M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
David’s Last Words
23 Now these are the last words of David.
Thus says David the son of Jesse;
Thus says (A)the man raised up on high,
(B)The anointed of the God of Jacob,
And the sweet psalmist of Israel:
2 “The(C) Spirit of the Lord spoke by me,
And His word was on my tongue.
3 The God of Israel said,
(D)The Rock of Israel spoke to me:
‘He who rules over men must be just,
Ruling (E)in the fear of God.
4 And (F)he shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises,
A morning without clouds,
Like the tender grass springing out of the earth,
By clear shining after rain.’
5 “Although my house is not so with God,
(G)Yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant,
Ordered in all things and secure.
For this is all my salvation and all my desire;
Will He not make it increase?
6 But the sons of rebellion shall all be as thorns thrust away,
Because they cannot be taken with hands.
7 But the man who touches them
Must be [a]armed with iron and the shaft of a spear,
And they shall be utterly burned with fire in their place.”
David’s Mighty Men(H)
8 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: [b]Josheb-Basshebeth the Tachmonite, chief among [c]the captains. He was called Adino the Eznite, because he had killed eight hundred men at one time. 9 And after him was (I)Eleazar the son of [d]Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had retreated. 10 He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was (J)weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to (K)plunder. 11 And after him was (L)Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. (M)The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. So the people fled from the Philistines. 12 But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.
13 Then (N)three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at (O)the cave of Adullam. And the troop of Philistines encamped in (P)the Valley of Rephaim. 14 David was then in (Q)the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 15 And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” 16 So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord. 17 And he said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this! Is this not (R)the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it.
These things were done by the three mighty men.
18 Now (S)Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of [e]another three. He lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name among these three. 19 Was he not the most honored of three? Therefore he became their captain. However, he did not attain to the first three.
20 Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from (T)Kabzeel, [f]who had done many deeds. (U)He had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. 21 And he killed an Egyptian, [g]a spectacular man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand; so he went down to him with a staff, wrested the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. 22 These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and won a name among three mighty men. 23 He was more honored than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David appointed him (V)over his guard.
24 (W)Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25 (X)Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 29 Heleb the son of Baanah (the Netophathite), Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, 30 Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai from the brooks of (Y)Gaash, 31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite (of the sons of Jashen), Jonathan, 33 (Z)Shammah the [h]Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, 34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of (AA)Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35 [i]Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36 Igal the son of Nathan of (AB)Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite (armorbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah), 38 (AC)Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39 and (AD)Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.
Justification by Faith(A)
3 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you [a]that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed [b]among you as crucified? 2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, (B)or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are you so foolish? (C)Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by (D)the flesh? 4 (E)Have you suffered so [c]many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?
5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?— 6 just as Abraham (F)“believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 7 Therefore know that only (G)those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8 And (H)the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, (I)“In you all the nations shall be blessed.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.
The Law Brings a Curse
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, (J)“Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” 11 But that no one is [d]justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for (K)“the just shall live by faith.” 12 Yet (L)the law is not of faith, but (M)“the man who does them shall live by them.”
13 (N)Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, (O)“Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), 14 (P)that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the (Q)Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive (R)the promise of the Spirit through faith.
The Changeless Promise(S)
15 Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: (T)Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it. 16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of (U)one, (V)“And to your Seed,” who is (W)Christ. 17 And this I say, that the law, (X)which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God [e]in Christ, (Y)that it should make the promise of no effect. 18 For if (Z)the inheritance is of the law, (AA)it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
Purpose of the Law
19 What purpose then does the law serve? (AB)It was added because of transgressions, till the (AC)Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was (AD)appointed through angels by the hand (AE)of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, (AF)but God is one.
21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 But the Scripture has confined (AG)all under sin, (AH)that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, [f]kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore (AI)the law was our [g]tutor to bring us to Christ, (AJ)that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
Sons and Heirs
26 For you (AK)are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For (AL)as many of you as were baptized into Christ (AM)have put on Christ. 28 (AN)There is neither Jew nor Greek, (AO)there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all (AP)one in Christ Jesus. 29 And (AQ)if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s (AR)seed, and (AS)heirs according to the promise.
Egypt and Her Allies Will Fall
30 The word of the Lord came to me again, saying, 2 “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God:
(A)“Wail, ‘Woe to the day!’
3 For (B)the day is near,
Even the day of the Lord is near;
It will be a day of clouds, the time of the Gentiles.
4 The sword shall come upon Egypt,
And great anguish shall be in [a]Ethiopia,
When the slain fall in Egypt,
And they (C)take away her wealth,
And (D)her foundations are broken down.
5 “Ethiopia, [b]Libya, [c]Lydia, (E)all the mingled people, Chub, and the men of the lands who are allied, shall fall with them by the sword.”
6 ‘Thus says the Lord:
“Those who uphold Egypt shall fall,
And the pride of her power shall come down.
(F)From [d]Migdol to Syene
Those within her shall fall by the sword,”
Says the Lord God.
7 “They(G) shall be desolate in the midst of the desolate countries,
And her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are laid waste.
8 Then they will know that I am the Lord,
When I have set a fire in Egypt
And all her helpers are destroyed.
9 On that day (H)messengers shall go forth from Me in ships
To make the [e]careless Ethiopians afraid,
And great anguish shall come upon them,
As on the day of Egypt;
For indeed it is coming!”
10 ‘Thus says the Lord God:
(I)“I will also make a multitude of Egypt to cease
By the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.
11 He and his people with him, (J)the most terrible of the nations,
Shall be brought to destroy the land;
They shall draw their swords against Egypt,
And fill the land with the slain.
12 (K)I will make the rivers dry,
And (L)sell the land into the hand of the wicked;
I will make the land waste, and all that is in it,
By the hand of aliens.
I, the Lord, have spoken.”
13 ‘Thus says the Lord God:
“I will also (M)destroy the idols,
And cause the images to cease from [f]Noph;
(N)There shall no longer be princes from the land of Egypt;
(O)I will put fear in the land of Egypt.
14 I will make (P)Pathros desolate,
Set fire to (Q)Zoan,
(R)And execute judgments in [g]No.
15 I will pour My fury on [h]Sin, the strength of Egypt;
(S)I will cut off the multitude of [i]No,
16 And (T)set a fire in Egypt;
Sin shall have great pain,
No shall be split open,
And Noph shall be in distress daily.
17 The young men of [j]Aven and Pi Beseth shall fall by the sword,
And these cities shall go into captivity.
18 (U)At [k]Tehaphnehes the day shall also be [l]darkened,
When I break the yokes of Egypt there.
And her arrogant strength shall cease in her;
As for her, a cloud shall cover her,
And her daughters shall go into captivity.
19 Thus I will (V)execute judgments on Egypt,
Then they shall know that I am the Lord.” ’ ”
Proclamation Against Pharaoh
20 And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first month, on the seventh day of the month, that the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 21 “Son of man, I have (W)broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and see, (X)it has not been bandaged for healing, nor a [m]splint put on to bind it, to make it strong enough to hold a sword. 22 Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Surely I am (Y)against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and will (Z)break his arms, both the strong one and the one that was broken; and I will make the sword fall out of his hand. 23 (AA)I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them throughout the countries. 24 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put My sword in his hand; but I will break Pharaoh’s arms, and he will groan before him with the groanings of a mortally wounded man. 25 Thus I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; (AB)they shall know that I am the Lord, when I put My sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he stretches it out against the land of Egypt. 26 (AC)I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.’ ”
38 (A)But He, being full of (B)compassion, forgave their iniquity,
And did not destroy them.
Yes, many a time (C)He turned His anger away,
And (D)did not stir up all His wrath;
39 For (E)He remembered (F)that they were but flesh,
(G)A breath that passes away and does not come again.
40 How often they (H)provoked[a] Him in the wilderness,
And grieved Him in the desert!
41 Yes, (I)again and again they tempted God,
And limited the Holy One of Israel.
42 They did not remember His [b]power:
The day when He redeemed them from the enemy,
43 When He worked His signs in Egypt,
And His wonders in the field of Zoan;
44 (J)Turned their rivers into blood,
And their streams, that they could not drink.
45 (K)He sent swarms of flies among them, which devoured them,
And (L)frogs, which destroyed them.
46 He also gave their crops to the caterpillar,
And their labor to the (M)locust.
47 (N)He destroyed their vines with hail,
And their sycamore trees with frost.
48 He also gave up their (O)cattle to the hail,
And their flocks to fiery [c]lightning.
49 He cast on them the fierceness of His anger,
Wrath, indignation, and trouble,
By sending angels of destruction among them.
50 He made a path for His anger;
He did not spare their soul from death,
But gave [d]their life over to the plague,
51 And destroyed all the (P)firstborn in Egypt,
The first of their strength in the tents of Ham.
52 But He (Q)made His own people go forth like sheep,
And guided them in the wilderness like a flock;
53 And He (R)led them on safely, so that they did not fear;
But the sea (S)overwhelmed their enemies.
54 And He brought them to His (T)holy border,
This mountain (U)which His right hand had acquired.
55 (V)He also drove out the nations before them,
(W)Allotted them an inheritance by [e]survey,
And made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents.
56 (X)Yet they tested and provoked the Most High God,
And did not keep His testimonies,
57 But (Y)turned back and acted unfaithfully like their fathers;
They were turned aside (Z)like a deceitful bow.
58 (AA)For they provoked Him to anger with their (AB)high places,
And moved Him to jealousy with their carved images.
59 When God heard this, He was furious,
And greatly abhorred Israel,
60 (AC)So that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh,
The tent He had placed among men,
61 (AD)And delivered His strength into captivity,
And His glory into the enemy’s hand.
62 (AE)He also gave His people over to the sword,
And was furious with His inheritance.
63 The fire consumed their young men,
And (AF)their maidens were not given in marriage.
64 (AG)Their priests fell by the sword,
And (AH)their widows made no lamentation.
65 Then the Lord awoke as from sleep,
(AI)Like a mighty man who shouts because of wine.
66 And (AJ)He beat back His enemies;
He put them to a perpetual reproach.
67 Moreover He rejected the tent of Joseph,
And did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,
68 But chose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion (AK)which He loved.
69 And He built His (AL)sanctuary like the heights,
Like the earth which He has established forever.
70 (AM)He also chose David His servant,
And took him from the sheepfolds;
71 From following (AN)the ewes that had young He brought him,
(AO)To shepherd Jacob His people,
And Israel His inheritance.
72 So he shepherded them according to the (AP)integrity of his heart,
And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.