M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Israel Rebuked
2 Now (A)the angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to (B)Bochim. And he said, “(C)I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land which I have sworn to your fathers; and I said, ‘(D)I will never break My covenant with you, 2 and as for you, (E)you shall not make a covenant with the inhabitants of this land; (F)you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not [a]obeyed Me; what is this thing that you have done? 3 Therefore I also said, ‘(G)I will not drive them out from you; but they will [b]become (H)like thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.’” 4 Now when the angel of the Lord spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people raised their voices and wept. 5 So they named that place [c]Bochim; and there they sacrificed to the Lord.
Joshua Dies
6 (I)When Joshua had dismissed the people, the sons of Israel went, each one to his inheritance, to take possession of the land. 7 The people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who [d]survived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of the Lord which He had done for Israel. 8 Then Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of 110. 9 And they buried him in the territory of (J)his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. 10 All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and another generation rose up after them who (K)did not know the Lord, nor even the work which He had done for Israel.
Israel Serves the Baals
11 Then the sons of Israel did (L)evil in the sight of the Lord and [e]served the (M)Baals, 12 and (N)they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they followed other gods from the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them; so they provoked the Lord to anger. 13 They abandoned the Lord and (O)served Baal and the Ashtaroth. 14 (P)Then the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and He handed them over to plunderers, and they plundered them; and (Q)He sold them into the hands of their enemies around them, so that they could no longer stand [f]against their enemies. 15 Wherever they went, the hand of the Lord was against them for [g]evil, as the Lord had spoken and (R)just as the Lord had sworn to them, so that they were severely distressed.
16 (S)Then the Lord raised up judges [h]who saved them from the hands of those who plundered them. 17 Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they [i]committed infidelity with other gods and bowed down to them. They turned aside quickly from the way (T)in which their fathers had walked in obeying the commandments of the Lord; they did not do the same as their fathers. 18 And when the Lord raised up judges for them, (U)the Lord was with the judge and saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lord was (V)moved to pity by their groaning because of those who tormented and oppressed them. 19 But it came about, when the judge died, that they would turn back and act more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them and bow down to them; they did not abandon their practices or their obstinate ways. 20 (W)So the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and He said, “Because this nation has violated My covenant which I commanded their fathers, and has not listened to My voice, 21 (X)I in turn will no longer drive out from them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died, 22 in order to (Y)test Israel by them, whether they will keep the way of the Lord to walk in it as their fathers [j]did, or not.” 23 So the Lord allowed those nations to remain, not driving them out quickly; and He did not hand them over to Joshua.
Choosing of the Seven
6 Now [a]at this time, as the (A)disciples were (B)increasing in number, a complaint developed on the part of the [b](C)Hellenistic Jews against the native (D)Hebrews, because their (E)widows were being overlooked in (F)the daily serving of food. 2 So the twelve summoned the [c]congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. 3 Instead, (G)brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation, (H)full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. 4 But we will (I)devote ourselves to prayer and to the [d]ministry of the word.” 5 The [e]announcement found approval with the whole [f]congregation; and they chose (J)Stephen, a man (K)full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and (L)Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and [g]Nicolas, a [h](M)proselyte from (N)Antioch. 6 And they brought these men before the apostles; and after (O)praying, they (P)laid their hands on them.
7 (Q)The word of God kept spreading; and (R)the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to (S)the faith.
8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great (T)wonders and [i]signs among the people. 9 But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both (U)Cyrenians and (V)Alexandrians, and some from (W)Cilicia and [j](X)Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen. 10 But they were unable to [k]cope with his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking. 11 Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, and they (Y)came up to him and dragged him away, and brought him [l]before (Z)the [m]Council. 13 They put forward (AA)false witnesses who said, “This man does not stop [n]speaking against this (AB)holy place and the Law; 14 for we have heard him say that (AC)this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and change (AD)the customs which Moses handed down to us.” 15 And all who were sitting in the [o](AE)Council stared at him, and they saw his face, which was like the face of an angel.
Judgment Must Come
15 Then the Lord said to me, “Even (A)if (B)Moses and (C)Samuel were to (D)stand before Me, My [a]heart would not be [b]with this people. (E)Send them away from My presence and have them go! 2 And it shall be that when they say to you, ‘Where should we go?’ then you are to tell them, ‘This is what the Lord says:
“Those destined (F)for death, to death;
And those destined for the sword, to the sword;
And those destined for famine, to famine;
And those destined for captivity, to captivity.”’
3 And I will (G)appoint over them four kinds of doom,” declares the Lord: “the sword to kill, the (H)dogs to drag away, and the (I)birds of the sky and the animals of the earth to devour and destroy. 4 I will (J)make them an object of terror among all the kingdoms of the earth because of (K)Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem.
5 “Indeed, who will have (L)pity on you, Jerusalem,
Or who will (M)mourn for you,
Or who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?
6 You who have (N)forsaken Me,” declares the Lord,
“You keep (O)going backward.
So I will (P)stretch out My hand against you and destroy you;
I am (Q)tired of relenting!
7 I will (R)winnow them with a winnowing fork
At the gates of the land;
I will (S)bereave them of children, I will destroy My people;
(T)They did not [c]repent of their ways.
8 Their (U)widows will be more numerous before Me
Than the sand of the seas;
I will bring against them, against the mother of a young man,
A (V)destroyer at noon;
I will suddenly bring down on her
Shock and horror.
9 She who (W)gave birth to seven sons withers away;
[d]Her breathing is labored.
Her (X)sun has set while it was still day;
She has been (Y)shamed and humiliated.
So I will (Z)turn over their survivors to the sword
Before their enemies,” declares the Lord.
10 (AA)Woe to me, my mother, that you have given birth to me
As a (AB)man of strife and a man of contention to all the land!
I have not (AC)lent, nor have people lent money to me,
Yet everyone curses me.
11 The Lord said, “I will certainly (AD)set you free for purposes of good;
I will certainly make the (AE)enemy plead with you
In a time of disaster and a time of distress.
12 “Can anyone smash iron,
(AF)Iron from the north, or bronze?
13 I will give your (AG)wealth and your treasures
As plunder (AH)without cost,
For all your sins
And within all your borders.
14 Then I will make your enemies bring your possessions
Into a (AI)land that you do not know;
For a (AJ)fire has been kindled in My anger,
And it will burn upon you.”
Jeremiah’s Prayer and God’s Answer
15 (AK)You know, Lord;
Remember me, take notice of me,
And (AL)take vengeance for me on my persecutors.
Do not, in view of Your patience, take me away;
Know that (AM)for Your sake I endure reproach.
16 Your words were found and I (AN)ate them,
And Your (AO)words became a joy to me and the delight of my heart;
For I have been (AP)called by Your name,
Lord God of armies.
17 I (AQ)did not sit in a circle of revelers and celebrate.
Because of Your hand upon me I sat (AR)alone,
For You (AS)filled me with indignation.
18 Why has my pain been endless
And my (AT)wound incurable, refusing to be healed?
Will You indeed be to me (AU)like a deceptive stream
With water that is unreliable?
19 Therefore, this is what the Lord says:
“(AV)If you return, then I will restore you—
(AW)You will stand before Me;
And (AX)if you extract the precious from the worthless,
You will become [e]My spokesman.
They, for their part, may turn to you,
But as for you, you are not to turn to them.
20 Then I will (AY)make you to this people
A fortified wall of bronze;
And though they fight against you,
They will not prevail over you;
For (AZ)I am with you to save you
And rescue you,” declares the Lord.
21 “So I will (BA)rescue you from the hand of the wicked,
And I will (BB)redeem you from the [f]grasp of the violent.”
Preaching of John the Baptist
1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, (A)the Son of God,
2 (B)just as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
“(C)Behold, I am sending My messenger [a]before You,
Who will prepare Your way;
3 (D)The voice of one calling [b]out in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
Make His paths straight!’”
4 John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, [c](E)preaching a baptism of repentance for the (F)forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. 6 John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore (G)a leather belt around his waist, and [d]his diet was locusts and wild honey. 7 And he was [e]preaching, saying, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to bend down and untie the straps of His sandals. 8 I baptized you [f]with water; but He will baptize you [g]with the Holy Spirit.”
The Baptism of Jesus
9 (H)In those days Jesus (I)came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens [h]opening, and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon Him; 11 and a voice came from the heavens: “(J)You are My beloved Son; in You I [i]am well pleased.”
12 (K)And immediately the Spirit *brought Him out into the wilderness. 13 And He was in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by (L)Satan; and He was with the wild animals, and the angels were serving Him.
Jesus Preaches in Galilee
14 (M)Now after John was [j]taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, [k](N)preaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “(O)The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; (P)repent and [l]believe in the gospel.”
16 (Q)As He was going along the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will have you become fishers of people.” 18 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 19 And going on a little farther, He saw [m]James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John, [n]who were also in the boat mending the nets. 20 Immediately He called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and went away [o]to follow Him.
21 (R)They *went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath Jesus (S)entered the synagogue and began to teach. 22 And (T)they were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 24 saying, “(U)What [p]business do You have with us, Jesus [q]of (V)Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are: (W)the Holy One of God!” 25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” 26 After throwing him into convulsions and crying out with a loud voice, the unclean spirit came out of him. 27 And they were all (X)amazed, so they debated among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 Immediately the news about Him spread everywhere into all the surrounding region of Galilee.
Crowds Healed
29 (Y)And immediately after they left (Z)the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with [r]James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and they immediately *spoke to [s]Jesus about her. 31 And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she served them.
32 Now (AA)when evening came, (AB)after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were (AC)demon-possessed. 33 And the whole (AD)city had gathered at the door. 34 And He (AE)healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew [t]who He was.
35 (AF)And in the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and (AG)prayed there for a time. 36 Simon and his companions eagerly searched for Him; 37 and they found Him and *said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” 38 He *said to them, “Let’s go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may also [u]preach there; for this is why I came.” 39 (AH)And He went into their synagogues [v]preaching throughout Galilee, and casting out the demons.
40 (AI)And a man with [w]leprosy *came to [x]Jesus, imploring Him and (AJ)kneeling down, and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” 41 Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out with His hand and touched him, and *said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. 43 And He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away, 44 and He *said to him, “(AK)See that you say nothing to anyone; but (AL)go, show yourself to the priest and (AM)offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 45 But he went out and began to (AN)proclaim it [y]freely and to (AO)spread the news around, to such an extent that [z]Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but [aa]stayed out in unpopulated areas; and (AP)they were coming to Him from everywhere.
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