Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹In those days John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the Wilderness of Judea [along the western side of the Dead Sea] and saying,

²" Repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God's purpose for your life], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

³This is the one who was mentioned by the prophet Isaiah when he said, "The voice of one shouting in the wilderness, 'Prepare the road for the Lord, Make His highways straight (level, direct)!'"

⁴Now this same John had clothing made of camel's hair and a [wide] leather band around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

⁵At that time Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan;

⁶and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.

⁷But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the [divine] wrath and judgment to come?

⁸So produce fruit that is consistent with repentance [demonstrating new behavior that proves a change of heart, and a conscious decision to turn away from sin];

⁹and do not presume to say to yourselves [as a defense], 'We have Abraham for our father [so our inheritance assures us of salvation]'; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children (descendants) for Abraham.

¹⁰And already the axe [of God's judgment] is swinging toward the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

¹¹"As for me, I baptize you with water because of [your] repentance [that is, because you are willing to change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret your sin and live a changed life], but He (the Messiah) who is coming after me is mightier [more powerful, more noble] than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to remove [even as His slave]; He will baptize you [who truly repent] with the Holy Spirit and [you who remain unrepentant] with fire (judgment).

¹²His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear out His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat (believers) into His barn (kingdom), but He will burn up the chaff (the unrepentant) with unquenchable fire."

¹³Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan [River], to be baptized by him.

¹⁴But John tried to prevent Him [vigorously protesting], saying, "It is I who need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?"

¹⁵But Jesus replied to him, "Permit it just now; for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then John permitted [it and baptized] Him.

¹⁶After Jesus was baptized, He came up immediately out of the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he (John) saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him (Jesus),

¹⁷and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased and delighted!"

¹'When anyone presents a grain offering to the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour, and he shall pour [olive] oil over it and put frankincense on it.

²He shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests. Out of it he shall take a handful of the fine flour and oil, with all of its frankincense, and the priest shall offer this up in smoke on the altar [of burnt offering] as the memorial portion of it. It is an offering by fire, a sweet and soothing aroma to the LORD.

³What is left of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the offerings to the LORD by fire.

⁴'When you bring an offering of grain baked in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers spread with oil.

⁵If your offering is grain baked on a griddle, it shall be of fine unleavened flour, mixed with oil.

⁶You are to break it into pieces, and you shall pour oil on it; it is a grain offering.

⁷Now if your offering is grain cooked in a lidded pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.

⁸When you bring the grain offering that is made of these things to the LORD, it shall be presented to the priest, and he shall bring it to the altar [of burnt offering].

⁹The priest shall take from the grain offering its memorial portion and offer it up in smoke on the altar. It is an offering by fire, a sweet and soothing aroma to the LORD.

¹⁰What is left of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the offerings to the LORD by fire.

¹¹'No grain offering that you bring to the LORD shall be made with leaven, for you shall not offer up in smoke any leaven [which symbolizes the spread of sin] or any honey [which, like leaven, is subject to fermentation] in any offering by fire to the LORD.

¹²As an offering of first fruits you may offer them [leaven and honey] to the LORD, but they shall not go up [in smoke] on the altar as a sweet and soothing aroma.

¹³You shall season every grain offering with salt so that the salt (preservation) of the covenant of your God will not be missing from your grain offering. You shall offer salt with all your offerings.

¹⁴'If you bring a grain offering of early ripened things to the LORD, you shall bring fresh heads of grain roasted in the fire, crushed grain of new growth, for the grain offering of your early ripened things.

¹⁵You shall put oil on it and lay incense on it; it is a grain offering.

¹⁶The priest shall offer up in smoke its memorial portion, part of the crushed grain and part of its oil with all its incense; it is an offering by fire to the LORD.

¹As for the one whose faith is weak, accept him [into your fellowship], but not for [the purpose of] quarreling over his opinions.

²One man's faith permits him to eat everything, while the weak believer eats only vegetables [to avoid eating ritually unclean meat or something previously considered unclean].

³The one who eats [everything] is not to look down on the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat must not criticize or pass judgment on the one who eats [everything], for God has accepted him.

⁴Who are you to judge the servant of another? Before his own master he stands [approved] or falls [out of favor]. And he [who serves the Master—the Lord] will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

⁵One person regards one day as better [or more important] than another, while another regards every day [the same as any other]. Let everyone be fully convinced (assured, satisfied) in his own mind.

⁶He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord. He who eats, eats for the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; while he who abstains, abstains for the Lord and gives thanks to God.

⁷None of us lives for himself [for his own benefit, but for the Lord], and none of us dies for himself [but for the Lord].

⁸If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. So then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.

⁹For Christ died and lived again for this reason, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

¹⁰But you, why do you criticize your brother? Or you again, why do you look down on your [believing] brother or regard him with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God [who alone is judge].

¹¹For it is written [in Scripture], "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall give praise to God."

¹²So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

¹³Then let us not criticize one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block or a source of temptation in another believer's way.

¹⁴I know and am convinced [as one] in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean [ritually defiled, and unholy] in itself; but [nonetheless] it is unclean to anyone who thinks it is unclean.

¹⁵If your brother is being hurt or offended because of food [that you insist on eating], you are no longer walking in love [toward him]. Do not let what you eat destroy and spiritually harm one for whom Christ died.

¹⁶Therefore do not let what is a good thing for you [because of your freedom to choose] be spoken of as evil [by someone else];

¹⁷for the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking [what one likes], but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸For the one who serves Christ in this way [recognizing that food choice is secondary] is acceptable to God and is approved by men.

¹⁹So then, let us pursue [with enthusiasm] the things which make for peace and the building up of one another [things which lead to spiritual growth].

²⁰Do not, for the sake of food, tear down the work of God. All things indeed are [ceremonially] clean, but they are wrong for the person who eats and offends [another's conscience in the process].

²¹It is good [to do the right thing and] not eat meat or drink wine, or do anything that offends your brother and weakens him spiritually.

²²The faith which you have [that gives you freedom of choice], have as your own conviction before God [just keep it between yourself and God, seeking His will]. Happy is he who has no reason to condemn himself for what he approves.

²³But he who is uncertain [about eating a particular thing] is condemned if he eats, because he is not acting from faith. Whatever is not from faith is sin [whatever is done with doubt is sinful].

¹Come [quickly] now, you rich [who lack true faith and hoard and misuse your resources], weep and howl over the miseries [the woes, the judgments] that are coming upon you.

²Your wealth has rotted and is ruined and your [fine] clothes have become moth-eaten.

³Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. You have stored up your treasure in the last days [when it will do you no good].

⁴Look! The wages that you have [fraudulently] withheld from the laborers who have mowed your fields are crying out [against you for vengeance]; and the cries of the harvesters have come to the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.

⁵On the earth you have lived luxuriously and abandoned yourselves to soft living and led a life of wanton pleasure [self-indulgence, self-gratification]; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.

⁶You have condemned and have put to death the righteous man; he offers you no resistance.

⁷So wait patiently, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits [expectantly] for the precious harvest from the land, being patient about it, until it receives the early and late rains.

⁸You too, be patient; strengthen your hearts [keep them energized and firmly committed to God], because the coming of the Lord is near.

⁹Do not complain against one another, believers, so that you will not be judged [for it]. Look! The Judge is standing right at the door.

¹⁰As an example, brothers and sisters, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord [as His messengers and representatives].

¹¹You know we call those blessed [happy, spiritually prosperous, favored by God] who were steadfast and endured [difficult circumstances]. You have heard of the patient endurance of Job and you have seen the Lord's outcome [how He richly blessed Job]. The Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.

¹²But above all, my fellow believers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but let your yes be [a truthful] yes, and your no be [a truthful] no, so that you may not fall under judgment.

¹³Is anyone among you suffering? He must pray. Is anyone joyful? He is to sing praises [to God].

¹⁴Is anyone among you sick? He must call for the elders (spiritual leaders) of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;

¹⁵and the prayer of faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

¹⁶Therefore, confess your sins to one another [your false steps, your offenses], and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power].

¹⁷Elijah was a man with a nature like ours [with the same physical, mental, and spiritual limitations and shortcomings], and he prayed intensely for it not to rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.

¹⁸Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its crops [as usual].

¹⁹My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you strays from the truth and falls into error and [another] one turns him back [to God],

²⁰let the [latter] one know that the one who has turned a sinner from the error of his way will save that one's soul from death and cover a multitude of sins [that is, obtain the pardon of the many sins committed by the one who has been restored].

¹"But now those younger than I mock and laugh at me, Whose fathers I refused to put with the sheepdogs of my flock.

²"Indeed, how could the strength of their hands profit me? Vigor had perished from them.

³"They are gaunt with want and famine; They gnaw the dry and barren ground by night in [the gloom of] waste and desolation.

⁴"They pluck [and eat] saltwort (mallows) among the bushes, And their food is the root of the broom shrub.

⁵"They are driven from the community; They shout after them as after a thief.

⁶"They must dwell on the slopes of wadis And in holes in the ground and in rocks.

⁷"Among the bushes they cry out [like wild animals]; Beneath the prickly scrub they gather and huddle together.

⁸"They are the sons of [worthless and nameless] fools, They have been driven out of the land.

⁹"And now I have become [the subject of] their taunting; Yes, I am a byword and a laughingstock to them.

¹⁰"They hate me, they stand aloof from me, And do not refrain from spitting in my face.

¹¹"For God has loosed His bowstring [attacking me] and [He has] afflicted and humbled me; They have cast off the bridle [of restraint] before me.

¹²"On my right the [rabble] brood rises; They push my feet away, and they build up their ways of destruction against me [like an advancing army].

¹³"They break up and clutter my path [upsetting my plans], They profit from my destruction; No one restrains them.

¹⁴"As through a wide breach they come, Amid the crash [of falling walls] they roll on [over me].

¹⁵"Terrors are turned upon me; They chase away my honor and reputation like the wind, And my prosperity has passed away like a cloud.

¹⁶"And now my soul is poured out within me; The days of affliction have seized me.

¹⁷"My bones are pierced [with aching] in the night season, And the pains that gnaw me take no rest.

¹⁸"By the great force [of my disease] my garment (skin) is disfigured and blemished; It binds about me [choking me] like the collar of my coat.

¹⁹"God has cast me into the mire [a swampland of crisis], And I have become [worthless] like dust and ashes.

²⁰"I cry to You for help, [Lord,] but You do not answer me; I stand up, but You [only] gaze [indifferently] at me.

²¹"You have become harsh and cruel to me; With the might of Your hand You [keep me alive only to] persecute me.

²²"You lift me up on the wind and cause me to ride [upon it]; And You toss me about in the tempest and dissolve me in the storm.

²³"For I know that You will bring me to death And to the house of meeting [appointed] for all the living.

²⁴"However, does not one falling in a heap of ruins stretch out his hand? Or in his disaster [will he not] therefore cry out for help?

²⁵"Did I not weep for one whose life was hard and filled with trouble? Was not my heart grieved for the needy?

²⁶"When I expected good, then came evil [to me]; And when I waited for light, then came darkness.

²⁷"I am seething within and my heart is troubled and cannot rest; Days of affliction come to meet me.

²⁸"I go about mourning without comfort [my skin blackened by disease, not by the heat of the sun]; I stand up in the assembly and cry out for help.

²⁹"I am a brother to [howling] jackals, And a companion to ostriches [which scream dismally].

³⁰"My skin falls from me in blackened flakes, And my bones are burned with fever.

³¹"Therefore my lyre (harp) is used for [the sound of] mourning, And my flute for the [sound of the] voices of those who weep.

¹A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath day. It is a good and delightful thing to give thanks to the LORD, To sing praises to Your name, O Most High,

²To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning And Your faithfulness by night,

³With an instrument of ten strings and with the harp, With a solemn sound on the lyre.

⁴For You, O LORD, have made me glad by Your works; At the works of Your hands I joyfully sing.

⁵How great are Your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep [beyond man's understanding].

⁶A senseless man [in his crude and uncultivated state] knows nothing, Nor does a [self-righteous] fool understand this:

⁷That though the wicked sprout up like grass And all evildoers flourish, They will be destroyed forever.

⁸But You, LORD, are on high forever.

⁹For behold, Your enemies, O LORD, For behold, Your enemies will perish; All who do evil will be scattered.

¹⁰But my horn [my emblem of strength and power] You have exalted like that of a wild ox; I am anointed with fresh oil [for Your service].

¹¹My eye has looked on my foes; My ears hear of the evildoers who rise up against me.

¹²The righteous will flourish like the date palm [long-lived, upright and useful]; They will grow like a cedar in Lebanon [majestic and stable].

¹³Planted in the house of the LORD, They will flourish in the courts of our God.

¹⁴[Growing in grace] they will still thrive and bear fruit and prosper in old age; They will flourish and be vital and fresh [rich in trust and love and contentment];

¹⁵[They are living memorials] to declare that the LORD is upright and faithful [to His promises]; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

¹The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the oracle: The man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and to Ucal:

²Surely I am more brutish and stupid than any man, And I do not have the understanding of a man [for I do not know what I do not know].

³I have not learned [skillful and godly] wisdom, Nor do I have knowledge of the Holy One [who is the source of wisdom].

⁴Who has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in His garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son's name? Certainly you know!

⁵Every word of God is tested and refined [like silver]; He is a shield to those who trust and take refuge in Him.

⁶Do not add to His words, Or He will reprove you, and you will be found a liar.

⁷Two things I have asked of You; Do not deny them to me before I die:

⁸Keep deception and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion,

⁹So that I will not be full and deny You and say, "Who is the LORD?" Or that I will not be poor and steal, And so profane the name of my God.

¹⁰Do not slander or malign a servant before his master [stay out of another's personal life], Or he will curse you [for your interference], and you will be found guilty.

¹¹There is a generation (class of people) that curses its father And does not bless its mother.

¹²There is a generation (class of people) that is pure in its own eyes, Yet is not washed from its filthiness.

¹³There is a generation (class of people)—oh, how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are raised in arrogance.

¹⁴There is a generation (class of people) whose teeth are like swords And whose jaw teeth are like knives, To devour the afflicted from the earth And the needy from among men.

¹⁵The leech has two daughters, "Give, give!" There are three things that are never satisfied, Four that do not say, "It is enough":

¹⁶Sheol, and the barren womb, Earth that is never satisfied with water, And fire that never says, "It is enough."

¹⁷The eye that mocks a father And scorns a mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young vultures will devour it.

¹⁸There are three things which are too astounding and unexpectedly wonderful for me, Four which I do not understand:

¹⁹The way of an eagle in the air, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the middle of the sea, And the way of a man with a maid.

²⁰This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth And says, "I have done no wrong."

²¹Under three things the earth is disquieted and quakes, And under four it cannot bear up:

²²Under a servant when he reigns, Under a [spiritually blind] fool when he is filled with food,

²³Under an unloved woman when she gets married, And under a maidservant when she supplants her mistress.

²⁴There are four things that are small on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise:

²⁵The ants are not a strong people, Yet they prepare their food in the summer;

²⁶The shephanim are not a mighty folk, Yet they make their houses in the rocks;

²⁷The locusts have no king, Yet all of them go out in groups;

²⁸You may grasp the lizard with your hands, Yet it is in kings' palaces.

²⁹There are three things which are stately in step, Even four which are stately in their stride:

³⁰The lion, which is mighty among beasts And does not turn back before any;

³¹The strutting rooster, the male goat also, And the king when his army is with him.

³²If you have foolishly exalted yourself, Or if you have plotted evil, put your hand on your mouth.

³³Surely the churning of milk produces butter, And wringing the nose produces blood; So the churning of anger produces strife.

¹And the LORD sent Nathan [the prophet] to David. He came and said to him, "There were two men in a city, one rich and the other poor.

²"The rich man had a very large number of flocks and herds,

³But the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb Which he had purchased and nourished; And it grew up together with him and his children. It ate his food, drank from his cup, it lay in his arms, And was like a daughter to him.

⁴"Now a traveler (visitor) came to the rich man, And to avoid taking one from his own flock or herd To prepare [a meal] for the traveler who had come to him, He took the poor man's ewe lamb and prepared it for his guest."

⁵Then David's anger burned intensely against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die.

⁶He shall make restitution for the ewe lamb four times as much [as the lamb was worth], because he did this thing and had no compassion."

⁷Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'I anointed you as king over Israel, and I spared you from the hand of Saul.

⁸I also gave you your master's house, and put your master's wives into your care and under your protection, and I gave you the house (royal dynasty) of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have given you much more!

⁹Why have you despised the word of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife. You have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.

¹⁰Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.'

¹¹Thus says the LORD, 'Behold, I will stir up evil against you from your own household; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight.

¹²Indeed you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and in broad daylight.'"

¹³David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has allowed your sin to pass [without further punishment]; you shall not die.

¹⁴Nevertheless, because by this deed you have given [a great] opportunity to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme [Him], the son that is born to you shall certainly die."

¹⁵Then Nathan went [back] to his home. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's widow bore to David, and he was very sick.

¹⁶David therefore appealed to God for the child [to be healed]; and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground.

¹⁷The elders of his household stood by him [in the night] to lift him up from the ground, but he was unwilling [to get up] and would not eat food with them.

¹⁸Then it happened on the seventh day that the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, "While the child was still alive, we spoke to him and he would not listen to our voices. How then can we tell him the child is dead, since he might harm himself [or us]?"

¹⁹But when David saw that his servants were whispering to one another, he realized that the child was dead. So David said to them, "Is the child dead?" And they said, "He is dead."

²⁰Then David got up from the ground, washed, anointed himself [with olive oil], changed his clothes, and went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he came [back] to his own house, and when he asked, they set food before him and he ate.

²¹Then his servants said to him, "What is this thing that you have done? While the child was alive you fasted and wept, but when the child died, you got up and ate food."

²²David said, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I thought, 'Who knows, the LORD may be gracious to me and the child may live.'

²³But now he is dead; why should I [continue to] fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him [when I die], but he will not return to me."

²⁴David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and went to her and lay with her; and she gave birth to a son, and David named him Solomon. And the LORD loved the child;

²⁵and He sent word through Nathan the prophet, and he named him Jedidiah (beloved of the LORD) for the sake of the LORD [who loved the child].

²⁶Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal city.

²⁷Joab sent messengers to David and said, "I have fought against Rabbah; I have even taken the city of waters.

²⁸So now, assemble the rest of the men, and camp against the city and capture it, or I will take the city myself, and it will be named after me."

²⁹So David gathered all the men together and went to Rabbah, then fought against it and captured it.

³⁰And he took the crown of their king from his head; it weighed a talent of gold, and [set in it was] a precious stone; and it was placed on David's head. And he brought the spoil out of the city in great amounts.

³¹He also brought out the people who were there, and put them to [work with] the saws and sharp iron instruments and iron axes, and made them work at the brickkiln. And he did this to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the men returned to Jerusalem.

¹In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the LORD, saying,

²"Thus says the LORD, 'Stand in the court of the Lord's house [Jeremiah], and speak to all [the people of] the cities of Judah who have come to worship in the Lord's house all the words that I have commanded you to speak to them. Do not omit a word!

³It may be that they will listen and everyone will turn from his wickedness, so that I may relent and reverse [My decision concerning] the disaster which I am planning to do to them because of their malevolent deeds.'

⁴And you will say to them, 'Thus says the LORD, "If you will not listen to Me and obey My law which I have set before you,

⁵and listen and follow [carefully] the words of My servants the prophets, whom I have been sending to you repeatedly—though you have not listened—

⁶then I will make this house [the temple] like Shiloh, and I will make this city [subject to] the curse of all nations of the earth [because it will be so vile in their sight]."'"

⁷The priests and the [false] prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD.

⁸Now when Jeremiah finished proclaiming everything that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests and the [false] prophets and all the people seized him, saying, "You must die!

⁹Why have you prophesied in the name of the LORD saying, 'This house will be like Shiloh [after the ark of the LORD had been taken by our enemies] and this city [Jerusalem] will be desolate, without inhabitant'?" And all the people were gathered around Jeremiah in the [outer area of the] house of the LORD.

¹⁰When the princes (court officials) of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king's house to the house of the LORD and sat in the entrance of the New Gate of the house of the LORD.

¹¹Then the priests and the [false] prophets said to the princes and to all the people, "This man is deserving of death, for he has prophesied against this city as you have heard with your own ears."

¹²Then Jeremiah spoke to all the princes and to all the people, saying, "The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard.

¹³Therefore, now change your ways and your deeds and obey the voice of the LORD your God; then the LORD will relent and reverse His decision concerning the misfortune which He has pronounced against you.

¹⁴As for me, behold, I am in your hands; do with me as seems good and suitable to you.

¹⁵But know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and on its inhabitants, for in truth the LORD has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing."

¹⁶Then the princes and all the people said to the priests and to the [false] prophets, "This man is not deserving of death, for he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God."

¹⁷Then some of the elders of the land stood up and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying,

¹⁸"Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Zion will be plowed like a field, And Jerusalem will become [heaps of] ruins, And the mountain of the house [of the LORD—Mount Moriah, on which stands the temple, shall become covered not with buildings, but] like a densely wooded height."'

¹⁹"Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put Micah to death? Did he not [reverently] fear the LORD and entreat the favor of the LORD? And did not the LORD relent and reverse His decision concerning the misfortune which He had pronounced against them? But [here] we are [thinking of] committing a great evil against ourselves."

²⁰And there was also a man who prophesied in the name of the LORD, Uriah the son of Shemaiah of Kiriath-jearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land in words similar to all those of Jeremiah.

²¹And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put Uriah to death; but when Uriah heard of it, he was afraid and fled and escaped to Egypt.

²²Then Jehoiakim the king sent men to Egypt: Elnathan the son of Achbor and certain [other] men with him [went] to Egypt.

²³And they brought Uriah [God's spokesman] from Egypt and led him to King Jehoiakim, who executed him with a sword and threw his dead body among the graves of the common people.

²⁴But the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so that he was not given into the hands of the people to put him to death.

¹Saul wholeheartedly approved of Stephen's death. And on that day a great and relentless persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem; and the believers were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles.

²Some devout men buried Stephen, and mourned greatly over him [expressing a personal sense of loss].

³But Saul began ravaging the church [and assaulting believers]; entering house after house and dragging off men and women, putting them in prison.

⁴Now those [believers] who had been scattered went from place to place preaching the word [the good news of salvation through Christ].

⁵Philip [the evangelist] went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) to them.

⁶The crowds gathered and were paying close attention to everything Philip said, as they heard [the message] and saw the [miraculous] signs which he was doing [validating his message].

⁷For unclean spirits (demons), shouting loudly, were coming out of many who were possessed; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed.

⁸So there was great rejoicing in that city.

⁹Now there was a man named Simon, who previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great.

¹⁰They all paid [a great deal of] attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is what is called the Great Power of God!"

¹¹They were paying attention to him because for a long time he had mystified and dazzled them with his magic.

¹²But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, both men and women.

¹³Even Simon believed [Philip's message of salvation]; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he watched the attesting signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.

¹⁴When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that [the people of] Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.

¹⁵They came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit;

¹⁶for He had not yet fallen on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus [as His possession].

¹⁷Then Peter and John laid their hands on them [one by one], and they received the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,

¹⁹saying, "Give me this authority and power too, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit."

²⁰But Peter said to him, "May your money be destroyed along with you, because you thought you could buy the [free] gift of God with money!

²¹You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart (motive, purpose) is not right before God.

²²So repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, this thought of your heart may be forgiven you.

²³For I see that you are provoked by bitterness and bound by sin."

²⁴But Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me both of you, so that nothing of what you have said will come upon me."

²⁵So, when Peter and John had given their testimony and preached the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, preaching the good news [about salvation] in many Samaritan villages [along the way].

²⁶But an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Get up and go south to the road that runs from Jerusalem down to Gaza." (This is a desert road).

²⁷So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch [a man of great authority], a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship,

²⁸and he was returning, and sitting in his chariot he was reading [the scroll of] the prophet Isaiah.

²⁹Then the [Holy] Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot."

³⁰Philip ran up and heard the man reading the prophet Isaiah, and asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?"

³¹And he said, "Well, how could I [understand] unless someone guides me [correctly]?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

³²Now this was the passage of Scripture which he was reading: "Like a sheep He was led to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He does not open His mouth.

³³"In humiliation His judgment was taken away [justice was denied Him]. Who will describe His generation? For His life is taken from the earth."

³⁴The eunuch replied to Philip, "Please tell me, about whom does the prophet say this? About himself or about someone else?"

³⁵Then Philip spoke and beginning with this Scripture he preached Jesus to him [explaining that He is the promised Messiah and the source of salvation].

³⁶As they continued along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch exclaimed, "Look! Water! What forbids me from being baptized?"

³⁷[Philip said to him, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he replied, "I do believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."]

³⁸And he ordered that the chariot be stopped; and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

³⁹When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord [suddenly] took Philip [and carried him] away [to a different place]; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but he went on his way rejoicing.

⁴⁰But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the good news [of salvation] to all the cities, until he came to Caesarea [Maritima].