The Better Reading Plan

Changed: Next Steps for a Changed Life

Soul Detox

Holy Emotions - Biblical Responses to Every Challenge

A Jolt of Joy

Daily Devotions with Greg Laurie

Believing God Is Good No Matter What

[How Firm a Foundation] Creation

Reading With the People of God #9 - Faithfulness

Touching Heaven, Changing Earth

The Listener’s Bible®: NIV Edition

New International Version™  (Anglicised), Audio Edition

Holy Bible, New International Version™ (Anglicised), South Asian Audio Edition

<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkACT">
 <div class="chapter ch11" data-usfm="ACT.11">
 <div class="label">11</div><div class="s1">Peter Explains His Actions</div><div class="p"> 1The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him 3and said, &#8220;You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 4Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story: 5&#8220;I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was. 6I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles and birds. 7Then I heard a voice telling me, &#8216;Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 8&#8220;I replied, &#8216;Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 9&#8220;The voice spoke from heaven a second time, &#8216;Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.&#8217; 10This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again.</div><div class="p"> 11&#8220;Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. 12The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man&#8217;s house. 13He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, &#8216;Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. 14He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.&#8217;</div><div class="p"> 15&#8220;As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. 16Then I remembered what the Lord had said: &#8216;John baptized with#11:16 Or in water, but you will be baptized with#11:16 Or in the Holy Spirit.&#8217; 17So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God&#8217;s way?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 18When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, &#8220;So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">The Church in Antioch</div><div class="p"> 19Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. 20Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21The Lord&#8217;s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.</div><div class="p"> 22News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.</div><div class="p"> 25Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.</div><div class="p"> 27During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) 29The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. 30This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.</div>
 </div>
 </div>
</div>

<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkACT">
 <div class="chapter ch12" data-usfm="ACT.12">
 <div class="label">12</div><div class="s1">Peter&#8217;s Miraculous Escape From Prison</div><div class="p"> 1It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. 3When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. 4After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.</div><div class="p"> 5So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.</div><div class="p"> 6The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. &#8220;Quick, get up!&#8221; he said, and the chains fell off Peter&#8217;s wrists.</div><div class="p"> 8Then the angel said to him, &#8220;Put on your clothes and sandals.&#8221; And Peter did so. &#8220;Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,&#8221; the angel told him. 9Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.</div><div class="p"> 11Then Peter came to himself and said, &#8220;Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod&#8217;s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 12When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. 14When she recognized Peter&#8217;s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, &#8220;Peter is at the door!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 15&#8220;You&#8217;re out of your mind,&#8221; they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, &#8220;It must be his angel.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 16But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. &#8220;Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this,&#8221; he said, and then he left for another place.</div><div class="p"> 18In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. 19After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed.</div><div class="s1">Herod&#8217;s Death</div><div class="p">Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. 20He had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon; they now joined together and sought an audience with him. After securing the support of Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they depended on the king&#8217;s country for their food supply.</div><div class="p"> 21On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. 22They shouted, &#8220;This is the voice of a god, not of a man.&#8221; 23Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.</div><div class="p"> 24But the word of God continued to spread and flourish.</div><div class="s1">Barnabas and Saul Sent Off</div><div class="p"> 25When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from#12:25 Some manuscripts to Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.</div>
 </div>
 </div>
</div>

<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bk2CO">
 <div class="chapter ch7" data-usfm="2CO.7">
 <div class="label">7</div><div class="p"> 1Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.</div><div class="s1">Paul&#8217;s Joy Over the Church&#8217;s Repentance</div><div class="p"> 2Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one. 3I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die with you. 4I have spoken to you with great frankness; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.</div><div class="p"> 5For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn&#8212;conflicts on the outside, fears within. 6But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.</div><div class="p"> 8Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it&#8212;I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while&#8212; 9yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 11See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. 12So even though I wrote to you, it was neither on account of the one who did the wrong nor on account of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are. 13By all this we are encouraged.</div><div class="p">In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. 14I had boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well. 15And his affection for you is all the greater when he remembers that you were all obedient, receiving him with fear and trembling. 16I am glad I can have complete confidence in you.</div>
 </div>
 </div>
</div>

<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bk2CO">
 <div class="chapter ch8" data-usfm="2CO.8">
 <div class="label">8</div><div class="s1">The Collection for the Lord&#8217;s People</div><div class="p"> 1And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord&#8217;s people. 5And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. 6So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7But since you excel in everything&#8212;in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you#8:7 Some manuscripts and in your love for us&#8212;see that you also excel in this grace of giving.</div><div class="p"> 8I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.</div><div class="p"> 10And here is my judgment about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. 11Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.</div><div class="p"> 13Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, 15as it is written: &#8220;The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.&#8221;#8:15 Exodus 16:18</div><div class="s1">Titus Sent to Receive the Collection</div><div class="p"> 16Thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. 17For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative. 18And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. 19What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. 20We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. 21For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.</div><div class="p"> 22In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. 23As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. 24Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it.</div>
 </div>
 </div>
</div>

60 To StartSample

Scripture

About this Plan

Related Plans