Day 1

Matthew 1

1:1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ and Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

1:2 Abraham became the father of Isaac. Isaac became the father of Jacob. Jacob became the father of Judah and his brothers.

1:3 Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron. Hezron became the father of Ram.

1:4 Ram became the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon. Nahshon became the father of Salmon.

1:5 Salmon became the father of Boaz by Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed by Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse.

1:6 Jesse became the father of David the king. David became the father of Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.

1:7 Solomon became the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam became the father of Abijah. Abijah became the father of Asa.

1:8 Asa became the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat became the father of Joram. Joram became the father of Uzziah.

1:9 Uzziah became the father of Jotham. Jotham became the father of Ahaz. Ahaz became the father of Hezekiah.

1:10 Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh. Manasseh became the father of Amon. Amon became the father of Josiah.

1:11 Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the exile to Babylon.

1:12 After the exile to Babylon, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel became the father of Zerubbabel.

1:13 Zerubbabel became the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim. Eliakim became the father of Azor.

1:14 Azor became the father of Sadoc.  Sadoc became the father of Achim. Achim became the father of Eliud.

1:15 Eliud became the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan. Matthan became the father of Jacob.

1:16 Jacob became the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

1:17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations.

1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this; for after his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit.

1:19 Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly.

1:20 But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, don't be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

1:21 She shall bring forth a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins."

1:22 Now all this has happened, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,

1:23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son. They shall call his name Immanuel;" which is, being interpreted, "God with us."

1:24 Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself;

1:25 and didn't know her sexually until she had brought forth her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.

Acts 1

1:1 The first book I wrote, Theophilus, concerned all that Jesus began both to do and to teach,

1:2 until the day in which he was received up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.

1:3 To these he also showed himself alive after he suffered, by many proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking about God's Kingdom.

1:4 Being assembled together with them, he commanded them, "Don't depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which you heard from me.

1:5 For John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

1:6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, are you now restoring the kingdom to Israel?"

1:7 He said to them, "It isn't for you to know times or seasons which the Father has set within his own authority.

1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth."

1:9 When he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight.

1:10 While they were looking steadfastly into the sky as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white clothing,

1:11 who also said, "You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who was received up from you into the sky will come back in the same way as you saw him going into the sky."

1:12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away.

1:13 When they had come in, they went up into the upper room, where they were staying; that is Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.

1:14 All these with one accord continued steadfastly in prayer and supplication, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

1:15 In these days, Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (and the number of names was about one hundred twenty), and said,

1:16 "Brothers, it was necessary that this Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide to those who took Jesus.

1:17 For he was numbered with us, and received his portion in this ministry.

1:18 Now this man obtained a field with the reward for his wickedness, and falling headlong, his body burst open, and all his intestines gushed out.

1:19 It became known to everyone who lived in Jerusalem that in their language that field was called 'Akeldama,' that is, 'The field of blood.'

1:20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, 'Let his habitation be made desolate. Let no one dwell therein;  and, 'Let another take his office.'

1:21 "Of the men therefore who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

1:22 beginning from the baptism of John, to the day that he was received up from us, of these one must become a witness with us of his resurrection."

1:23 They put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

1:24 They prayed, and said, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two you have chosen

1:25 to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away, that he might go to his own place."

1:26 They drew lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Acts 2

2:1 Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2:2 Suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

2:3 Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them.

2:4 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.

2:5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under the sky.

2:6 When this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language.

2:7 They were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, "Behold, aren't all these who speak Galileans?

2:8 How do we hear, everyone in our own native language?

2:9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia,

2:10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,

2:11 Cretans and Arabians: we hear them speaking in our languages the mighty works of God!"

2:12 They were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another, "What does this mean?"

2:13 Others, mocking, said, "They are filled with new wine."

2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke out to them, "You men of Judea, and all you who dwell at Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words.

2:15 For these aren't drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is only the third hour of the day about 9:00 AM.

2:16 But this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel:

2:17 'It will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams.

2:18 Yes, and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days, I will pour out my Spirit, and they will prophesy.

2:19 I will show wonders in the sky above, and signs on the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and billows of smoke.

2:20 The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.

2:21 It will be, that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.'

2:22 "Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, even as you yourselves know,

2:23 him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed;

2:24 whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it.

2:25 For David says concerning him, 'I saw the Lord always before my face, For he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved.

2:26 Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced. Moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope;

2:27 because you will not leave my soul in hell, neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay.

2:28 You made known to me the ways of life. You will make me full of gladness with your presence.”

2:29 "Brothers, I may tell you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

2:30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne,

2:31 he foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was his soul left in hell, nor did his flesh see decay.

2:32 This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses.

2:33 Being therefore exalted by the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this, which you now see and hear.

2:34 For David didn't ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit by my right hand,

2:35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."

2:36 "Let all the house of Israel therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified."

2:37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"

2:38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

2:39 For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself."

2:40 With many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation!"

2:41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls.

2:42 They continued steadfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.

2:43 Fear came on every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

2:44 All who believed were together, and had all things in common.

2:45 They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need.

2:46 Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart,

2:47 praising God, and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.

Day 2

Matthew 2

2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men  from the east came to Jerusalem, saying,

2:2 "Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him."

2:3 When Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

2:4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born.

2:5 They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written through the prophet,

2:6 'You Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way least among the princes of Judah: for out of you shall come forth a governor, who shall shepherd my people, Israel.'

2:7 Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared.

2:8 He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, "Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him."

2:9 They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was.

2:10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.

2:11 They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

2:12 Being warned in a dream that they shouldn't return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.

2:13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him."

2:14 He arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt,

2:15 and was there until the death of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called my son."

2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent out, and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the wise men.

2:17 Then that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying,

2:18 "A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; she wouldn't be comforted, because they are no more."

2:19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,

2:20 "Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child's life are dead."

2:21 He arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

2:22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the place of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee,

2:23 and came and lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets: "He will be called a Nazarene."

Acts 3

3:1 Peter and John were going up into the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour-

3:2 A certain man who was lame from his mother's womb was being carried, whom they laid daily at the door of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask gifts for the needy of those who entered into the temple.

3:3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive gifts for the needy.

3:4 Peter, fastening his eyes on him, with John, said, "Look at us."

3:5 He listened to them, expecting to receive something from them.

3:6 But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"

3:7 He took him by the right hand, and raised him up. Immediately his feet and his ankle bones received strength.

3:8 Leaping up, he stood, and began to walk. He entered with them into the temple, walking, leaping, and praising God.

3:9 All the people saw him walking and praising God.

3:10 They recognized him, that it was he who used to sit begging for gifts for the needy at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. They were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

3:11 As the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.

3:12 When Peter saw it, he responded to the people, "You men of Israel, why do you marvel at this man? Why do you fasten your eyes on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him walk?

3:13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up, and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had determined to release him.

3:14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,

3:15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, to which we are witnesses.

3:16 By faith in his name, his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which is through him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

3:17 "Now, brothers, I know that you did this in ignorance, as did also your rulers.

3:18 But the things which God announced by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.

3:19 "Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord,

3:20 and that he may send Christ Jesus, who was ordained for you before,

3:21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God spoke long ago by the mouth of his holy prophets.

3:22 For Moses indeed said to the fathers, 'The Lord God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him in all things whatever he says to you.

3:23 It will be, that every soul that will not listen to that prophet will be utterly destroyed from among the people.'

3:24 Yes, and all the prophets from Samuel and those who followed after, as many as have spoken, they also told of these days.

3:25 You are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, 'In your seed will all the families of the earth be blessed.'

3:26 God, having raised up his servant, Jesus, sent him to you first, to bless you, in turning away everyone of you from your wickedness."

Acts 4

4:1 As they spoke to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came to them,

4:2 being upset because they taught the people and proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

4:3 They laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was now evening.

4:4 But many of those who heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

4:5 It happened in the morning, that their rulers, elders, and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem.

4:6 Annas the high priest was there, with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and as many as were relatives of the high priest.

4:7 When they had stood them in the middle of them, they inquired, "By what power, or in what name, have you done this?"

4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "You rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

4:9 if we are examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed,

4:10 be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, in him does this man stand here before you whole.

4:11 He is 'the stone which was regarded as worthless by you, the builders, which has become the head of the corner.'

4:12 There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved!"

4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled. They recognized that they had been with Jesus.

4:14 Seeing the man who was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

4:15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,

4:16 saying, "What shall we do to these men? Because indeed a notable miracle has been done through them, as can be plainly seen by all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we can't deny it.

4:17 But so that this spreads no further among the people, let's threaten them, that from now on they don't speak to anyone in this name."

4:18 They called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

4:19 But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, judge for yourselves,

4:20 for we can't help telling the things which we saw and heard."

4:21 When they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people; for everyone glorified God for that which was done.

4:22 For the man on whom this miracle of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

4:23 Being let go, they came to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them.

4:24 When they heard it, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, "O Lord, you are God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them;

4:25 who by the mouth of your servant, David, said, 'Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing?

4:26 The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his Christ.

4:27 "For truly, in this city against your holy servant, Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together

4:28 to do whatever your hand and your council foreordained to happen.

4:29 Now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness,

4:30 while you stretch out your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy Servant Jesus."

4:31 When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were gathered together. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

4:32 The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul. Not one of them claimed that anything of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.

4:33 With great power, the apostles gave their testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Great grace was on them all.

4:34 For neither was there among them any who lacked, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,

4:35 and laid them at the apostles' feet, and distribution was made to each, according as anyone had need.

4:36 Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, Son of Encouragement), a Levite, a man of Cyprus by race,

4:37 having a field, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.

Day 3

Matthew

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3:1 In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 

3:2 "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!" 

3:3 For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight."{Isaiah 40:3} 

3:4 Now John himself wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 

3:5 Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him. 

3:6 They were baptized{or, immersed} by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. 

3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism,{or, immersion} he said to them, "You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 

3:8 Therefore bring forth fruit worthy of repentance! 

3:9 Don't think to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father,' for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 

3:10 "Even now the axe lies at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn't bring forth good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire. 

3:11 I indeed baptize{or, immerse} you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.{TR and NU add "and with fire"} 

3:12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire." 

3:13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 

3:14 But John would have hindered him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?" 

3:15 But Jesus, answering, said to him, "Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed him. 

3:16 Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him. 

3:17 Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." 

 

 

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Acts

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5:1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira, his wife, sold a possession, 

5:2 and kept back part of the price, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. 

5:3 But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 

5:4 While you kept it, didn't it remain your own? After it was sold, wasn't it in your power? How is it that you have conceived this thing in your heart? You haven't lied to men, but to God." 

5:5 Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and died. Great fear came on all who heard these things. 

5:6 The young men arose and wrapped him up, and they carried him out and buried him. 

5:7 About three hours later, his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in. 

5:8 Peter answered her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much." She said, "Yes, for so much." 

5:9 But Peter asked her, "How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out." 

5:10 She fell down immediately at his feet, and died. The young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband. 

5:11 Great fear came on the whole assembly, and on all who heard these things. 

5:12 By the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. They were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. 

5:13 None of the rest dared to join them, however the people honored them. 

5:14 More believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women. 

5:15 They even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on cots and mattresses, so that as Peter came by, at the least his shadow might overshadow some of them. 

5:16 Multitudes also came together from the cities around Jerusalem, bringing sick people, and those who were tormented by unclean spirits: and they were all healed. 

5:17 But the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy, 

5:18 and laid hands on the apostles, and put them in public custody. 

5:19 But an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors by night, and brought them out, and said, 

5:20 "Go stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life." 

5:21 When they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak, and taught. But the high priest came, and those who were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 

5:22 But the officers who came didn't find them in the prison. They returned and reported, 

5:23 "We found the prison shut and locked, and the guards standing before the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside!" 

5:24 Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these words, they were very perplexed about them and what might become of this. 

5:25 One came and told them, "Behold, the men whom you put in prison are in the temple, standing and teaching the people." 

5:26 Then the captain went with the officers, and brought them without violence, for they were afraid that the people might stone them. 

5:27 When they had brought them, they set them before the council. The high priest questioned them, 

5:28 saying, "Didn't we strictly command you not to teach in this name? Behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man's blood on us." 

5:29 But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men. 

5:30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed, hanging him on a tree. 

5:31 God exalted him with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins. 

5:32 We are His witnesses of these things; and so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him." 

5:33 But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and determined to kill them. 

5:34 But one stood up in the council, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, honored by all the people, and commanded to put the apostles out for a little while. 

5:35 He said to them, "You men of Israel, be careful concerning these men, what you are about to do. 

5:36 For before these days Theudas rose up, making himself out to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed, and came to nothing. 

5:37 After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the enrollment, and drew away some people after him. He also perished, and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad. 

5:38 Now I tell you, withdraw from these men, and leave them alone. For if this counsel or this work is of men, it will be overthrown. 

5:39 But if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow it, and you would be found even to be fighting against God!" 

5:40 They agreed with him. Summoning the apostles, they beat them and commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 

5:41 They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for Jesus' name. 

5:42 Every day, in the temple and at home, they never stopped teaching and preaching Jesus, the Christ. 

 

---

Acts

---

6:1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, a complaint arose from the Hellenists{The Hellenists used Greek language and culture, even though they were also of Hebrew descent.} against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily service. 

6:2 The twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, "It is not appropriate for us to forsake the word of God and serve tables. 

6:3 Therefore select from among you, brothers, seven men of good report, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. 

6:4 But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word." 

6:5 These words pleased the whole multitude. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch; 

6:6 whom they set before the apostles. When they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. 

6:7 The word of God increased and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly. A great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. 

6:8 Stephen, full of faith and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. 

6:9 But some of those who were of the synagogue called "The Libertines," and of the Cyrenians, of the Alexandrians, and of those of Cilicia and Asia arose, disputing with Stephen. 

6:10 They weren't able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. 

6:11 Then they secretly induced men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God." 

6:12 They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, and came against him and seized him, and brought him in to the council, 

6:13 and set up false witnesses who said, "This man never stops speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law. 

6:14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us." 

6:15 All who sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face like it was the face of an angel. 

Day 4

Matthew 4

---

4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 

4:2 When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry afterward. 

4:3 The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." 

4:4 But he answered, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'

4:5 Then the devil took him into the holy city. He set him on the pinnacle of the temple, 

4:6 and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, 'He will put his angels in charge of you.' and, 'On their hands they will bear you up, so that you don't dash your foot against a stone.'"{Psalm 91:11-12} 

4:7 Jesus said to him, "Again, it is written, 'You shall not test the Lord, your God.'"{Deuteronomy 6:16} 

4:8 Again, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory. 

4:9 He said to him, "I will give you all of these things, if you will fall down and worship me." 

4:10 Then Jesus said to him, "Get behind me,{TR and NU read "Go away" instead of "Get behind me"} Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.'"{Deuteronomy 6:13} 

4:11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and served him. 

4:12 Now when Jesus heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee. 

4:13 Leaving Nazareth, he came and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, 

4:14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, 

4:15 "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, 

4:16 the people who sat in darkness saw a great light, to those who sat in the region and shadow of death, to them light has dawned."{Isaiah 9:1-2} 

4:17 From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say, "Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." 

4:18 Walking by the sea of Galilee, he{TR reads "Jesus" instead of "he"} saw two brothers: Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 

4:19 He said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers for men." 

4:20 They immediately left their nets and followed him. 

4:21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them. 

4:22 They immediately left the boat and their father, and followed him. 

4:23 Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people. 

4:24 The report about him went out into all Syria. They brought to him all who were sick, afflicted with various diseases and torments, possessed with demons, epileptics, and paralytics; and he healed them. 

4:25 Great multitudes from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and from beyond the Jordan followed him. 

---

Acts 7

---

7:1 The high priest said, "Are these things so?" 

7:2 He said, "Brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 

7:3 and said to him, 'Get out of your land, and from your relatives, and come into a land which I will show you.'{Genesis 12:1} 

7:4 Then he came out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and lived in Haran. From there, when his father was dead, God moved him into this land, where you are now living. 

7:5 He gave him no inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on. He promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when he still had no child. 

7:6 God spoke in this way: that his seed would live as aliens in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years. 

7:7 'I will judge the nation to which they will be in bondage,' said God, 'and after that will they come out, and serve me in this place.'{Genesis 15:13-14} 

7:8 He gave him the covenant of circumcision. So Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day. Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs. 

7:9 "The patriarchs, moved with jealousy against Joseph, sold him into Egypt. God was with him, 

7:10 and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He made him governor over Egypt and all his house. 

7:11 Now a famine came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction. Our fathers found no food. 

7:12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers the first time. 

7:13 On the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph's race was revealed to Pharaoh. 

7:14 Joseph sent, and summoned Jacob, his father, and all his relatives, seventy-five souls. 

7:15 Jacob went down into Egypt, and he died, himself and our fathers, 

7:16 and they were brought back to Shechem, and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in silver from the children of Hamor of Shechem. 

7:17 "But as the time of the promise came close which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, 

7:18 until there arose a different king, who didn't know Joseph. 

7:19 The same took advantage of our race, and mistreated our fathers, and forced them to throw out their babies, so that they wouldn't stay alive. 

7:20 At that time Moses was born, and was exceedingly handsome. He was nourished three months in his father's house. 

7:21 When he was thrown out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and reared him as her own son. 

7:22 Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He was mighty in his words and works. 

7:23 But when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers{The word for "brothers" here and where the context allows may be also correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."}, the children of Israel. 

7:24 Seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him who was oppressed, striking the Egyptian. 

7:25 He supposed that his brothers understood that God, by his hand, was giving them deliverance; but they didn't understand. 

7:26 "The day following, he appeared to them as they fought, and urged them to be at peace again, saying, 'Sirs, you are brothers. Why do you wrong one another?' 

7:27 But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 

7:28 Do you want to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?'{Exodus 2:14} 

7:29 Moses fled at this saying, and became a stranger in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons. 

7:30 "When forty years were fulfilled, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. 

7:31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight. As he came close to see, a voice of the Lord came to him, 

7:32 'I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'{Exodus 3:6} Moses trembled, and dared not look. 

7:33 The Lord said to him, 'Take your sandals off of your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. 

7:34 I have surely seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt, and have heard their groaning. I have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send you into Egypt.'{Exodus 3:5,7-8,10} 

7:35 "This Moses, whom they refused, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge?'--God has sent him as both a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 

7:36 This man led them out, having worked wonders and signs in Egypt, in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years. 

7:37 This is that Moses, who said to the children of Israel, 'The Lord our God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me.{TR adds "You shall listen to him."}'{Deuteronomy 18:15} 

7:38 This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel that spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received living oracles to give to us, 

7:39 to whom our fathers wouldn't be obedient, but rejected him, and turned back in their hearts to Egypt, 

7:40 saying to Aaron, 'Make us gods that will go before us, for as for this Moses, who led us out of the land of Egypt, we don't know what has become of him.'{Exodus 32:1} 

7:41 They made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their hands. 

7:42 But God turned, and gave them up to serve the army of the sky,{This idiom could also be translatted "host of heaven," or "angelic beings," or "heavenly bodies."} as it is written in the book of the prophets, 'Did you offer to me slain animals and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 

7:43 You took up the tabernacle of Moloch, the star of your god Rephan, the figures which you made to worship. I will carry you away{Amos 5:25-27} beyond Babylon.' 

7:44 "Our fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, even as he who spoke to Moses commanded him to make it according to the pattern that he had seen; 

7:45 which also our fathers, in their turn, brought in with Joshua when they entered into the possession of the nations, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers, to the days of David, 

7:46 who found favor in the sight of God, and asked to find a habitation for the God of Jacob. 

7:47 But Solomon built him a house. 

7:48 However, the Most High doesn't dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says, 

7:49 'heaven is my throne, and the earth a footstool for my feet. What kind of house will you build me?' says the Lord; 'or what is the place of my rest? 

7:50 Didn't my hand make all these things?'{Isaiah 66:1-2} 

7:51 "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do. 

7:52 Which of the prophets didn't your fathers persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become betrayers and murderers. 

7:53 You received the law as it was ordained by angels, and didn't keep it!" 

7:54 Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. 

7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 

7:56 and said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" 

7:57 But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed at him with one accord. 

7:58 They threw him out of the city, and stoned him. The witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 

7:59 They stoned Stephen as he called out, saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" 

7:60 He kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, "Lord, don't hold this sin against them!" When he had said this, he fell asleep. 

---

Acts 8

---

8:1 Saul was consenting to his death. A great persecution arose against the assembly which was in Jerusalem in that day. They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles. 

8:2 Devout men buried Stephen, and lamented greatly over him. 

8:3 But Saul ravaged the assembly, entering into every house, and dragged both men and women off to prison. 

8:4 Therefore those who were scattered abroad went around preaching the word. 

8:5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed to them the Christ. 

8:6 The multitudes listened with one accord to the things that were spoken by Philip, when they heard and saw the signs which he did. 

8:7 For unclean spirits came out of many of those who had them. They came out, crying with a loud voice. Many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. 

8:8 There was great joy in that city. 

8:9 But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who used to practice sorcery in the city, and amazed the people of Samaria, making himself out to be some great one, 

8:10 to whom they all listened, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is that great power of God." 

8:11 They listened to him, because for a long time he had amazed them with his sorceries. 

8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching good news concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 

8:13 Simon himself also believed. Being baptized, he continued with Philip. Seeing signs and great miracles occurring, he was amazed. 

8:14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 

8:15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit; 

8:16 for as yet he had fallen on none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of Christ Jesus. 

8:17 Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 

8:18 Now when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, 

8:19 saying, "Give me also this power, that whoever I lay my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit." 

8:20 But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 

8:21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart isn't right before God. 

8:22 Repent therefore of this, your wickedness, and ask God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 

8:23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity." 

8:24 Simon answered, "Pray for me to the Lord, that none of the things which you have spoken happen to me." 

8:25 They therefore, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the Good News to many villages of the Samaritans. 

8:26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise, and go toward the south to the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert." 

8:27 He arose and went; and behold, there was a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship. 

8:28 He was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. 

8:29 The Spirit said to Philip, "Go near, and join yourself to this chariot." 

8:30 Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" 

8:31 He said, "How can I, unless someone explains it to me?" He begged Philip to come up and sit with him. 

8:32 Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter. As a lamb before his shearer is silent, so he doesn't open his mouth. 

8:33 In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away. Who will declare His generation? For his life is taken from the earth."{Isaiah 53:7,8} 

8:34 The eunuch answered Philip, "Who is the prophet talking about? About himself, or about someone else?" 

8:35 Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached to him Jesus. 

8:36 As they went on the way, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "Behold, here is water. What is keeping me from being baptized?" 

8:37 {TR adds "Philip said, 'If you believe with all your heart, you may.' He answered, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.'"} 

8:38 He commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 

8:39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch didn't see him any more, for he went on his way rejoicing. 

8:40 But Philip was found at Azotus. Passing through, he preached the Good News to all the cities, until he came to Caesarea. 

Day 5

Matthew 5

---

5:1 Seeing the multitudes, he went up onto the mountain. When he had sat down, his disciples came to him. 

5:2 He opened his mouth and taught them, saying, 

5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.{Isaiah 57:15; 66:2} 

5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.{Isaiah 61:2; 66:10,13} 

5:5 Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.{or, land. Psalm 37:11} 

5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. 

5:7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 

5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 

5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. 

5:10 Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 

5:11 "Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 

5:12 Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 

5:13 "You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men. 

5:14 You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can't be hidden. 

5:15 Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house. 

5:16 Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. 

5:17 "Don't think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn't come to destroy, but to fulfill. 

5:18 For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter{literally, iota} or one tiny pen stroke{or, serif} shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished. 

5:19 Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. 

5:20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. 

5:21 "You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, 'You shall not murder;'{Exodus 20:13} and 'Whoever shall murder shall be in danger of the judgment.' 

5:22 But I tell you, that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause{NU omits "without a cause".} shall be in danger of the judgment; and whoever shall say to his brother, 'Raca{"Raca" is an Aramaic insult, related to the word for "empty" and conveying the idea of empty-headedness.}!' shall be in danger of the council; and whoever shall say, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of the fire of Gehenna.{or, Hell} 

5:23 "If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you, 

5:24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 

5:25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are with him in the way; lest perhaps the prosecutor deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison. 

5:26 Most certainly I tell you, you shall by no means get out of there, until you have paid the last penny.{literally, kodrantes. A kodrantes was a small copper coin worth about 2 lepta (widow's mites)--not enough to buy very much of anything.} 

5:27 "You have heard that it was said, {TR adds "to the ancients,"} 'You shall not commit adultery;'{Exodus 20:14} 

5:28 but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. 

5:29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.{or, Hell} 

5:30 If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.{or, Hell} 

5:31 "It was also said, 'Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce,'{Deuteronomy 24:1} 

5:32 but I tell you that whoever puts away his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits adultery. 

5:33 "Again you have heard that it was said to them of old time, 'You shall not make false vows, but shall perform to the Lord your vows,' 

5:34 but I tell you, don't swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God; 

5:35 nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 

5:36 Neither shall you swear by your head, for you can't make one hair white or black. 

5:37 But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes' and your 'No' be 'No.' Whatever is more than these is of the evil one. 

5:38 "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.'{Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21} 

5:39 But I tell you, don't resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. 

5:40 If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. 

5:41 Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 

5:42 Give to him who asks you, and don't turn away him who desires to borrow from you. 

5:43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor,{Leviticus 19:18} and hate your enemy.{not in the Bible, but see Qumran Manual of Discipline Ix, 21-26}' 

5:44 But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, 

5:45 that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. 

5:46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don't even the tax collectors do the same? 

5:47 If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don't even the tax collectors do the same? 

5:48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. 

 

---

 

Acts 9

---

9:1 But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, 

9:2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 

9:3 As he traveled, it happened that he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him. 

9:4 He fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" 

9:5 He said, "Who are you, Lord?" The Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.{TR adds "It's hard for you to kick against the goads."} 

9:6 But{TR omits "But" } rise up, and enter into the city, and you will be told what you must do." 

9:7 The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the sound, but seeing no one. 

9:8 Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one. They led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 

9:9 He was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank. 

9:10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias!" He said, "Behold, it's me, Lord." 

9:11 The Lord said to him, "Arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judah{or, Judas} for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying, 

9:12 and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in, and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight." 

9:13 But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to your saints at Jerusalem. 

9:14 Here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name." 

9:15 But the Lord said to him, "Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel. 

9:16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake." 

9:17 Ananias departed, and entered into the house. Laying his hands on him, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me, that you may receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 

9:18 Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized. 

9:19 He took food and was strengthened. Saul stayed several days with the disciples who were at Damascus. 

9:20 Immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed the Christ, that he is the Son of God. 

9:21 All who heard him were amazed, and said, "Isn't this he who in Jerusalem made havoc of those who called on this name? And he had come here intending to bring them bound before the chief priests!" 

9:22 But Saul increased more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ. 

9:23 When many days were fulfilled, the Jews conspired together to kill him, 

9:24 but their plot became known to Saul. They watched the gates both day and night that they might kill him, 

9:25 but his disciples took him by night, and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket. 

9:26 When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 

9:27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. 

9:28 He was with them entering into{TR and NU add "and going out"} Jerusalem, 

9:29 preaching boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus.{TR and NU omit "Jesus" and reverse the order of verses 28 & 29.} He spoke and disputed against the Hellenists,{The Hellenists were Hebrews who used Greek language and culture.} but they were seeking to kill him. 

9:30 When the brothers{The word for "brothers" here and where the context allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."} knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him off to Tarsus. 

9:31 So the assemblies throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, and were built up. They were multiplied, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. 

9:32 It happened, as Peter went throughout all those parts, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 

9:33 There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years, because he was paralyzed. 

9:34 Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed!" Immediately he arose. 

9:35 All who lived at Lydda and in Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. 

9:36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which when translated, means Dorcas.{"Dorcas" is Greek for "Gazelle."} This woman was full of good works and acts of mercy which she did. 

9:37 It happened in those days that she fell sick, and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper chamber. 

9:38 As Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men{Reading from NU, TR; MT omits "two men"} to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. 

9:39 Peter got up and went with them. When he had come, they brought him into the upper chamber. All the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. 

9:40 Peter put them all out, and kneeled down and prayed. Turning to the body, he said, "Tabitha, get up!" She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 

9:41 He gave her his hand, and raised her up. Calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 

9:42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 

9:43 It happened, that he stayed many days in Joppa with one Simon, a tanner. 

---

 

Acts 10

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10:1 Now there was a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, 

10:2 a devout man, and one who feared God with all his house, who gave gifts for the needy generously to the people, and always prayed to God. 

10:3 At about the ninth hour of the day{3:00 PM}, he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God coming to him, and saying to him, "Cornelius!" 

10:4 He, fastening his eyes on him, and being frightened, said, "What is it, Lord?" He said to him, "Your prayers and your gifts to the needy have gone up for a memorial before God. 

10:5 Now send men to Joppa, and get Simon, who is surnamed Peter. 

10:6 He lodges with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside.{TR adds "This one will tell you what it is necessary for you to do."}" 

10:7 When the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier of those who waited on him continually. 

10:8 Having explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa. 

10:9 Now on the next day as they were on their journey, and got close to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray at about noon. 

10:10 He became hungry and desired to eat, but while they were preparing, he fell into a trance. 

10:11 He saw heaven opened and a certain container descending to him, like a great sheet let down by four corners on the earth, 

10:12 in which were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, and birds of the sky. 

10:13 A voice came to him, "Rise, Peter, kill and eat!" 

10:14 But Peter said, "Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean." 

10:15 A voice came to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed, you must not call unclean." 

10:16 This was done three times, and immediately the vessel was received up into heaven. 

10:17 Now while Peter was very perplexed in himself what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood before the gate, 

10:18 and called and asked whether Simon, who was surnamed Peter, was lodging there. 

10:19 While Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three{Reading from TR and NU. MT omits "three"} men seek you. 

10:20 But arise, get down, and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them." 

10:21 Peter went down to the men, and said, "Behold, I am he whom you seek. Why have you come?" 

10:22 They said, "Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous man and one who fears God, and well spoken of by all the nation of the Jews, was directed by a holy angel to invite you to his house, and to listen to what you say." 

10:23 So he called them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter arose and went out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. 

10:24 On the next day they entered into Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his relatives and his near friends. 

10:25 When it happened that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell down at his feet, and worshiped him. 

10:26 But Peter raised him up, saying, "Stand up! I myself am also a man." 

10:27 As he talked with him, he went in and found many gathered together. 

10:28 He said to them, "You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join himself or come to one of another nation, but God has shown me that I shouldn't call any man unholy or unclean. 

10:29 Therefore also I came without complaint when I was sent for. I ask therefore, why did you send for me?" 

10:30 Cornelius said, "Four days ago, I was fasting until this hour, and at the ninth hour,{3:00 P. M.} I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, 

10:31 and said, 'Cornelius, your prayer is heard, and your gifts to the needy are remembered in the sight of God. 

10:32 Send therefore to Joppa, and summon Simon, who is surnamed Peter. He lodges in the house of Simon a tanner, by the seaside. When he comes, he will speak to you.' 

10:33 Therefore I sent to you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God to hear all things that have been commanded you by God." 

10:34 Peter opened his mouth and said, "Truly I perceive that God doesn't show favoritism; 

10:35 but in every nation he who fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him. 

10:36 The word which he sent to the children of Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ--he is Lord of all--

10:37 that spoken word you yourselves know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; 

10:38 even Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 

10:39 We are witnesses of everything he did both in the country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they also{TR omits "also"} killed, hanging him on a tree. 

10:40 God raised him up the third day, and gave him to be revealed, 

10:41 not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen before by God, to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 

10:42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that this is he who is appointed by God as the Judge of the living and the dead. 

10:43 All the prophets testify about him, that through his name everyone who believes in him will receive remission of sins." 

10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word. 

10:45 They of the circumcision who believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles. 

10:46 For they heard them speaking in other languages and magnifying God. Then Peter answered, 

10:47 "Can any man forbid the water, that these who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we should not be baptized?" 

10:48 He commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay some days. 

Day 6

Matthew 6

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6:1 "Be careful that you don't do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 

6:2 Therefore when you do merciful deeds, don't sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from men. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. 

6:3 But when you do merciful deeds, don't let your left hand know what your right hand does, 

6:4 so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 

6:5 "When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward. 

6:6 But you, when you pray, enter into your inner chamber, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 

6:7 In praying, don't use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking. 

6:8 Therefore don't be like them, for your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him. 

6:9 Pray like this: 'Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. 

6:10 Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. 

6:11 Give us today our daily bread. 

6:12 Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. 

6:13 Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.{NU omits "For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen."}' 

6:14 "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 

6:15 But if you don't forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 

6:16 "Moreover when you fast, don't be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. 

6:17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face; 

6:18 so that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. 

6:19 "Don't lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; 

6:20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don't break through and steal; 

6:21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

6:22 "The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light. 

6:23 But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 

6:24 "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can't serve both God and Mammon. 

6:25 Therefore, I tell you, don't be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn't life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 

6:26 See the birds of the sky, that they don't sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you of much more value than they? 

6:27 "Which of you, by being anxious, can add one moment{literally, cubit} to his lifespan? 

6:28 Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don't toil, neither do they spin, 

6:29 yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these. 

6:30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won't he much more clothe you, you of little faith? 

6:31 "Therefore don't be anxious, saying, 'What will we eat?', 'What will we drink?' or, 'With what will we be clothed?' 

6:32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 

6:33 But seek first God's Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. 

6:34 Therefore don't be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day's own evil is sufficient. 

 

---

 

Acts 11

---

11:1 Now the apostles and the brothers{The word for "brothers" here and where context allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."} who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 

11:2 When Peter had come up to Jerusalem, those who were of the circumcision contended with him, 

11:3 saying, "You went in to uncircumcised men, and ate with them!" 

11:4 But Peter began, and explained to them in order, saying, 

11:5 "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision: a certain container descending, like it was a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners. It came as far as me. 

11:6 When I had looked intently at it, I considered, and saw the four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, creeping things, and birds of the sky. 

11:7 I also heard a voice saying to me, 'Rise, Peter, kill and eat!' 

11:8 But I said, 'Not so, Lord, for nothing unholy or unclean has ever entered into my mouth.' 

11:9 But a voice answered me the second time out of heaven, 'What God has cleansed, don't you call unclean.' 

11:10 This was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. 

11:11 Behold, immediately three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent from Caesarea to me. 

11:12 The Spirit told me to go with them, without discriminating. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house. 

11:13 He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying to him, 'Send to Joppa, and get Simon, whose surname is Peter, 

11:14 who will speak to you words by which you will be saved, you and all your house.' 

11:15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning. 

11:16 I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, 'John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.' 

11:17 If then God gave to them the same gift as us, when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God?" 

11:18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, "Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life!" 

11:19 They therefore who were scattered abroad by the oppression that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews only. 

11:20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists,{A Hellenist is someone who keeps Greek customs and culture.} preaching the Lord Jesus. 

11:21 The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. 

11:22 The report concerning them came to the ears of the assembly which was in Jerusalem. They sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch, 

11:23 who, when he had come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad. He exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they should remain near to the Lord. 

11:24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and many people were added to the Lord. 

11:25 Barnabas went out to Tarsus to look for Saul. 

11:26 When he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. It happened, that for a whole year they were gathered together with the assembly, and taught many people. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. 

11:27 Now in these days, prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 

11:28 One of them named Agabus stood up, and indicated by the Spirit that there should be a great famine all over the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius. 

11:29 As any of the disciples had plenty, each determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea; 

11:30 which they also did, sending it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. 

 

---

Acts 12

---

12:1 Now about that time, Herod the king stretched out his hands to oppress some of the assembly. 

12:2 He killed James, the brother of John, with the sword. 

12:3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This was during the days of unleavened bread. 

12:4 When he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. 

12:5 Peter therefore was kept in the prison, but constant prayer was made by the assembly to God for him. 

12:6 The same night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains. Guards in front of the door kept the prison. 

12:7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side, and woke him up, saying, "Stand up quickly!" His chains fell off from his hands. 

12:8 The angel said to him, "Get dressed and put on your sandals." He did so. He said to him, "Put on your cloak, and follow me." 

12:9 And he went out and followed him. He didn't know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he saw a vision. 

12:10 When they were past the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went out, and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. 

12:11 When Peter had come to himself, he said, "Now I truly know that the Lord has sent out his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from everything the Jewish people were expecting." 

12:12 Thinking about that, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 

12:13 When Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer. 

12:14 When she recognized Peter's voice, she didn't open the gate for joy, but ran in, and reported that Peter was standing in front of the gate. 

12:15 They said to her, "You are crazy!" But she insisted that it was so. They said, "It is his angel." 

12:16 But Peter continued knocking. When they had opened, they saw him, and were amazed. 

12:17 But he, beckoning to them with his hand to be silent, declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, "Tell these things to James, and to the brothers." Then he departed, and went to another place. 

12:18 Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. 

12:19 When Herod had sought for him, and didn't find him, he examined the guards, and commanded that they should be put to death. He went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there. 

12:20 Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus, the king's personal aide, their friend, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king's country for food. 

12:21 On an appointed day, Herod dressed himself in royal clothing, sat on the throne, and gave a speech to them. 

12:22 The people shouted, "The voice of a god, and not of a man!" 

12:23 Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he didn't give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died. 

12:24 But the word of God grew and multiplied. 

12:25 Barnabas and Saul returned to{TR reads "from" instead of "to"} Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their service, also taking with them John whose surname was Mark. 

Day 7

Matthew 7

---

7:1 "Don't judge, so that you won't be judged. 

7:2 For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you. 

7:3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but don't consider the beam that is in your own eye? 

7:4 Or how will you tell your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye;' and behold, the beam is in your own eye? 

7:5 You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother's eye. 

7:6 "Don't give that which is holy to the dogs, neither throw your pearls before the pigs, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. 

7:7 "Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. 

7:8 For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. 

7:9 Or who is there among you, who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 

7:10 Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent? 

7:11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! 

7:12 Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets. 

7:13 "Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it. 

7:14 How{TR reads "Because" instead of "How"} narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it. 

7:15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. 

7:16 By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? 

7:17 Even so, every good tree produces good fruit; but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit. 

7:18 A good tree can't produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit. 

7:19 Every tree that doesn't grow good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire. 

7:20 Therefore, by their fruits you will know them. 

7:21 Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 

7:22 Many will tell me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?' 

7:23 Then I will tell them, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.' 

7:24 "Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock. 

7:25 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn't fall, for it was founded on the rock. 

7:26 Everyone who hears these words of mine, and doesn't do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand. 

7:27 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell--and great was its fall." 

7:28 It happened, when Jesus had finished saying these things, that the multitudes were astonished at his teaching, 

7:29 for he taught them with authority, and not like the scribes. 

 

---

Acts 13

---

13:1 Now in the assembly that was at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 

13:2 As they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Separate Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to which I have called them." 

13:3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 

13:4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus. 

13:5 When they were at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. They had also John as their attendant. 

13:6 When they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar Jesus, 

13:7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God. 

13:8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn aside the proconsul from the faith. 

13:9 But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fastened his eyes on him, 

13:10 and said, "Full of all deceit and all cunning, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? 

13:11 Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is on you, and you will be blind, not seeing the sun for a season!" Immediately a mist and darkness fell on him. He went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 

13:12 Then the proconsul, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord. 

13:13 Now Paul and his company set sail from Paphos, and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John departed from them and returned to Jerusalem. 

13:14 But they, passing on from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia. They went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down. 

13:15 After the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, "Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, speak." 

13:16 Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, "Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen. 

13:17 The God of this people  chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they stayed as aliens in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm, he led them out of it. 

13:18 For a period of about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. 

13:19 When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land for an inheritance, for about four hundred fifty years. 

13:20 After these things he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. 

13:21 Afterward they asked for a king, and God gave to them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 

13:22 When he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, to whom he also testified, 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all my will.' 

13:23 From this man's seed, God has brought salvation{TR, NU read "a Savior, Jesus" instead of "salvation"} to Israel according to his promise, 

13:24 before his coming, when John had first preached the baptism of repentance to Israel.{TR, NU read "to all the people of Israel" instead of "to Israel"} 

13:25 As John was fulfilling his course, he said, 'What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. But behold, one comes after me the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.' 

13:26 Brothers, children of the stock of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, the word of this salvation is sent out to you. 

13:27 For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they didn't know him, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. 

13:28 Though they found no cause for death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed. 

13:29 When they had fulfilled all things that were written about him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a tomb. 

13:30 But God raised him from the dead, 

13:31 and he was seen for many days by those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses to the people. 

13:32 We bring you good news of the promise made to the fathers, 

13:33 that God has fulfilled the same to us, their children, in that he raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second psalm, 'You are my Son. Today I have become your father.'{Psalm 2:7} 

13:34 "Concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he has spoken thus: 'I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.'{Isaiah 55:3} 

13:35 Therefore he says also in another psalm, 'You will not allow your Holy One to see decay.'{Psalm 16:10} 

13:36 For David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, fell asleep, and was laid with his fathers, and saw decay. 

13:37 But he whom God raised up saw no decay. 

13:38 Be it known to you therefore, brothers{The word for "brothers" here and where the context allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."}, that through this man is proclaimed to you remission of sins, 

13:39 and by him everyone who believes is justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. 

13:40 Beware therefore, lest that come on you which is spoken in the prophets: 

13:41 'Behold, you scoffers, and wonder, and perish; for I work a work in your days, a work which you will in no way believe, if one declares it to you.'"{Habakkuk 1:5} 

13:42 So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. 

13:43 Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God. 

13:44 The next Sabbath almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God. 

13:45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted the things which were spoken by Paul, and blasphemed. 

13:46 Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, and said, "It was necessary that God's word should be spoken to you first. Since indeed you thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. 

13:47 For so has the Lord commanded us, saying, 'I have set you as a light for the Gentiles, that you should bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.'"{Isaiah 49:6} 

13:48 As the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of God. As many as were appointed to eternal life believed. 

13:49 The Lord's word was spread abroad throughout all the region. 

13:50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, and stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out of their borders. 

13:51 But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came to Iconium. 

13:52 The disciples were filled with joy with the Holy Spirit. 

 

---

Acts 14

---

14:1 It happened in Iconium that they entered together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of Jews and of Greeks believed. 

14:2 But the disbelieving{or, disobedient} Jews stirred up and embittered the souls of the Gentiles against the brothers. 

14:3 Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who testified to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 

14:4 But the multitude of the city was divided. Part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles. 

14:5 When some of both the Gentiles and the Jews, with their rulers, made a violent attempt to mistreat and stone them, 

14:6 they became aware of it, and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra, Derbe, and the surrounding region. 

14:7 There they preached the Good News. 

14:8 At Lystra a certain man sat, impotent in his feet, a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked. 

14:9 He was listening to Paul speaking, who, fastening eyes on him, and seeing that he had faith to be made whole, 

14:10 said with a loud voice, "Stand upright on your feet!" He leaped up and walked. 

14:11 When the multitude saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the language of Lycaonia, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!" 

14:12 They called Barnabas "Jupiter," and Paul "Mercury," because he was the chief speaker. 

14:13 The priest of Jupiter, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and would have made a sacrifice along with the multitudes. 

14:14 But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they tore their clothes, and sprang into the multitude, crying out, 

14:15 "Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to the living God, who made the sky and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them; 

14:16 who in the generations gone by allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. 

14:17 Yet he didn't leave himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you{TR reads "us" instead of "you"} rains from the sky and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." 

14:18 Even saying these things, they hardly stopped the multitudes from making a sacrifice to them. 

14:19 But some Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there, and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul, and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 

14:20 But as the disciples stood around him, he rose up, and entered into the city. On the next day he went out with Barnabas to Derbe. 

14:21 When they had preached the Good News to that city, and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 

14:22 confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of God. 

14:23 When they had appointed elders for them in every assembly, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they had believed. 

14:24 They passed through Pisidia, and came to Pamphylia. 

14:25 When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. 

14:26 From there they sailed to Antioch, from where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work which they had fulfilled. 

14:27 When they had arrived, and had gathered the assembly together, they reported all the things that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith to the nations. 

14:28 They stayed there with the disciples for a long time. 

Day 8

Matthew 8

---

8:1 When he came down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 

8:2 Behold, a leper came to him and worshiped him, saying, "Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean." 

8:3 Jesus stretched out his hand, and touched him, saying, "I want to. Be made clean." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 

8:4 Jesus said to him, "See that you tell nobody, but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them." 

8:5 When he came into Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking him, 

8:6 and saying, "Lord, my servant lies in the house paralyzed, grievously tormented." 

8:7 Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him." 

8:8 The centurion answered, "Lord, I'm not worthy for you to come under my roof. Just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 

8:9 For I am also a man under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and tell another, 'Come,' and he comes; and tell my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." 

8:10 When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to those who followed, "Most certainly I tell you, I haven't found so great a faith, not even in Israel. 

8:11 I tell you that many will come from the east and the west, and will sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven, 

8:12 but the children of the Kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 

8:13 Jesus said to the centurion, "Go your way. Let it be done for you as you have believed." His servant was healed in that hour. 

8:14 When Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother lying sick with a fever. 

8:15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her. She got up and served him.{TR reads "them" instead of "him"} 

8:16 When evening came, they brought to him many possessed with demons. He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick; 

8:17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying: "He took our infirmities, and bore our diseases."{Isaiah 53:4} 

8:18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes around him, he gave the order to depart to the other side. 

8:19 A scribe came, and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." 

8:20 Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." 

8:21 Another of his disciples said to him, "Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father." 

8:22 But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead." 

8:23 When he got into a boat, his disciples followed him. 

8:24 Behold, a violent storm came up on the sea, so much that the boat was covered with the waves, but he was asleep. 

8:25 They came to him, and woke him up, saying, "Save us, Lord! We are dying!" 

8:26 He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then he got up, rebuked the wind and the sea, and there was a great calm. 

8:27 The men marveled, saying, "What kind of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" 

8:28 When he came to the other side, into the country of the Gergesenes,{NU reads "Gadarenes"} two people possessed by demons met him there, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that nobody could pass that way. 

8:29 Behold, they cried out, saying, "What do we have to do with you, Jesus, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?" 

8:30 Now there was a herd of many pigs feeding far away from them. 

8:31 The demons begged him, saying, "If you cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of pigs." 

8:32 He said to them, "Go!" They came out, and went into the herd of pigs: and behold, the whole herd of pigs rushed down the cliff into the sea, and died in the water. 

8:33 Those who fed them fled, and went away into the city, and told everything, including what happened to those who were possessed with demons. 

8:34 Behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus. When they saw him, they begged that he would depart from their borders. 

 

---

 

Acts 15

---

15:1 Some men came down from Judea and taught the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised after the custom of Moses, you can't be saved." 

15:2 Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small discord and discussion with them, they appointed Paul and Barnabas, and some others of them, to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question. 

15:3 They, being sent on their way by the assembly, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles. They caused great joy to all the brothers.{The word for "brothers" here and where the context allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."} 

15:4 When they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all things that God had done with them. 

15:5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses." 

15:6 The apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter. 

15:7 When there had been much discussion, Peter rose up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the nations should hear the word of the Good News, and believe. 

15:8 God, who knows the heart, testified about them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just like he did to us. 

15:9 He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. 

15:10 Now therefore why do you tempt God, that you should put a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 

15:11 But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus,{TR adds "Christ"} just as they are." 

15:12 All the multitude kept silence, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul reporting what signs and wonders God had done among the nations through them. 

15:13 After they were silent, James answered, "Brothers, listen to me. 

15:14 Simeon has reported how God first visited the nations, to take out of them a people for his name. 

15:15 This agrees with the words of the prophets. As it is written, 

15:16 'After these things I will return. I will again build the tabernacle of David, which has fallen. I will again build its ruins. I will set it up, 

15:17 That the rest of men may seek after the Lord; All the Gentiles who are called by my name, Says the Lord, who does all these things.{Amos 9:11-12} 

15:18 All his works are known to God from eternity.' 

15:19 "Therefore my judgment is that we don't trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God, 

15:20 but that we write to them that they abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood. 

15:21 For Moses from generations of old has in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath." 

15:22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole assembly, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brothers.{The word for "brothers" here and where the context allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."} 

15:23 They wrote these things by their hand: "The apostles, the elders, and the brothers, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: greetings. 

15:24 Because we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, 'You must be circumcised and keep the law,' to whom we gave no commandment; 

15:25 it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 

15:26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

15:27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves will also tell you the same things by word of mouth. 

15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things: 

15:29 that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality, from which if you keep yourselves, it will be well with you. Farewell." 

15:30 So, when they were sent off, they came to Antioch. Having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter. 

15:31 When they had read it, they rejoiced over the encouragement. 

15:32 Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers with many words, and strengthened them. 

15:33 After they had spent some time there, they were sent back with greetings from the brothers to the apostles. 

15:34 {Some manuscripts add: But it seemed good to Silas to stay there.} 

15:35 But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. 

15:36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let's return now and visit our brothers in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are doing." 

15:37 Barnabas planned to take John, who was called Mark, with them also. 

15:38 But Paul didn't think that it was a good idea to take with them someone who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia, and didn't go with them to do the work. 

15:39 Then the contention grew so sharp that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him, and sailed away to Cyprus, 

15:40 but Paul chose Silas, and went out, being commended by the brothers to the grace of God. 

15:41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the assemblies. 

---

 

Acts 16

---

16:1 He came to Derbe and Lystra: and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess who believed; but his father was a Greek. 

16:2 The brothers who were at Lystra and Iconium gave a good testimony about him. 

16:3 Paul wanted to have him go out with him, and he took and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts; for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 

16:4 As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered the decrees to them to keep which had been ordained by the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem. 

16:5 So the assemblies were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily. 

16:6 When they had gone through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 

16:7 When they had come opposite Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit didn't allow them. 

16:8 Passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. 

16:9 A vision appeared to Paul in the night. There was a man of Macedonia standing, begging him, and saying, "Come over into Macedonia and help us." 

16:10 When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go out to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the Good News to them. 

16:11 Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a straight course to Samothrace, and the day following to Neapolis; 

16:12 and from there to Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the foremost of the district, a Roman colony. We were staying some days in this city. 

16:13 On the Sabbath day we went forth outside of the city by a riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down, and spoke to the women who had come together. 

16:14 A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one who worshiped God, heard us; whose heart the Lord opened to listen to the things which were spoken by Paul. 

16:15 When she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and stay." So she persuaded us. 

16:16 It happened, as we were going to prayer, that a certain girl having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune telling. 

16:17 Following Paul and us, she cried out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation!" 

16:18 She was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" It came out that very hour. 

16:19 But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 

16:20 When they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, "These men, being Jews, are agitating our city, 

16:21 and set forth customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans." 

16:22 The multitude rose up together against them, and the magistrates tore their clothes off of them, and commanded them to be beaten with rods. 

16:23 When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely, 

16:24 who, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison, and secured their feet in the stocks. 

16:25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 

16:26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were loosened. 

16:27 The jailer, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 

16:28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, "Don't harm yourself, for we are all here!" 

16:29 He called for lights and sprang in, and, fell down trembling before Paul and Silas, 

16:30 and brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 

16:31 They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." 

16:32 They spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house. 

16:33 He took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and was immediately baptized, he and all his household. 

16:34 He brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his household, having believed in God. 

16:35 But when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, "Let those men go." 

16:36 The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, "The magistrates have sent to let you go; now therefore come out, and go in peace." 

16:37 But Paul said to them, "They have beaten us publicly, without a trial, men who are Romans, and have cast us into prison! Do they now release us secretly? No, most certainly, but let them come themselves and bring us out!" 

16:38 The sergeants reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans, 

16:39 and they came and begged them. When they had brought them out, they asked them to depart from the city. 

16:40 They went out of the prison, and entered into Lydia's house. When they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them, and departed. 

Day 9

Matthew 9

---

9:1 He entered into a boat, and crossed over, and came into his own city. 

9:2 Behold, they brought to him a man who was paralyzed, lying on a bed. Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, "Son, cheer up! Your sins are forgiven you." 

9:3 Behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man blasphemes." 

9:4 Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts? 

9:5 For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven;' or to say, 'Get up, and walk?' 

9:6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins..." (then he said to the paralytic), "Get up, and take up your mat, and go up to your house." 

9:7 He arose and departed to his house. 

9:8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such authority to men. 

9:9 As Jesus passed by from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax collection office. He said to him, "Follow me." He got up and followed him. 

9:10 It happened as he sat in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. 

9:11 When the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" 

9:12 When Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do. 

9:13 But you go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,'{Hosea 6:6} for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.{NU omits "to repentance".}" 

9:14 Then John's disciples came to him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don't fast?" 

9:15 Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. 

9:16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch would tear away from the garment, and a worse hole is made. 

9:17 Neither do people put new wine into old wineskins, or else the skins would burst, and the wine be spilled, and the skins ruined. No, they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved." 

9:18 While he told these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live." 

9:19 Jesus got up and followed him, as did his disciples. 

9:20 Behold, a woman who had an issue of blood for twelve years came behind him, and touched the fringe{or, tassel} of his garment; 

9:21 for she said within herself, "If I just touch his garment, I will be made well." 

9:22 But Jesus, turning around and seeing her, said, "Daughter, cheer up! Your faith has made you well." And the woman was made well from that hour. 

9:23 When Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the flute players, and the crowd in noisy disorder, 

9:24 he said to them, "Make room, because the girl isn't dead, but sleeping." They were ridiculing him. 

9:25 But when the crowd was put out, he entered in, took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 

9:26 The report of this went out into all that land. 

9:27 As Jesus passed by from there, two blind men followed him, calling out and saying, "Have mercy on us, son of David!" 

9:28 When he had come into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They told him, "Yes, Lord." 

9:29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith be it done to you." 

9:30 Their eyes were opened. Jesus strictly commanded them, saying, "See that no one knows about this." 

9:31 But they went out and spread abroad his fame in all that land. 

9:32 As they went out, behold, a mute man who was demon possessed was brought to him. 

9:33 When the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke. The multitudes marveled, saying, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!" 

9:34 But the Pharisees said, "By the prince of the demons, he casts out demons." 

9:35 Jesus went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people. 

9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd. 

9:37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest indeed is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 

9:38 Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send out laborers into his harvest." 

 

---

Acts 17

---

17:1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 

17:2 Paul, as was his custom, went in to them, and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 

17:3 explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ." 

17:4 Some of them were persuaded, and joined Paul and Silas, of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and not a few of the chief women. 

17:5 But the unpersuaded Jews took along{TR reads "And the Jews who were unpersuaded, becoming envious and taking along" instead of "But the unpersuaded Jews took along"} some wicked men from the marketplace, and gathering a crowd, set the city in an uproar. Assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them out to the people. 

17:6 When they didn't find them, they dragged Jason and certain brothers{The word for "brothers" here and where the context allows may be also correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."} before the rulers of the city, crying, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here also, 

17:7 whom Jason has received. These all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus!" 

17:8 The multitude and the rulers of the city were troubled when they heard these things. 

17:9 When they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go. 

17:10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue. 

17:11 Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. 

17:12 Many of them therefore believed; also of the prominent Greek women, and not a few men. 

17:13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Beroea also, they came there likewise, agitating the multitudes. 

17:14 Then the brothers immediately sent out Paul to go as far as to the sea, and Silas and Timothy still stayed there. 

17:15 But those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens. Receiving a commandment to Silas and Timothy that they should come to him very quickly, they departed. 

17:16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw the city full of idols. 

17:17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who met him. 

17:18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also{TR omits "also"} were conversing with him. Some said, "What does this babbler want to say?" Others said, "He seems to be advocating foreign deities," because he preached Jesus and the resurrection. 

17:19 They took hold of him, and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is, which is spoken by you? 

17:20 For you bring certain strange things to our ears. We want to know therefore what these things mean." 

17:21 Now all the Athenians and the strangers living there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing. 

17:22 Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus, and said, "You men of Athens, I perceive that you are very religious in all things. 

17:23 For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I announce to you. 

17:24 The God who made the world and all things in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, doesn't dwell in temples made with hands, 

17:25 neither is he served by men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself gives to all life and breath, and all things. 

17:26 He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed seasons, and the boundaries of their dwellings, 

17:27 that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 

17:28 'For in him we live, and move, and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also his offspring.' 

17:29 Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold, or silver, or stone, engraved by art and design of man. 

17:30 The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent, 

17:31 because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead." 

17:32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, "We want to hear you again concerning this." 

17:33 Thus Paul went out from among them. 

17:34 But certain men joined with him, and believed, among whom also was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them. 

 

---

Acts 18

---

18:1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth. 

18:2 He found a certain Jew named Aquila, a man of Pontus by race, who had recently come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome. He came to them, 

18:3 and because he practiced the same trade, he lived with them and worked, for by trade they were tent makers. 

18:4 He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks. 

18:5 But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. 

18:6 When they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook out his clothing and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles!" 

18:7 He departed there, and went into the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. 

18:8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his house. Many of the Corinthians, when they heard, believed and were baptized. 

18:9 The Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, "Don't be afraid, but speak and don't be silent; 

18:10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city." 

18:11 He lived there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. 

18:12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat, 

18:13 saying, "This man persuades men to worship God contrary to the law." 

18:14 But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, "If indeed it were a matter of wrong or of wicked crime, you Jews, it would be reasonable that I should bear with you; 

18:15 but if they are questions about words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves. For I don't want to be a judge of these matters." 

18:16 He drove them from the judgment seat. 

18:17 Then all the Greeks laid hold on Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. Gallio didn't care about any of these things. 

18:18 Paul, having stayed after this many more days, took his leave of the brothers,{The word for "brothers" here and where the context allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."} and sailed from there for Syria, together with Priscilla and Aquila. He shaved his head in Cenchreae, for he had a vow. 

18:19 He came to Ephesus, and he left them there; but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews. 

18:20 When they asked him to stay with them a longer time, he declined; 

18:21 but taking his leave of them, and saying, "I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem, but I will return again to you if God wills," he set sail from Ephesus. 

18:22 When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the assembly, and went down to Antioch. 

18:23 Having spent some time there, he departed, and went through the region of Galatia, and Phrygia, in order, establishing all the disciples. 

18:24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus. He was mighty in the Scriptures. 

18:25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, although he knew only the baptism of John. 

18:26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside, and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 

18:27 When he had determined to pass over into Achaia, the brothers encouraged him, and wrote to the disciples to receive him. When he had come, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; 

18:28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews, publicly showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ. 

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Day 10

Matthew 10

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10:1 He called to himself his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness. 

10:2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these. The first, Simon, who is called Peter; Andrew, his brother; James the son of Zebedee; John, his brother; 

10:3 Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus; Lebbaeus, whose surname was{NU omits "Lebbaeus, whose surname was"} Thaddaeus; 

10:4 Simon the Canaanite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. 

10:5 Jesus sent these twelve out, and commanded them, saying, "Don't go among the Gentiles, and don't enter into any city of the Samaritans. 

10:6 Rather, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 

10:7 As you go, preach, saying, 'The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!' 

10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers{TR adds ", raise the dead"}, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give. 

10:9 Don't take any gold, nor silver, nor brass in your money belts. 

10:10 Take no bag for your journey, neither two coats, nor shoes, nor staff: for the laborer is worthy of his food. 

10:11 Into whatever city or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy; and stay there until you go on. 

10:12 As you enter into the household, greet it. 

10:13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it isn't worthy, let your peace return to you. 

10:14 Whoever doesn't receive you, nor hear your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake off the dust from your feet. 

10:15 Most certainly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city. 

10:16 "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 

10:17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you. 

10:18 Yes, and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations. 

10:19 But when they deliver you up, don't be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say. 

10:20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. 

10:21 "Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. 

10:22 You will be hated by all men for my name's sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved. 

10:23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next, for most certainly I tell you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel, until the Son of Man has come. 

10:24 "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord. 

10:25 It is enough for the disciple that he be like his teacher, and the servant like his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household! 

10:26 Therefore don't be afraid of them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed; and hidden that will not be known. 

10:27 What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim on the housetops. 

10:28 Don't be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.{or, Hell.} 

10:29 "Aren't two sparrows sold for an assarion coin{An assarion is a small coin worth one tenth of a drachma or a sixteenth of a denarius. An assarion is approximately the wages of one half hour of agricultural labor.}? Not one of them falls on the ground apart from your Father's will, 

10:30 but the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 

10:31 Therefore don't be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows. 

10:32 Everyone therefore who confesses me before men, him I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven. 

10:33 But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven. 

10:34 "Don't think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn't come to send peace, but a sword. 

10:35 For I came to set a man at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 

10:36 A man's foes will be those of his own household.{Micah 7:6} 

10:37 He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn't worthy of me. 

10:38 He who doesn't take his cross and follow after me, isn't worthy of me. 

10:39 He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it. 

10:40 He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me. 

10:41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward. He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. 

10:42 Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you he will in no way lose his reward." 

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Acts 19

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19:1 It happened that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples. 

19:2 He said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They said to him, "No, we haven't even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." 

19:3 He said, "Into what then were you baptized?" They said, "Into John's baptism." 

19:4 Paul said, "John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus." 

19:5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 

19:6 When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke with other languages and prophesied. 

19:7 They were about twelve men in all. 

19:8 He entered into the synagogue, and spoke boldly for a period of three months, reasoning and persuading about the things concerning the Kingdom of God. 

19:9 But when some were hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. 

19:10 This continued for two years, so that all those who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. 

19:11 God worked special miracles by the hands of Paul, 

19:12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and the evil spirits went out. 

19:13 But some of the itinerant Jews, exorcists, took on themselves to invoke over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, "We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches." 

19:14 There were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did this. 

19:15 The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?" 

19:16 The man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 

19:17 This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived at Ephesus. Fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 

19:18 Many also of those who had believed came, confessing, and declaring their deeds. 

19:19 Many of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. They counted the price of them, and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver.{The 50,000 pieces of silver here probably referred to 50,000 drachmas. If so, the value of the burned books was equivalent to about 160 man-years of wages for agricultural laborers} 

19:20 So the word of the Lord was growing and becoming mighty. 

19:21 Now after these things had ended, Paul determined in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome." 

19:22 Having sent into Macedonia two of those who served him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while. 

19:23 About that time there arose no small stir concerning the Way. 

19:24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen, 

19:25 whom he gathered together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said, "Sirs, you know that by this business we have our wealth. 

19:26 You see and hear, that not at Ephesus alone, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are no gods, that are made with hands. 

19:27 Not only is there danger that this our trade come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be counted as nothing, and her majesty destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worships." 

19:28 When they heard this they were filled with anger, and cried out, saying, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" 

19:29 The whole city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel. 

19:30 When Paul wanted to enter in to the people, the disciples didn't allow him. 

19:31 Certain also of the Asiarchs, being his friends, sent to him and begged him not to venture into the theater. 

19:32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another, for the assembly was in confusion. Most of them didn't know why they had come together. 

19:33 They brought Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. Alexander beckoned with his hand, and would have made a defense to the people. 

19:34 But when they perceived that he was a Jew, all with one voice for a time of about two hours cried out, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" 

19:35 When the town clerk had quieted the multitude, he said, "You men of Ephesus, what man is there who doesn't know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great goddess Artemis, and of the image which fell down from Zeus? 

19:36 Seeing then that these things can't be denied, you ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rash. 

19:37 For you have brought these men here, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess. 

19:38 If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a matter against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them press charges against one another. 

19:39 But if you seek anything about other matters, it will be settled in the regular assembly. 

19:40 For indeed we are in danger of being accused concerning this day's riot, there being no cause. Concerning it, we wouldn't be able to give an account of this commotion." 

19:41 When he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly. 

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Acts 20

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20:1 After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, took leave of them, and departed to go into Macedonia. 

20:2 When he had gone through those parts, and had encouraged them with many words, he came into Greece. 

20:3 When he had spent three months there, and a plot was made against him by Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he determined to return through Macedonia. 

20:4 These accompanied him as far as Asia: Sopater of Beroea; Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians; Gaius of Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia. 

20:5 But these had gone ahead, and were waiting for us at Troas. 

20:6 We sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and came to them at Troas in five days, where we stayed seven days. 

20:7 On the first day of the week, when the disciples were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and continued his speech until midnight. 

20:8 There were many lights in the upper chamber where we{TR reads "they" instead of "we"} were gathered together. 

20:9 A certain young man named Eutychus sat in the window, weighed down with deep sleep. As Paul spoke still longer, being weighed down by his sleep, he fell down from the third story, and was taken up dead. 

20:10 Paul went down, and fell upon him, and embracing him said, "Don't be troubled, for his life is in him." 

20:11 When he had gone up, and had broken bread, and eaten, and had talked with them a long while, even until break of day, he departed. 

20:12 They brought the boy in alive, and were greatly comforted. 

20:13 But we who went ahead to the ship set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for he had so arranged, intending himself to go by land. 

20:14 When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard, and came to Mitylene. 

20:15 Sailing from there, we came the following day opposite Chios. The next day we touched at Samos and stayed at Trogyllium, and the day after we came to Miletus. 

20:16 For Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening, if it were possible for him, to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. 

20:17 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to himself the elders of the assembly. 

20:18 When they had come to him, he said to them, "You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you all the time, 

20:19 serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears, and with trials which happened to me by the plots of the Jews; 

20:20 how I didn't shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, teaching you publicly and from house to house, 

20:21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus.{TR adds "Christ"} 

20:22 Now, behold, I go bound by the Spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there; 

20:23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions wait for me. 

20:24 But these things don't count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God. 

20:25 "Now, behold, I know that you all, among whom I went about preaching the Kingdom of God, will see my face no more. 

20:26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am clean from the blood of all men, 

20:27 for I didn't shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. 

20:28 Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of the Lord and{TR, NU omit "the Lord and"} God which he purchased with his own blood. 

20:29 For I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 

20:30 Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. 

20:31 Therefore watch, remembering that for a period of three years I didn't cease to admonish everyone night and day with tears. 

20:32 Now, brothers, I entrust you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build up, and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 

20:33 I coveted no one's silver, or gold, or clothing. 

20:34 You yourselves know that these hands served my necessities, and those who were with me. 

20:35 In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" 

20:36 When he had spoken these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 

20:37 They all wept a lot, and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him, 

20:38 sorrowing most of all because of the word which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship. 

Day 11

Matthew 11

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11:1 It happened that when Jesus had finished directing his twelve disciples, he departed from there to teach and preach in their cities. 

11:2 Now when John heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples 

11:3 and said to him, "Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?" 

11:4 Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 

11:5 the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear,{Isaiah 35:5} the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.{Isaiah 61:1-4} 

11:6 Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me." 

11:7 As these went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 

11:8 But what did you go out to see? A man in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in king's houses. 

11:9 But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet. 

11:10 For this is he, of whom it is written, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.'{Malachi 3:1} 

11:11 Most certainly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptizer; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he. 

11:12 From the days of John the Baptizer until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.{or, plunder it.} 

11:13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 

11:14 If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come. 

11:15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear. 

11:16 "But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces, who call to their companions 

11:17 and say, 'We played the flute for you, and you didn't dance. We mourned for you, and you didn't lament.' 

11:18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' 

11:19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children.{NU reads "actions" instead of "children"}" 

11:20 Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they didn't repent. 

11:21 "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 

11:22 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 

11:23 You, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, you will go down to Hades.{or, Hell} For if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in you, it would have remained until this day. 

11:24 But I tell you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom, on the day of judgment, than for you." 

11:25 At that time, Jesus answered, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants. 

11:26 Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight. 

11:27 All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him. 

11:28 "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. 

11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. 

11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." 

 

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Acts 21

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21:1 When it happened that we had parted from them and had set sail, we came with a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. 

21:2 Having found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard, and set sail. 

21:3 When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left hand, we sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload her cargo. 

21:4 Having found disciples, we stayed there seven days. These said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem. 

21:5 When it happened that we had accomplished the days, we departed and went on our journey. They all, with wives and children, brought us on our way until we were out of the city. Kneeling down on the beach, we prayed. 

21:6 After saying goodbye to each other, we went on board the ship, and they returned home again. 

21:7 When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais. We greeted the brothers, and stayed with them one day. 

21:8 On the next day, we, who were Paul's companions, departed, and came to Caesarea. We entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 

21:9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied. 

21:10 As we stayed there some days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 

21:11 Coming to us, and taking Paul's belt, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit: 'So will the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'" 

21:12 When we heard these things, both we and they of that place begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 

21:13 Then Paul answered, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." 

21:14 When he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, "The Lord's will be done." 

21:15 After these days we took up our baggage and went up to Jerusalem. 

21:16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea also went with us, bringing one Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we would stay. 

21:17 When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. 

21:18 The day following, Paul went in with us to James; and all the elders were present. 

21:19 When he had greeted them, he reported one by one the things which God had worked among the Gentiles through his ministry. 

21:20 They, when they heard it, glorified God. They said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law. 

21:21 They have been informed about you, that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children neither to walk after the customs. 

21:22 What then? The assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come. 

21:23 Therefore do what we tell you. We have four men who have taken a vow. 

21:24 Take them, and purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses for them, that they may shave their heads. Then all will know that there is no truth in the things that they have been informed about you, but that you yourself also walk keeping the law. 

21:25 But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written our decision that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from food offered to idols, from blood, from strangled things, and from sexual immorality." 

21:26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day, purified himself and went with them into the temple, declaring the fulfillment of the days of purification, until the offering was offered for every one of them. 

21:27 When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the multitude and laid hands on him, 

21:28 crying out, "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place. Moreover, he also brought Greeks into the temple, and has defiled this holy place!" 

21:29 For they had seen Trophimus, the Ephesian, with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. 

21:30 All the city was moved, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple. Immediately the doors were shut. 

21:31 As they were trying to kill him, news came up to the commanding officer of the regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. 

21:32 Immediately he took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. They, when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, stopped beating Paul. 

21:33 Then the commanding officer came near, arrested him, commanded him to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he was and what he had done. 

21:34 Some shouted one thing, and some another, among the crowd. When he couldn't find out the truth because of the noise, he commanded him to be brought into the barracks. 

21:35 When he came to the stairs, it happened that he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd; 

21:36 for the multitude of the people followed after, crying out, "Away with him!" 

21:37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he asked the commanding officer, "May I speak to you?" He said, "Do you know Greek?

21:38 Aren't you then the Egyptian, who before these days stirred up to sedition and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men of the Assassins?" 

21:39 But Paul said, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. I beg you, allow me to speak to the people." 

21:40 When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people. When there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying, 

 

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Acts 22

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22:1 "Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make to you." 

22:2 When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet. He said, 

22:3 "I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are this day. 

22:4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. 

22:5 As also the high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and traveled to Damascus to bring them also who were there to Jerusalem in bonds to be punished. 

22:6 It happened that, as I made my journey, and came close to Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from the sky a great light around me. 

22:7 I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?' 

22:8 I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' He said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute.' 

22:9 "Those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they didn't understand the voice of him who spoke to me. 

22:10 I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' The Lord said to me, 'Arise, and go into Damascus. There you will be told about all things which are appointed for you to do.' 

22:11 When I couldn't see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus. 

22:12 One Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus, 

22:13 came to me, and standing by me said to me, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight!' In that very hour I looked up at him. 

22:14 He said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth. 

22:15 For you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard. 

22:16 Now why do you wait? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.' 

22:17 "It happened that, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance, 

22:18 and saw him saying to me, 'Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.' 

22:19 I said, 'Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those who believed in you. 

22:20 When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting to his death, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.' 

22:21 "He said to me, 'Depart, for I will send you out far from here to the Gentiles.'" 

22:22 They listened to him until he said that; then they lifted up their voice, and said, "Rid the earth of this fellow, for he isn't fit to live!" 

22:23 As they cried out, and threw off their cloaks, and threw dust into the air, 

22:24 the commanding officer commanded him to be brought into the barracks, ordering him to be examined by scourging, that he might know for what crime they shouted against him like that. 

22:25 When they had tied him up with thongs, Paul asked the centurion who stood by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?" 

22:26 When the centurion heard it, he went to the commanding officer and told him, "Watch what you are about to do, for this man is a Roman!" 

22:27 The commanding officer came and asked him, "Tell me, are you a Roman?" He said, "Yes." 

22:28 The commanding officer answered, "I bought my citizenship for a great price." Paul said, "But I was born a Roman." 

22:29 Immediately those who were about to examine him departed from him, and the commanding officer also was afraid when he realized that he was a Roman, because he had bound him. 

22:30 But on the next day, desiring to know the truth about why he was accused by the Jews, he freed him from the bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them. 

Day 12

Matthew 12

---

12:1 At that time, Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the grain fields. His disciples were hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 

12:2 But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, "Behold, your disciples do what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath." 

12:3 But he said to them, "Haven't you read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him; 

12:4 how he entered into the house of God, and ate the show bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for those who were with him, but only for the priests?{1 Samuel 21:3-6} 

12:5 Or have you not read in the law, that on the Sabbath day, the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are guiltless? 

12:6 But I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. 

12:7 But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,'{Hosea 6:6} you would not have condemned the guiltless. 

12:8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." 

12:9 He departed there, and went into their synagogue. 

12:10 And behold there was a man with a withered hand. They asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?" that they might accuse him. 

12:11 He said to them, "What man is there among you, who has one sheep, and if this one falls into a pit on the Sabbath day, won't he grab on to it, and lift it out? 

12:12 Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day." 

12:13 Then he told the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out; and it was restored whole, just like the other. 

12:14 But the Pharisees went out, and conspired against him, how they might destroy him. 

12:15 Jesus, perceiving that, withdrew from there. Great multitudes followed him; and he healed them all, 

12:16 and commanded them that they should not make him known: 

12:17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, 

12:18 "Behold, my servant whom I have chosen; my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my Spirit on him. He will proclaim justice to the nations. 

12:19 He will not strive, nor shout; neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets. 

12:20 He won't break a bruised reed. He won't quench a smoking flax, until he leads justice to victory. 

12:21 In his name, the nations will hope."{Isaiah 42:1-4} 

12:22 Then one possessed by a demon, blind and mute, was brought to him and he healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. 

12:23 All the multitudes were amazed, and said, "Can this be the son of David?" 

12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "This man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons." 

12:25 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. 

12:26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 

12:27 If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 

12:28 But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you. 

12:29 Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man, and plunder his goods, unless he first bind the strong man? Then he will plunder his house. 

12:30 "He who is not with me is against me, and he who doesn't gather with me, scatters. 

12:31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 

12:32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this age, nor in that which is to come. 

12:33 "Either make the tree good, and its fruit good, or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by its fruit. 

12:34 You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. 

12:35 The good man out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure{TR adds "of the heart"} brings out evil things. 

12:36 I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 

12:37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." 

12:38 Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from you." 

12:39 But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given it but the sign of Jonah the prophet. 

12:40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 

12:41 The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, someone greater than Jonah is here. 

12:42 The queen of the south will rise up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, someone greater than Solomon is here. 

12:43 But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of the man, passes through waterless places, seeking rest, and doesn't find it. 

12:44 Then he says, 'I will return into my house from which I came out,' and when he has come back, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. 

12:45 Then he goes, and takes with himself seven other spirits more evil than he is, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first. Even so will it be also to this evil generation." 

12:46 While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him. 

12:47 One said to him, "Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, seeking to speak to you." 

12:48 But he answered him who spoke to him, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" 

12:49 He stretched out his hand towards his disciples, and said, "Behold, my mother and my brothers! 

12:50 For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother." 

---

 

Acts 23

---

23:1 Paul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, "Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day." 

23:2 The high priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. 

23:3 Then Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?" 

23:4 Those who stood by said, "Do you malign God's high priest?" 

23:5 Paul said, "I didn't know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'"{Exodus 22:28}

23:6 But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, "Men and brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. Concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!" 

23:7 When he had said this, an argument arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 

23:8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess all of these. 

23:9 A great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees part stood up, and contended, saying, "We find no evil in this man. But if a spirit or angel has spoken to him, let's not fight against God!" 

23:10 When a great argument arose, the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks. 

23:11 The following night, the Lord stood by him, and said, "Cheer up, Paul, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must testify also at Rome." 

23:12 When it was day, some of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. 

23:13 There were more than forty people who had made this conspiracy. 

23:14 They came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, "We have bound ourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. 

23:15 Now therefore, you with the council inform the commanding officer that he should bring him down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to judge his case more exactly. We are ready to kill him before he comes near." 

23:16 But Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, and he came and entered into the barracks and told Paul. 

23:17 Paul summoned one of the centurions, and said, "Bring this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something to tell him." 

23:18 So he took him, and brought him to the commanding officer, and said, "Paul, the prisoner, summoned me and asked me to bring this young man to you, who has something to tell you." 

23:19 The commanding officer took him by the hand, and going aside, asked him privately, "What is it that you have to tell me?" 

23:20 He said, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though intending to inquire somewhat more accurately concerning him. 

23:21 Therefore don't yield to them, for more than forty men lie in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they have killed him. Now they are ready, looking for the promise from you." 

23:22 So the commanding officer let the young man go, charging him, "Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me." 

23:23 He called to himself two of the centurions, and said, "Prepare two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, with seventy horsemen, and two hundred men armed with spears, at the third hour of the night{about 9:00 PM}." 

23:24 He asked them to provide animals, that they might set Paul on one, and bring him safely to Felix the governor. 

23:25 He wrote a letter like this: 

23:26 "Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings. 

23:27 "This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them, when I came with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman. 

23:28 Desiring to know the cause why they accused him, I brought him down to their council. 

23:29 I found him to be accused about questions of their law, but not to be charged with anything worthy of death or of imprisonment. 

23:30 When I was told that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him to you immediately, charging his accusers also to bring their accusations against him before you. Farewell." 

23:31 So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. 

23:32 But on the next day they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the barracks. 

23:33 When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. 

23:34 When the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. When he understood that he was from Cilicia, he said, 

23:35 "I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive." He commanded that he be kept in Herod's palace. 

---

 

Acts 24

---

24:1 After five days, the high priest, Ananias, came down with certain elders and an orator, one Tertullus. They informed the governor against Paul. 

24:2 When he was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, "Seeing that by you we enjoy much peace, and that excellent measures are coming to this nation, 

24:3 we accept it in all ways and in all places, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. 

24:4 But, that I don't delay you, I entreat you to bear with us and hear a few words. 

24:5 For we have found this man to be a plague, an instigator of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 

24:6 He even tried to profane the temple, and we arrested him.{TR adds "We wanted to judge him according to our law,"} 

24:7 {TR adds "but the commanding officer, Lysias, came by and with great violence took him out of our hands,"} 

24:8 {TR adds "commanding his accusers to come to you."}By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him." 

24:9 The Jews also joined in the attack, affirming that these things were so. 

24:10 When the governor had beckoned to him to speak, Paul answered, "Because I know that you have been a judge of this nation for many years, I cheerfully make my defense, 

24:11 seeing that you can recognize that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem. 

24:12 In the temple they didn't find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the synagogues, or in the city. 

24:13 Nor can they prove to you the things of which they now accuse me. 

24:14 But this I confess to you, that after the Way, which they call a sect, so I serve the God of our fathers, believing all things which are according to the law, and which are written in the prophets; 

24:15 having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. 

24:16 Herein I also practice always having a conscience void of offense toward God and men. 

24:17 Now after some years, I came to bring gifts for the needy to my nation, and offerings; 

24:18 amid which certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, not with a mob, nor with turmoil. 

24:19 They ought to have been here before you, and to make accusation, if they had anything against me. 

24:20 Or else let these men themselves say what injustice they found in me when I stood before the council, 

24:21 unless it is for this one thing that I cried standing among them, 'Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged before you today!'" 

24:22 But Felix, having more exact knowledge concerning the Way, deferred them, saying, "When Lysias, the commanding officer, comes down, I will decide your case." 

24:23 He ordered the centurion that Paul should be kept in custody, and should have some privileges, and not to forbid any of his friends to serve him or to visit him. 

24:24 But after some days, Felix came with Drusilla, his wife, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus. 

24:25 As he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified, and answered, "Go your way for this time, and when it is convenient for me, I will summon you." 

24:26 Meanwhile, he also hoped that money would be given to him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore also he sent for him more often, and talked with him. 

24:27 But when two years were fulfilled, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and desiring to gain favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul in bonds. 

Day 13

Matthew 13

---

13:1 On that day Jesus went out of the house, and sat by the seaside. 

13:2 Great multitudes gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat, and sat, and all the multitude stood on the beach. 

13:3 He spoke to them many things in parables, saying, "Behold, a farmer went out to sow. 

13:4 As he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and devoured them. 

13:5 Others fell on rocky ground, where they didn't have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of earth. 

13:6 When the sun had risen, they were scorched. Because they had no root, they withered away. 

13:7 Others fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked them. 

13:8 Others fell on good soil, and yielded fruit: some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty. 

13:9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear." 

13:10 The disciples came, and said to him, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" 

13:11 He answered them, "To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them. 

13:12 For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance, but whoever doesn't have, from him will be taken away even that which he has. 

13:13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they don't see, and hearing, they don't hear, neither do they understand. 

13:14 In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, 'By hearing you will hear, and will in no way understand; Seeing you will see, and will in no way perceive: 

13:15 for this people's heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and should turn again; and I would heal them.'{Isaiah 6:9-10} 

13:16 "But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. 

13:17 For most certainly I tell you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which you see, and didn't see them; and to hear the things which you hear, and didn't hear them. 

13:18 "Hear, then, the parable of the farmer. 

13:19 When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom, and doesn't understand it, the evil one comes, and snatches away that which has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown by the roadside. 

13:20 What was sown on the rocky places, this is he who hears the word, and immediately with joy receives it; 

13:21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 

13:22 What was sown among the thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 

13:23 What was sown on the good ground, this is he who hears the word, and understands it, who most certainly bears fruit, and brings forth, some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty." 

13:24 He set another parable before them, saying, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field, 

13:25 but while people slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel weeds{darnel is a weed grass (probably bearded darnel or lolium temulentum) that looks very much like wheat until it is mature, when the difference becomes very apparent.} also among the wheat, and went away. 

13:26 But when the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then the darnel weeds appeared also. 

13:27 The servants of the householder came and said to him, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where did this darnel come from?' 

13:28 "He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and gather them up?' 

13:29 "But he said, 'No, lest perhaps while you gather up the darnel weeds, you root up the wheat with them. 

13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the harvest time I will tell the reapers, "First, gather up the darnel weeds, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn."'" 

13:31 He set another parable before them, saying, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field; 

13:32 which indeed is smaller than all seeds. But when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches." 

13:33 He spoke another parable to them. "The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast, which a woman took, and hid in three measures{literally, three sata. 3 sata is about 39 litres or a bit more than a bushel} of meal, until it was all leavened." 

13:34 Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the multitudes; and without a parable, he didn't speak to them, 

13:35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, "I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world."{Psalm 78:2} 

13:36 Then Jesus sent the multitudes away, and went into the house. His disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the darnel weeds of the field." 

13:37 He answered them, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, 

13:38 the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the children of the Kingdom; and the darnel weeds are the children of the evil one. 

13:39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 

13:40 As therefore the darnel weeds are gathered up and burned with fire; so will it be at the end of this age. 

13:41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and those who do iniquity, 

13:42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and the gnashing of teeth. 

13:43 Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. 

13:44 "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found, and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field. 

13:45 "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a merchant seeking fine pearls, 

13:46 who having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it. 

13:47 "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a dragnet, that was cast into the sea, and gathered some fish of every kind, 

13:48 which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach. They sat down, and gathered the good into containers, but the bad they threw away. 

13:49 So will it be in the end of the world. The angels will come forth, and separate the wicked from among the righteous, 

13:50 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth." 

13:51 Jesus said to them, "Have you understood all these things?" They answered him, "Yes, Lord." 

13:52 He said to them, "Therefore, every scribe who has been made a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a householder, who brings out of his treasure new and old things." 

13:53 It happened that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed from there. 

13:54 Coming into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom, and these mighty works? 

13:55 Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother called Mary, and his brothers, James, Joses, Simon, and Judas{or, Judah}? 

13:56 Aren't all of his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all of these things?" 

13:57 They were offended by him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and in his own house." 

13:58 He didn't do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. 

---

 

 

Acts 25

---

25:1 Festus therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 

25:2 Then the high priest and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul, and they begged him, 

25:3 asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem; plotting to kill him on the way. 

25:4 However Festus answered that Paul should be kept in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart shortly. 

25:5 "Let them therefore," said he, "that are in power among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong in the man, let them accuse him." 

25:6 When he had stayed among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat on the judgment seat, and commanded Paul to be brought. 

25:7 When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove, 

25:8 while he said in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all." 

25:9 But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, and be judged by me there concerning these things?" 

25:10 But Paul said, "I am standing before Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well. 

25:11 For if I have done wrong, and have committed anything worthy of death, I don't refuse to die; but if none of those things is true that they accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!" 

25:12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, "You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go." 

25:13 Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the King and Bernice arrived at Caesarea, and greeted Festus. 

25:14 As he stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying, "There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix; 

25:15 about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, asking for a sentence against him. 

25:16 To whom I answered that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man to destruction, before the accused has met the accusers face to face, and has had opportunity to make his defense concerning the matter laid against him. 

25:17 When therefore they had come together here, I didn't delay, but on the next day sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought. 

25:18 Concerning whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no charge of such things as I supposed; 

25:19 but had certain questions against him about their own religion, and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. 

25:20 Being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters. 

25:21 But when Paul had appealed to be kept for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be kept until I could send him to Caesar." 

25:22 Agrippa said to Festus, "I also would like to hear the man myself." "Tomorrow," he said, "you shall hear him." 

25:23 So on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and they had entered into the place of hearing with the commanding officers and principal men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 

25:24 Festus said, "King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, you see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not to live any longer. 

25:25 But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and as he himself appealed to the emperor I determined to send him. 

25:26 Of whom I have no certain thing to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him forth before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after examination, I may have something to write. 

25:27 For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to also specify the charges against him." 

 

---

Acts 26

---

26:1 Agrippa said to Paul, "You may speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made his defense. 

26:2 "I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you this day concerning all the things that I am accused by the Jews, 

26:3 especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently. 

26:4 "Indeed, all the Jews know my way of life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem; 

26:5 having known me from the first, if they are willing to testify, that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. 

26:6 Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers, 

26:7 which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night and day, hope to attain. Concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa! 

26:8 Why is it judged incredible with you, if God does raise the dead? 

26:9 "I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 

26:10 This I also did in Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them. 

26:11 Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities. 

26:12 "Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests, 

26:13 at noon, O King, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me. 

26:14 When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' 

26:15 "I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' "He said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 

26:16 But arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen, and of the things which I will reveal to you; 

26:17 delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you, 

26:18 to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.' 

26:19 "Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 

26:20 but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance. 

26:21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple, and tried to kill me. 

26:22 Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen, 

26:23 how the Christ must suffer, and how, by the resurrection of the dead, he would be first to proclaim light both to these people and to the Gentiles." 

26:24 As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!" 

26:25 But he said, "I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness. 

26:26 For the king knows of these things, to whom also I speak freely. For I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him, for this has not been done in a corner. 

26:27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe." 

26:28 Agrippa said to Paul, "With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?" 

26:29 Paul said, "I pray to God, that whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these bonds." 

26:30 The king rose up with the governor, and Bernice, and those who sat with them. 

26:31 When they had withdrawn, they spoke one to another, saying, "This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds." 

26:32 Agrippa said to Festus, "This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar." 

Day 14

Matthew 14

---

14:1 At that time, Herod the tetrarch heard the report concerning Jesus, 

14:2 and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptizer. He is risen from the dead. That is why these powers work in him." 

14:3 For Herod had laid hold of John, and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. 

14:4 For John said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her." 

14:5 When he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. 

14:6 But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced among them and pleased Herod. 

14:7 Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatever she should ask. 

14:8 She, being prompted by her mother, said, "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptizer." 

14:9 The king was grieved, but for the sake of his oaths, and of those who sat at the table with him, he commanded it to be given, 

14:10 and he sent and beheaded John in the prison. 

14:11 His head was brought on a platter, and given to the young lady: and she brought it to her mother. 

14:12 His disciples came, and took the body, and buried it; and they went and told Jesus. 

14:13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat, to a deserted place apart. When the multitudes heard it, they followed him on foot from the cities. 

14:14 Jesus went out, and he saw a great multitude. He had compassion on them, and healed their sick. 

14:15 When evening had come, his disciples came to him, saying, "This place is deserted, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves food." 

14:16 But Jesus said to them, "They don't need to go away. You give them something to eat." 

14:17 They told him, "We only have here five loaves and two fish." 

14:18 He said, "Bring them here to me." 

14:19 He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass; and he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave to the multitudes. 

14:20 They all ate, and were filled. They took up twelve baskets full of that which remained left over from the broken pieces. 

14:21 Those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. 

14:22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat, and to go ahead of him to the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. 

14:23 After he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into the mountain by himself to pray. When evening had come, he was there alone. 

14:24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, distressed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. 

14:25 In the fourth watch of the night,{The night was equally divided into four watches, so the fourth watch is approximately 3:00 A. M. to sunrise.} Jesus came to them, walking on the sea.{see Job 9:8} 

14:26 When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It's a ghost!" and they cried out for fear. 

14:27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying "Cheer up! It is I!{or, I AM!} Don't be afraid." 

14:28 Peter answered him and said, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the waters." 

14:29 He said, "Come!" Peter stepped down from the boat, and walked on the waters to come to Jesus. 

14:30 But when he saw that the wind was strong, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" 

14:31 Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and said to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" 

14:32 When they got up into the boat, the wind ceased. 

14:33 Those who were in the boat came and worshiped him, saying, "You are truly the Son of God!" 

14:34 When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret. 

14:35 When the people of that place recognized him, they sent into all that surrounding region, and brought to him all who were sick, 

14:36 and they begged him that they might just touch the fringe{or, tassel} of his garment. As many as touched it were made whole. 

---

 

Acts 27

---

27:1 When it was determined that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Augustan band. 

27:2 Embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail to places on the coast of Asia, we put to sea; Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. 

27:3 The next day, we touched at Sidon. Julius treated Paul kindly, and gave him permission to go to his friends and refresh himself. 

27:4 Putting to sea from there, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. 

27:5 When we had sailed across the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. 

27:6 There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy, and he put us on board. 

27:7 When we had sailed slowly many days, and had come with difficulty opposite Cnidus, the wind not allowing us further, we sailed under the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone. 

27:8 With difficulty sailing along it we came to a certain place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea. 

27:9 When much time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, because the Fast had now already gone by, Paul admonished them, 

27:10 and said to them, "Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives." 

27:11 But the centurion gave more heed to the master and to the owner of the ship than to those things which were spoken by Paul. 

27:12 Because the haven was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised going to sea from there, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, and winter there, which is a port of Crete, looking northeast and southeast. 

27:13 When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close to shore. 

27:14 But before long, a stormy wind beat down from shore, which is called Euroclydon.{Or, "a northeaster."} 

27:15 When the ship was caught, and couldn't face the wind, we gave way to it, and were driven along. 

27:16 Running under the lee of a small island called Clauda, we were able, with difficulty, to secure the boat. 

27:17 After they had hoisted it up, they used cables to help reinforce the ship. Fearing that they would run aground on the Syrtis sand bars, they lowered the sea anchor, and so were driven along. 

27:18 As we labored exceedingly with the storm, the next day they began to throw things overboard. 

27:19 On the third day, they threw out the ship's tackle with their own hands. 

27:20 When neither sun nor stars shone on us for many days, and no small storm pressed on us, all hope that we would be saved was now taken away. 

27:21 When they had been long without food, Paul stood up in the middle of them, and said, "Sirs, you should have listened to me, and not have set sail from Crete, and have gotten this injury and loss. 

27:22 Now I exhort you to cheer up, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 

27:23 For there stood by me this night an angel, belonging to the God whose I am and whom I serve, 

27:24 saying, 'Don't be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar. Behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.' 

27:25 Therefore, sirs, cheer up! For I believe God, that it will be just as it has been spoken to me. 

27:26 But we must run aground on a certain island." 

27:27 But when the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven back and forth in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors surmised that they were drawing near to some land. 

27:28 They took soundings, and found twenty fathoms.{20 fathoms = 120 feet = 36.6 meters} After a little while, they took soundings again, and found fifteen fathoms.{15 fathoms = 90 feet = 27.4 meters} 

27:29 Fearing that we would run aground on rocky ground, they let go four anchors from the stern, and wished for daylight. 

27:30 As the sailors were trying to flee out of the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, pretending that they would lay out anchors from the bow, 

27:31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, "Unless these stay in the ship, you can't be saved." 

27:32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat, and let it fall off. 

27:33 While the day was coming on, Paul begged them all to take some food, saying, "This day is the fourteenth day that you wait and continue fasting, having taken nothing. 

27:34 Therefore I beg you to take some food, for this is for your safety; for not a hair will perish from any of your heads." 

27:35 When he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it, and began to eat. 

27:36 Then they all cheered up, and they also took food. 

27:37 In all, we were two hundred seventy-six souls on the ship. 

27:38 When they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea. 

27:39 When it was day, they didn't recognize the land, but they noticed a certain bay with a beach, and they decided to try to drive the ship onto it.

27:40 Casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time untying the rudder ropes. Hoisting up the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach. 

27:41 But coming to a place where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground. The bow struck and remained immovable, but the stern began to break up by the violence of the waves. 

27:42 The soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim out and escape. 

27:43 But the centurion, desiring to save Paul, stopped them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should throw themselves overboard first to go toward the land; 

27:44 and the rest should follow, some on planks, and some on other things from the ship. So it happened that they all escaped safely to the land.

 

---

Acts 28

---

28:1 When we had escaped, then they{NU reads "we"} learned that the island was called Malta. 

28:2 The natives showed us uncommon kindness; for they kindled a fire, and received us all, because of the present rain, and because of the cold. 

28:3 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand. 

28:4 When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said one to another, "No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped from the sea, yet Justice has not allowed to live." 

28:5 However he shook off the creature into the fire, and wasn't harmed. 

28:6 But they expected that he would have swollen or fallen down dead suddenly, but when they watched for a long time and saw nothing bad happen to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god. 

28:7 Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us, and courteously entertained us for three days. 

28:8 It happened that the father of Publius lay sick of fever and dysentery. Paul entered in to him, prayed, and laying his hands on him, healed him. 

28:9 Then when this was done, the rest also who had diseases in the island came, and were cured. 

28:10 They also honored us with many honors, and when we sailed, they put on board the things that we needed. 

28:11 After three months, we set sail in a ship of Alexandria which had wintered in the island, whose sign was "The Twin Brothers." 

28:12 Touching at Syracuse, we stayed there three days. 

28:13 From there we circled around and arrived at Rhegium. After one day, a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli, 

28:14 where we found brothers,{The word for "brothers" here and where context allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."} and were entreated to stay with them for seven days. So we came to Rome. 

28:15 From there the brothers, when they heard of us, came to meet us as far as The Market of Appius and The Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God, and took courage. 

28:16 When we entered into Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard, but Paul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier who guarded him. 

28:17 It happened that after three days Paul called together those who were the leaders of the Jews. When they had come together, he said to them, "I, brothers, though I had done nothing against the people, or the customs of our fathers, still was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, 

28:18 who, when they had examined me, desired to set me free, because there was no cause of death in me. 

28:19 But when the Jews spoke against it, I was constrained to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything about which to accuse my nation. 

28:20 For this cause therefore I asked to see you and to speak with you. For because of the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain." 

28:21 They said to him, "We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor did any of the brothers come here and report or speak any evil of you. 

28:22 But we desire to hear from you what you think. For, as concerning this sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against." 

28:23 When they had appointed him a day, many people came to him at his lodging. He explained to them, testifying about the Kingdom of God, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and from the prophets, from morning until evening. 

28:24 Some believed the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. 

28:25 When they didn't agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had spoken one word, "The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah, the prophet, to our fathers, 

28:26 saying, 'Go to this people, and say, in hearing, you will hear, but will in no way understand. In seeing, you will see, but will in no way perceive. 

28:27 For this people's heart has grown callous. Their ears are dull of hearing. Their eyes they have closed. Lest they should see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again, and I would heal them.'{Isaiah 6:9-10} 

28:28 "Be it known therefore to you, that the salvation of God is sent to the nations. They will also listen." 

28:29 When he had said these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves. 

28:30 Paul stayed two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who were coming to him, 

28:31 preaching the Kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, without hindrance.

Day 15

Matthew 15

---

15:1 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying, 

15:2 "Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don't wash their hands when they eat bread." 

15:3 He answered them, "Why do you also disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition? 

15:4 For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother,'{Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16} and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.'{Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9} 

15:5 But you say, 'Whoever may tell his father or his mother, "Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is a gift devoted to God," 

15:6 he shall not honor his father or mother.' You have made the commandment of God void because of your tradition. 

15:7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, 

15:8 'These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 

15:9 And in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine rules made by men.'"{Isaiah 29:13} 

15:10 He summoned the multitude, and said to them, "Hear, and understand. 

15:11 That which enters into the mouth doesn't defile the man; but that which proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man." 

15:12 Then the disciples came, and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended, when they heard this saying?" 

15:13 But he answered, "Every plant which my heavenly Father didn't plant will be uprooted. 

15:14 Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. If the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit." 

15:15 Peter answered him, "Explain the parable to us." 

15:16 So Jesus said, "Do you also still not understand? 

15:17 Don't you understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the belly, and then out of the body? 

15:18 But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man. 

15:19 For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies. 

15:20 These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands doesn't defile the man." 

15:21 Jesus went out from there, and withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon. 

15:22 Behold, a Canaanite woman came out from those borders, and cried, saying, "Have mercy on me, Lord, you son of David! My daughter is severely demonized!" 

15:23 But he answered her not a word. His disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away; for she cries after us." 

15:24 But he answered, "I wasn't sent to anyone but the lost sheep of the house of Israel." 

15:25 But she came and worshiped him, saying, "Lord, help me." 

15:26 But he answered, "It is not appropriate to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." 

15:27 But she said, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." 

15:28 Then Jesus answered her, "Woman, great is your faith! Be it done to you even as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that hour.

15:29 Jesus departed there, and came near to the sea of Galilee; and he went up into the mountain, and sat there. 

15:30 Great multitudes came to him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others, and they put them down at his feet. He healed them, 

15:31 so that the multitude wondered when they saw the mute speaking, injured whole, lame walking, and blind seeing--and they glorified the God of Israel. 

15:32 Jesus summoned his disciples and said, "I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days and have nothing to eat. I don't want to send them away fasting, or they might faint on the way." 

15:33 The disciples said to him, "Where should we get so many loaves in a deserted place as to satisfy so great a multitude?" 

15:34 Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" They said, "Seven, and a few small fish." 

15:35 He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground; 

15:36 and he took the seven loaves and the fish. He gave thanks and broke them, and gave to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. 

15:37 They all ate, and were filled. They took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces that were left over. 

15:38 Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. 

15:39 Then he sent away the multitudes, got into the boat, and came into the borders of Magdala. 

 

---

 

Romans 1

---

1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the Good News of God, 

1:2 which he promised before through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 

1:3 concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 

1:4 who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 

1:5 through whom we received grace and apostleship, for obedience of faith among all the nations, for his name's sake; 

1:6 among whom you are also called to belong to Jesus Christ; 

1:7 to all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, that your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world. 

1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the Good News of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you always in my prayers, 

1:10 requesting, if by any means now at last I may be prospered by the will of God to come to you. 

1:11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, to the end that you may be established; 

1:12 that is, that I with you may be encouraged in you, each of us by the other's faith, both yours and mine. 

1:13 Now I don't desire to have you unaware, brothers, that I often planned to come to you, and was hindered so far, that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles. 

1:14 I am debtor both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to the wise and to the foolish. 

1:15 So, as much as is in me, I am eager to preach the Good News to you also who are in Rome. 

1:16 For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes; for the Jew first, and also for the Greek. 

1:17 For in it is revealed God's righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, "But the righteous shall live by faith."{Habakkuk 2:4} 

1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 

1:19 because that which is known of God is revealed in them, for God revealed it to them. 

1:20 For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse. 

1:21 Because, knowing God, they didn't glorify him as God, neither gave thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened. 

1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 

1:23 and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things. 

1:24 Therefore God also gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves, 

1:25 who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 

1:26 For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature. 

1:27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural function of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men doing what is inappropriate with men, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error. 

1:28 Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 

1:29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits, secret slanderers, 

1:30 backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 

1:31 without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful; 

1:32 who, knowing the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them. 

 

---

Romans 2

---

2:1 Therefore you are without excuse, O man, whoever you are who judge. For in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge practice the same things. 

2:2 We know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. 

2:3 Do you think this, O man who judges those who practice such things, and do the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? 

2:4 Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 

2:5 But according to your hardness and unrepentant heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath, revelation, and of the righteous judgment of God; 

2:6 who "will pay back to everyone according to their works:"{Psalm 62:12; Proverbs 24:12} 

2:7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory, honor, and incorruptibility, eternal life; 

2:8 but to those who are self-seeking, and don't obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, will be wrath and indignation, 

2:9 oppression and anguish, on every soul of man who works evil, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 

2:10 But glory, honor, and peace go to every man who works good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 

2:11 For there is no partiality with God. 

2:12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without the law. As many as have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 

2:13 For it isn't the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified 

2:14 (for when Gentiles who don't have the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are a law to themselves, 

2:15 in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience testifying with them, and their thoughts among themselves accusing or else excusing them) 

2:16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men, according to my Good News, by Jesus Christ. 

2:17 Indeed you bear the name of a Jew, and rest on the law, and glory in God, 

2:18 and know his will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, 

2:19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide of the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 

2:20 a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of babies, having in the law the form of knowledge and of the truth. 

2:21 You therefore who teach another, don't you teach yourself? You who preach that a man shouldn't steal, do you steal? 

2:22 You who say a man shouldn't commit adultery. Do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 

2:23 You who glory in the law, through your disobedience of the law do you dishonor God? 

2:24 For "the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,"{Isaiah 52:5; Ezekiel 36:22} just as it is written. 

2:25 For circumcision indeed profits, if you are a doer of the law, but if you are a transgressor of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 

2:26 If therefore the uncircumcised keep the ordinances of the law, won't his uncircumcision be accounted as circumcision? 

2:27 Won't the uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfills the law, judge you, who with the letter and circumcision are a transgressor of the law? 

2:28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; 

2:29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God. 

Day 16

Matthew 16

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16:1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing him, asked him to show them a sign from heaven. 

16:2 But he answered them, "When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.' 

16:3 In the morning, 'It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Hypocrites! You know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but you can't discern the signs of the times! 

16:4 An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and there will be no sign given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah." He left them, and departed. 

16:5 The disciples came to the other side and had forgotten to take bread. 

16:6 Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees." 

16:7 They reasoned among themselves, saying, "We brought no bread." 

16:8 Jesus, perceiving it, said, "Why do you reason among yourselves, you of little faith, 'because you have brought no bread?' 

16:9 Don't you yet perceive, neither remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up? 

16:10 Nor the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you took up? 

16:11 How is it that you don't perceive that I didn't speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees." 

16:12 Then they understood that he didn't tell them to beware of the yeast of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. 

16:13 Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" 

16:14 They said, "Some say John the Baptizer, some, Elijah, and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets." 

16:15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 

16:16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 

16:17 Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 

16:18 I also tell you that you are Peter,{Peter's name, Petros in Greek, is the word for a specific rock or stone.} and on this rock{Greek, petra, a rock mass or bedrock.} I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades{or, Hell} will not prevail against it. 

16:19 I will give to you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven; and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven." 

16:20 Then he commanded the disciples that they should tell no one that he is Jesus the Christ. 

16:21 From that time, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up. 

16:22 Peter took him aside, and began to rebuke him, saying, "Far be it from you, Lord! This will never be done to you." 

16:23 But he turned, and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, for you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of men." 

16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 

16:25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it. 

16:26 For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life? 

16:27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will render to everyone according to his deeds. 

16:28 Most certainly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste of death, until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom." 

 

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Romans 3

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3:1 Then what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the profit of circumcision? 

3:2 Much in every way! Because first of all, they were entrusted with the oracles of God. 

3:3 For what if some were without faith? Will their lack of faith nullify the faithfulness of God? 

3:4 May it never be! Yes, let God be found true, but every man a liar. As it is written, "That you might be justified in your words, and might prevail when you come into judgment."{Psalm 51:4} 

3:5 But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what will we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak like men do. 

3:6 May it never be! For then how will God judge the world? 

3:7 For if the truth of God through my lie abounded to his glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? 

3:8 Why not (as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), "Let us do evil, that good may come?" Those who say so are justly condemned. 

3:9 What then? Are we better than they? No, in no way. For we previously warned both Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin. 

3:10 As it is written, "There is no one righteous; no, not one. 

3:11 There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God. 

3:12 They have all turned aside. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, no, not, so much as one."{Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Ecclesiastes 7:20} 

3:13 "Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have used deceit."{Psalm 5:9} "The poison of vipers is under their lips;"{Psalm 140:3} 

3:14 "Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness."{Psalm 10:7} 

3:15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood. 

3:16 Destruction and misery are in their ways. 

3:17 The way of peace, they haven't known."{Isaiah 59:7-8} 

3:18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."{Psalm 36:1} 

3:19 Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God. 

3:20 Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. For through the law comes the knowledge of sin. 

3:21 But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets; 

3:22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction, 

3:23 for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; 

3:24 being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; 

3:25 whom God set forth to be an atoning sacrifice{or, a propitiation}, through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness through the passing over of prior sins, in God's forbearance; 

3:26 to demonstrate his righteousness at this present time; that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus. 

3:27 Where then is the boasting? It is excluded. By what manner of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. 

3:28 We maintain therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 

3:29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Isn't he the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 

3:30 since indeed there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith, and the uncircumcised through faith. 

3:31 Do we then nullify the law through faith? May it never be! No, we establish the law. 

 

 

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Romans 4

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4:1 What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found according to the flesh? 

4:2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not toward God. 

4:3 For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."{Genesis 15:6} 

4:4 Now to him who works, the reward is not counted as grace, but as debt. 

4:5 But to him who doesn't work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. 

4:6 Even as David also pronounces blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works, 

4:7 "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 

4:8 Blessed is the man whom the Lord will by no means charge with sin."{Psalm 32:1-2} 

4:9 Is this blessing then pronounced on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. 

4:10 How then was it counted? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 

4:11 He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might also be accounted to them. 

4:12 The father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had in uncircumcision. 

4:13 For the promise to Abraham and to his seed that he should be heir of the world wasn't through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 

4:14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect. 

4:15 For the law works wrath, for where there is no law, neither is there disobedience. 

4:16 For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace, to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed, not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. 

4:17 As it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations."{Genesis 17:5} This is in the presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were. 

4:18 Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, "So will your seed be."{Genesis 15:5} 

4:19 Without being weakened in faith, he didn't consider his own body, already having been worn out, (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb. 

4:20 Yet, looking to the promise of God, he didn't waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God, 

4:21 and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 

4:22 Therefore it also was "reckoned to him for righteousness."{Genesis 15:6} 

4:23 Now it was not written that it was accounted to him for his sake alone, 

4:24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be accounted, who believe in him who raised Jesus, our Lord, from the dead, 

4:25 who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification. 

Day 17

Matthew 17

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17:1 After six days, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves. 

17:2 He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light. 

17:3 Behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with him. 

17:4 Peter answered, and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, let's make three tents here: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." 

17:5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him." 

17:6 When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and were very afraid. 

17:7 Jesus came and touched them and said, "Get up, and don't be afraid." 

17:8 Lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, except Jesus alone. 

17:9 As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, "Don't tell anyone what you saw, until the Son of Man has risen from the dead." 

17:10 His disciples asked him, saying, "Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" 

17:11 Jesus answered them, "Elijah indeed comes first, and will restore all things, 

17:12 but I tell you that Elijah has come already, and they didn't recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted to. Even so the Son of Man will also suffer by them." 

17:13 Then the disciples understood that he spoke to them of John the Baptizer. 

17:14 When they came to the multitude, a man came to him, kneeling down to him, saying, 

17:15 "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is epileptic, and suffers grievously; for he often falls into the fire, and often into the water. 

17:16 So I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him." 

17:17 Jesus answered, "Faithless and perverse generation! How long will I be with you? How long will I bear with you? Bring him here to me." 

17:18 Jesus rebuked him, the demon went out of him, and the boy was cured from that hour. 

17:19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately, and said, "Why weren't we able to cast it out?" 

17:20 He said to them, "Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 

17:21 But this kind doesn't go out except by prayer and fasting." 

17:22 While they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is about to be delivered up into the hands of men, 

17:23 and they will kill him, and the third day he will be raised up." They were exceedingly sorry. 

17:24 When they had come to Capernaum, those who collected the didrachma coins{A didrachma is a Greek silver coin worth 2 drachmas, about as much as 2 Roman denarii, or about 2 days' wages. It was commonly used to pay the half-shekel temple tax, because 2 drachmas were worth one half shekel of silver.} came to Peter, and said, "Doesn't your teacher pay the didrachma?" 

17:25 He said, "Yes." When he came into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth receive toll or tribute? From their children, or from strangers?" 

17:26 Peter said to him, "From strangers." Jesus said to him, "Therefore the children are exempt. 

17:27 But, lest we cause them to stumble, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take up the first fish that comes up. When you have opened its mouth, you will find a stater coin.{A stater is a silver coin equivalent to four Attic or two Alexandrian drachmas, or a Jewish shekel: just exactly enough to cover the half-shekel temple tax for two people.} Take that, and give it to them for me and you." 

 

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Romans

5:1 Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; 

5:2 through whom we also have our access by faith into this grace in which we stand. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 

5:3 Not only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering works perseverance; 

5:4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope: 

5:5 and hope doesn't disappoint us, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 

5:6 For while we were yet weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 

5:7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man. Yet perhaps for a righteous person someone would even dare to die. 

5:8 But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 

5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we will be saved from God's wrath through him. 

5:10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we will be saved by his life. 

5:11 Not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. 

5:12 Therefore, as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; and so death passed to all men, because all sinned. 

5:13 For until the law, sin was in the world; but sin is not charged when there is no law. 

5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those whose sins weren't like Adam's disobedience, who is a foreshadowing of him who was to come. 

5:15 But the free gift isn't like the trespass. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God, and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. 

5:16 The gift is not as through one who sinned: for the judgment came by one to condemnation, but the free gift came of many trespasses to justification. 

5:17 For if by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; so much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ. 

5:18 So then as through one trespass, all men were condemned; even so through one act of righteousness, all men were justified to life. 

5:19 For as through the one man's disobedience many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one, many will be made righteous. 

5:20 The law came in besides, that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace abounded more exceedingly; 

5:21 that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

 

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Romans 6

6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 

6:2 May it never be! We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer? 

6:3 Or don't you know that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 

6:4 We were buried therefore with him through baptism to death, that just like Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. 

6:5 For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection; 

6:6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be in bondage to sin. 

6:7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 

6:8 But if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him; 

6:9 knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no more has dominion over him! 

6:10 For the death that he died, he died to sin one time; but the life that he lives, he lives to God. 

6:11 Thus consider yourselves also to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

6:12 Therefore don't let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 

6:13 Neither present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 

6:14 For sin will not have dominion over you. For you are not under law, but under grace. 

6:15 What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? May it never be! 

6:16 Don't you know that to whom you present yourselves as servants to obedience, his servants you are whom you obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness? 

6:17 But thanks be to God, that, whereas you were bondservants of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto you were delivered. 

6:18 Being made free from sin, you became bondservants of righteousness. 

6:19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh, for as you presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to wickedness upon wickedness, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness for sanctification. 

6:20 For when you were servants of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 

6:21 What fruit then did you have at that time in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 

6:22 But now, being made free from sin, and having become servants of God, you have your fruit of sanctification, and the result of eternal life. 

6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Day 18

Matthew 18

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18:1 In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?" 

18:2 Jesus called a little child to himself, and set him in the midst of them, 

18:3 and said, "Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. 

18:4 Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. 

18:5 Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me, 

18:6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him that a huge millstone should be hung around his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depths of the sea. 

18:7 "Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that the occasions come, but woe to that person through whom the occasion comes! 

18:8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire. 

18:9 If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna{or, Hell} of fire. 

18:10 See that you don't despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. 

18:11 For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost. 

18:12 "What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, doesn't he leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray? 

18:13 If he finds it, most certainly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. 

18:14 Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. 

18:15 "If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother. 

18:16 But if he doesn't listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.{Deuteronomy 19:15} 

18:17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector. 

18:18 Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven. 

18:19 Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven. 

18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them." 

18:21 Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?" 

18:22 Jesus said to him, "I don't tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven. 

18:23 Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who wanted to reconcile accounts with his servants. 

18:24 When he had begun to reconcile, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.{Ten thousand talents represents an extremely large sum of money, equivalent to about 60,000,000 denarii, where one denarius was typical of one day's wages for agricultural labor.} 

18:25 But because he couldn't pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 

18:26 The servant therefore fell down and kneeled before him, saying, 'Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!' 

18:27 The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. 

18:28 "But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him one hundred denarii,{100 denarii was about one sixtieth of a talent.} and he grabbed him, and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!' 

18:29 "So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will repay you!' 

18:30 He would not, but went and cast him into prison, until he should pay back that which was due. 

18:31 So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told to their lord all that was done. 

18:32 Then his lord called him in, and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me. 

18:33 Shouldn't you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?' 

18:34 His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due to him. 

18:35 So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don't each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds." 

 

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Romans 7

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7:1 Or don't you know, brothers{The word for "brothers" here and where context allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."} (for I speak to men who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man for as long as he lives? 

7:2 For the woman that has a husband is bound by law to the husband while he lives, but if the husband dies, she is discharged from the law of the husband. 

7:3 So then if, while the husband lives, she is joined to another man, she would be called an adulteress. But if the husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she is joined to another man. 

7:4 Therefore, my brothers, you also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you would be joined to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit to God. 

7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were through the law, worked in our members to bring forth fruit to death. 

7:6 But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that in which we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter. 

7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? May it never be! However, I wouldn't have known sin, except through the law. For I wouldn't have known coveting, unless the law had said, "You shall not covet."{Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21} 

7:8 But sin, finding occasion through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of coveting. For apart from the law, sin is dead. 

7:9 I was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. 

7:10 The commandment, which was for life, this I found to be for death; 

7:11 for sin, finding occasion through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me. 

7:12 Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good. 

7:13 Did then that which is good become death to me? May it never be! But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, by working death to me through that which is good; that through the commandment sin might become exceeding sinful. 

7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold under sin. 

7:15 For I don't know what I am doing. For I don't practice what I desire to do; but what I hate, that I do. 

7:16 But if what I don't desire, that I do, I consent to the law that it is good. 

7:17 So now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me. 

7:18 For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For desire is present with me, but I don't find it doing that which is good. 

7:19 For the good which I desire, I don't do; but the evil which I don't desire, that I practice. 

7:20 But if what I don't desire, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me. 

7:21 I find then the law, that, to me, while I desire to do good, evil is present. 

7:22 For I delight in God's law after the inward man, 

7:23 but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members. 

7:24 What a wretched man I am! Who will deliver me out of the body of this death? 

7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! So then with the mind, I myself serve God's law, but with the flesh, the sin's law. 

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Romans 8

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8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don't walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.{NU omits "who don't walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit"} 

8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death. 

8:3 For what the law couldn't do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh; 

8:4 that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 

8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 

8:6 For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace; 

8:7 because the mind of the flesh is hostile towards God; for it is not subject to God's law, neither indeed can it be. 

8:8 Those who are in the flesh can't please God. 

8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man doesn't have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his. 

8:10 If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 

8:11 But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. 

8:12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 

8:13 For if you live after the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 

8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God. 

8:15 For you didn't receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, "Abba{Abba is an Aramaic word for father or daddy, often used affectionately and respectfully in prayer to our Father in heaven.}! Father!" 

8:16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God; 

8:17 and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him. 

8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us. 

8:19 For the creation waits with eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 

8:20 For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 

8:21 that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of decay into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. 

8:22 For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. 

8:23 Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body. 

8:24 For we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees? 

8:25 But if we hope for that which we don't see, we wait for it with patience. 

8:26 In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don't know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can't be uttered. 

8:27 He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit's mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God. 

8:28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. 

8:29 For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.{The word for "brothers" here and where context allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."} 

8:30 Whom he predestined, those he also called. Whom he called, those he also justified. Whom he justified, those he also glorified. 

8:31 What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 

8:32 He who didn't spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely give us all things? 

8:33 Who could bring a charge against God's chosen ones? It is God who justifies. 

8:34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, yes rather, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 

8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Could oppression, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 

8:36 Even as it is written, "For your sake we are killed all day long. We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter."{Psalm 44:22} 

8:37 No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 

8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 

8:39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

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Day 19

Matthew 19

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19:1 It happened when Jesus had finished these words, he departed from Galilee, and came into the borders of Judea beyond the Jordan. 

19:2 Great multitudes followed him, and he healed them there. 

19:3 Pharisees came to him, testing him, and saying, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?" 

19:4 He answered, "Haven't you read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female,{Genesis 1:27} 

19:5 and said, 'For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall join to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh?'{Genesis 2:24} 

19:6 So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, don't let man tear apart." 

19:7 They asked him, "Why then did Moses command us to give her a bill of divorce, and divorce her?" 

19:8 He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it has not been so. 

19:9 I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries her when she is divorced commits adultery." 

19:10 His disciples said to him, "If this is the case of the man with his wife, it is not expedient to marry." 

19:11 But he said to them, "Not all men can receive this saying, but those to whom it is given. 

19:12 For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven's sake. He who is able to receive it, let him receive it." 

19:13 Then little children were brought to him, that he should lay his hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. 

19:14 But Jesus said, "Allow the little children, and don't forbid them to come to me; for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to ones like these." 

19:15 He laid his hands on them, and departed from there. 

19:16 Behold, one came to him and said, "Good teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" 

19:17 He said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." 

19:18 He said to him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, "'You shall not murder.' 'You shall not commit adultery.' 'You shall not steal.' 'You shall not offer false testimony.' 

19:19 'Honor your father and mother.'{Exodus 20:12-16; Deuteronomy 5:16-20} And, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"{Leviticus 19:18} 

19:20 The young man said to him, "All these things I have observed from my youth. What do I still lack?" 

19:21 Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." 

19:22 But when the young man heard the saying, he went away sad, for he was one who had great possessions. 

19:23 Jesus said to his disciples, "Most certainly I say to you, a rich man will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven with difficulty. 

19:24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God." 

19:25 When the disciples heard it, they were exceedingly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" 

19:26 Looking at them, Jesus said, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." 

19:27 Then Peter answered, "Behold, we have left everything, and followed you. What then will we have?" 

19:28 Jesus said to them, "Most certainly I tell you that you who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on the throne of his glory, you also will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 

19:29 Everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, will receive one hundred times, and will inherit eternal life. 

19:30 But many will be last who are first; and first who are last. 

 

 

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Romans 9

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9:1 I tell the truth in Christ. I am not lying, my conscience testifying with me in the Holy Spirit, 

9:2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing pain in my heart. 

9:3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brothers' sake, my relatives according to the flesh, 

9:4 who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service, and the promises; 

9:5 of whom are the fathers, and from whom is Christ as concerning the flesh, who is over all, God, blessed forever. Amen. 

9:6 But it is not as though the word of God has come to nothing. For they are not all Israel, that are of Israel. 

9:7 Neither, because they are Abraham's seed, are they all children. But, "In Isaac will your seed be called."{Genesis 21:12} 

9:8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as a seed. 

9:9 For this is a word of promise, "At the appointed time I will come, and Sarah will have a son."{Genesis 18:10,14} 

9:10 Not only so, but Rebecca also conceived by one, by our father Isaac. 

9:11 For being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls, 

9:12 it was said to her, "The elder will serve the younger."{Genesis 25:23} 

9:13 Even as it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."{Malachi 1:2-3} 

9:14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? May it never be! 

9:15 For he said to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."{Exodus 33:19} 

9:16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy. 

9:17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I caused you to be raised up, that I might show in you my power, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."{Exodus 9:16} 

9:18 So then, he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires. 

9:19 You will say then to me, "Why does he still find fault? For who withstands his will?" 

9:20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed ask him who formed it, "Why did you make me like this?"{Isaiah 29:16; 45:9} 

9:21 Or hasn't the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel for honor, and another for dishonor? 

9:22 What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath made for destruction, 

9:23 and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory, 

9:24 us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles? 

9:25 As he says also in Hosea, "I will call them 'my people,' which were not my people; and her 'beloved,' who was not beloved."{Hosea 2:23} 

9:26 "It will be that in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' There they will be called 'children of the living God.'"{Hosea 1:10} 

9:27 Isaiah cries concerning Israel, "If the number of the children of Israel are as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant who will be saved; 

9:28 for He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, because the LORD will make a short work upon the earth."{Isaiah 10:22-23} 

9:29 As Isaiah has said before, "Unless the Lord of Armies{Greek: Sabaoth (for Hebrew: Tze'va'ot)} had left us a seed, we would have become like Sodom, and would have been made like Gomorrah."{Isaiah 1:9} 

9:30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who didn't follow after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith; 

9:31 but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, didn't arrive at the law of righteousness. 

9:32 Why? Because they didn't seek it by faith, but as it were by works of the law. They stumbled over the stumbling stone; 

9:33 even as it is written, "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense; and no one who believes in him will be disappointed."{Isaiah 8:14; 28:16} 

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Romans 10

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10:1 Brothers, my heart's desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved. 

10:2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 

10:3 For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn't subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 

10:4 For Christ is the fulfillment{or, completion, or end} of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 

10:5 For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, "The one who does them will live by them."{Leviticus 18:5} 

10:6 But the righteousness which is of faith says this, "Don't say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'{Deuteronomy 30:12} (that is, to bring Christ down); 

10:7 or, 'Who will descend into the abyss?'{Deuteronomy 30:13} (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)" 

10:8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart;"{Deuteronomy 30:14} that is, the word of faith, which we preach: 

10:9 that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 

10:10 For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 

10:11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed."{Isaiah 28:16} 

10:12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him. 

10:13 For, "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved."{Joel 2:32} 

10:14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher? 

10:15 And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!"{Isaiah 52:7} 

10:16 But they didn't all listen to the glad news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?"{Isaiah 53:1} 

10:17 So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 

10:18 But I say, didn't they hear? Yes, most certainly, "Their sound went out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."{Psalm 19:4} 

10:19 But I ask, didn't Israel know? First Moses says, "I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation, with a nation void of understanding I will make you angry."{Deuteronomy 32:31} 

10:20 Isaiah is very bold, and says, "I was found by those who didn't seek me. I was revealed to those who didn't ask for me."{Isaiah 65:1} 

10:21 But as to Israel he says, "All day long I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people."{Isaiah 65:2} 

Day 20

Matthew 20

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20:1 "For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who was the master of a household, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 

20:2 When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius{A denarius is a silver Roman coin worth 1/25th of a Roman aureus. This was a common wage for a day of farm labor.} a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 

20:3 He went out about the third hour,{Time was measured from sunrise to sunset, so the third hour would be about 9:00 AM.} and saw others standing idle in the marketplace. 

20:4 To them he said, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went their way. 

20:5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour,{noon and 3:00 P. M.} and did likewise. 

20:6 About the eleventh hour{5:00 PM} he went out, and found others standing idle. He said to them, 'Why do you stand here all day idle?' 

20:7 "They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' "He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and you will receive whatever is right.' 

20:8 When evening had come, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last to the first.' 

20:9 "When those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came, they each received a denarius. 

20:10 When the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise each received a denarius. 

20:11 When they received it, they murmured against the master of the household, 

20:12 saying, 'These last have spent one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat!' 

20:13 "But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Didn't you agree with me for a denarius? 

20:14 Take that which is yours, and go your way. It is my desire to give to this last just as much as to you. 

20:15 Isn't it lawful for me to do what I want to with what I own? Or is your eye evil, because I am good?' 

20:16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen." 

20:17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, 

20:18 "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death, 

20:19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to mock, to scourge, and to crucify; and the third day he will be raised up." 

20:20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, kneeling and asking a certain thing of him. 

20:21 He said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Command that these, my two sons, may sit, one on your right hand, and one on your left hand, in your Kingdom." 

20:22 But Jesus answered, "You don't know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to him, "We are able." 

20:23 He said to them, "You will indeed drink my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with, but to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it is for whom it has been prepared by my Father." 

20:24 When the ten heard it, they were indignant with the two brothers. 

20:25 But Jesus summoned them, and said, "You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 

20:26 It shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you shall be{TR reads "let him be" instead of "shall be"} your servant. 

20:27 Whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant, 

20:28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." 

20:29 As they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. 

20:30 Behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, "Lord, have mercy on us, you son of David!" 

20:31 The multitude rebuked them, telling them that they should be quiet, but they cried out even more, "Lord, have mercy on us, you son of David!" 

20:32 Jesus stood still, and called them, and asked, "What do you want me to do for you?" 

20:33 They told him, "Lord, that our eyes may be opened." 

20:34 Jesus, being moved with compassion, touched their eyes; and immediately their eyes received their sight, and they followed him. 

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Romans 11

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11:1 I ask then, did God reject his people? May it never be! For I also am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 

11:2 God didn't reject his people, which he foreknew. Or don't you know what the Scripture says about Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel: 

11:3 "Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have broken down your altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life."{1 Kings 19:10,14} 

11:4 But how does God answer him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal."{1 Kings 19:18} 

11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 

11:6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work. 

11:7 What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he didn't obtain, but the chosen ones obtained it, and the rest were hardened. 

11:8 According as it is written, "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, to this very day."{Deuteronomy 29:4; Isaiah 29:10} 

11:9 David says, "Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, a stumbling block, and a retribution to them. 

11:10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see. Bow down their back always."{Psalm 69:22,23} 

11:11 I ask then, did they stumble that they might fall? May it never be! But by their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy. 

11:12 Now if their fall is the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness? 

11:13 For I speak to you who are Gentiles. Since then as I am an apostle to Gentiles, I glorify my ministry; 

11:14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh, and may save some of them. 

11:15 For if the rejection of them is the reconciling of the world, what would their acceptance be, but life from the dead? 

11:16 If the first fruit is holy, so is the lump. If the root is holy, so are the branches. 

11:17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them, and became partaker with them of the root and of the richness of the olive tree; 

11:18 don't boast over the branches. But if you boast, it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you. 

11:19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in." 

11:20 True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don't be conceited, but fear; 

11:21 for if God didn't spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 

11:22 See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off. 

11:23 They also, if they don't continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 

11:24 For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? 

11:25 For I don't desire you to be ignorant, brothers,{The word for "brothers" here and where context allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."} of this mystery, so that you won't be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, 

11:26 and so all Israel will be saved. Even as it is written, "There will come out of Zion the Deliverer, and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.

11:27 This is my covenant to them, when I will take away their sins."{Isaiah 59:20-21; 27:9; Jeremiah 31:33-34} 

11:28 Concerning the Good News, they are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sake. 

11:29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 

11:30 For as you in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience, 

11:31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they may also obtain mercy. 

11:32 For God has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all. 

11:33 Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out! 

11:34 "For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?"{Isaiah 40:13} 

11:35 "Or who has first given to him, and it will be repaid to him again?"{Job 41:11} 

11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen. 

---

Romans

12:1 Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. 

12:2 Don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God. 

12:3 For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith. 

12:4 For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members don't have the same function, 

12:5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 

12:6 Having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, if prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith; 

12:7 or service, let us give ourselves to service; or he who teaches, to his teaching; 

12:8 or he who exhorts, to his exhorting: he who gives, let him do it with liberality; he who rules, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. 

12:9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil. Cling to that which is good. 

12:10 In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate one to another; in honor preferring one another; 

12:11 not lagging in diligence; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 

12:12 rejoicing in hope; enduring in troubles; continuing steadfastly in prayer; 

12:13 contributing to the needs of the saints; given to hospitality. 

12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless, and don't curse. 

12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep. 

12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Don't set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Don't be wise in your own conceits. 

12:17 Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is honorable in the sight of all men. 

12:18 If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men. 

12:19 Don't seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God's wrath. For it is written, "Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord."{Deuteronomy 32:35} 

12:20 Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head."{Proverbs 25:21-22} 

12:21 Don't be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.