M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

10 After Avimelekh there arose to save Isra’el Tola the son of Pu’ah, the son of Dodo, from the tribe of Yissakhar. He lived in Shamir, in the hills of Efrayim. ² He judged Isra’el twenty-three years, and when he died he was buried in Shamir.

³ After him arose Ya’ir, from Gil‘ad. He judged Isra’el twenty-two years. ⁴ He had thirty sons who rode on thirty young donkeys. They owned thirty cities which are called Havot-Ya’ir to this day; they are in the territory of Gil‘ad. ⁵ When Ya’ir died, he was buried in Kamon.

⁶ Again the people of Isra’el did what was evil from Adonai’s perspective — they served the ba‘alim, the ‘ashtarot, the gods of Aram, the gods of Tzidon, the gods of Mo’av, the gods of the people of ‘Amon and the gods of the P’lishtim. They abandoned Adonai and did not serve him; ⁷ so the anger of Adonai blazed against Isra’el, and he handed them over to the P’lishtim and the people of ‘Amon. ⁸ For eighteen years, starting that year, they oppressed and persecuted all the people of Isra’el who lived beyond the Yarden, in the territory of the Emorim, in Gil‘ad. ⁹ The people of ‘Amon also crossed the Yarden to fight Y’hudah, Binyamin and the house of Efrayim; so that Isra’el was greatly distressed.

¹⁰ Then the people of Isra’el cried to Adonai, “We have sinned against you by forsaking our God and serving the ba‘alim.” ¹¹ Adonai said to the people of Isra’el, “I saved you from the Egyptians, the Emorim, the people of ‘Amon, and the P’lishtim, didn’t I? ¹² Likewise, when the people of Tzidon, ‘Amalek and Ma‘on oppressed you, you cried out to me; and I rescued you from their power. ¹³ Yet you abandoned me and served other gods; therefore I will not rescue you any more. ¹⁴ Go and cry to the gods you chose; let them rescue you when you’re in trouble!” ¹⁵ The people of Isra’el said to Adonai, “We have sinned! Treat us in whatever way seems good to you, but save us today, please!” ¹⁶ They got rid of their foreign gods and served Adonai, and he became troubled by Isra’el’s misery.

¹⁷ Then the people of ‘Amon gathered together and set up camp in Gil‘ad, while the people of Isra’el assembled and camped at Mitzpah. ¹⁸ The people, the chiefs of Gil‘ad, said to each other, “Whoever leads the battle against the army of ‘Amon will be head over everyone living in Gil‘ad.”

11 Now Yiftach, a brave soldier from Gil‘ad, was the son of a prostitute. His father, Gil‘ad, ² had other sons by his wife; and when his wife’s sons grew up, they drove Yiftach away and told him, “You will not inherit from our father, because you are another woman’s son.” ³ Then Yiftach fled from his brothers and lived in the territory of Tov, where he enlisted a gang of rowdies who would go out raiding with him.

⁴ After a while the people of ‘Amon made war against Isra’el. ⁵ When the army of ‘Amon attacked Isra’el, the leaders of Gil‘ad went to fetch Yiftach from the territory of Tov ⁶ and said to him, “Come and be our chief, so that we can fight the army of ‘Amon.” ⁷ Yiftach answered the leaders of Gil‘ad, “Didn’t you hate me so much that you forced me out of my father’s house? Why are you coming to me now, when you’re in trouble?” ⁸ The leaders of Gil‘ad replied, “Here is why we’ve come back to you now: if you lead us in war with the people of ‘Amon, you will be head over everyone living in Gil‘ad.” ⁹ Yiftach answered them, “If you bring me back home to fight the army of ‘Amon, and Adonai defeats them for me, I will be your head.” ¹⁰ The leaders of Gil‘ad said to Yiftach, “Adonai is witness that we promise to do what you have said.” ¹¹ Then Yiftach went with the leaders of Gil‘ad, and the people made him head and chief over them. Yiftach repeated all these conditions at Mitzpah in the presence of Adonai.

14 In Iconium the same thing happened — they went into the synagogue and spoke in such a way that a large number of both Jews and Greeks came to trust. ² But the Jews who would not be persuaded stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. ³ Therefore, Sha’ul and Bar-Nabba remained for a long time, speaking boldly about the Lord, who bore witness to the message about his love and kindness by enabling them to perform signs and miracles. ⁴ However, the people of the city were divided — some sided with the unbelieving Jews, others with the emissaries.

⁵ Eventually the unbelievers, both Jews and Gentiles, together with their leaders, made a move to mistreat the emissaries, even to stone them; ⁶ but they learned of it and escaped to Lystra and Derbe, towns in Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country, ⁷ where they continued proclaiming the Good News.

⁸ There was a man living in Lystra who could not use his feet — crippled from birth, he had never walked. ⁹ This man listened to Sha’ul speaking. Sha’ul, looking at him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, ¹⁰ said with a loud voice, “Stand up on your feet!” He jumped up and began to walk. ¹¹ When the crowds saw what Sha’ul had done, they began to shout in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the form of men!” ¹² They began calling Bar-Nabba “Zeus” and Sha’ul “Hermes,” since he did most of the talking; ¹³ and the priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates, intending to offer a sacrifice to them with the people.

¹⁴ When the emissaries Bar-Nabba and Sha’ul heard of it, they tore their clothes and ran into the crowd, shouting, ¹⁵ “Men! Why are you doing this? We’re just men, human like you! We are announcing Good News to you — turn from these worthless things to the living God who made heaven and earth and the sea and everything in them!^{[a] 16} In times past, he allowed all peoples to walk in their own ways; ¹⁷ yet he did not leave himself without evidence of his nature; because he does good things, giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons, filling you with food and your hearts with happiness!” ¹⁸ Even saying this barely kept the crowds from sacrificing to them.

¹⁹ Then some unbelieving Jews came from Antioch and Iconium. They won over the crowds, stoned Sha’ul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. ²⁰ But as the talmidim gathered around him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day, he left with Bar-Nabba for Derbe.

²¹ After proclaiming the Good News in that city and making many people into talmidim, they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, ²² strengthening the talmidim, encouraging them to remain true to the faith, and reminding them that it is through many hardships that we must enter the Kingdom of God. ²³ After appointing elders for them in every congregation, Sha’ul and Bar-Nabba, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord in whom they had put their trust.

²⁴ Passing through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. ²⁵ After speaking the message in Perga, they came down to Attalia; and from there, they sailed back to Antioch, ²⁶ the place where they had been handed over to the care of God for the work which they had now completed.

²⁷ When they arrived, they gathered the Messianic community together and reported what God had done through them, that he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. ²⁸ And they stayed for some time there with the talmidim.

23 “Oh no! The shepherds are destroying and scattering the sheep in my pasture!” says Adonai. ² Therefore this is what Adonai, the God of Isra’el, says against the shepherds who shepherd my people: “You have scattered my flock, driven them away and not taken care of them. So I will ‘take care of’ you because of your evil deeds,” says Adonai. ³ “I myself will gather what remains of my flock from all the countries where I have driven them and bring them back to their homes, and they will be fruitful and increase their numbers. ⁴ I will appoint shepherds over them who will shepherd them; then they will no longer be afraid or disgraced; and none will be missing,” says Adonai.

⁷ “Therefore,” says Adonai, “the day will come when people no longer swear, ‘As Adonai lives, who brought the people of Isra’el out of the land of Egypt,’ ⁸ but, ‘As Adonai lives, who brought the descendants of the house of Isra’el up from the land to the north’ and from all the countries where I drove them. Then they will live in their own land.”

⁹ Concerning the prophets:

²⁵ “I have heard what these prophets prophesying lies in my name are saying: ‘I’ve had a dream! I’ve had a dream!’ ²⁶ How long will this go on? Is [my word] in the hearts of prophets who are prophesying lies, who are prophesying the deceit of their own minds? ²⁷ With their dreams that they keep telling each other, they hope to cause my people to forget my name; just as their ancestors forgot my name when they worshipped Ba‘al.

³² “I am against those who concoct prophecies out of fake dreams,” says Adonai. “They tell them, and by their lies and arrogance they lead my people astray. I didn’t send them, I didn’t commission them, and they don’t do this people any good at all,” says Adonai.

³³ “When [someone from] this people, a prophet or a cohen asks you, ‘What is the burden of Adonai?’ you are to answer them, ‘What burden? I am throwing you off,’ says Adonai. ³⁴ As for a prophet, cohen or [someone else from] this people who speaks about ‘the burden of Adonai,’ I will punish him and his household.”

³⁵ So, when you speak with your neighbor or brother, ask, “What answer has Adonai given?” or “What has Adonai said?” ³⁶ Don’t use the expression, “burden of Adonai” any more; for every person’s own word will be his burden. Must you twist the words of the living God, of Adonai-Tzva’ot, our God? ³⁷ So, when speaking to a prophet, ask, “What answer has Adonai given you?” or “What did Adonai say?” ³⁸ But if you talk about “the burden of Adonai,” then here is what Adonai says: “Because you use this expression, ‘the burden of Adonai,’ after I have already sent you the order not to say, ‘the burden of Adonai,’ ³⁹ I will lift you up, burden that you are, and throw you off, away from my presence — you and the city I gave you and your ancestors. ⁴⁰ Then I will subject you to everlasting disgrace — eternal, unforgettable shame.”

9 Yes!” he went on, “I tell you that there are some people standing here who will not experience death until they see the Kingdom of God come in a powerful way!”

² Six days later, Yeshua took Kefa, Ya‘akov and Yochanan and led them up a high mountain privately. As they watched, he began to change form, ³ and his clothes became dazzlingly white, whiter than anyone in the world could possibly bleach them. ⁴ Then they saw Eliyahu and Moshe speaking with Yeshua. ⁵ Kefa said to Yeshua, “It’s good that we’re here, Rabbi! Let’s put up three shelters — one for you, one for Moshe and one for Eliyahu.” ⁶ (He didn’t know what to say, they were so frightened.) ⁷ Then a cloud enveloped them; and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” ⁸ Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Yeshua.

⁹ As they came down the mountain, he warned them not to tell anyone what they had seen until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. ¹⁰ So they kept the matter to themselves; but they continued asking each other, “What is this ‘rising from the dead’?” ¹¹ They also asked him, “Why do the Torah-teachers say that Eliyahu has to come first?” ¹² “Eliyahu will indeed come first,” he answered, “and he will restore everything. Nevertheless, why is it written in the Tanakh that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? ¹³ There’s more to it: I tell you that Eliyahu has come, and they did whatever they pleased to him, just as the Tanakh says about him.”

¹⁴ When they got back to the talmidim, they saw a large crowd around them and some Torah-teachers arguing with them. ¹⁵ As soon as the crowd saw him, they were surprised and ran out to greet him. ¹⁶ He asked them, “What’s the discussion about?” ¹⁷ One of the crowd gave him the answer: “Rabbi, I brought my son to you because he has an evil spirit in him that makes him unable to talk. ¹⁸ Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground — he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth and becomes stiff all over. I asked your talmidim to drive the spirit out, but they couldn’t do it.” ¹⁹ “People without any trust!” he responded. “How long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me!” ²⁰ They brought the boy to him; and as soon as the spirit saw him, it threw the boy into a convulsion. ²¹ Yeshua asked the boy’s father, “How long has this been happening to him?” “Ever since childhood,” he said; ²² “and it often tries to kill him by throwing him into the fire or into the water. But if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us!” ²³ Yeshua said to him, “What do you mean, ‘if you can’? Everything is possible to someone who has trust!” ²⁴ Instantly the father of the child exclaimed, “I do trust — help my lack of trust!” ²⁵ When Yeshua saw that the crowd was closing in on them, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You deaf and dumb spirit! I command you: come out of him, and never go back into him again!” ²⁶ Shrieking and throwing the boy into a violent fit, it came out. The boy lay there like a corpse, so that most of the people said he was dead. ²⁷ But Yeshua took him by the hand and raised him to his feet, and he stood up.

²⁸ After Yeshua had gone indoors, his talmidim asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” ²⁹ He said to them “This is the kind of spirit that can be driven out only by prayer.”

³⁰ After leaving that place, they went on through the Galil. Yeshua didn’t want anyone to know, ³¹ because he was teaching his talmidim. He told them, “The Son of Man will be betrayed into the hands of men who will put him to death; but after he has been killed, three days later he will rise.” ³² But they didn’t understand what he meant, and they were afraid to ask him.

³³ They arrived at K’far-Nachum. When Yeshua was inside the house, he asked them, “What were you discussing as we were traveling?” ³⁴ But they kept quiet; because on the way, they had been arguing with each other about who was the greatest. ³⁵ He sat down, summoned the Twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all.” ³⁶ He took a child and stood him among them. Then he put his arms around him and said to them, ³⁷ “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the One who sent me.”

³⁸ Yochanan said to him, “Rabbi, we saw a man expelling demons in your name; and because he wasn’t one of us, we told him to stop.” ³⁹ But Yeshua said, “Don’t stop him, because no one who works a miracle in my name will soon after be able to say something bad about me. ⁴⁰ For whoever is not against us is for us. ⁴¹ Indeed, whoever gives you even a cup of water to drink because you come in the name of the Messiah — yes! I tell you that he will certainly not lose his reward.

⁴² “Whoever ensnares one of these little ones who trust me — it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and be thrown in the sea. ⁴³ If your hand makes you sin, cut it off! Better that you should be maimed but obtain eternal life, rather than keep both hands and go to Gei-Hinnom, to unquenchable fire! ^{44 [a] 45} And if your foot makes you sin, cut it off! Better that you should be lame but obtain eternal life, rather than keep both feet and be thrown into Gei-Hinnom! ^{46 [b] 47} And if your eye makes you sin, pluck it out! Better that you should be one-eyed but enter the Kingdom of God, rather than keep both eyes and be thrown into Gei-Hinnom,

⁴⁹ Indeed, everyone is going to be salted with fire. ⁵⁰ Salt is excellent, but if it loses its saltiness, how will you season it? So have salt in yourselves — that is, be at peace with each other.”