M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Chapter 14
Samson’s Marriage. 1 Samson went down to Timnah and he saw a Philistine woman in Timnah. 2 When he returned, he told his father and his mother, “I have seen a woman in Timnah, a Philistine. Arrange for her to be my wife.” 3 His father and his mother answered, “Is there no maiden among your relatives or your countrymen that you would go to take a wife from among the uncircumcised Philistines?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she is the one I want.” 4 (His father and his mother did not know that this was the Lord’s plan. He was seeking an opportunity to oppose the Philistines, for the Philistines were ruling over Israel.)[a]
5 Samson went down to Timnah with his father and his mother. As they were approaching the vineyards of Timnah, a young roaring lion came toward them. 6 The Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and he tore it apart with his bare hands as if he were tearing apart a young goat. He told his father and his mother not to tell anyone what he had done.
7 They went down and talked with the woman, and Samson liked her. 8 Sometime later, when he went down to marry her, he stepped off the road to look at the lion’s carcass. There was a bee’s nest and some honey in the lion’s carcass. 9 He took some of it in his hands, and ate it along the way. When he rejoined his father and his mother, he gave them some to eat, but he did not tell them that he had taken the honey from the carcass of the lion.
10 His father went down to see the woman. Samson prepared a feast there, as is the custom among young men. 11 When they met him, they brought in thirty companions to be with him. 12 Samson said to them, “I will give you a riddle. If you can figure it out and solve it for me during these seven days of celebration, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing. 13 If you cannot solve it, then you will have to give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing.” They answered him, “Tell us your riddle. Let’s hear it.” 14 He told them, “From out of the eater came forth something to eat, from out of the strong one came something sweet.” For three days they could not figure out the riddle.
15 On the fourth day, they said to Samson’s wife, “Coax Samson to explain the riddle for us, or else we will burn you and your father’s house. Did you invite us here to rob us?” 16 Samson’s wife came to him crying and she said, “You hate me. You don’t really love me. You posed a riddle to my people, and you did not explain it to me.” He told her, “I have not even explained it to my father or my mother; why should I explain it to you?”
17 She cried before him for the entire seven days of the celebration. On the seventh day he finally told her, for she had worn him out, and she explained the riddle to her people. 18 On the seventh day, before sunset, the men from the city said to him, “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” He said to them, “You would not have figured out my riddle if you had not plowed with my heifer.”[b] 19 Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him. He went down to Ashkelon and he killed thirty men there. He took their belongings and gave a change of clothing to those who had explained the riddle. Burning with rage, he went back to his father’s home. 20 Samson’s wife was given to his friend who had been his best man.
Chapter 18
Paul in Corinth.[a] 1 At that point, Paul departed from Athens and moved on to Corinth. 2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius[b] had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. He went to visit them, 3 and because they were tentmakers just as he was, he stayed with them and they worked together.[c] 4 Every Sabbath, he entered into discussions in the synagogue, attempting to convert both Jews and Greeks.
5 After Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul devoted all his efforts to preaching the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. 6 When they opposed him and began to hurl insults, he shook out his garments in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I have a clear conscience. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles.”
7 With that, he left and went to the house of a man named Titus Justus, a worshiper of God, who lived next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, became a believer in the Lord along with his entire household. Many Corinthians who heard Paul came to believe and were baptized.
9 One night, the Lord appeared to Paul in a vision[d] and said, “Do not be afraid. Continue with your preaching, and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you. No one will attack you or try to harm you, for there are many in this city who are my people.” 11 And so he remained there for eighteen months, teaching the word of God to them.
12 Accusations before Gallio. However, when Gallio became proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a concerted attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal, 13 saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God in ways that are contrary to the Law.”
14 Just as Paul was about to refute them, Gallio said to the Jews, “If you were accusing this man of some crime or fraudulent act, O Jews, I would be more than willing to listen to your complaint. 15 But since your argument is about words and names and your own Law, settle it yourselves. I have no intention of making judgments about such matters.” 16 With that, he dismissed them from the tribunal. 17 Then they all attacked Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio remained unconcerned about their action.
18 Return to Antioch in Pisidia.[e] After he remained in Corinth for some considerable time, Paul took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae, he had his hair cut because he had taken a vow.
19 When they reached Ephesus,[f] he left them there. He himself went into the synagogue and had discussions with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay longer, he declined, 21 but on taking leave of them he promised, “I will return to you, if God wills.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22 When he landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the Church,[g] and then he went down to Antioch.
Ephesus[h]
Paul’s Third Missionary Journey[i]
23 Paul Strengthens the Churches. After spending some time there, he departed and traveled through the regions of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
24 Apollos.[j] Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria and an eloquent speaker, came to Ephesus. He was well-versed in the Scriptures, 25 and he had been instructed in the Way of the Lord. Filled with spiritual fervor, he spoke and taught accurately about Jesus, although he had experienced only the baptism of John.
26 He then began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him more accurately the Way. 27 And when he expressed a wish to cross over to Achaia, the brethren encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there, asking that they make him welcome. From the time of his arrival, he was of great help to those who by the grace of God had become believers. 28 For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public, establishing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.
Chapter 27
Jeremiah’s Message.[a] 1 At the beginning of the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah, the son of Josiah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 Thus said the Lord to me: Collect for yourself some straps and crossbars and put them on your neck as a yoke. 3 Then send word to the kings of Edom, of Moab, of the Ammonites, of Tyre, and of Sidon, through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to visit Zedekiah, the king of Judah.
4 Give them the following message for their masters: Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: This is what you are to say to your masters: 5 It was I who, by my great power and my outstretched arm, made the earth as well as the people and the animals that inhabit the earth, and I can give it to whomever I wish.
6 Now, at the present time, I have given all these lands to my servant King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and I have even made the wild animals subject to him. 7 All nations will serve him and his son and his grandson, until the time of his land will also come, and mighty nations and great kings will make him their slave. 8 But in the meantime, if any nation or kingdom will not serve King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon or submit its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, then I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, says the Lord, until I have ensured their destruction by his hand.
9 You, therefore, must not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your soothsayers, and your sorcerers when they say to you that you are not to serve the king of Babylon. 10 For they are prophesying a lie to you, as a result of which you will be removed far away from your land. I will drive you out, and you will perish. 11 However, if a nation is prepared to submit its neck to the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will leave it in peace on its own land, says the Lord, to till it and live there.
12 I addressed the identical message to King Zedekiah of Judah: Submit your necks to the yoke of the king of Babylon. Serve him and his people, and you will live. 13 Why should you and your people die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, as the Lord has promised to any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? 14 Do not listen to the words of those prophets who are urging you not to serve the king of Babylon, for they are prophesying lies to you. 15 I have not sent them, says the Lord, but they are prophesying falsely in my name. As a result, I will drive you out, and you will perish, as will all the prophets who are prophesying to you.
16 Then I spoke to the priests and all the prophets as follows: Thus says the Lord: Do not listen to the words of your prophets who say, “In a very short time, the vessels of the house of the Lord will be brought back from Babylon.” They are prophesying lies to you. 17 Refuse to listen to them. Serve the king of Babylon, and you will save your lives. Why should this city become a pile of ruins?
18 If they are truly prophets and the word of the Lord is really with them, then they should be pleading with the Lord of hosts that the vessels that remain in the house of the Lord, in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem will not be carried away to Babylon.
19 For thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the pillars, the sea,[b] the stands, and the rest of the vessels that remain in this city, 20 which King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon did not carry away when he took into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon King Jeconiah of Judah, the son of Jehoiakim, along with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem. 21 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, in regard to the vessels that still remain in the house of the Lord, in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem: 22 They will be carried off to Babylon, and there they will remain, until the day when I turn my attention to them, says the Lord. Then I will bring them back and restore them to this place.
When Will the End Come?[a]
Chapter 13
Jesus Announces the Destruction of the Temple.[b] 1 As Jesus was making his departure from the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, look at the size of these stones and buildings!” 2 Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not a single stone will be left upon another; every one will be thrown down.”
The End Has Not Yet Come.[c] 3 As he was sitting on the Mount of Olives directly across from the temple, Peter,[d] James, John, and Andrew questioned him when they were alone. 4 “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign that all those things are about to be accomplished?”
5 Jesus began to say to them, “Take care that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and they will lead many astray. 7 And when you 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. 8 For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famine. These are only the beginning of the labor pangs.
The Coming Persecution.[e] 9 “Be on your guard. For they will hand you over to courts and beat you in synagogues. You will stand before governors and kings because of me to testify before them. 10 But first the gospel must be preached to all nations.
11 “When they arrest you and bring you to trial, do not be concerned beforehand about what you are to say. Simply say whatever is given to you when that time comes, for it will not be you who speak but the Holy Spirit.
12 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 13 You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever stands firm to the end will be saved.
14 The Great Trial.“Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation[f] standing where it does not belong (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, 15 the one who is standing on the roof must not come down or go inside to take anything out of the house, 16 and someone who is in the field must not turn back to retrieve his coat.
17 “Woe to those who are pregnant and those who are nursing infants in those days. 18 Pray that all this may not occur in winter. 19 For in those days there will be such suffering as has not been since the beginning of the creation that God made until now and will never be again. 20 And if the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect whom he chose, he did cut short those days.
21 False Messiahs and False Prophets.[g]“Therefore, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. 22 For false christs and false prophets will arise, and they will perform signs and wonders to lead astray God’s chosen ones, if that were possible. 23 Be on your guard! I have forewarned you about everything.
24 The Coming of the Son of Man.[h]“But in those days, following that distress,
the sun will be darkened
and the moon will not give forth its light,
25 and the stars will be falling from the sky,
and the heavenly powers will be shaken.
26 Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in the clouds’ with great power and glory. 27 And he will send forth his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.
28 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. 29 In the same way, when you see these things come to pass, know that he is near, at the very gates. 30 Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away before all these things have taken place.[j] 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
32 The Day and Hour Unknown.[k]“But as for that day or that hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on your guard and keep alert, because you do not know when the time will come.
34 “It is like a man going on a journey. He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his own duties to perform, and he commands the doorkeeper to remain alert. 35 Therefore, keep watch, for you do not know when the master of the house will return, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, 36 lest he arrive unexpectedly and find you asleep. 37 What I say to you, I say to all: Keep awake!”
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