Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹Six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom He had raised from the dead.

²So they gave a supper for Him there. Martha was serving, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him.

³Then Mary took a pound of very expensive perfume of pure nard, and she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

⁴But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, the one who was going to betray Him, said,

⁵"Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and [the money] given to the poor?"

⁶Now he said this, not because he cared about the poor [for he had never cared about them], but because he was a thief; and since he had the money box [serving as treasurer for the twelve disciples], he used to pilfer what was put into it.

⁷So Jesus said, "Let her alone, so that she may keep [the rest of] it for the day of My burial.

⁸You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me."

⁹A large crowd of Jews learned that He was there [at Bethany]; and they came, not only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.

¹⁰So the chief priests planned to kill Lazarus also,

¹¹because on account of him many of the Jews were going away [from the teaching and traditions of the Jewish leaders] and believing in Jesus [following Him as Savior and Messiah].

¹²The next day, when the large crowd who had come to the Passover feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

¹³they took branches of palm trees [in homage to Him as King] and went out to meet Him, and they began shouting and kept shouting "Hosanna! Blessed (celebrated, praised) is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!"

¹⁴And Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; just as it is written [in Scripture],

¹⁵"Do not fear, Daughter of Zion; Behold, Your King is coming, seated on a donkey's colt."

¹⁶His disciples did not understand [the meaning of] these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified and exalted, they remembered that these things had been written about Him and had been done to Him.

¹⁷So the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to tell others about Him.

¹⁸For this reason the crowd went to meet Him, because they heard that He had performed this [miraculous] sign.

¹⁹Then the Pharisees [argued and] said to one another, "You see that your efforts are futile. Look! The whole world has gone [running] after Him!"

²⁰Now there were some Greeks (Gentiles) among those who were going up to worship at the feast;

²¹these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."

²²Philip came and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.

²³And Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified and exalted.

²⁴I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone [just one grain, never more]. But if it dies, it produces much grain and yields a harvest.

²⁵The one who loves his life [eventually] loses it [through death], but the one who hates his life in this world [and is concerned with pleasing God] will keep it for life eternal.

²⁶If anyone serves Me, he must [continue to faithfully] follow Me [without hesitation, holding steadfastly to Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]; and wherever I am [in heaven's glory], there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

²⁷"Now My soul is troubled and deeply distressed; what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour [of trial and agony]'? But it is for this [very] purpose that I have come to this hour [this time and place].

²⁸[Rather, I will say,] 'Father, glorify (honor, extol) Your name!'" Then a voice came from heaven saying, "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again."

²⁹The crowd of people who stood nearby and heard the voice said that it had thundered; others said, "An angel has spoken to Him!"

³⁰Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine.

³¹Now judgment is upon this world [the sentence is being passed]. Now the ruler of this world (Satan) will be cast out.

³²And I, if and when I am lifted up from the earth [on the cross], will draw all people to Myself [Gentiles, as well as Jews]."

³³He said this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die.

³⁴At this the crowd answered Him, " We have heard from the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; how then can You say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this Son of Man?"

³⁵So Jesus said to them, "The Light is among you [only] a little while longer. Walk while you have the Light [keep on living by it], so that darkness will not overtake you. He who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going [he is drifting aimlessly].

³⁶While you have the Light, believe and trust in the Light [have faith in it, hold on to it, rely on it], so that you may become sons of Light [being filled with Light as followers of God]." Jesus said these things, and then He left and hid Himself from them.

³⁷Even though He had done so many signs (attesting miracles) right before them, yet they still did not believe and failed to trust Him—

³⁸This was to fulfill what Isaiah the prophet said: "Lord, who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm (the power) of the Lord been shown (unveiled, revealed)?"

³⁹Therefore they could not believe, for Isaiah said again,

⁴⁰"He has blinded their eyes and He hardened their heart, to keep them from seeing with their eyes and understanding with their heart and being converted; otherwise, I [their God] would heal them."

⁴¹Isaiah said these things because he saw His glory and spoke about Him.

⁴²Nevertheless, even many of the leading men believed in Him [as Savior and Messiah], but because of the Pharisees they would not confess it, for fear that [if they acknowledged Him openly] they would be put out of the synagogue (excommunicated);

⁴³for they loved the approval of men more than the approval of God.

⁴⁴But Jesus loudly declared, "The one who believes and trusts in Me does not believe [only] in Me but [also believes] in Him who sent Me.

⁴⁵And whoever sees Me sees the One who sent Me.

⁴⁶I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes and trusts in Me [as Savior—all those who anchor their hope in Me and rely on the truth of My message] will not continue to live in darkness.

⁴⁷If anyone hears My words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but to save the world.

⁴⁸Whoever rejects Me and refuses to accept My teachings, has one who judges him; the very word that I spoke will judge and condemn him on the last day.

⁴⁹For I have never spoken on My own initiative or authority, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment regarding what to say and what to speak.

⁵⁰I know that His commandment is eternal life. So the things I speak, I speak [in accordance with His exact instruction,] just as the Father has told Me."

¹"You shall make an altar upon which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood.

²It shall be a cubit long and a cubit wide. It shall be square and it shall be two cubits high. Its horns of one piece with it.

³You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and its sides all around, and its horns; and you shall make a gold molding all around it.

⁴You shall make two gold rings under its molding, make them on the two side walls—on opposite sides—they shall be holders for the poles with which to carry it.

⁵You shall make the poles of acacia wood overlaid with gold.

⁶You shall put the altar of incense [in the Holy Place] in front and outside of the veil that screens the ark of the Testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony, where I will meet with you.

⁷Aaron shall burn sweet and fragrant incense on it; he shall burn it every morning when he trims and tends the lamps.

⁸When Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.

⁹You shall not offer any strange incense on this altar, or burnt offering or meal offering; you shall not pour out a drink offering on it.

¹⁰Once a year Aaron shall make atonement [for sin] on its horns. He shall make atonement on it with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once a year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the LORD."

¹¹Then the LORD said to Moses,

¹²"When you take the census of the Israelites, each one shall give a ransom for himself to the LORD when you count them, so that no plague will come on them when you number them.

¹³This is what everyone who is counted shall give [as he joins those already counted]: a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel (the shekel is twenty gerahs); a half shekel as a contribution to the LORD.

¹⁴Everyone who is counted, from twenty years old and over, [as he joins those already counted], shall give this contribution to the LORD.

¹⁵The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when you give this contribution to the LORD to make atonement for yourselves.

¹⁶You shall take the atonement money from the Israelites and use it [exclusively] for the service of the Tent of Meeting, so that it may be a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD, to make atonement for yourselves."

¹⁷Then the LORD said to Moses,

¹⁸"You shall also make a basin of bronze, with a base of bronze, for washing. You shall put it [outside in the court] between the Tent of Meeting and the altar [of burnt offering], and you shall put water in it.

¹⁹Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet.

²⁰When they enter the Tent of Meeting, they shall wash with water, so that they will not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister, to burn an offering in the fire to the LORD [they shall do the same].

²¹They shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they will not die; it shall be a perpetual statute for them, for Aaron and his descendants throughout their generations."

²²Moreover, the LORD said to Moses,

²³"Take for yourself the best spices: five hundred shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much—two hundred and fifty—of sweet-scented cinnamon, and two hundred and fifty of fragrant cane,

²⁴and five hundred shekels of cinnamon blossom according to the sanctuary shekel, and a hin of olive oil.

²⁵You shall make of these a holy anointing oil, a perfume mixture, the work of a perfumer; it shall be a sacred anointing oil.

²⁶You shall anoint the Tent of Meeting with it, and the ark of the Testimony,

²⁷and the table [for the bread] and all its utensils, and the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense,

²⁸and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin [for cleansing] and its base.

²⁹You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy; whatever touches them must be holy (set apart for God).

³⁰You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may serve as priests to Me.

³¹You shall say to the Israelites, 'This shall be a holy and sacred anointing oil, to Me [alone] throughout your generations.

³²It shall not be poured on anyone's body, nor shall you make any like it in the same composition. It is holy, and it shall be sacred to you.

³³Whoever prepares any like it or puts any of it on a layman shall be cut off from his people [excluding him from the atonement made for them].'"

³⁴Then the LORD said to Moses, "Take sweet and fragrant spices—stacte, onycha, and galbanum, sweet and fragrant spices with pure frankincense; there shall be an equal amount of each—

³⁵and make incense with it, a perfume, the work of a perfumer, salted, pure and sacred.

³⁶You shall crush some of it [into a] very fine [powder], and put some of it before the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting, where I will meet with you; it shall be most holy to you.

³⁷The incense which you shall make, you shall not make in the same proportions for yourselves; it shall be holy to you for the LORD.

³⁸Whoever makes any like it, to use as perfume shall be cut off from his people [excluding him from the atonement made for them]."

¹Therefore you have no excuse or justification, everyone of you who [hypocritically] judges and condemns others; for in passing judgment on another person, you condemn yourself, because you who judge [from a position of arrogance or self-righteousness] are habitually practicing the very same things [which you denounce].

²And we know that the judgment of God falls justly and in accordance with truth on those who practice such things.

³But do you think this, O man, when you judge and condemn those who practice such things, and yet do the same yourself, that you will escape God's judgment and elude His verdict?

⁴Or do you have no regard for the wealth of His kindness and tolerance and patience [in withholding His wrath]? Are you [actually] unaware or ignorant [of the fact] that God's kindness leads you to repentance [that is, to change your inner self, your old way of thinking—seek His purpose for your life]?

⁵But because of your callous stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are [deliberately] storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.

⁶He will pay back to each person according to his deeds [justly, as his deeds deserve]:

⁷to those who by persistence in doing good seek [unseen but certain heavenly] glory, honor, and immortality, [He will give the gift of] eternal life.

⁸But for those who are selfishly ambitious and self-seeking and disobedient to the truth but responsive to wickedness, [there will be] wrath and indignation.

⁹There will be tribulation and anguish [torturing confinement] for every human soul who does [or permits] evil, to the Jew first and also to the Greek,

¹⁰but glory and honor and inner peace [will be given] to everyone who habitually does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

¹¹For God shows no partiality [no arbitrary favoritism; with Him one person is not more important than another].

¹²For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without [regard to] the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged and condemned by the Law.

¹³For it is not those who merely hear the Law [as it is read aloud] who are just or righteous before God, but it is those who [actually] obey the Law who will be justified [pronounced free of the guilt of sin and declared acceptable to Him].

¹⁴When Gentiles, who do not have the Law [since it was given only to Jews], do instinctively the things the Law requires [guided only by their conscience], they are a law to themselves, though they do not have the Law.

¹⁵They show that the essential requirements of the Law are written in their hearts; and their conscience [their sense of right and wrong, their moral choices] bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or perhaps defending them

¹⁶on that day when, as my gospel proclaims, God will judge the secrets [all the hidden thoughts and concealed sins] of men through Christ Jesus.

¹⁷But if you bear the name "Jew" and rely on the Law [for your salvation] and boast in [your special relationship to] God,

¹⁸and [if you claim to] know His will and approve the things that are essential or have a sense of what is excellent, based on your instruction from the Law,

¹⁹and [if you] are confident that you are a [qualified] guide to the blind [those untaught in theology], a light to those who are in darkness,

²⁰and [that you are] a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the [spiritually] childish, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth—

²¹well then, you who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal [in ways that are discrete, but just as sinful]?

²²You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who detest idols, do you rob [pagan] temples [of valuable idols and offerings]?

²³You who boast in the Law, do you [repeatedly] dishonor God by breaking the Law?

²⁴For, "the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you," just as it is written [in Scripture].

²⁵Circumcision [the sign of the covenant of Abraham] is indeed of value if you practice the Law; but if you habitually break the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision [it is meaningless in God's sight].

²⁶So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded [by God] as circumcision?

²⁷Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps [the spirit of] the Law will judge you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, break the Law.

²⁸For he is not a [real] Jew who is only one outwardly, nor is [true] circumcision something external and physical.

²⁹But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and [true] circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by [the fulfillment of] the letter [of the Law]. His praise is not from men, but from God.

¹Paul, an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed) by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,

²to Timothy, my beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

³I thank God, whom I worship and serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day,

⁴and as I recall your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy.

⁵I remember your sincere and unqualified faith [the surrendering of your entire self to God in Christ with confident trust in His power, wisdom and goodness, a faith] which first lived in [the heart of] your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am confident that it is in you as well.

⁶That is why I remind you to fan into flame the gracious gift of God, [that inner fire—the special endowment] which is in you through the laying on of my hands [with those of the elders at your ordination].

⁷For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].

⁸So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord or about me His prisoner, but with me take your share of suffering for the gospel [continue to preach regardless of the circumstances], in accordance with the power of God [for His power is invincible],

⁹for He delivered us and saved us and called us with a holy calling [a calling that leads to a consecrated life—a life set apart—a life of purpose], not because of our works [or because of any personal merit—we could do nothing to earn this], but because of His own purpose and grace [His amazing, undeserved favor] which was granted to us in Christ Jesus before the world began [eternal ages ago],

¹⁰but now [that extraordinary purpose and grace] has been fully disclosed and realized by us through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus who [through His incarnation and earthly ministry] abolished death [making it null and void] and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,

¹¹for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher [of this good news regarding salvation].

¹²This is why I suffer as I do. Still, I am not ashamed; for I know Him [and I am personally acquainted with Him] whom I have believed [with absolute trust and confidence in Him and in the truth of His deity], and I am persuaded [beyond any doubt] that He is able to guard that which I have entrusted to Him until that day [when I stand before Him].

¹³Keep and follow the pattern of sound teaching (doctrine) which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

¹⁴Guard [with greatest care] and keep unchanged, the treasure [that precious truth] which has been entrusted to you [that is, the good news about salvation through personal faith in Christ Jesus], through [the help of] the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

¹⁵You are aware of the fact that all who are in [the province of] Asia turned away and deserted me, Phygelus and Hermogenes among them.

¹⁶The Lord grant mercy to the family of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and showed me kindness [comforting and reviving me like fresh air] and he was not ashamed of my chains [for Christ's sake];

¹⁷but [instead] when he reached Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me—

¹⁸the Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord on that [great] day. You know very well how many things he did for me and what a help he was at Ephesus [you know better than I can tell you].

¹Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said,

²"How long will you hunt for words and continue these speeches? Do some clear thinking and show understanding and then we can talk.

³"Why are we regarded as beasts, As if [we are] stupid (senseless) in your eyes?

⁴"You who tear yourself apart in anger, Is the earth to be abandoned for your sake, Or the rock to be moved out of its place?

⁵"Indeed, the light of the wicked will be put out, And the flame of his fire will not shine.

⁶"The light will be dark in his tent, And his lamp beside him will be put out.

⁷"The vigorous stride will be shortened, And his own counsel and the scheme [in which he trusted] will bring his downfall.

⁸"For the wicked is thrown into a net by his own feet (wickedness), And he steps on the webbing [of the lattice-covered pit].

⁹"A snare catches him by the heel, And a trap snaps shut on him.

¹⁰"A noose is hidden for him on the ground, And a trap for him on the path.

¹¹"Terrors frighten him on every side And chase at his heels.

¹²"The strength [of the wicked] is famished and weakened, And disaster is ready at his side [if he stops].

¹³"His skin is devoured by disease; The firstborn of death [the worst of diseases] consumes his limbs.

¹⁴"He is torn from his tent which he trusted [for safety], And he is marched and brought to the king of terrors (death).

¹⁵"Nothing of his dwells in his tent; Brimstone (burning sulfur) is scattered over his dwelling [to purify it].

¹⁶"The roots [of the wicked] are dried up below, And above, his branch is cut off and withers.

¹⁷"Memory of him perishes from the earth, And he has no name on the street.

¹⁸"He is driven and propelled from light into darkness, And chased from the inhabited world.

¹⁹"He has no offspring or prosperity among his people, Nor any survivor where he sojourned.

²⁰"Those in the west are astonished and appalled at his fate, And those in the east are seized with horror.

²¹"Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked and the ungodly, And such is the place of him who does not know or recognize or honor God."

¹To the Chief Musician; set to [the tune of] "Lilies, a Testimony." A Psalm of Asaph. Hear us O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who sit enthroned above the cherubim [of the ark of the covenant], shine forth!

²Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up Your power And come to save us!

³Restore us, O God; Cause Your face to shine on us [with favor and approval], and we will be saved.

⁴O LORD God of hosts, How long will You be angry with the prayers of Your people?

⁵You have fed them the bread of tears, And You have made them drink [bitter] tears in abundance.

⁶You make us an object of contention to our neighbors, And our enemies laugh [at our suffering] among themselves.

⁷Restore us, O God of hosts; And cause Your face to shine on us [with favor and approval], and we will be saved.

⁸You uprooted a vine (Israel) from Egypt; You drove out the [Canaanite] nations and planted the vine [in Canaan].

⁹You cleared away the ground before it, And it took deep root and filled the land.

¹⁰The mountains were covered with its shadow, And its branches were like the cedars of God.

¹¹Israel sent out its branches to the [Mediterranean] Sea, And its branches to the [Euphrates] River.

¹²Why have You broken down its walls and hedges, So that all who pass by pick its fruit?

¹³A boar from the woods eats it away, And the insects of the field feed on it.

¹⁴Turn again [in favor to us], O God of hosts; Look down from heaven and see, and take care of this vine,

¹⁵Even the stock which Your right hand has planted, And [look down on] the son that You have reared and strengthened for Yourself.

¹⁶It is burned with fire, it is cut down; They perish at the rebuke of Your [angry] appearance.

¹⁷Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand, Upon the son of man whom You have made strong for Yourself.

¹⁸Then we shall not turn back from You; Revive us and we will call on Your name.

¹⁹Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; Cause Your face to shine on us [in favor and approval], and we shall be saved.

¹He who [willfully] separates himself [from God and man] seeks his own desire, He quarrels against all sound wisdom.

²A [closed-minded] fool does not delight in understanding, But only in revealing his personal opinions [unwittingly displaying his self-indulgence and his stupidity].

³When the wicked man comes [to the depth of evil], contempt [of all that is pure and good] also comes, And with inner baseness (dishonor) comes outer shame (scorn).

⁴The words of a man's mouth are like deep waters [copious and difficult to fathom]; The fountain of [mature, godly] wisdom is like a bubbling stream [sparkling, fresh, pure, and life-giving].

⁵To show respect to the wicked person is not good, Nor to push aside and deprive the righteous of justice.

⁶A fool's lips bring contention and strife, And his mouth invites a beating.

⁷A fool's mouth is his ruin, And his lips are the snare of his soul.

⁸The words of a whisperer (gossip) are like dainty morsels [to be greedily eaten]; They go down into the innermost chambers of the body [to be remembered and mused upon].

⁹He who is careless in his work Is a brother to him who destroys.

¹⁰The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous runs to it and is safe and set on high [far above evil].

¹¹The rich man's wealth is his strong city, And like a high wall [of protection] in his own imagination and conceit.

¹²Before disaster the heart of a man is haughty and filled with self-importance, But humility comes before honor.

¹³He who answers before he hears [the facts]— It is folly and shame to him.

¹⁴The spirit of a man sustains him in sickness, But as for a broken spirit, who can bear it?

¹⁵The mind of the prudent [always] acquires knowledge, And the ear of the wise [always] seeks knowledge.

¹⁶A man's gift [given in love or courtesy] makes room for him And brings him before great men.

¹⁷The first one to plead his case seems right, Until another comes and cross-examines him.

¹⁸To cast lots puts an end to quarrels And decides between powerful contenders.

¹⁹A brother offended is harder to win over than a fortified city, And contentions [separating families] are like the bars of a castle.

²⁰A man's stomach will be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; He will be satisfied with the consequence of his words.

²¹Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.

²²He who finds a [ true and faithful] wife finds a good thing And obtains favor and approval from the LORD.

²³The poor man pleads, But the rich man answers roughly.

²⁴The man of too many friends [chosen indiscriminately] will be broken in pieces and come to ruin, But there is a [true, loving] friend who [is reliable and] sticks closer than a brother.

¹Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them and fell slain on Mount Gilboa.

²The Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and they killed Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, Saul's sons.

³The battle went heavily against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was severely wounded by the archers.

⁴Saul said to his armor bearer, "Draw your sword and pierce me through with it, otherwise these uncircumcised [Philistines] will come and pierce me through and abuse and mock me." But his armor bearer would not, because he was terrified [of doing such a thing]. So Saul took his sword and fell on it.

⁵When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him.

⁶So Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men died together on that day.

⁷When the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley [of Jezreel], and those who were beyond the Jordan, saw that the other men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled; then the Philistines came and lived in them.

⁸The next day, when the Philistines came to plunder the dead, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.

⁹So they cut off Saul's head and stripped off his weapons and armor and sent them throughout the land of the Philistines, to bring the good news to the house of their idols and to the people.

¹⁰And they put Saul's weapons and armor in the temple of the Ashtaroth (female goddesses), and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.

¹¹When the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,

¹²all the brave men stood and walked all night, and they took the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh and cremated them there.

¹³They took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and fasted [as a sign of mourning and respect] for seven days.

¹The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:

²"Judah mourns And her gates languish; Her people sit on the ground in mourning clothes And the cry of Jerusalem has gone up.

³"Their nobles have sent their servants for water; They have come to the cisterns and found no water. They have returned with empty vessels; They have been shamed and humiliated, And they cover their heads.

⁴"The ground is cracked Because there has been no rain on the land; The farmers are distressed, And they have covered their heads [in shame].

⁵"The doe in the field has given birth only to abandon her young Because there is no grass.

⁶"And the wild donkeys stand on the barren heights; They pant for air like jackals, Their eyesight fails Because there is no grass.

⁷"O LORD, though our many sins testify against us" [prays Jeremiah], "Act now [for us and] for Your name's sake [so that the faithless may witness Your faithfulness]! For our backslidings are countless; We have sinned against You.

⁸"O Hope of Israel, Her Savior in time of distress and trouble, Why should You be like a sojourner (temporary resident) in the land Or like a traveler who turns aside and spreads his tent to linger [only] for a night?

⁹"Why should You be [hesitant and inactive] like a man astounded and perplexed, Like a mighty man unable to save? Yet You, O LORD, are among us, And we are called by Your name; Do not leave us!"

¹⁰Thus says the LORD to this people [Judah], "In the manner and to the degree [already pointed out] they have loved to wander; they have not restrained their feet. Therefore the LORD does not accept them; He will now remember [in detail] their wickedness and punish them for their sins."

¹¹So the LORD said to me, "Do not pray for good things for this people.

¹²Though they fast, I will not hear their cry; and though they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them [because they are done as obligations, and not as acts of loving obedience]. Instead I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence."

¹³But I said, "Alas, Lord GOD! Behold, the [false] prophets are telling them, 'You will not see the sword nor will you have famine, but I [the LORD] will give you lasting peace in this place.'"

¹⁴Then the LORD said to me, "The [counterfeit] prophets are prophesying lies in My Name. I have neither sent them nor authorized them nor spoken to them. They are prophesying to you made-up visions [pretending to call forth responses from handmade gods], a worthless divination and the deceit of their own mind.

¹⁵Therefore, thus says the LORD concerning the [false] prophets who are prophesying in My Name, although I did not send them—yet they keep saying, 'Sword and famine shall not be in this land': by sword and famine those prophets shall meet their end and be consumed.

¹⁶And the people to whom they are prophesying will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem, victims of famine and sword; and they will have no one to bury them—neither them, nor their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters. For I will pour out their [own] wickedness on them [and not only on the imposters posing as prophets, for the people could not have been deceived without their own consent].

¹⁷"Therefore [Jeremiah] you will say this word to them, 'Let my eyes flow with tears night and day, And let them never cease; For the virgin daughter of my people has been crushed with a great blow, With a very serious and severely infected wound.

¹⁸'If I go out into the field, Then I gaze on those slaughtered with the sword! And if I enter the city, Then I gaze on [those tormented with] the diseases of famine! For both prophet and priest [who should have guided the people] Go about [bewildered and exiled] in a land (Babylon) that they do not know or understand.'"

¹⁹Have You [O LORD] completely rejected Judah? Do You loathe Zion? Why have You stricken us so that there is no healing for us? We looked for peace and completeness, but nothing good came; And [we hoped] for a time of healing, but behold, terror!

²⁰We know and acknowledge, O LORD, Our wickedness and the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against You.

²¹Do not treat us with contempt and condemn us, for Your own name's sake; Do not disgrace Your glorious throne; Remember [with consideration] and do not break Your [solemn] covenant with us.

²²Are there any among the idols of the nations who can send rain? Or can the heavens [of their own will] give showers? Is it not You, O LORD our God? Therefore we will wait and hope [confidently] in You, For You are the one who has made all these things [the heavens and the rain].

¹Five days later, the high priest Ananias came down [from Jerusalem to Caesarea] with some elders and an attorney named Tertullus [acting as spokesman and counsel]. They presented to the governor their [formal] charges against Paul.

²After Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began the complaint [against him], saying to the governor: "Since through you we have attained great peace, and since by your foresight reforms are being carried out for this nation,

³in every way and in every place, most excellent Felix, we acknowledge this with all gratitude.

⁴But so that I do not weary you further, I beg you to grant us, by your kindness, a brief hearing.

⁵For we have found this man to be a public menace and one who instigates dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the [heretical] sect of the Nazarenes.

⁶He even tried to desecrate the temple, but we took him into custody[and we intended to judge him by our Law,

⁷but Lysias the commander came, and with great force took him out of our hands,

⁸and ordered his accusers to come before you.] By interrogating him yourself concerning all these matters you will be able to determine [the truth about] these things with which we charge him."

⁹The Jews also joined in the attack, declaring and insisting that these things were so.

¹⁰When the governor nodded for him to speak, Paul answered, "Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I make my defense cheerfully and with good courage.

¹¹As you can easily verify, it has been no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship.

¹²Neither in the temple, nor in the synagogues, nor elsewhere in the city did they find me carrying on a discussion or disputing with anybody or causing a crowd to gather.

¹³Nor can they present evidence to you to prove what they now bring against me.

¹⁴But I confess this to you, that according to the Way, which they call a [divisive and heretical] sect, I do worship and serve the God of our fathers, [confidently] believing everything that is in accordance with the Law [of Moses] and that is written in the Prophets;

¹⁵having [the same] hope in God which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of [the dead], both of the righteous and of the wicked.

¹⁶In view of this, I also do my best and strive always to have a clear conscience before God and before men.

¹⁷Now after several years I came [to Jerusalem] to bring to my people charitable contributions and offerings.

¹⁸They found me in the temple presenting these offerings, after I had undergone [the rites of] purification, without any crowd or uproar. But there were some Jews from [the west coast province of] Asia [Minor],

¹⁹who ought to have been here before you to present their charges, if they have anything against me.

²⁰Or else let these men tell what crime they found [me guilty of] when I stood before the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court),

²¹other than for this one statement which I had shouted out as I stood among them, 'For the resurrection of the dead I am on trial before you today.'"

²²But Felix, having a rather accurate understanding about the Way, put them off, saying, "When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case."

²³Then he ordered the centurion to keep Paul in custody, but to let him have some freedom, and [he told the centurion] not to stop any of his friends from providing for his needs.

²⁴Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and listened to him talk about faith in Christ Jesus.

²⁵But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control [honorable behavior, personal integrity], and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, "Go away for now, and when I find [a convenient] time I will send for you."

²⁶At the same time he was also hoping to get money from Paul [as a bribe]; so he continued to send for him quite often and talked with him.

²⁷But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded [in office] by Porcius Festus; and wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul imprisoned.