Formation Journal Reading Plan

3:1 When the seventh month had come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.

3:2 Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brothers, and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God.

3:3 They set the altar on its base; for fear was on them because of the peoples of the countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon to Yahweh, even burnt offerings morning and evening.

3:4 They kept the feast of tents, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the ordinance, as the duty of every day required;

3:5 and afterward the continual burnt offering, and the offerings of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of Yahweh that were consecrated, and of everyone who willingly offered a freewill offering to Yahweh.

3:6 From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings to Yahweh: but the foundation of the temple of Yahweh was not yet laid.

3:7 They gave money also to the masons, and to the carpenters; and food, and drink, and oil, to them of Sidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.

3:8 Now in the second year of their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all those who were come out of the captivity to Jerusalem, and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work of the house of Yahweh.

3:9 Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brothers, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to have the oversight of the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brothers the Levites.

3:10 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of Yahweh, they set the priests in their clothing with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise Yahweh, after the order of David king of Israel.

3:11 They sang one to another in praising and giving thanks to Yahweh, “For he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever toward Israel.” All the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised Yahweh, because the foundation of the house of Yahweh was laid.

3:12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ households, the old men who had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:

3:13 so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people; for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.

31:1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. In you, Yahweh, I take refuge. Let me never be disappointed. Deliver me in your righteousness.

31:2 Bow down your ear to me. Deliver me speedily. Be to me a strong rock, a house of defense to save me.

31:3 For you are my rock and my fortress, therefore for your name’s sake lead me and guide me.

31:4 Pluck me out of the net that they have laid secretly for me, for you are my stronghold.

31:5 Into your hand I commend my spirit. You redeem me, Yahweh, God of truth.

31:6 I hate those who regard lying vanities, but I trust in Yahweh.

31:7 I will be glad and rejoice in your loving kindness, for you have seen my affliction. You have known my soul in adversities.

31:8 You have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy. You have set my feet in a large place.

31:9 Have mercy on me, Yahweh, for I am in distress. My eye, my soul, and my body waste away with grief.

31:10 For my life is spent with sorrow, my years with sighing. My strength fails because of my iniquity. My bones are wasted away.

31:11 Because of all my adversaries I have become utterly contemptible to my neighbors, A fear to my acquaintances. Those who saw me on the street fled from me.

31:12 I am forgotten from their hearts like a dead man. I am like broken pottery.

31:13 For I have heard the slander of many, terror on every side, while they conspire together against me, they plot to take away my life.

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.’

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.