M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Josiah’s Passover Observance
35 Josiah observed the Lord’s Passover(A) and slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the first month.(B) 2 He appointed the priests to their responsibilities and encouraged them to serve in the Lord’s temple.(C) 3 He said to the Levites who taught all Israel(D) the holy things of the Lord, “Put the holy ark in the temple built by Solomon son of David king of Israel. Since you do not have to carry it on your shoulders,(E) now serve Yahweh your God and His people Israel.
4 “Organize your ancestral houses by your divisions(F) according to the written instruction of David king of Israel and that of his son Solomon.(G) 5 Serve in the holy place by the divisions of the ancestral houses for your brothers, the lay people,[a] and the distribution of the tribal household of the Levites.(H) 6 Slaughter the Passover lambs,(I) consecrate yourselves,(J) and make preparations for your brothers to carry out the word of the Lord through Moses.”
7 Then Josiah donated 30,000 sheep, lambs, and young goats, plus 3,000 bulls from his own possessions, for the Passover sacrifices for all the lay people[b] who were present.
8 His officials also donated willingly for the people, the priests, and the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, chief officials of God’s temple, gave 2,600 Passover sacrifices and 300 bulls for the priests. 9 Conaniah(K) and his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, and Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad, officers of the Levites, donated 5,000 Passover sacrifices for the Levites, plus 500 bulls.
10 So the service was established; the priests stood at their posts and the Levites in their divisions according to the king’s command.(L) 11 Then they slaughtered the Passover lambs, and while the Levites were skinning the animals,(M) the priests sprinkled the blood[c] they had been given.[d] 12 They removed the burnt offerings so that they might be given to the divisions of the ancestral houses of the lay people[e] to offer to the Lord, according to what is written in the book of Moses; they did the same with the bulls. 13 They roasted the Passover lambs with fire according to regulation.(N) They boiled the holy sacrifices in pots, kettles, and bowls; and they quickly brought them to the lay people.[f] 14 Afterward, they made preparations for themselves and for the priests, since the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were busy offering up burnt offerings and fat until night. So the Levites made preparations for themselves and for the priests, the descendants of Aaron.
15 The singers, the descendants of Asaph, were at their stations according to the command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer.(O) Also, the gatekeepers were at each gate.(P) None of them left their tasks because their Levite brothers had made preparations for them.
16 So all the service of the Lord was established that day for observing the Passover and for offering burnt offerings on the altar of the Lord, according to the command of King Josiah. 17 The Israelites who were present in Judah also observed the Passover at that time and the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days.(Q) 18 No Passover had been observed(R) like it in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings of Israel ever observed a Passover like the one that Josiah observed with the priests, the Levites, all Judah, the Israelites who were present in Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 19 In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, this Passover was observed.
Josiah’s Last Deeds and Death
20 After all this(S) that Josiah had prepared for the temple, Neco king of Egypt(T) marched up to fight at Carchemish(U) by the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to confront him. 21 But Neco sent messengers to him, saying, “What is the issue between you and me, king of Judah?(V) I have not come against you today[g] but I am fighting another dynasty.[h] God told me to hurry. Stop opposing God who is with me; don’t make Him destroy you!”
22 But Josiah did not turn away from him; instead, in order to fight with him he disguised himself.[i](W) He did not listen to Neco’s words from the mouth of God, but went to the Valley of Megiddo(X) to fight. 23 The archers shot King Josiah, and he said to his servants, “Take me away, for I am severely wounded!”(Y) 24 So his servants took him out of the war chariot, carried him in his second chariot, and brought him to Jerusalem. Then he died, and they buried him in the tomb of his fathers. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned(Z) for Josiah. 25 Jeremiah chanted a dirge(AA) over Josiah, and all the singing men and singing women still speak of Josiah in their dirges to this very day. They established them as a statute for Israel, and indeed they are written in the Dirges.
26 The rest of the events(AB) of Josiah’s reign, along with his deeds of faithful love according to what is written in the law of the Lord, 27 and his words, from beginning to end, are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.
The New Creation
21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth,(A) for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea no longer existed.(B) 2 I also saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,(C) prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.(D)
3 Then I heard a loud voice from the throne:[a]
Look! God’s dwelling[b] is with humanity,
and He will live with them.
They will be His people,(E)
and God Himself will be with them
and be their God.[c]
4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.(F)
Death will no longer exist;(G)
grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer,(H)
because the previous things[d] have passed away.(I)
5 Then the One seated on the throne said, “Look! I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words[e] are faithful and true.”(J) 6 And He said to me, “It is done!(K) I am the Alpha and the Omega,(L) the Beginning and the End.(M) I will give water as a gift to the thirsty(N) from the spring of life.(O) 7 The victor(P) will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son.(Q) 8 But the cowards, unbelievers,[f] vile, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur,(R) which is the second death.”
The New Jerusalem
9 Then one of the seven angels, who had held the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues,(S) came and spoke with me: “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 He then carried me away in the Spirit[g](T) to a great and high mountain(U) and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11 arrayed with God’s glory.(V) Her radiance was like a very precious stone, like a jasper stone, bright as crystal. 12 The city had a massive high wall, with 12 gates. Twelve angels were at the gates; the names of the 12 tribes of Israel’s sons were inscribed on the gates. 13 There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.(W) 14 The city wall had 12 foundations, and the 12 names of the Lamb’s 12 apostles were on the foundations.
15 The one who spoke with me had a gold measuring rod(X) to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.(Y) 16 The city is laid out in a square; its length and width are the same. He measured the city with the rod at 12,000 stadia.[h] Its length, width, and height are equal. 17 Then he measured its wall, 144 cubits according to human measurement, which the angel used. 18 The building material of its wall was jasper, and the city was pure gold like clear glass.
19 The foundations of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone:(Z)
the first foundation jasper,
the second sapphire,
the third chalcedony,
the fourth emerald,
20 the fifth sardonyx,
the sixth carnelian,
the seventh chrysolite,
the eighth beryl,
the ninth topaz,
the tenth chrysoprase,
the eleventh jacinth,
the twelfth amethyst.
21 The 12 gates are 12 pearls; each individual gate was made of a single pearl. The broad street[i] of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
22 I did not see a sanctuary in it, because the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its sanctuary. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because God’s glory illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb.(AA) 24 The nations[j] will walk in its light,(AB) and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.[k](AC) 25 Each day its gates will never close because it will never be night there. 26 They will bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.[l](AD) 27 Nothing profane will ever enter it:(AE) no one who does what is vile or false, but only those written in the Lamb’s book of life.(AF)
3 “See, I am going to send My messenger,(A) and he will clear the way before Me.(B) Then the Lord you seek(C) will suddenly come to His temple,(D) the Messenger of the covenant you desire—see, He is coming,” says the Lord of Hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of His coming? And who will be able to stand when He appears?(E) For He will be like a refiner’s fire(F) and like cleansing lye.(G) 3 He will be like a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver.(H) Then they will present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. 4 And the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will please the Lord as in days of old(I) and years gone by.
5 “I will come to you in judgment, and I will be ready to witness against sorcerers and adulterers; against those who swear falsely; against those who oppress the widow and the fatherless, and cheat the wage earner; and against those who deny justice to the foreigner.(J) They do not fear Me,”(K) says the Lord of Hosts. 6 “Because I, Yahweh, have not changed,(L) you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed.(M)
Robbing God
7 “Since the days of your fathers, you have turned from My statutes; you have not kept them.(N) Return to Me,(O) and I will return to you,”(P) says the Lord of Hosts.
But you ask: “How can we return?”
8 “Will a man rob(Q) God? Yet you are robbing Me!”
You ask: “How do we rob You?”
“By not making the payments of the tenth and the contributions.(R) 9 You are suffering under a curse, yet you—the whole nation—are still robbing Me. 10 Bring the full tenth into the storehouse(S) so that there may be food in My house.(T) Test Me in this way,”(U) says the Lord of Hosts. “See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven(V) and pour out a blessing for you without measure.(W) 11 I will rebuke the devourer[a](X) for you, so that it will not ruin the produce of your land and your vine in your field will not fail to produce fruit,” says the Lord of Hosts. 12 “Then all the nations will consider you fortunate, for you will be a delightful land,” says the Lord of Hosts.
The Righteous and the Wicked
13 “Your words against Me are harsh,”(Y) says the Lord.
Yet you ask: “What have we spoken against You?”
14 You have said: “It is useless to serve God. What have we gained by keeping His requirements(Z) and walking mournfully(AA) before the Lord of Hosts? 15 So now we consider the arrogant(AB) to be fortunate.(AC) Not only do those who commit wickedness prosper, they even test God(AD) and escape.”(AE)
16 At that time those who feared the Lord spoke to one another. The Lord took notice and listened. So a book of remembrance(AF) was written before Him for those who feared Yahweh and had high regard for His name. 17 “They will be Mine,” says the Lord of Hosts,(AG) “a special possession on the day I am preparing. I will have compassion on them as a man has compassion on his son who serves him.(AH) 18 So you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.
The Empty Tomb
20 On(A) the first day of the week(B) Mary Magdalene(C) came to the tomb(D) early, while it was still dark. She saw that the stone(E) had been removed[a] from the tomb. 2 So she ran to Simon Peter(F) and to the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,(G) and we don’t know where they have put Him!”
3 At that, Peter and the other disciple went out, heading for the tomb. 4 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got to the tomb first. 5 Stooping down, he saw the linen cloths(H) lying there, yet he did not go in. 6 Then, following him, Simon Peter came also. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there. 7 The wrapping(I) that had been on His head was not lying with the linen cloths(J) but was folded up in a separate place by itself. 8 The other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, then entered the tomb, saw, and believed. 9 For they still did not understand the Scripture(K) that He must rise(L) from the dead.(M) 10 Then the disciples went home again.
Mary Magdalene Sees the Risen Lord
11 But(N) Mary stood outside facing the tomb,(O) crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 She saw two angels(P) in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet, where Jesus’ body(Q) had been lying. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“Because they’ve taken away my Lord,”(R) she told them, “and I don’t know where they’ve put Him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not know it was Jesus.(S)
15 “Woman,” Jesus said to her, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Supposing He was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you’ve removed Him, tell me where you’ve put Him, and I will take Him away.”
16 Jesus said, “Mary.”
Turning around, she said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!”[b]—which means “Teacher.”(T)
17 “Don’t cling to Me,” Jesus told her, “for I have not yet ascended(U) to the Father.(V) But go to My brothers(W) and tell them that I am ascending to My Father(X) and your Father—to My God(Y) and your God.”
18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!”(Z) And she told them what[c] He had said to her.
The Disciples Commissioned
19 In the evening of that first day of the week,(AA) the disciples were gathered together with the doors locked because of their fear of the Jews. Then Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!”(AB)
20 Having said this, He showed them His hands and His side.(AC) So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me,(AD) I also send you.”(AE) 22 After saying this, He breathed on them(AF) and said,[d] “Receive the Holy Spirit.(AG) 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”(AH)
Thomas Sees and Believes
24 But one of the Twelve, Thomas(AI) (called “Twin”), was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples kept telling him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “If I don’t see the mark of the nails in His hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails,(AJ) and put my hand into His side,(AK) I will never believe!”(AL)
26 After eight days His disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them. He said, “Peace to you!”
27 Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and observe My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Don’t be an unbeliever, but a believer.”(AM)
28 Thomas responded to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Jesus said, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed.[e] Those who believe without seeing(AN) are blessed.”
The Purpose of This Gospel
30 Jesus performed many other signs(AO) in the presence of His disciples that are not written(AP) in this book.(AQ) 31 But these are written so that you may believe Jesus is the Messiah,(AR) the Son(AS) of God,[f](AT) and by believing you may have life in His name.(AU)
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