M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Chapter 20
The Cities of Refuge.[a] 1 The Lord then said to Joshua, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say, ‘Choose refuge cities for yourselves, just as I told you to do through Moses. 3 This way anyone who kills another accidentally or unintentionally can flee there and take refuge from the relative who seeks blood vengeance. 4 When he flees to one of those cities, he is to stand at the entrance to the city gate and state his case in the hearing of the elders of the city. They will then let him enter the city, and they are to give him a place where he can live with them. 5 If the relative who seeks blood vengeance pursues him, they are not to surrender the man who killed another into his hands, for he killed his neighbor unintentionally and he had not previously shown him any enmity. 6 He will continue to live in that city until he stands trial before the assembly, and until the death of the high priest who is then in office. At that point the man who killed another can go back to his own city, to his home, to the city from which he had fled.’ ”
7 So they set apart Kadesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah. 8 On the other side of the Jordan, to the east of Jericho, they set aside Bezer in the wilderness upon the plateau of the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead among the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan among the tribe of Manasseh. 9 These cities were designated so that any Israelite or foreigner who lived among them and who accidentally killed another person might flee there, so that he would not be killed by the relative who seeks blood vengeance before he could stand trial before the assembly.
Chapter 21
The Levitical Cities. 1 Now the leaders of the ancestral clans of the Levites came to Eleazar, the priest, Joshua, the son of Nun, and the leaders of the ancestral tribes of the Israelites 2 at Shiloh in the land of Canaan and they said to them, “The Lord commanded through Moses that you give us cities in which we can live and have pastures for our cattle.”[b] 3 So the Israelites gave the Levites cities and pastures out of their own inheritance as the Lord had commanded. 4 The first lot chosen was for the Kohathites, divided according to its families. Now the Levites were the descendants of Aaron the priest, and they were allotted thirteen cities out of the inheritance of the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. 5 The rest of the descendants of Kohath were allotted ten cities from the inheritance of the clans of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and one of the halves of the tribe of Manasseh. 6 The descendants of Gershom were allotted thirteen cities from the inheritance of the clans of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half of the tribe of Manasseh that was living in Bashan. 7 The descendants of Merari, divided according to its families, were allotted twelve cities from the inheritance of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. 8 This is how the Israelites gave the Levites their cities with their pastures, just as the Lord had commanded through Moses.
9 These are the names of the cities that were given from the tribe of the Judahites and the tribe of the Simeonites. 10 (These cities were given to the descendants of Aaron who came from the Kohathite clan because their lot was the first chosen.) 11 They were given Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron; Arba was the forefather of Anak) and its surrounding pastures in the hill country of Judah, 12 but the fields belonging to the city and the towns surrounding it had already been given to Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, as his possession. 13 So the descendants of Aaron the priest were given Hebron (which was a city of refuge for someone who had killed another person) and its pastures, Libnah and its pastures, 14 Jattir and its pastures, Eshtemoa and its pastures, 15 Holon and its pastures, Debir and its pastures, 16 Ain and its pastures, Juttah and its pastures, and Beth-shemesh and its pastures. Thus, there were nine cities from those two tribes. 17 From the tribe of Benjamin they were given Gibeon and its pastures, Geba and its pastures, 18 Anathoth and its pastures, and Almon and its pastures. Thus, there were four cities. 19 In total, there were thirteen cities with their pastures for the descendants of Aaron the priest.
20 Cities of the Other Kohathites. As for the rest of the Kohathite families of the Levites, these Kohathites were allotted cities out of the inheritance of Ephraim. 21 In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shechem (which was a city of refuge for someone who had killed another person) and its pastures, Gezer and its pastures, 22 Kibzaim with its pastures, and Beth-horon with its pastures. Thus, there were four cities. 23 From the tribe of Dan they were given Elteke and its pastures, Gibbethon and its pastures, 24 Aijalon with its pastures, and Gath-rimmon with its pastures. Thus, there were four cities.
25 From one of the halves of the tribe of Manasseh they were given Taanach with its pastures, and Gath-rimmon with its pastures. Thus, there were two cities. 26 In total, there were ten cities with their pastures that were given to the rest of the Kohathites.
27 The Cities of the Gershonites. The Levite’s clans of the Gershonites were given from the other half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan (which was a city of refuge for someone who had killed another) and its pastures, and Ashtaroth and its pastures. Thus, there were two cities. 28 From the tribe of Issachar they were given Kishion and its pastures, Daberath and its pastures, 29 Jarmuth and its pastures, and En-gannim and its pastures. Thus, there were four cities. 30 From the tribe of Asher they were given Mishal with its pastures, Abdon with its pastures, 31 Helkath with its pastures, and Rehob with its pastures. Thus, there were four cities. 32 From the tribe of Naphtali they were given Kedesh in Galilee (which was a city of refuge for someone who had killed another) and its pastures, Hammath and its pastures, and Kartan and its pastures. Thus, there were three cities. 33 In total, there were thirteen cities with their pastures for the Gershonite families.
34 The Cities of the Merarites. The Merarite families (the rest of the Levites) were given from the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with its pastures, Kartah with its pastures, 35 Dimnah with its pastures, and Nahalal with its pastures. Thus, there were four cities. 36 From the tribe of Reuben they were given Bezer with its pastures, Jahaz with its pastures, 37 Kedemoth with its pastures, and Mephaath and its pastures. Thus, there were four cities. 38 From the tribe of Gad they were given Ramoth in Gilead (which was a city of refuge for someone who had killed another) and its pastures, Mahanaim and its pastures, 39 Heshbon and its pastures, and Jazer with its pastures. Thus, there were four cities. 40 In total, there were twelve cities allotted to the families of the Merarites (the rest of the Levites).
41 In all, there were forty-eight cities together with their pastures for the Levites within the land in the possession of the Israelites. 42 Each of these cities has pastures surrounding it; this was true of all of the cities.
43 [c]Thus the Lord gave Israel the entire land that he had promised to give to their fathers. They took possession of it and dwelt there. 44 The Lord then gave them rest on every side, just as he had promised their fathers. Not one of their enemies could stand up to them. The Lord had delivered all of their enemies into their hands. 45 None of the good things that the Lord had promised to the house of Israel failed to take place. It all came true.
At Jerusalem[a]
From Jesus to the Community of the Lord[b]
Chapter 1
Prologue.[c] 1 In my previous book, Theophilus,[d] I wrote of everything that Jesus did and taught from the beginning 2 until the day he was taken up, after first giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.
The Promise of the Spirit.[e] 3 After his passion Jesus had presented himself alive to them by many proofs. He appeared to them during forty days and spoke to them about the kingdom of God. 4 When they were gathered together, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, saying, “Wait there for the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak. 5 For John baptized with water, but within a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6 As they were all gathered together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you are going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He replied, “It is not for you to know the dates or the times that the Father has designated by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem, but throughout Judea and Samaria, and indeed to the farthest ends of the earth.”
The Ascension of Jesus.[f] 9 After he said this, he was lifted up as they looked on, and a cloud took him from their sight. 10 While he was departing as they gazed upward toward the sky, suddenly two men dressed in white robes stood beside them, 11 and they said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking up into the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will come back in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”
12 The First Community Waiting for the Spirit. Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, no farther distant than a Sabbath day’s journey.[g] 13 When they arrived, they went to the upper room where they were staying: Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 All of these were constantly engaged in prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.[h]
15 The Choice of Judas’s Successor.[i] In those days, Peter stood up before the assembled brothers, numbering about one hundred and twenty, and said, 16 “Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit revealed through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 He was one of our number and was granted a share in this ministry.
18 “With the money from his traitorous act, this man purchased a plot of land upon which he fell headlong, and he burst open, all of his entrails pouring out. 19 The news about this became known to all the people living in Jerusalem, so that in their own language that plot of land was called ‘Hakeldama,’ which means ‘Field of Blood.’[j] 20 For it is written in the Book of Psalms,
‘May his encampment become deserted,
and may there be no one to dwell in it.’
And again,
‘Let another take over his position.’
21 “Therefore, it is necessary to choose one of the men who have accompanied us during the entire time that the Lord Jesus lived with us, 22 beginning from his baptism by John until the day when he was taken up from us. For he must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”
23 And so they nominated two candidates: Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, saying, “Lord, you know the hearts of everyone. Show us which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this apostolic ministry that Judas abandoned to go to his own place.” 26 Then they cast lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias, who was then added to the eleven apostles.
Chapter 10
The True God. 1 Listen to the word that the Lord addresses to you, O house of Israel. 2 Thus says the Lord:
Do not adopt the ways of the nations
or become frightened at the signs in the heavens,[a]
even though the nations are terrified of them.
3 For the carved images of the nations are powerless;
they are nothing more than wood cut from a forest,
fashioned with a knife by craftsmen
4 and embellished with silver and gold.
Then they are fastened with hammers and nails
to prevent them from toppling.
5 Like scarecrows in a cucumber field
they are unable to speak,
and they must be carried from place to place
since they cannot walk.
Do not be afraid of them,
for they can do no harm,
nor do they have any power to do good.
6 O Lord, there is no one like you;
you are great,
and great is the might of your name.
7 Who would not fear you,
O King of the nations?
This is your due.
Of all the wisest men in the nations
and throughout all their kingdoms,
there is no one like you.
8 They are all senseless and foolish,
and the idols they venerate are nothing but wood,
9 adorned with beaten silver from Tarshish
and gold from Ophir.
Their idols are the work of craftsmen and goldsmiths
and clothed with violet and purple;
all of them are the product of skilled workers.
10 But the Lord is the true God;
he is the living God and the everlasting King.
When confronted with his wrath the earth quakes,
and no nation can endure his fury.
11 Convey this message to them: The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth will perish from the earth and from under the heavens.
12 The Lord made the earth by his power,
established the world by his wisdom
and spread out the heavens by his understanding.
13 When his voice thunders forth,
the waters in the heavens are in tumult,
and he brings forth clouds
from the most remote areas of the earth.
He causes lightning to flash during the rainfall
and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.
14 Everyone is ignorant and devoid of knowledge;
every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols,
for the figures he molds are fraudulent,
lacking even a semblance of breath.
15 They are worthless, worthy only of mockery;
when the time of judgment comes
they will no longer exist.
16 But not like these is the portion of Jacob,
for he is the Maker of all things,
and Israel is the tribe of his heritage;
the Lord of hosts is his name.
Destruction of Judah[b]
17 Gather up your belongings and depart from the land,
you who are living under siege.
18 For thus says the Lord:
This time I am determined to cast out
the inhabitants of this land,
and I will inflict such distress on them
that they will find it difficult to bear.
19 I face disaster because of my injuries.
My wounds are incurable.
However, I thought, “This is my punishment,
and somehow I must endure it.”
20 My tent has been destroyed,
and all of its ropes are severed.
My children have left me,
and they are no more.
No one remains to help me pitch my tent again
or to put up its curtains.
21 The shepherds have proved to be stupid;
they failed to search for the Lord.
As a result, they have not prospered,
and their entire flock is scattered.
22 Listen! There is a tremendous noise,
and it comes ever closer;
a great uproar from the land of the north;
the towns of Judah will be reduced to a desert
and become a lair for jackals.
Jeremiah’s Prayer
23 I am finally aware, O Lord,
that man is not in control of his destiny
and that it is not in his power
to determine the course of his life.
24 Correct me, O Lord,
but do so with moderation,
and not in your anger,
or you will reduce me to nothing.
25 Pour forth your wrath on the nations
that refuse to acknowledge you,
as well as on the tribes
that refuse to invoke your name.
For they have devoured Jacob;
they have devoured and made an end of him
and laid waste his homeland.
Instructions for the Coming of the Kingdom[a]
Chapter 24
The Time of the End[b]
Jesus Announces the Destruction of the Temple.[c] 1 As Jesus left the temple and was walking away, his disciples came up to him to call his attention to the buildings of the temple. 2 He thereupon said to them, “Do you see all these? Amen, I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another; every one will be thrown down.”
The End Has Not Yet Come.[d] 3 As he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached and spoke to him when they were alone. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
4 Jesus answered them, “Take care that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. Do not be alarmed, for those things are bound to happen, but the end is still to come. 7 For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are only the beginning of the labor pains.
9 “Then you will be handed over to be tortured and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name. 10 At that time, many will fall away from the faith; they will betray and hate one another. 11 Many false prophets will appear and lead many astray, 12 and with the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But whoever endures to the end will be saved. 14 And the good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the entire world as a testimony offered to all the nations. And then the end will come.
15 The Great Trial.[e]“Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation, about which the prophet Daniel spoke, standing in the Holy Place (let the reader understand), 16 then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, 17 the one who is standing on the roof must not come down to collect what is in his house, 18 and someone who is in the field must not turn back to retrieve his coat.
19 “Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that you will not have to take flight in the winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For at that time there will be great suffering that has not been equaled since the beginning of the world until now, and will never again be duplicated. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect they will be shortened.
23 False Messiahs and False Prophets.“Therefore, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There he is,’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise, and they will perform great signs and wonders that are impressive enough to deceive even the elect, if that were possible.
25 “Remember, I have forewarned you about this. 26 So if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out there. If they say, ‘Behold, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For just as lightning comes from the east and is visible even in the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.[f]
29 The Coming of the Son of Man.[g]“Immediately after the distress of those days,
‘the sun will be darkened
and the moon will not give forth its light;
the stars will fall from the sky
and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’
30 “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the peoples of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send forth his angels with a trumpet blast, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
Be Vigilant in Expectation of the End[h]
32 The Parable of the Fig Tree.[i]“Learn this lesson from the fig tree. As soon as its twigs become tender and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. 33 In the same way, when you see all these things take place, know that he is near, at the very gates. 34 Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
36 The Day and Hour Unknown.[j]“As for the exact day and hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 For as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 In the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark. 39 They knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and swept them all away.
“That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and the other will be left. 42 Therefore, keep watch, for you do not know the day when your Lord is coming.
43 The Parable of the Owner of the House.[k]“But keep this in mind: if the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore, you must also be prepared, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
45 The Parable of the Faithful Servant.[l]“Who, then, is the faithful and wise servant whom his master has put in charge of his household to give its members their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant if his master finds him doing so when he returns home. 47 Amen, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property.
48 “But if that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is detained,’ 49 and he proceeds to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will return on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know. 51 He will punish him and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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