Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹Then Jesus was led by the [Holy] Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

²After He had gone without food for forty days and forty nights, He became hungry.

³And the tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread."

⁴But Jesus replied, "It is written and forever remains written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God.'"

⁵Then the devil took Him into the holy city [Jerusalem] and placed Him on the pinnacle (highest point) of the temple.

⁶And he said [mockingly] to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, 'He will command His angels concerning You [to serve, care for, protect and watch over You]'; and 'They will lift you up on their hands, So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.'"

⁷Jesus said to him, "On the other hand, it is written and forever remains written, 'You shall not test the Lord your God.'"

⁸Again, the devil took Him up on a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory [splendor, magnificence, and excellence] of them;

⁹and he said to Him, "All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me."

¹⁰Then Jesus said to him, "Go away, Satan! For it is written and forever remains written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.'"

¹¹Then the devil left Him; and angels came and ministered to Him [bringing Him food and serving Him].

¹²Now when Jesus heard that John [the Baptist] had been arrested and put in prison, He left for Galilee.

¹³And leaving Nazareth, He went and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the country of Zebulun and Naphtali.

¹⁴This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

¹⁵"The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee [in the district] of the Gentiles—

¹⁶"The people who were sitting (living) in [spiritual] darkness have seen a great Light, And for those who were sitting (living) in the land and shadow of [spiritual and moral] death, Upon them a Light has dawned."

¹⁷From that time Jesus began to preach and say, " 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."

¹⁸As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He noticed two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.

¹⁹And He said to them, " Follow Me [as My disciples, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk], and I will make you fishers of men."

²⁰Immediately they left their nets and followed Him [becoming His disciples, believing and trusting in Him and following His example].

²¹And going on [further] from there He noticed two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets; and He called them [to follow Him as His disciples].

²²Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him [becoming His disciples, believing and trusting in Him and following His example].

²³And He went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the good news (gospel) of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people [demonstrating and revealing that He was indeed the promised Messiah].

²⁴So the news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were sick, those suffering with various diseases and pains, those under the power of demons, and epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them.

²⁵Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and the other side of the Jordan.

¹'If a man's offering is a sacrifice of peace offerings, if he offers an animal from the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD.

²He shall lay his hand on the head of his offering [transferring symbolically his guilt to the sacrifice] and kill it at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting; and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood around on the altar.

³From the sacrifice of the peace offerings, an offering by fire to the LORD, he shall present the fat that covers the entrails, and all the fat which is on the entrails,

⁴and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins, and the lobe of the liver which he shall remove with the kidneys.

⁵Aaron's sons shall offer it up in smoke on the altar [placing it] on the burnt offering which is on the wood that is on the fire. It is an offering by fire, a sweet and soothing aroma to the LORD.

⁶If his peace offering to the LORD is an animal from the flock, male or female, he shall offer the animal without blemish.

⁷If he offers a lamb as his offering, then he shall present it before the LORD,

⁸and he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering and kill it before the Tent of Meeting, and Aaron's sons shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar.

⁹From the sacrifice of peace offerings he shall bring as an offering by fire to the LORD, its fat, the entire fat tail which he shall remove close to the backbone, and the fat that covers the entrails, and all the fat which is on the entrails,

¹⁰and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he shall remove with the kidneys.

¹¹The priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar as food, an offering by fire to the LORD.

¹²'If his offering is a goat, he shall present it before the LORD,

¹³and he shall lay his hand on its head [transferring symbolically his guilt to the sacrifice], and kill it before the Tent of Meeting; and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar.

¹⁴Then he shall present from it as his offering, an offering by fire to the LORD: the fat that covers the entrails, and all the fat that is on the entrails,

¹⁵and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins, and the lobe of the liver which he shall remove with the kidneys.

¹⁶The priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar as food. It is an offering by fire, a sweet and soothing aroma; all the fat is the Lord's.

¹⁷It is a permanent statute for your generations wherever you may be, that you shall not eat any fat or any blood.'"

¹Now we who are strong [in our convictions and faith] ought to [patiently] put up with the weaknesses of those who are not strong, and not just please ourselves.

²Let each one of us [make it a practice to] please his neighbor for his good, to build him up spiritually.

³For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written [in Scripture], "The reproaches of those who reproached You (the Father) fell on Me (the Son)."

⁴For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope and overflow with confidence in His promises.

⁵Now may the God who gives endurance and who supplies encouragement grant that you be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus,

⁶so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify and praise and honor the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁷Therefore, [continue to] accept and welcome one another, just as Christ has accepted and welcomed us to the glory of [our great] God.

⁸For I tell you that Christ has become a servant and a minister to the circumcision (Jews) on behalf of God's truth, to confirm and verify the promises made to the fathers,

⁹and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy [to them, since God had no covenant with them]. As it is written and forever remains written, "Therefore I praise You among the Gentiles, And sing praises to Your name."

¹⁰Again it says, "Rejoice and celebrate, O Gentiles, along with His people."

¹¹And again, "Praise the Lord all you Gentiles, And let all the peoples praise Him!"

¹²Again Isaiah says, "There shall be a root ofJesse, He who arises to rule [as King] over the Gentiles, In Him shall the Gentiles hope."

¹³May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you will abound in hope and overflow with confidence in His promises.

¹⁴Personally I am convinced about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, amply filled with all [spiritual] knowledge, and competent to admonish and counsel and instruct one another.

¹⁵Still, on some points I have written to you very boldly and without reservation to remind you [about them] again, because of the grace that was given to me from God,

¹⁶to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. I minister as a priest the gospel of God, in order that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable [to Him], sanctified [made holy and set apart for His purpose] by the Holy Spirit.

¹⁷In Christ Jesus, then, I have found [legitimate] reason for boasting in things related [to my service] to God.

¹⁸For I will not [even] presume to speak of anything except what Christ has done through me [as an instrument in His hands], resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles [to the gospel], by word and deed,

¹⁹with the power of signs and wonders, [and all of it] in the power of the Spirit. So [starting] from Jerusalem and as far away as Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel [faithfully preaching the good news] of Christ [where it had not before been preached].

²⁰Accordingly I set a goal to preach the gospel, not where Christ's name was already known, so that I would not build on another man's foundation;

²¹but [instead I would act on this goal] as it is written [in Scripture], "They who had no news of Him shall see, And they who have not heard [of Him] shall understand."

²²This [goal—my commitment to this principle] is the reason why I have often been prevented from coming to you [in Rome].

²³But now, with no further place for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you—

²⁴whenever I go [on my trip] to Spain—I hope to see you as I pass through [Rome], and to be helped on my journey there by you, after I have first enjoyed your company for a little while.

²⁵But for now, I am going to Jerusalem to serve the saints (Jewish believers).

²⁶For [Gentile believers in] Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints (Jewish believers) in Jerusalem.

²⁷They were pleased to do it, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual things, then they are indebted to serve them also in [tangible] material things.

²⁸Therefore, when I have finished this [mission] and have safely given to them what has been raised, I will go on by way of you to Spain.

²⁹I know that when I do come to you, I will come in the abundant blessing of Christ.

³⁰I urge you, believers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join together with me in your prayers to God in my behalf,

³¹[and pray] that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints (Jewish believers) there;

³²so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and find rest in your company.

³³May the God of peace be with you all! Amen.

¹Peter, an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Jesus Christ, To those [elect—both Jewish and Gentile believers] who live as exiles, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia [Minor], and Bithynia, who are chosen

²according to the foreknowledge of God the Father by the sanctifying work of the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace [that special sense of spiritual well-being] be yours in increasing abundance [as you walk closely with God].

³Blessed [gratefully praised and adored] be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant and boundless mercy has caused us to be born again [that is, to be reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] to an ever-living hope and confident assurance through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

⁴[born anew] into an inheritance which is imperishable [beyond the reach of change] and undefiled and unfading, reserved in heaven for you,

⁵who are being protected and shielded by the power of God through your faith for salvation that is ready to be revealed [for you] in the last time.

⁶In this you rejoice greatly, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,

⁷so that the genuineness of your faith, which is much more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested and purified by fire, may be found to result in [your] praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

⁸Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and though you do not even see Him now, you believe and trust in Him and you greatly rejoice and delight with inexpressible and glorious joy,

⁹receiving as the result [the outcome, the consummation] of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

¹⁰Regarding this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace [of God] that was intended for you, searched carefully and inquired [about this future way of salvation],

¹¹seeking to find out what person or what time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He foretold the sufferings of Christ and the glories [destined] to follow.

¹²It was revealed to them that their services [their prophecies regarding grace] were not [meant] for themselves and their time, but for you, in these things [the death, resurrection, and glorification of Jesus Christ] which have now been told to you by those who preached the gospel to you by the [power of the] Holy Spirit [who was] sent from heaven. Into these things even the angels long to look.

¹³So prepare your minds for action, be completely sober [in spirit—steadfast, self-disciplined, spiritually and morally alert], fix your hope completely on the grace [of God] that is coming to you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

¹⁴[Live] as obedient children [of God]; do not be conformed to the evil desires which governed you in your ignorance [before you knew the requirements and transforming power of the good news regarding salvation].

¹⁵But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your conduct [be set apart from the world by your godly character and moral courage];

¹⁶because it is written, "You shall be holy (set apart), for I am holy."

¹⁷If you address as Father, the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves in [reverent] fear [of Him] and with profound respect for Him throughout the time of your stay on earth.

¹⁸For you know that you were not redeemed from your useless [spiritually unproductive] way of life inherited [by tradition] from your forefathers with perishable things like silver and gold,

¹⁹but [you were actually purchased] with precious blood, like that of a [sacrificial] lamb unblemished and spotless, the priceless blood of Christ.

²⁰For He was foreordained (foreknown) before the foundation of the world, but has appeared [publicly] in these last times for your sake

²¹and through Him you believe [confidently] in God [the heavenly Father], who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are [centered and rest] in God.

²²Since by your obedience to the truth you have purified yourselves for a sincere love of the believers, [see that you] love one another from the heart [always unselfishly seeking the best for one another],

²³for you have been born again [that is, reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] not of seed which is perishable but [from that which is] imperishable and immortal, that is, through the living and everlasting word of God.

²⁴For, "All flesh is like grass, And all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers And the flower falls off,

²⁵But the word of the Lord endures forever." And this is the word [the good news of salvation] which was preached to you.

¹"I have made a covenant (agreement) with my eyes; How then could I gaze [lustfully] at a virgin?

²"For what is the portion I would have from God above, And what heritage from the Almighty on high?

³"Does not tragedy fall [justly] on the unjust And disaster to those who work wickedness?

⁴"Does not God see my ways And count all my steps?

⁵"If I have walked with falsehood, Or if my foot has chased after deceit,

⁶Oh, let Him weigh me with accurate scales, And let God know my integrity.

⁷"If my step has turned away from the way [of God], Or if my heart has [covetously] followed my eyes, Or if any spot [of guilt] has stained my hands,

⁸Then let me plant and [let] another eat [from the results of my labor], And let my crops be uprooted and ruined.

⁹"If my heart has been enticed and I was made a fool by a woman, Or if I have [covetously] lurked at my neighbor's door [until his departure],

¹⁰Let my wife grind [meal, like a bond slave] for another [man], And let others kneel down over her.

¹¹"For adultery is a heinous and lustful crime; Moreover, it would be a sin punishable by the judges.

¹²"For it is a fire which consumes to Abaddon (destruction, ruin, final torment); And [illicit passion] would burn and rage and uproot all my [life's] increase [destroying everything].

¹³"If I have despised and rejected the claim of my male or female servants When they filed a complaint against me,

¹⁴What then could I do when God arises [to judge me]? When He calls me to account, what will I answer Him?

¹⁵"Did not He who made me in the womb make my servant, And did not the same One fashion us both in the womb?

¹⁶"If I have withheld from the poor what they desired, Or have caused the eyes of the widow to look in vain [for relief],

¹⁷Or have eaten my morsel [of food] alone, And did not share it with the orphan

¹⁸(But from my youth the orphan grew up with me as with a father, And from my mother's womb I have been the widow's guide),

¹⁹If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, Or any poor person without covering,

²⁰If his loins have not thanked and blessed me [for clothing them], And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,

²¹If I have lifted my hand against the orphan, Because I saw [that the judges would be] my help at the [council] gate,

²²Then let my shoulder fall away from its socket, And my arm be broken off at the elbow.

²³"For tragedy from God is a terror to me, And because of His majesty and exaltation I can do nothing [nor endure facing Him].

²⁴"If I have put my trust and confidence in gold, Or have declared fine gold my hope and assurance,

²⁵If I gloated and rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because my [powerful] hand [alone] had obtained so much,

²⁶If I beheld the sun [as an object of worship] when it shone Or the moon going in its splendor,

²⁷And my heart became secretly enticed [by them], And my hand threw a kiss from my mouth [in respect to them],

²⁸This also would have been [a heinous] sin calling for judgment, For I would have denied God above.

²⁹"Have I rejoiced at the destruction of the enemy [who hated me], Or exulted [in malicious triumph] when evil overtook him?

³⁰"No, I have not allowed my mouth to sin By cursing my enemy and asking for his life.

³¹"I assure you, the men of my tent have said, 'Who can find one [in need] who has not been satisfied with his meat'?

³²"The stranger has not lodged in the street, Because I have opened my door to the traveler.

³³"Have I concealed my transgressions like Adam or like other men, By hiding my wickedness in my bosom,

³⁴Because I feared the great multitude, And the contempt of families terrified me, So that I kept silence and did not acknowledge my sin and did not go out of the door?

³⁵"Oh, that I had one to listen to me! Look, here is my signature (mark); Let the Almighty answer me! Let my adversary write out His indictment [and put His vague accusations in tangible form].

³⁶"Surely I would [proudly] bear it on my shoulder, And bind the scroll around my head like a crown.

³⁷"I would count out to Him the number of my steps [with every detail of my life], Approaching His presence as if I were a prince.

³⁸"For if my land has cried out against me, And its furrows weep together;

³⁹If I have eaten its fruits without paying for them, Or have caused its [rightful] owners to lose their lives,

⁴⁰Let thorns grow instead of wheat, And stinkweed and cockleburs instead of barley." So the words of Job [with his friends] are finished.

¹The LORD reigns, He is clothed with majesty and splendor; The LORD has clothed and encircled Himself with strength; the world is firmly established, it cannot be moved.

²Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting.

³The floods have lifted up, O LORD, The floods have lifted up their voice; The floods lift up their pounding waves.

⁴More than the sounds of many waters, More than the mighty breakers of the sea, The LORD on high is mighty.

⁵Your precepts are fully confirmed and completely reliable; Holiness adorns Your house, O LORD, forever.

¹The words of King Lemuel, the oracle, which his mother taught him:

²What, O my son? And what, O son of my womb? And what [shall I advise you], O son of my vows?

³Do not give your [generative] strength to women [neither foreign wives in marriages of alliances, nor concubines], Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.

⁴It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Or for rulers to desire strong drink,

⁵Otherwise they drink and forget the law and its decrees, And pervert the rights and justice of all the afflicted.

⁶Give strong drink [as medicine] to him who is ready to pass away, And wine to him whose life is bitter.

⁷Let him drink and forget his poverty And no longer remember his trouble.

⁸Open your mouth for the mute, For the rights of all who are unfortunate and defenseless;

⁹Open your mouth, judge righteously, And administer justice for the afflicted and needy.

¹⁰An excellent woman [one who is spiritual, capable, intelligent, and virtuous], who is he who can find her? Her value is more precious than jewels and her worth is far above rubies or pearls.

¹¹The heart of her husband trusts in her [with secure confidence], And he will have no lack of gain.

¹²She comforts, encourages, and does him only good and not evil All the days of her life.

¹³She looks for wool and flax And works with willing hands in delight.

¹⁴She is like the merchant ships [abounding with treasure]; She brings her [household's] food from far away.

¹⁵She rises also while it is still night And gives food to her household And assigns tasks to her maids.

¹⁶She considers a field before she buys or accepts it [expanding her business prudently]; With her profits she plants fruitful vines in her vineyard.

¹⁷She equips herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task] And makes her arms strong.

¹⁸She sees that her gain is good; Her lamp does not go out, but it burns continually through the night [she is prepared for whatever lies ahead].

¹⁹She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hands hold the spindle [as she spins wool into thread for clothing].

²⁰She opens and extends her hand to the poor, And she reaches out her filled hands to the needy.

²¹She does not fear the snow for her household, For all in her household are clothed in [expensive] scarlet [wool].

²²She makes for herself coverlets, cushions, and rugs of tapestry. Her clothing is linen, pure and fine, and purple [wool].

²³Her husband is known in the [city's] gates, When he sits among the elders of the land.

²⁴She makes [fine] linen garments and sells them; And supplies sashes to the merchants.

²⁵Strength and dignity are her clothing and her position is strong and secure; And she smiles at the future [knowing that she and her family are prepared].

²⁶She opens her mouth in [skillful and godly] wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue [giving counsel and instruction].

²⁷She looks well to how things go in her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness.

²⁸Her children rise up and call her blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired); Her husband also, and he praises her, saying,

²⁹"Many daughters have done nobly, and well [with the strength of character that is steadfast in goodness], But you excel them all."

³⁰Charm and grace are deceptive, and [superficial] beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the LORD [reverently worshiping, obeying, serving, and trusting Him with awe-filled respect], she shall be praised.

³¹Give her of the product of her hands, And let her own works praise her in the gates [of the city].

¹It happened afterwards that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar, and Amnon [her half brother] the son of David was in love with her.

²Amnon was so frustrated because of his [half-] sister Tamar that he made himself sick, for she was a virgin, and Amnon thought it impossible for him to do anything to her.

³But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David's brother; and Jonadab was a very shrewd (cunning) man.

⁴He said to Amnon, "Why are you, the king's son, so depressed morning after morning? Will you not tell me?" And Amnon said to him, "I am in love with Tamar, my [half-] brother Absalom's sister."

⁵Jonadab said to him, "Go to bed and pretend you are sick; and when your father [David] comes to see you, say to him, 'Just let my sister Tamar come and serve me food, and let her prepare it in my sight, so that I may see it and eat it from her hand.'"

⁶So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick; and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, "Please let my sister Tamar come and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, so that I may eat from her hand."

⁷Then David sent word to the house for Tamar, saying, "Go now to your brother Amnon's house, and prepare some food for him."

⁸So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house, and he was in bed. And she took dough and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and baked them.

⁹She took the pan and dished them out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, "Have everyone leave me." So everyone left him [except Tamar].

¹⁰Then Amnon said to Tamar, "Bring the food into the bedroom, so that I may eat from your hand." So Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them into the bedroom to her [half-] brother Amnon.

¹¹When she brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said, "Come, lie with me, my sister."

¹²She replied, "No, my brother! Do not violate me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this disgraceful thing!

¹³As for me, how could I get rid of my shame and disgrace? And you, you will be considered one of the fools in Israel. So now, just speak to the king [about taking me as your wife], for he will not withhold me from you."

¹⁴But he would not listen to her; and since he was stronger than she, he violated her and lay with her.

¹⁵Then Amnon became extremely hateful toward her, for his hatred toward her was greater than the love which he had for her. And Amnon said to her, "Get up and get out!"

¹⁶But she said, "No, because this wrong of sending me away is worse than the other that you have done to me!" But he would not listen to her.

¹⁷Instead, he called his young man who was his personal servant and said, "Now throw this woman out of my presence and bolt the door behind her."

¹⁸Now Tamar was wearing a [long-sleeved] robe of various colors; for that is how the virgin daughters of the king dressed themselves in robes. Then Amnon's personal servant took her out and bolted the door behind her.

¹⁹So Tamar put dust on her head [in grief] and tore the long-sleeved robe which she had on, and she put her hand on her head and went away crying out [for help].

²⁰So her brother Absalom said to her, "Has your brother Amnon been with you? But now keep silent, my sister; he is your brother; do not take this matter to heart." So Tamar remained secluded in her brother Absalom's house.

²¹Now when King David heard about all these things, he was very angry [but failed to take any action].

²²But Absalom did not speak to Amnon either good or bad; for Absalom hated Amnon because he had violated his sister Tamar.

²³Now it came about after two full years that Absalom had sheepshearers at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king's sons [to a party].

²⁴Absalom came to [his father] the king and said, "Behold, your servant has sheepshearers; please let the king and his servants go with your servant."

²⁵But the king said to Absalom, "No, my son, we should not all go, for we will be a burden to you." Although Absalom [strongly] urged David, still he would not go, but he gave him his blessing.

²⁶Then Absalom said, "If not, then at least let my brother Amnon go with us." And the king said to him, "Why should he go with you?"

²⁷But Absalom urged him [again], and he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.

²⁸Now Absalom commanded his servants, "Notice carefully, when Amnon's heart is joyous with wine, and when I say to you, 'Strike Amnon,' then kill him. Do not be afraid; have I not commanded you myself [and in doing so have I not taken full responsibility for his death]? Be courageous and brave."

²⁹So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon just as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons got up, and every man mounted his mule and fled.

³⁰Now it happened while they were on the way [back home], that the [exaggerated] report came to David, "Absalom has killed all the king's sons, and not one of them is left."

³¹Then the king stood and tore his clothes and lay on the ground [in mourning]; and all his servants were standing by with their clothes torn.

³²But Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David's brother, responded, "Do not let my lord assume that all the king's sons have been put to death; for only Amnon is dead. This act of revenge has been on Absalom's mind since the day Amnon violated his sister Tamar.

³³So now, do not let my lord the king take the report to heart that all the king's sons are dead; for Amnon alone is dead."

³⁴Now Absalom fled. And the young man who kept watch looked up, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind him by the side of the mountain.

³⁵And Jonadab said to the king, "Look, the king's sons are coming. It has turned out just as your servant said."

³⁶And when he finished speaking, the king's sons came, and they raised their voices and wept; and the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.

³⁷But Absalom fled and went to [his mother's father] Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.

³⁸So Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and was there for three years.

³⁹And the heart of King David longed to go to Absalom; for he was comforted regarding Amnon, since he was dead.

¹In the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD:

²Thus says the LORD to me, "Make for yourself bonds and yokes and put them on your neck,

³and send word to the king of Edom, to the king of Moab, to the king of the sons of Ammon, to the king of Tyre, and to the king of Sidon by the messengers who come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah.

⁴Command them to go to their masters, saying, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, you shall say this to your masters:

⁵"I have made the earth, the men and the animals that are on the face of the earth by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and I will give it to whomever pleases Me.

⁶Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant and instrument, and I have also given the wild animals of the field to serve him.

⁷All nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson until the [appointed] time [of punishment] for his own land comes; then many nations and great kings shall make him their servant.

⁸"But any nation or kingdom that will not serve this same Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation I will punish," says the LORD, "with the sword, with famine and with pestilence (virulent disease), until I have destroyed it by Nebuchadnezzar's hand.

⁹And as for you, do not listen to your [counterfeit] prophets, your diviners, your dreams and dreamers, your soothsayers or your sorcerers, who say to you, 'You will not serve the king of Babylon.'

¹⁰For they prophesy a lie to you which will cause you to be removed far from your land; and I will drive you out and you will perish.

¹¹But the nation which will bow its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, that nation I will let remain on its own land," says the LORD, "to cultivate it and live in it."'"

¹²I spoke to Zedekiah king of Judah in the same way, saying, "Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him and his people, and live!

¹³Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, by famine and by virulent disease, as the LORD has spoken to any nation which will not serve the king of Babylon?

¹⁴Do not listen to and believe the words of the [false] prophets who are saying to you, 'You will not serve the king of Babylon,' for they prophesy a lie to you;

¹⁵for I have not sent them," says the LORD, "but they are prophesying falsely in My Name, in order that I may drive you out and that you may perish, you [together] with the [false] prophets who prophesy to you."

¹⁶Then I said to the priests and to all these people, saying, "Thus says the LORD: Do not listen to the words of your [false] prophets who are prophesying to you, saying, 'Behold, the articles of the Lord's house will now shortly be brought back from Babylon'; for they are prophesying a lie to you.

¹⁷Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon, and live! Why should this city become a ruin?

¹⁸But if they are [true] prophets, and if the word of the LORD is [really spoken] by them, let them now entreat the LORD of hosts that the articles which are [still] left in the house of the LORD, in the house of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem may not go to Babylon.

¹⁹For thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the [bronze] pillars, the [bronze] Sea, the [bronze] bases [of the ten basins in Solomon's temple used for washing sacrificial animals], and the rest of the articles that are left in this city (Jerusalem),

²⁰which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take when he carried Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, along with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem.

²¹"Yes, thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the articles which remain in the house of the LORD, in the house of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem,

²²'They will be carried to Babylon and they will be there until the day that I visit them [with My favor],' says the LORD. 'Then I will bring them back and restore them to this place.'"

¹Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord [and relentless in his search for believers], went to the high priest,

²and he asked for letters [of authority] from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any men or women there belonging to the Way [believers, followers of Jesus the Messiah], men and women alike, he could arrest them and bring them bound [with chains] to Jerusalem.

³As he traveled he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him [displaying the glory and majesty of Christ];

⁴and he fell to the ground and heard a voice [from heaven] saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting and oppressing Me?"

⁵And Saul said, "Who are You, Lord?" And He answered, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,

⁶now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

⁷The men who were traveling with him [were terrified and] stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.

⁸Saul got up from the ground, but though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.

⁹And he was unable to see for three days, and he neither ate nor drank.

¹⁰Now in Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." And he answered, "Here I am, Lord."

¹¹And the Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight, and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul; for he is praying [there],

¹²and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and place his hands on him, so that he may regain his sight."

¹³But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, especially how much suffering and evil he has brought on Your saints (God's people) at Jerusalem;

¹⁴and here [in Damascus] he has authority from the high priests to put in chains all who call on Your name [confessing You as Savior]."

¹⁵But the Lord said to him, "Go, for this man is a [deliberately] chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;

¹⁶for I will make clear to him how much he must suffer and endure for My name's sake."

¹⁷So Ananias left and entered the house, and he laid his hands on Saul and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came [to Damascus], has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit [in order to proclaim Christ to both Jews and Gentiles]."

¹⁸Immediately something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized;

¹⁹and he took some food and was strengthened. For several days [afterward] Saul remained with the disciples who were at Damascus.

²⁰And immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "This Man is the Son of God [the promised Messiah]!"

²¹All those who heard him continued to be amazed and said, "Is this not the man who in Jerusalem attacked those who called on this name [of Jesus], and had come here [to Damascus] for the express purpose of bringing them bound [with chains] before the chief priests?"

²²But Saul increased in strength more and more, and continued to perplex the Jews who lived in Damascus by examining [theological evidence] and proving [with Scripture] that this Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).

²³After considerable time had passed [about three years or so], the Jews plotted together to kill him,

²⁴but their plot became known to Saul. They were also watching the city's gates day and night so they could kill him;

²⁵but his disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.

²⁶When he arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.

²⁷However, Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and described to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road [to Damascus], and how He had spoken to him, and how at Damascus Saul had preached openly and spoken confidently in the name of Jesus.

²⁸So he was with them, moving around freely [as one among them] in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord.

²⁹He was talking and arguing with the Hellenists (Greek-speaking Jews); but they were attempting to kill him.

³⁰When the brothers found out [about the plot], they brought him down to Caesarea [Maritima] and sent him off to Tarsus [his home town].

³¹So the church throughout Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace [without persecution], being built up [in wisdom, virtue, and faith]; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort and encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it continued to grow [in numbers].

³²Now as Peter was traveling throughout the land, he went down to [visit] the saints (God's people) who lived at Lydda.

³³There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years and was paralyzed.

³⁴Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed." Immediately Aeneas got up.

³⁵Then all who lived at Lydda and the plain of Sharon saw [what had happened to] him, and they turned to the Lord.

³⁶Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, (which translated into Greek means Dorcas). She was rich in acts of kindness and charity which she continually did.

³⁷During that time it happened that she became sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upstairs room.

³⁸Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, "Come to us without delay."

³⁹So Peter got up [at once] and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upstairs room; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing [him] all the tunics and robes that Dorcas used to make while she was with them.

⁴⁰But Peter sent them all out [of the room] and knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, arise!" And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

⁴¹And he gave her his hand and helped her up; and then he called in the saints (God's people) and the widows, and he presented her [to them] alive.

⁴²This became known all over Joppa, and many came to believe in the Lord [that is, to adhere to and trust in and rely on Jesus as Christ and Savior].

⁴³And so it was that Peter stayed in Joppa for many days with Simon, a tanner.