M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Chapter 24
The Priestly Classes. 1 These are the divisions of Aaron.
The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 2 Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and they did not have any sons. Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests.
3 David, with the help of Zadok, a descendant of Eleazar, and Ahimelech, a descendant of Ithamar, divided them according to the responsibilities of their service.
4 A larger number of leaders was found among the descendants of Eleazar than among the descendants of Ithamar. This is how they were divided: for the descendants of Eleazar there were sixteen leaders of the ancestral clans, and for the descendants of Ithamar there were eight leaders of the ancestral clans. 5 They divided them by lot, for there were officials of the sanctuary[a] and officials of God from among the descendants of Eleazar and from among the descendants of Ithamar. 6 Shemaiah, the son of Nethanel, the scribe, a Levite, recorded it in the presence of the king and the officials: Zadok the priest and Ahimelech, the son of Abiathar, and the leaders of the ancestral clans of the priests and the Levites, one ancestral clan being taken from Eleazar and then one from Ithamar.
7 The first lot fell to Jehoiarib, the second lot fell to Jedaiah, 8 the third lot fell to Harim, the fourth lot fell to Seorim, 9 the fifth lot fell to Malchijah, the sixth lot fell to Mijamin, 10 the seventh lot fell to Hakkoz, the eighth lot fell to Abijah, 11 the ninth lot fell to Jeshua, the tenth lot fell to Shecaniah, 12 the eleventh lot fell to Eliashib, the twelfth lot fell to Jakim, 13 the thirteenth lot fell to Huppah, the fourteenth lot fell to Ishbaal, 14 the fifteenth lot fell to Bilgah, the sixteenth lot fell to Immer, 15 the seventeenth lot fell to Hezir, the eighteenth lot fell to Happizzez, 16 the nineteenth lot fell to Pethahiah, the twentieth lot fell to Jehezkel, 17 the twenty-first lot fell to Jachin, the twenty-second lot fell to Gamul, 18 the twenty-third lot fell to Delaiah, and the twenty-fourth lot fell to Maaziah.
19 This was the appointed order of service when they would come into the temple of the Lord. This was according to the regulations given by Aaron their ancestor as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded.[b]
20 Other Levites. As for the other descendants of Levi, Shubael was the son of Amram, and Jehdeiah was the son of Shubael.
21 The firstborn son of Rehabiah was Isshiah.
22 From the Izharites there was Shelomoth.
Jahath was the son of Shelomoth.
23 The sons of Hebron were Jeriah, the firstborn, Amariah, the second, Jahaziel, the third, and Jekameam, the fourth.
24 Micah was the son of Uzziel, and Shamir was the son of Micah.
25 Isshiah was the brother of Micah.
Zechariah was the son of Isshiah.
26 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi and the descendants of his son Uzziah.
27 Among the descendants of Merari, there was Jaaziah, whose sons were Beno, Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri.
28 From Mahli there was Eleazar who did not have any sons.
29 From Kish, there was Jerahmeel, the son of Kish.
30 The sons of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth.
These were the Levites, according to their ancestral clans. 31 They also cast lots, just as their brethren, the descendants of Aaron, had done. This was done before King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, the leaders of the ancestral clans of the priests and the Levites. The families of the oldest brother were treated the same as those of the youngest.
Chapter 25
The Musicians. 1 David, together with the captains of the army, set aside some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun who were to prophesy[c] with harps, lyres, and cymbals. This is the list of those engaged in their ministry.
2 From the sons of Asaph there were Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah. The sons of Asaph were under the direction of Asaph who prophesied at the command of the king.
3 From Jeduthun there were his sons Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah. There were six of them in all. They were under the direction of their father Jeduthun who prophesied using the harp to give thanks and praise to the Lord.
4 From Heman there were his sons Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shubael, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. 5 These were all the sons of Heman, the king’s seer. They were given the word of God to exalt him. God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. 6 All of these were under the direction of their father. They played music for the temple of the Lord upon cymbals, lyres, and harps, for the ministry of the temple of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the direction of the king.
7 Along with their brethren, all of whom were trained and skilled in performing the songs of the Lord, there were two hundred and eighty-eight of them. 8 The young and old, the teacher and the student all cast lots.
9 The first lot fell to Asaph, to the family of Joseph; the second fell to Gedaliah, who together with his brethren and sons numbered twelve; 10 the third lot fell to Zaccur, who together with his sons and brethren numbered twelve; 11 the fourth lot fell to Izri, who together with his sons and his brethren numbered twelve; 12 the fifth lot fell to Nethaniah, who together with his sons and relatives numbered twelve; 13 the sixth lot fell to Bukkiah, who together with his sons and relatives numbered twelve; 14 the seventh lot fell to Jesarelah, who together with his sons and relatives numbered twelve; 15 the eighth lot fell to Jeshaiah, who together with his sons and relatives numbered twelve; 16 the ninth lot fell to Mattaniah, who together with his sons and his relatives numbered twelve; 17 the tenth lot fell to Shimei, who together with his sons and his relatives numbered twelve; 18 the eleventh lot fell to Uzziel, who together with his sons and his relatives numbered twelve; 19 the twelfth lot fell to Hashabiah, who together with his sons and his relatives numbered twelve; 20 the thirteenth lot fell to Shubael, who together with his sons and his relatives numbered twelve; 21 the fourteenth lot fell to Mattithiah, who together with his sons and his relatives numbered twelve; 22 the fifteenth lot fell to Jeremoth, who together with his sons and his relatives numbered twelve; 23 the sixteenth lot fell to Hananiah, who together with his sons and his relatives numbered twelve; 24 the seventeenth lot fell to Joshbekashah, who together with his sons and his relatives numbered twelve; 25 the eighteenth lot fell to Hanani, who together with his sons and his relatives numbered twelve; 26 the nineteenth lot fell to Mallothi, who together with his sons and his relatives numbered twelve; 27 the twentieth lot fell to Eliathah, who together with his sons and his relatives numbered twelve; 28 the twenty-first lot fell to Hothir, who together with his sons and his relatives numbered twelve; 29 the twenty-second lot fell to Giddalti, who together with his sons and his relatives numbered twelve; 30 the twenty-third lot fell to Mahazioth, who together with his sons and his relatives numbered twelve; 31 the twenty-fourth lot fell to Romamti-ezer, who together with his sons and his relatives numbered twelve.
Chapter 5
Faithful and Humble Leadership.[a] 1 I now exhort the presbyters[b] among you, as a fellow presbyter myself and a witness to the sufferings of Christ, and as one who has shared in the glory that is to be revealed. 2 Be shepherds of the flock of God that has been entrusted to your care. Watch over it, not as a duty, but willingly in accord with the will of God, not for sordid gain, but because you are eager to do so.
3 Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock. 4 Then, when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that never fades away.
Humility and Firm Faith.[c] 5 In the same way, you who are younger must be submissive to those who are older. And all of you should clothe yourselves with humility in your relationships with one another, for
“God opposes the proud,
but he gives grace to the humble.”
6 Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time he may exalt you. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares about you.
8 Remain sober and alert, for your enemy the devil is on the prowl like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him and be firm in your faith, for you are well aware that your brethren throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.
10 Promise of Strength and Vindication. After you have suffered for a brief period, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and support you. 11 All power belongs to him forever and ever. Amen.
Conclusion
12 Final Greetings.[d] I have written this brief letter to you through Silvanus, whom I regard as a faithful brother, in order to exhort you and to testify that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it.
13 Your sister Church[e] in Babylon sends you greetings, as does my son Mark. 14 Greet one another with a loving kiss.[f]
Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
Chapter 3
The Leader Devours the Chair of My People
1 Then I said:
Listen, you leaders of the house of Jacob,
you rulers of the house of Israel.
Should you not be responsible
to know what is right?
2 And yet you hate what is good
and love what is evil.
3 You eat the flesh of my people
and strip off their skin;
you break their bones into pieces
like flesh for the pot,
like meat in a cauldron.
4 Then they will cry out to the Lord,
but he will not answer them.
He will conceal his face from them at that time
because of the evil they have done.
Against Prophets Who Lead the People Astray
5 Thus says the Lord about the prophets
who lead my people astray,
who promise prosperity
when they have something to eat,
but who declare war against those
who put no food into their mouths.
6 Therefore, you will have night without vision
and darkness without divination.
The sun will go down on the prophets;
for them the daytime will be black.
7 Then the seers will be disgraced
and the diviners will be put to shame.
They will all cover their lips,
for there is no answer from God.
8 But as for me, I am filled with strength,
with the Spirit of the Lord,
with justice and might
to declare to Jacob his crime
and to Israel his sin.
A Civilization Built on Injustice
9 Listen to this,
you leaders of the house of Jacob,
you rulers of the house of Israel,
who despise justice
and pervert what is right,
10 who build Zion through bloodshed
and Jerusalem through wickedness.
11 Her leaders accept bribes for favorable judgments,
her priests render judgments for a fee,
her prophets practice divination for money.
And yet they rely upon the Lord, saying,
“Isn’t the Lord in our midst?
No harm can come upon us.”
12 Therefore, because of you,
Zion will be plowed like a field.
Jerusalem will be reduced to a heap of rubble,
and the temple mount to a height
overgrown with thickets.
Chapter 12
The Yeast of the Pharisees.[a] 1 Meanwhile a crowd of many thousands of people had gathered, and they were so tightly packed together that they were trampling on each other. Then Jesus began to speak, saying first to his disciples: “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees—which is their hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing secret that will not become known. 3 Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops.
Courage in Time of Persecution. 4 “I tell you, my friends, have no fear of those who kill the body and after that can do nothing further. 5 But I will tell you whom to fear. Be afraid of the one who, after he has killed, has the authority to cast into Gehenna. I tell you, fear him!
6 “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight. 7 Even the hairs on your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth far more than any number of sparrows.
8 “I tell you this: whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. 9 But whoever denies me before men, he will be denied before the angels of God.
10 Sayings about the Holy Spirit.“Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the person who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.[b] 11 When you are brought before synagogues and rulers and authorities, do not be concerned about how or what you are to answer or what you are to say. 12 When the time comes, the Holy Spirit will teach you what you are to say.”
Be Poor in Order To Be Free
13 A Saying about Greed.[c]Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the family inheritance with me.” 14 Jesus answered him, “Friend, who appointed me to be a judge and arbitrator in your regard?”
15 [d]After this, he said to the crowd, “Take care to be on your guard against all kinds of greed. Life does not depend upon an abundance of one’s possessions.”
16 The Parable of the Rich Fool. Then he told them a parable: “There was a wealthy man whose land yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I do not have sufficient space to store my crops?’ 18 Then he said, ‘This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, where I will store my grain and other produce, 19 and I shall say to myself, “Now you have an abundance of goods stored up for many years to come. Relax, eat, drink, and be merry.” ’
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. And who then will get to enjoy the fruit of your labors?’ 21 That is how it will be for the one who stores up treasure for himself yet fails to become rich in the sight of God.”
22 Trust in God.[e] Then he said to his disciples, “Therefore, heed my words. Do not be concerned about your life and what you will have to eat, or about your body and what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.
24 “Consider the ravens. They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn, and yet God feeds them. You are of far greater importance than birds. 25 Can any of you through worrying add a single moment to your span of life? 26 If then such a small thing is beyond your power, why should you be concerned about the rest?
27 “Consider the lilies and how they grow. They neither labor nor spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his royal splendor was clothed like one of these. 28 If God so clothes the grass that grows today in the field and is thrown into the furnace tomorrow, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!
29 “Hence, do not be greatly concerned about what you are to eat and what you are to drink. Do not worry. 30 The nations of the world are concerned for all these things. Your Father is aware of your needs. 31 Rather, seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
32 Treasure in Heaven.[f]“Fear not, little flock, for your Father has chosen to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to those in need. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can come near and no moth can destroy. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart also be.
Parables about Watchfulness[g]
35 The Parable of the Vigilant Steward.[h]“Fasten your belts for service and have your lamps lit. 36 Be like servants who are waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that they may open the door as soon as he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he arrives. Amen, I say to you, he will fasten his belt, have them recline to eat, and proceed to wait on them himself. 38 If he comes in the second watch[i] or in the third and finds them still awake, blessed are those servants.
39 The Hour of the Son of Man.[j]“But keep this in mind: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. 40 So you must also be prepared, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
41 The Parable of the Faithful Servant.[k] Then Peter asked, “Lord, are you directing this parable to us or do you mean it for everyone?” 42 The Lord replied, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward whom his master will put in charge of his household to give its members their allotment of food at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant if his master finds him doing so when he arrives home. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his property.
45 “But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is detained in arriving,’ and he proceeds to beat the menservants and the maids, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that servant will return on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know. He will punish him and assign him a place with the unfaithful.
47 “The servant who knew his master’s wishes but did not get ready or do what his master wanted will receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know those wishes, and who acted in such a manner as to deserve a beating, will be beaten less severely. Much will be demanded of a person to whom much has been given, and even more will be asked of a person to whom more has been entrusted.
The Urgency of Making the Decision
49 Jesus and His Passion.[l]“I have come to spread fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already blazing! 50 I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it has been completed!
51 Jesus, Cause of Dissensions.[m]“Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.
52 “From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; 53 they will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
54 Discerning the Signs of the Times.[n] He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, ‘It is going to rain,’ and so it happens. 55 And when you see the wind blowing from the south, you say, ‘It is going to be hot,’ and so it happens. 56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky. Why then do you not know how to interpret the present time?
57 Reconciling with Others before the Judgment.[o]“And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? 58 Thus, when you are going to court with your opponent, make an effort to settle the matter with him on the way. If you fail to do so, he may drag you before the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the officer, and the officer will throw you into prison. 59 I tell you, you will not be given your freedom until you have paid your debt down to the very last penny.”
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