M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Philistines and Ammonites Afflict the Israelites
10 After Abimelech, Tola son of Puah son of Dod, a man of Issachar, rose up to deliver Israel; and he was living at Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim. 2 And he judged Israel twenty-three years. And he died and was buried in Shamir. 3 After him Jair the Gileadite rose up, and he judged Israel twenty-two years. 4 And he had thirty sons who would ride on thirty donkeys, and they had thirty towns that are in the land of Gilead that they called Havvoth Jair until this day. 5 And Jair died and was buried in Kamon.
6 And again, the Israelites[a] did evil in the eyes of Yahweh. They served the Baals, the Ashtaroth, the gods of Aram, Sidon, Moab, and the gods of the Ammonites[b] and Philistines; they abandoned Yahweh and did not serve him. 7 And the anger of Yahweh burned[c] against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and the Ammonites.[d] 8 They crushed and oppressed the Israelites[e] in that year; for eighteen years they crushed all the Israelites[f] who were beyond the Jordan, in the land of the Amorites,[g] which is in Gilead. 9 The Ammonites[h] crossed the Jordan to fight also against Judah, Benjamin, and the house of Ephraim; and Israel was very distressed.
10 Then the Israelites[i] cried out to Yahweh, saying, “We have sinned against you; we have abandoned our God and served the Baals.” 11 And Yahweh said to the Israelites,[j] “Did I not deliver you from the Egyptians,[k] the Amorites,[l] from the Ammonites,[m] and from the Philistines?[n] 12 And when the Sidonians, the Amalekites,[o] and the Maonites[p] oppressed you, you cried out to me, and I delivered you from their hand. 13 Yet you have abandoned me and served other gods. Therefore I will no longer deliver you. 14 Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your trouble.” 15 And the Israelites[q] said to Yahweh, “We have sinned; do to us accordingly as you see fit;[r] only please deliver us this day.” 16 So they removed the foreign gods from their midst and served Yahweh; and he could no longer bear[s] the misery of Israel.
17 And the Ammonites[t] were summoned,[u] and they camped in Gilead. And the Israelites[v] gathered and camped at Mizpah. 18 The people, the ones commanding Gilead, said to each other,[w] “Who is the man that will begin to fight against the Ammonites?[x] He will be as head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”
Jephthah
11 Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior; he was the son of a prostitute, and Gilead was his father.[y] 2 Gilead’s wife also bore for him sons; and the sons of his wife grew up and drove Jephthah away, and they said to him, “You will not inherit the house of our father because you are the son of another woman.” 3 So Jephthah fled from the presence of his brothers, and he lived in the land of Tob. And outlaws[z] gathered around Jephthah and went with him.
4 After a time the Ammonites[aa] made war with Israel. 5 When the Ammonites[ab] made war with Israel, the elders of Gilead went to bring Jephthah from the land of Tob. 6 And they said to Jephthah, “Come and be our commander, so that we may make war against the Ammonites.”[ac] 7 Jephthah said to the elders, “Did you not shun me and drive me out from the house of my father? Why do you come to me now when you have trouble?” 8 And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “That being so, we have now returned to you, that you may go with us to fight[ad] against the Ammonites[ae] and become for us as head of all the inhabitants of Gilead.” 9 So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you bring me back to fight[af] against the Ammonites,[ag] and Yahweh gives them over to me,[ah] will I be your head?” 10 And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “Yahweh will be a witness[ai] between us; we will act according to your word.” 11 So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and commander over them. And Jephthah spoke all his words before Yahweh at Mizpah.
Preaching in Iconium
14 Now it happened that in Iconium they entered together[a] into the synagogue of the Jews and spoke in such a way that a large number of both Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the Jews who were disobedient stirred up and poisoned the minds[b] of the Gentiles against the brothers. 3 So they stayed there[c] for a considerable time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who testified to the message of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be performed through their hands. 4 But the population of the city was divided, and some[d] were with the Jews and some[e] with the apostles. 5 So when an inclination took place on the part of both the Gentiles and the Jews, together with their rulers, to mistreat them[f] and to stone them, 6 they became aware of it[g] and[h] fled to the Lycaonian cities—Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding region. 7 And there they were continuing to proclaim the good news.
Mistaken for Gods in Lystra
8 And in Lystra a certain man was sitting powerless in his feet, lame from birth,[i] who had never walked. 9 This man listened while[j] Paul was speaking. Paul,[k] looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be healed, 10 said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet!” And he leaped up and began walking.[l] 11 And when[m] the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices in the Lycaonian language, saying, “The gods have become like men and[n] have come down to us!” 12 And they began calling[o] Barnabas Zeus and Paul Hermes, because he was the principal speaker.[p] 13 And the priest of the temple[q] of Zeus that was just outside the city brought bulls and garlands to the gates and[r] was wanting to offer sacrifice, along with the crowds. 14 But when[s] the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard about it,[t] they tore their clothing and[u] rushed out into the crowd, shouting 15 and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, proclaiming the good news that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all the things that are in them— 16 who in generations that are past permitted all the nations[v] to go their own ways. 17 And yet he did not leave himself without witness by[w] doing good, giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying you[x] with food and your hearts with gladness.” 18 And although[y] they said these things, only with difficulty did they dissuade the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.
19 But Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium, and when they[z] had won over the crowds and stoned Paul, they dragged him[aa] outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20 But after[ab] the disciples surrounded him, he got up and[ac] went into the city. And on the next day he departed with Barnabas for Derbe.
Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch in Syria
21 And after they[ad] had proclaimed the good news in that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them[ae] to continue in the faith and saying,[af] “Through many persecutions[ag] it is necessary for us to enter into the kingdom of God.” 23 And when they[ah] had appointed elders for them in every church, after[ai] praying with fasting, they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed. 24 And they passed through Pisidia and[aj] came to Pamphylia. 25 And after[ak] they proclaimed the message in Perga, they went down to Attalia, 26 and from there they sailed away to Antioch where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had completed. 27 And when they[al] arrived and called the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith for the Gentiles.[am] 28 And they stayed no little time with the disciples.
Woe to the Evil Shepherds
23 “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the flock of my pasture,” declares[a] Yahweh. 2 Therefore[b] thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people, “You yourselves have scattered my flock, and you have driven them away, and you do not attend to them. Look, I will punish you for the evil of your deeds,” declares[c] Yahweh. 3 “Then I myself will gather together the remnant of my flock from all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their grazing place, and they will be fruitful, and they will become numerous. 4 And I will raise up over them shepherds, and they will shepherd them, and they will no longer fear, and they will not be dismayed, and they will not be missing,” declares[d] Yahweh.
The Righteous Branch
5 “Look, days are coming,” declares[e] Yahweh,
“when I will raise up for David a righteous branch,
and he will reign as king, and he will achieve success,
and he will do justice and righteousness in the land.
6 In his days Judah will be saved,
and Israel will dwell in safety,[f]
and this is his name by which he will be called:
‘Yahweh is our righteousness.’
7 “Therefore[g] look, days are coming,” declares[h] Yahweh, “when they will no longer say, ‘As Yahweh lives,[i] who led up the Israelites[j] from the land of Egypt,’ 8 but ‘As Yahweh lives,[k] who led up, and who brought the offspring of the house of Israel from the land of the north and from all the lands where he had driven them.’ Then they will live in their land.”
The Unfaithful Prophets
9 Concerning the prophets:
My heart is broken in my midst.
All my bones tremble.
I have become like a drunken man,
even like a man over whom wine has passed,
because of Yahweh,
and because of his holy words.[l]
10 For the land is full of adulterers;
for the land mourns because of a curse.
The pastures of the desert[m] are dry,
and their evil has been their way of running,
and their power is not right.
11 “For both prophet as well as priest are godless,
even in my temple I have found their wickedness,” declares[n] Yahweh.
12 “Therefore[o] their way will be to them like the slippery places,
they will be pushed in the darkness,
and they will fall into it,
for I will bring disaster on them in the year of their punishment,” declares[p] Yahweh.
13 “Now in the prophets of Samaria I saw a disgusting thing.
They prophesied by Baal and they caused my people Israel to err.
14 And in the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen something horrible.
They commit adultery, and they walk in lies,[q]
and they make strong the hands of evildoers,
so that they have not turned back each from his wickedness.
All of them have become to me like Sodom,
and its inhabitants like Gomorrah.”
15 Therefore[r] thus says Yahweh concerning the prophets,
“Look, I am going to let them eat wormwood
and I will give them water of poison to drink,
for from the prophets of Jerusalem
went out ungodliness to all the land.”
16 Thus says Yahweh of hosts,
“You must not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you.
They are deluding you with visions of their mind,[s]
They do not speak from the mouth of Yahweh.
17 They are[t] continually saying to those who disregard the word of Yahweh,
‘Peace it will be to you,’
and to each one[u] who walks in the stubbornness of his heart they say,
‘Calamity will not come upon you.’
18 For who has stood in the council of Yahweh,
that he has seen and heard his word?
Who has listened attentively to his word
and heard it?[v]
19 Look, the storm of Yahweh has gone forth in wrath,
even a whirling tempest.
It will whirl upon the head of the wicked.
20 The anger[w] of Yahweh will not turn back
until his doing and until his keeping the plans of his mind.[x]
In latter days[y] you will look closely at it with understanding.
21 I have not sent the prophets, yet they ran.
I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
22 But if they had stood in my council,
then they would have proclaimed my words to my people,
and they would have caused them to turn from their evil way,
and from the evil of their deeds.
23 Am I a God from near,” declares[z] Yahweh,
“and not a God from far?
24 Or can a person hide himself in secret places
and I cannot see him?” declares[aa] Yahweh.
“Do I not fill up the heaven and the earth?” declares[ab] Yahweh.
25 “I have heard what the prophets who prophesy lies[ac] have said in my name, saying,[ad] ‘I have dreamed! I have dreamed!’ 26 How long[ae] will this be in the hearts[af] of the prophets who prophesy lies,[ag] even the prophets of the deceitfulness of their hearts,[ah] 27 who plan to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell each one to his neighbor, just as their ancestors[ai] forgot my name through Baal? 28 The prophet who has with him a dream, let him tell the dream. But the prophet[aj] who has my word with him, let him speak my word faithfully. What is straw compared to wheat?”[ak] declares[al] Yahweh. 29 “Is not my word like fire?” declares[am] Yahweh, “and like a blacksmith’s hammer that breaks a rock into pieces?
30 “Therefore[an] look, I am against the prophets,” declares[ao] Yahweh, “who steal my words each one from his neighbor. 31 Look, I am against the prophets,” declares[ap] Yahweh, “who take their tongues[aq] and declare as prophets, ‘Yahweh declares.’[ar] 32 Look, I am against those who prophesy dreams of lies,”[as] declares[at] Yahweh, “and tell them, and they caused my people to err through their lies, and in their recklessness, when I myself have not sent them nor commanded them, so they profit not this people at all,” declares[au] Yahweh.
33 “Now when this people, or a prophet, or a priest, ask you, saying,[av] ‘What is the burden[aw] of Yahweh?’ then you shall say to them, ‘You are the burden,[ax] and I will forsake you,’” declares[ay] Yahweh. 34 “And the prophet, and the priest, and the people who say, ‘The burden[az] of Yahweh,’ I will punish that man and his house. 35 Thus you shall say, each one to his neighbor and each one to his brother: ‘What has Yahweh answered?’ or, ‘What has Yahweh spoken?’ 36 But you shall not mention the burden[ba] of Yahweh, for the burden[bb] is to each one his word, and so you twist the words of the living God, Yahweh of hosts, our God. 37 Thus you shall say to that prophet, ‘What has Yahweh answered you?’ or, ‘What has Yahweh spoken?’ 38 But if you say, ‘The burden[bc] of Yahweh,’ therefore[bd] thus says Yahweh, ‘because of your saying these words,[be] “The burden[bf] of Yahweh,” then I will send to you, saying,[bg] “You shall not say, ‘The burden[bh] of Yahweh.’”’ 39 Therefore[bi] look, here I am, and I will surely lift you up and forsake you and the city that I gave to you and to your ancestors[bj] from my presence[bk], 40 and I will bring upon you an everlasting disgrace[bl] and an everlasting shame[bm] that will not be forgotten.”
9 And he said to them, “Truly I say to you, that there are some of those standing here who will never experience death until they see the kingdom of God having come with power.”
The Transfiguration
2 And after six days, Jesus took along Peter and James and John, and led them to a high mountain by themselves alone. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothing became radiant—extremely white, like no cloth refiner on earth can make so white.[a] 4 And Elijah appeared to them together with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 And Peter answered and[b] said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! And let us make three shelters, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 (For he did not know what he should answer, because they were terrified.) 7 And a cloud came, overshadowing them, and a voice came from the cloud, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!” 8 And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus alone.
9 And as[c] they were coming down from the mountain, he ordered them that they should tell no one the things that they had seen, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 And they kept the matter to themselves, discussing what this rising from the dead meant.[d] 11 And they asked him, saying, “Why do[e] the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 12 And he said to them, “Elijah indeed does come first and[f] restores all things. And how is it written concerning the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13 But I tell you that indeed Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they wanted, just as it is written about him.”
A Demon-possessed Boy Healed
14 And when they[g] came to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them. 15 And immediately the whole crowd, when they[h] saw him, were amazed, and ran up to him[i] and[j] greeted him. 16 And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17 And one individual from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought to you my son who has a spirit that makes him mute.[k] 18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down and he foams at the mouth and grinds his[l] teeth and becomes paralyzed. And I told your disciples that they should expel it, and they were not able to do so.[m] 19 And he answered them and[n] said, “O unbelieving generation! How long[o] will I be with you? How long[p] must I put up with you? Bring him to me!” 20 And they brought him to him. And when he[q] saw him, the spirit immediately convulsed him, and falling on the ground, he began to roll around, foaming at the mouth. 21 And he asked his father how long it was since this had been happening to him. And he said, “From childhood. 22 And often it has thrown him both into fire and into water, in order that it could destroy him. But if you are able to do anything, have compassion on us and[r] help us!” 23 But Jesus said to him, “If you are able! All things are possible for the one who believes!” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and[s] said, “I believe! Help my unbelief!” 25 Now when[t] Jesus saw that a crowd was running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “Mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and enter into him no more!” 26 And it came out, screaming and convulsing him[u] greatly, and he became as if he were dead, so that most of them said, “He has died!” 27 But Jesus took hold of his hand and[v] raised him up, and he stood up. 28 And after[w] he had entered into the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why were we not able to expel it?” 29 And he said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing except by prayer.”[x]
Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection a Second Time
30 And from there they went out and[y] passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, 31 for he was teaching his disciples and was telling them, “The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he[z] is killed, after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand the statement, and they were afraid to ask him.
The Question About Who Is Greatest
33 And they came to Capernaum. And after he[aa] was in the house, he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they were silent, because they had argued with one another on the way about who was greatest. 35 And he sat down and[ab] called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he will be last of all and servant of all.” 36 And he took a young child and[ac] had him stand among them.[ad] And taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of the young children such as these in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me, but the one who sent me.”
Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us
38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone expelling demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not prevent him, because there is no one who does a miracle in my name and will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 For whoever is not against us is for us. 41 For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in my name because you are Christ’s, truly I say to you that he will never lose his reward.
Temptations to Sin
42 “And whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it is better for him if instead a large millstone[ae] is placed around his neck and he is thrown into the sea. 43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off! It is better for you to enter into life crippled than, having two hands, to go into hell—into the unquenchable fire![af] 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off! It is better for you to enter into life lame than, having two feet, to be thrown into hell![ag] 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out! It is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than, having two eyes, to be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not extinguished.’[ah] 49 For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good, but if the salt becomes deprived of its salt content, by what can you make it salty? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
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