M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

The Death of Saul and His Sons

31 The Philistines fought against Israel,^(A) and Israel’s men fled from them. Many were killed on Mount Gilboa.^{(B) 2} The Philistines overtook Saul and his sons and killed his sons, Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. ³ When the battle intensified against Saul,^(C) the archers caught up with him and severely wounded him.^{[a] 4} Then Saul said to his armor-bearer,^(D) “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men^(E) will come and run me through and torture me.” But his armor-bearer would not do it because he was terrified. Then Saul took his sword and fell on it.^{(F) 5} When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his own sword and died with him. ⁶ So on that day, Saul died together with his three sons, his armor-bearer, and all his men.

⁷ When the men of Israel on the other side of the valley and on the other side of the Jordan saw that Israel’s men had run away and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled. So the Philistines came and settled in them.

⁸ The next day when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his three sons dead on Mount Gilboa. ⁹ They cut off Saul’s head, stripped off his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to spread the good news^(G) in the temples of their idols^(H) and among the people. ¹⁰ Then they put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths^(I) and hung his body^(J) on the wall of Beth-shan.^(K)

¹¹ When the residents of Jabesh-gilead^(L) heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, ¹² all their brave men^(M) set out, journeyed all night, and retrieved the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan. When they arrived at Jabesh, they burned the bodies there.^{(N) 13} Afterward, they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree^(O) in Jabesh^(P) and fasted seven days.

11 ¹ Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.^(A)

Instructions about Head Coverings

² Now I praise you^[a] because you always remember me and keep the traditions^(B) just as I delivered^(C) them to you. ³ But I want you to know that Christ is the head^(D) of every man, and the man is the head of the woman,^[b](E) and God is the head of Christ.^{(F) 4} Every man who prays or prophesies with something on his head dishonors^(G) his head. ⁵ But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since that is one and the same as having her head shaved.^{(H) 6} So if a woman’s head^[c] is not covered, her hair should be cut off. But if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, she should be covered.

⁷ A man, in fact, should not cover his head, because he is God’s image^(I) and glory,^(J) but woman is man’s glory. ⁸ For man did not come from woman, but woman came from man.^{(K) 9} And man was not created for woman, but woman for man. ¹⁰ This is why a woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. ¹¹ In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, and man is not independent of woman. ¹² For just as woman came from man, so man comes through woman, and all things come from God.^(L)

¹³ Judge^(M) for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴ Does not even nature itself teach^(N) you that if a man has long hair it is a disgrace^(O) to him, ¹⁵ but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory?^(P) For her hair is given to her^[d] as a covering. ¹⁶ But if anyone wants to argue about this, we have no other^[e] custom, nor do the churches of God.

The Lord’s Supper

¹⁷ Now in giving the following instruction I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. ¹⁸ For to begin with, I hear that when you come together as a church there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. ¹⁹ There must, indeed, be factions^(Q) among you, so that those who are approved may be recognized among you. ²⁰ Therefore, when you come together, it is not really to eat the Lord’s Supper.^{(R) 21} For at the meal, each one eats his own supper ahead of others. So one person is hungry while another gets drunk! ²² Don’t you have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you look down on the church of God and embarrass those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I do not praise you for this!

²³ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you:^(S) On the night when He was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, ²⁴ gave thanks, broke it, and said,^[f] “This is My body, which is^[g] for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.”^(T)

²⁵ In the same way, after supper He also took the cup and said, “This cup is the new covenant^(U) established by My blood.^(V) Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” ²⁶ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death^(W) until He comes.^(X)

Self-Examination

²⁷ Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy way will be guilty of sin against the body^[h] and blood of the Lord. ²⁸ So a man should examine himself; in this way he should eat the bread and drink from the cup. ²⁹ For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body,^[i] eats and drinks judgment^(Y) on himself. ³⁰ This is why many are sick and ill among you, and many have fallen asleep.^{(Z) 31} If we were properly evaluating ourselves, we would not be judged, ³² but when we are judged,^(AA) we are disciplined by the Lord, so that we may not be condemned^(AB) with the world.

³³ Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. ³⁴ If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you gather together you will not come under judgment. And I will give instructions about the other matters whenever I come.^(AC)

Vision of Slaughter in Jerusalem

9 Then He called to me directly with a loud voice, “Come near, executioners of the city, each of you with a destructive weapon in his hand.” ² And I saw six men coming from the direction of the Upper Gate,^(A) which faces north, each with a war club in his hand. There was another man among them, clothed in linen,^(B) with writing equipment at his side. They came and stood beside the bronze altar.

³ Then the glory of the God of Israel^(C) rose from above the cherub where it had been, to the threshold of the temple. He called to the man clothed in linen with the writing equipment at his side. ⁴ “Pass throughout the city of Jerusalem,” the Lord said to him, “and put a mark on the foreheads^(D) of the men who sigh and groan^(E) over all the detestable practices committed in it.”

⁵ He spoke as I listened to the others, “Pass through the city after him and start killing; do not show pity or spare them!^{(F) 6} Slaughter the old men, the young men and women, as well as the older women and little children,^(G) but do not come near anyone who has the mark.^(H) Now begin at My sanctuary.”^(I) So they began with the elders who were in front of the temple. ⁷ Then He said to them, “Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain.^(J) Go!” So they went out killing people in the city.

⁸ While they were killing, I was left alone. And I fell facedown and cried out, “Oh, Lord God!^(K) Are You going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel when You pour out Your wrath on Jerusalem?”

⁹ He answered me: “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is extremely great; the land is full of bloodshed,^(L) and the city full of perversity. For they say, ‘The Lord has abandoned the land;^(M) He does not see.’^{(N) 10} But as for Me, I will not show pity or spare them.^(O) I will bring their actions down on their own heads.”^{(P) 11} Then the man clothed in linen with the writing equipment at his side reported back, “I have done as You commanded me.”

Psalm 48

Zion Exalted

A song. A psalm of the sons of Korah.