M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Israelites Fail to Conquer Canaan[a]
Chapter 1
Conquests by Judah and Simeon. 1 After Joshua died, the Israelites asked the Lord, “Who will be the first among us to go up to fight against the Canaanites?” 2 The Lord said, “Judah will go up for, behold, I have delivered the land into his hands.” 3 Judah said to Simeon, his brother, “Come up with me into my allotted portion and we will fight against the Canaanites together, and I will then go up into your allotted portion.” So Simeon went up with him.
4 Judah went up and the Lord delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hands. They slew ten thousand of them at Bezek. 5 They came across Adoni-bezek at Bezek and fought against him, and they defeated the Canaanites and the Perizzites. 6 Adoni-bezek fled away, but they chased after him and caught him, cutting off his thumbs and his big toes. 7 Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings who had their thumbs and big toes cut off used to scrounge for their meals under my table. God has paid me back for what I have done.” They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.
8 The Judahites fought against Jerusalem and they captured it, putting it to the sword and setting the city on fire.[b] 9 After this, the Judahites went down to fight against the Canaanites living in the hill country, the Negeb, and the western slopes. 10 They advanced against the Canaanites living in Hebron (which had previously been called Kiriath-arba). They defeated Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. 11 From there they marched against the people who were living in Debir (which had previously been called Kiriath-sepher).
12 Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Achsah as a wife to whomever attacks and captures Kiriath-sepher.” 13 Othniel, the son of Kenaz, the younger brother of Caleb captured it, and he gave him Achsah his daughter in marriage.
14 When she came to be with him, she urged him to ask her father for a field. As she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What can I do for you?” 15 She answered, “Please do me a favor. You have given me land in the Negeb. Please also give me some springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.
16 The Kenites, the descendants of Moses’ father-in-law, traveled to the City of Palms with the Judahites to live in the Desert of Judah, the Negeb, near Arad. They went and settled there among the people.[c] 17 Judah and his brother Simeon went out against the Canaanites living in Zephath. They conquered it, totally demolishing it. This is why the city is now called Hormah. 18 Judah captured Gaza with its territory, Ashkelon with its territory, and Ekron with its territory.
19 The Lord was with Judah. They occupied the hill country, but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain because they had iron chariots.[d] 20 They gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had decreed, driving the three sons of Anak out from it.
21 The Benjaminites could not drive out the Jebusites from Jerusalem, and the Jebusites have continued to live with the Benjaminites up to the present.
22 The descendants of Joseph[e] attacked Bethel, and the Lord was with them. 23 The descendants of Joseph had first sent up spies against Bethel. (Its name had previously been Luz.) 24 The spies saw a man coming out of the city and said to him, “If you show us an entranceway into the city, we will be merciful to you.” 25 He showed them an entranceway into the city, and they put the city to the sword, but they let the man and his entire family go free. 26 The man traveled to the land of the Hittites and he built a city there that he called Luz, which is its name up to the present.
27 Forced Labor. Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and the towns dependent upon it, Taanach and the towns dependent upon it, Dor and the towns dependent upon it, Ibleam and the towns dependent upon it, or Megiddo and the towns dependent upon it, for the Canaanites were determined to live in those places. 28 But when Israel became strong, it subjected the Canaanites to forced labor, although it did not completely drive them out.
29 Nor did Ephraim drive the Canaanites out who lived in Gezer, and the Canaanites continue to live among them in Gezer.
30 Nor did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron or the inhabitants of Nahalol. The Canaanites continue to live among them, and they have been subjected to forced labor.
31 Nor did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Acco, nor the inhabitants of Sidon, nor Ahlab, Achzib, nor Helbah, nor Aphik, nor Rehob, 32 and so the Asherites continue to live among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, because they did not drive them out.
33 Nor did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth-anath. They continue to dwell among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land. Nevertheless, the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath were subjected to forced labor.
34 The Amorites forced the Danites to continue to live in the hill country; they would not permit them to come down into the plain. 35 The Amorites were also determined to continue to live on Mount Heres, in Aijalon and in Shaalbim, but when the descendants of Joseph grew powerful, they subjected them to forced labor. 36 The Amorite boundary ran from Akrabbim up to Sela and beyond.
Chapter 5
The Fraud of Ananias and Sapphira.[a] 1 There was a man named Ananias who with his wife Sapphira sold a piece of property. 2 With the approval of his wife, he held back some of the proceeds, and he brought the remainder to the apostles and laid it at their feet.
3 Then Peter asked, “Ananias, why has Satan so gained control of your heart that you lied to the Holy Spirit and retained part of the sale price of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not belong to you? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds yours? What caused you to contrive this scheme? You have lied not to men but to God.”
5 When Ananias heard these words, he collapsed and died, and a great sense of fear seized all who heard about it. 6 The young men came forward and wrapped up his body. Then they carried him out and buried him.
7 After about three hours, his wife came in, unaware of what had happened. 8 Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for this much.” She replied, “Yes, that was the price.” 9 Then Peter asked her, “Why did the two of you agree to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Listen! The footsteps of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will also carry you out.”
10 Instantly, she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in, they found her dead. And so they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And a great sense of fear seized the whole Church[b] and all those who heard of this.
12 Life of the First Community—III.[c] Many signs and wonders were done among the people by the hands of the apostles. They all used to assemble in Solomon’s Portico. 13 No one else dared to join them, but the people esteemed them highly. 14 More believers, men and women, were constantly being added to their ranks. 15 People brought those who were sick into the streets and placed them on cots and mats so that when Peter passed by, his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 A large number of people also came from the neighboring towns around Jerusalem, bringing with them the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and all of them were cured.
17 Conclusion of the Trial.[d] Then the high priest and his colleagues from the party of the Sadducees rose up, filled with jealousy, 18 and they arrested the apostles and placed them in the public jail. 19 But during the night the angel of the Lord opened the prison doors, led them out, and said, 20 “Go, stand in the temple, and tell the people everything about this new life.” 21 Accordingly, they entered the temple at daybreak and taught the people.
When the high priest and his colleagues arrived, they convened the Sanhedrin, the full assembly of the elders of Israel, and sent to the jail to have them brought in. 22 But when the temple police went to the prison, they did not find them there. So they returned and announced, 23 “We found the jail securely locked and the guards stationed outside the doors, but when we opened the doors we found no one inside.”
24 Now when the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this report, they were at a loss to understand what this would come to. 25 Then someone arrived to report, “The men whom you imprisoned are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” 26 The captain thereupon went with the temple officers and brought them in, although without force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.
27 When they had brought them in, they had them stand before the Sanhedrin. The high priest questioned them, saying, 28 “Did we not give you strict orders not to teach in this name? Yet, despite that, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you appear determined to hold us responsible for that man’s death.”
29 Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus after you had put him to death by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as leader and Savior so that he might grant repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”
33 When they heard this, they became enraged, and they wanted to put them to death. 34 However, one member of the Sanhedrin, a Pharisee named Gamaliel who was a teacher of the law and respected by all the people, stood up and ordered that the apostles be sent outside for a little while.
35 Then he addressed them, “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas[e] appeared. He claimed to be someone important, and about four hundred men decided to follow him. He was killed, and all of his followers disbanded, and everything came to naught. 37 After him, Judas the Galilean rose up at the time of the census. He also convinced people to follow him, but he too was killed and his followers were dispersed.
38 “Therefore, I advise you to keep away from these men and let them go. If this movement is human in origin, it will fail. 39 If, however, it comes from God, you will never be able to overcome them, but may find yourselves fighting against God.”
His words persuaded them. 40 After they summoned the apostles once again, they had them scourged. Then, ordering them not to speak in the name of Jesus, they released them. 41 They left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer humiliation for the sake of the name.[f] 42 And every day, both in the temple and at home, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming Jesus as the Christ.
Chapter 14
The Great Drought.[a] 1 This is the word of the Lord that was given to Jeremiah during the drought:
2 Judah is in mourning,
and her towns languish.
Her people lie on the ground in mourning;
a cry of anguish goes up from Jerusalem.
3 The nobles send their servants for water,
but when they come to the cisterns
they find no water,
and they return with their jars empty.
Ashamed and in despair
they cover their heads.[b]
4 Because the ground is cracked
due to a total lack of rainfall,
the farmers are desperate,
and they too cover their heads.
5 Even the doe in the open country
abandons her newborn fawn
because there is no grass.
6 Wild donkeys stand on the bare heights
and pant for air like jackals,
while their eyes grow dim
because of a lack of pasture.
7 Even though our sins bear witness against us,
take action, O Lord, for your name’s sake;
forgive us for our many acts of infidelity,
our countless sins against you.
8 O Lord, you are the hope of Israel
and its savior in time of need.
Why are you like a stranger in the land,
like a traveler who only stays for a single night?
9 Why should you be taken unawares,
like a warrior who is powerless to help us?
You are in our midst, O Lord,
and we bear your name.
Do not forsake us!
10 Thus says the Lord about this people:
Truly they have loved to stray
and have not restrained their feet.
Therefore, the Lord no longer takes pleasure in them;
he will now remember their iniquity
and punish their sins.
11 Then the Lord said to me: Do not intercede for this people or pray for their welfare. 12 If they fast, I will not listen to their cry. If they offer holocausts or grain offerings, I will not accept them. Rather, I will destroy them by the sword, famine, and plague.
13 In response I said, “Ah, Lord God, the prophets continue to say to them that they will suffer neither sword nor famine, since you will give them lasting peace in this place.”
14 Then the Lord said to me: The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them or give them any orders or speak to them. They are prophesying to you lying visions, worthless divinations, and delusions of their own minds.
15 Therefore, thus says the Lord about the prophets who are prophesying in his name: Although I did not send them, they continue to assert that neither sword nor famine will afflict this land. By sword and famine those same prophets will perish. 16 Furthermore, the people to whom they are prophesying will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem, victims of famine and the sword. No one will bury them or their wives, their sons or their daughters. I will pour down on them their own wickedness.
17 This is the message you are to deliver to them:
Let my eyes stream with tears
day and night without ceasing,
for my virgin daughter—my people—
has suffered a crushing blow
and is grievously injured.
18 If I go out into the open fields,
I see those slain by the sword.
If I go into the city,
I behold those who have perished through famine.
Even prophets and priests roam in confusion
in a land they do not know.
19 Have you rejected Judah completely?
Has Zion become loathsome to you?
Why have you afflicted us
to a point where we cannot be healed?
We hope for peace, but to no avail,
for a time of healing, only to encounter terror.
20 O Lord, we acknowledge our wickedness
and the guilt of our fathers;
we have indeed sinned against you.
21 For your name’s sake do not reject us;
do not dishonor your glorious throne.
Remember your covenant with us
and do not break it.
22 Can any worthless idols of the nations bring rain?
Do the heavens send down rain showers on their own?
No, it is you who accomplish all this,
O Lord, our God,
and therefore, we place our hope in you.
Chapter 28
Jesus Is Raised from the Dead.[a] 1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to visit the sepulcher. 2 And behold, there was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord, descended from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat upon it. 3 His face shone like lightning, and his garments were as white as snow. 4 The guards were so paralyzed with fear of him that they became like dead men.
5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid! I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has been raised, as he promised he would be. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has been raised from the dead and now he is going ahead of you to Galilee. There you will see him.’ Behold, I have told you.”
8 They were filled with fear and great joy, and they ran from the tomb to inform his disciples. 9 And behold, Jesus came to meet them, saying, “Greetings.” They approached him, embraced his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be fearful. Go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee. There they will see me.”[b]
11 The Report of the Guard.[c] While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12 After the chief priests had conferred with the elders, they presented a large sum of money to the soldiers 13 and gave them this order: “Say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole the body while we were asleep.’ 14 And should the governor hear anything in this regard, we will explain the situation to him and you will be safe.” 15 The soldiers took the money and did as they had been instructed. And this story is still circulated among the Jews to this very day.
16 Jesus Gives the Great Commission.[d] Then the eleven disciples set out for Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to meet him. 17 When they saw him, they prostrated themselves before him, although some doubted. 18 Then Jesus approached them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,[e] 20 and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the world.”
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