that did not benefit [them].

⁹"Therefore I will still contend (struggle) with you [by bringing judgment on you]," says the LORD, "And I will contend with your children's children."

¹⁰"For cross over to the coasts of Kittim (Cyprus) [to the west] and see, Send also to Kedar (Arabia) [to the east] and carefully observe and consider And see whether there has been such [a thing] as this!

¹¹"Has a nation [ever] changed gods Even though they were not gods [but merely man-made objects]? But My people have exchanged their Glory (the true God) For that [man-made idol] which does not benefit [them].

¹²"Be appalled, O heavens, at this; Be shocked and shudder with horror [at the behavior of the people]," says the LORD.

¹³"For My people have committed two evils: They have abandoned (rejected) Me, The fountain of living water, And they have carved out their own cisterns, Broken cisterns That cannot hold water.

¹⁴"Is Israel a servant? Is he a slave by birth? Why has he become a captive and a prey?

¹⁵"The young lions have roared at him, They have made their voices heard and roared loudly. And they have made his land a waste; His cities have been destroyed and are burned ruins, without inhabitant.

¹⁶"Moreover, the men of Memphis and Tahpanhes [as powerful enemies] Have shaved the crown of your head [to degrade you].

¹⁷"Have you not brought this on yourself By abandoning (rejecting) the LORD your God When He led you in the way?

¹⁸"Now what are you doing by going to Egypt [in search of an ally], To drink the [muddy] waters of the Nile? Or what are you doing by going to Assyria [in search of an ally], To drink the [muddy] waters of the Euphrates?

¹⁹"Your own wickedness will discipline you, And your desertion of the faith will punish you. Know therefore that it is an evil and bitter thing For you to abandon (reject) the LORD your God, And for you to be indifferent to Me and dismiss the [reverent] fear of Me," says the Lord GOD of hosts.

²⁰"For long ago you broke your yoke [in deliberate disobedience] And tore off your bonds [of the law that I gave you]; You said, 'I will not serve and obey You!' For on every high hill And under every green tree You have lain down [in idolatrous worship] like a [compliant] prostitute.

²¹"Yet I had planted you [O house of Israel as] a choice vine, A completely faithful seed. How then have you turned against Me Into degenerate shoots of a foreign and wild vine [alien to Me]?

²²"For though you wash yourself with lye And use much soap, The stain of your guilt is [still] before Me [and you are soiled and dirty]," says the Lord GOD.

²³"How can you say, 'I am not defiled, I have not gone after [man-made gods like] the Baals'? Look at your way in the valley; Know [without any doubt] what you have done! You are a swift and restless young [female] camel [in the heat of her passion] running here and there,

²⁴Or [you have the untamed and reckless nature of] a wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness, That sniffs the wind in her passion [for the scent of a mate]. In her mating season who can restrain her? No males seeking her need to weary themselves; In her month they will find her [looking for them].

²⁵"[Cease your mad running after idols to] Keep your feet from becoming bare And your throat from becoming dry; But you said, 'It is hopeless! For I have loved strangers and foreign gods, And I will walk after them.'

²⁶"As the thief is shamed when he is caught, So the house of Israel is shamed— They, their kings, their leaders, Their priests, and their prophets—

²⁷Who say to a tree, 'You are my father,' And to a stone, 'You gave me birth.' For they have turned their backs to Me, And not their faces; But in the time of their trouble they will say, 'Arise [O LORD] and save us.'

²⁸"But where are your gods Which you made for yourself? Let them get up, if they can save you In the time of your trouble! For [as many as] the number of your cities Are your gods, O Judah. [Why do not your many man-made idols run to help you?]

²⁹"Why do you complain and contend with Me? You have all rebelled (transgressed) against Me," says the LORD.

³⁰"In vain I have punished your people [with the consequences of their disobedience]; They received no insight from correction [and refused to change]. Your [own] sword has devoured your prophets Like a destroying lion.

³¹"O generation [that you are], consider and regard carefully the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness to Israel [like a land without food], A land of thick and deep darkness [like a path without light]? Why do My people say, 'We [have broken loose and we] are free to roam [at will]; We will no longer come to You'?

³²"Can a virgin forget [to wear] her ornaments, Or a bride her attire [that identifies her as a married woman]? Yet My people have forgotten Me Days without number.

³³"How well you prepare your path To seek and obtain [adulterous] love! Even the most wicked of women Have learned [indecent] ways from you.

³⁴"Also on your skirts is found The lifeblood of the innocent poor; You did not find them breaking in [a house]. But in spite of all these things [your disobedience, your love of idolatry, your lack of compassion]—

³⁵Yet you keep saying, 'I am innocent; Surely His anger has turned away from me.' Behold (listen very carefully), I will bring you to judgment and will plead my case against you Because you say, 'I have not sinned.'

³⁶"Why do you go around and wander so much Changing your way? Also, you will be shamed by Egypt As you were shamed by Assyria.

³⁷"From Egypt also you will come away [as captives] With your hands on your head; For the LORD has rejected those in whom you trust (confide), And you will not be successful with them."

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.