M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

Jotham King of Judah^(A)

27 Jotham^(B) was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother’s name was Jerusha daughter of Zadok. ² He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Uzziah had done, but unlike him he did not enter the temple of the Lord. The people, however, continued their corrupt practices. ³ Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the temple of the Lord and did extensive work on the wall at the hill of Ophel.^{(C) 4} He built towns in the hill country of Judah and forts and towers in the wooded areas.

⁵ Jotham waged war against the king of the Ammonites^(D) and conquered them. That year the Ammonites paid him a hundred talents^[a] of silver, ten thousand cors^[b] of wheat and ten thousand cors^[c] of barley. The Ammonites brought him the same amount also in the second and third years.

⁶ Jotham grew powerful^(E) because he walked steadfastly before the Lord his God.

⁷ The other events in Jotham’s reign, including all his wars and the other things he did, are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. ⁸ He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. ⁹ Jotham rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. And Ahaz his son succeeded him as king.

Ahaz King of Judah^(F)

28 Ahaz^(G) was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord. ² He followed the ways of the kings of Israel and also made idols^(H) for worshiping the Baals. ³ He burned sacrifices in the Valley of Ben Hinnom^(I) and sacrificed his children^(J) in the fire, engaging in the detestable^(K) practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. ⁴ He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places, on the hilltops and under every spreading tree.

⁵ Therefore the Lord his God delivered him into the hands of the king of Aram.^(L) The Arameans defeated him and took many of his people as prisoners and brought them to Damascus.

He was also given into the hands of the king of Israel, who inflicted heavy casualties on him. ⁶ In one day Pekah^(M) son of Remaliah killed a hundred and twenty thousand soldiers in Judah^(N)—because Judah had forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors. ⁷ Zikri, an Ephraimite warrior, killed Maaseiah the king’s son, Azrikam the officer in charge of the palace, and Elkanah, second to the king. ⁸ The men of Israel took captive from their fellow Israelites who were from Judah^(O) two hundred thousand wives, sons and daughters. They also took a great deal of plunder, which they carried back to Samaria.^(P)

⁹ But a prophet of the Lord named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army when it returned to Samaria. He said to them, “Because the Lord, the God of your ancestors, was angry^(Q) with Judah, he gave them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches to heaven.^{(R) 10} And now you intend to make the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem your slaves.^(S) But aren’t you also guilty of sins against the Lord your God? ¹¹ Now listen to me! Send back your fellow Israelites you have taken as prisoners, for the Lord’s fierce anger rests on you.^(T)”

¹² Then some of the leaders in Ephraim—Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berekiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai—confronted those who were arriving from the war. ¹³ “You must not bring those prisoners here,” they said, “or we will be guilty before the Lord. Do you intend to add to our sin and guilt? For our guilt is already great, and his fierce anger rests on Israel.”

¹⁴ So the soldiers gave up the prisoners and plunder in the presence of the officials and all the assembly. ¹⁵ The men designated by name took the prisoners, and from the plunder they clothed all who were naked. They provided them with clothes and sandals, food and drink,^(U) and healing balm. All those who were weak they put on donkeys. So they took them back to their fellow Israelites at Jericho, the City of Palms,^(V) and returned to Samaria.^(W)

¹⁶ At that time King Ahaz sent to the kings^[d] of Assyria^(X) for help. ¹⁷ The Edomites^(Y) had again come and attacked Judah and carried away prisoners,^{(Z) 18} while the Philistines^(AA) had raided towns in the foothills and in the Negev of Judah. They captured and occupied Beth Shemesh, Aijalon^(AB) and Gederoth,^(AC) as well as Soko,^(AD) Timnah^(AE) and Gimzo, with their surrounding villages. ¹⁹ The Lord had humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel,^[e] for he had promoted wickedness in Judah and had been most unfaithful^(AF) to the Lord. ²⁰ Tiglath-Pileser^[f](AG) king of Assyria^(AH) came to him, but he gave him trouble^(AI) instead of help.^{(AJ) 21} Ahaz^(AK) took some of the things from the temple of the Lord and from the royal palace and from the officials and presented them to the king of Assyria, but that did not help him.^(AL)

²² In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful^(AM) to the Lord. ²³ He offered sacrifices to the gods^(AN) of Damascus, who had defeated him; for he thought, “Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me.”^(AO) But they were his downfall and the downfall of all Israel.^(AP)

²⁴ Ahaz gathered together the furnishings^(AQ) from the temple of God^(AR) and cut them in pieces. He shut the doors^(AS) of the Lord’s temple and set up altars^(AT) at every street corner in Jerusalem. ²⁵ In every town in Judah he built high places to burn sacrifices to other gods and aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of his ancestors.

²⁶ The other events of his reign and all his ways, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. ²⁷ Ahaz rested^(AU) with his ancestors and was buried^(AV) in the city of Jerusalem, but he was not placed in the tombs of the kings of Israel. And Hezekiah his son succeeded him as king.

The Lamb and the 144,000

14 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb,^(A) standing on Mount Zion,^(B) and with him 144,000^(C) who had his name and his Father’s name^(D) written on their foreheads.^{(E) 2} And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters^(F) and like a loud peal of thunder.^(G) The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.^{(H) 3} And they sang a new song^(I) before the throne and before the four living creatures^(J) and the elders.^(K) No one could learn the song except the 144,000^(L) who had been redeemed from the earth. ⁴ These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins.^(M) They follow the Lamb wherever he goes.^(N) They were purchased from among mankind^(O) and offered as firstfruits^(P) to God and the Lamb. ⁵ No lie was found in their mouths;^(Q) they are blameless.^(R)

The Three Angels

⁶ Then I saw another angel flying in midair,^(S) and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth^(T)—to every nation, tribe, language and people.^{(U) 7} He said in a loud voice, “Fear God^(V) and give him glory,^(W) because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made^(X) the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”^(Y)

⁸ A second angel followed and said, “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,’^[a](Z) which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.”^(AA)

⁹ A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast^(AB) and its image^(AC) and receives its mark on their forehead^(AD) or on their hand, ¹⁰ they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury,^(AE) which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath.^(AF) They will be tormented with burning sulfur^(AG) in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. ¹¹ And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever.^(AH) There will be no rest day or night^(AI) for those who worship the beast and its image,^(AJ) or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”^{(AK) 12} This calls for patient endurance^(AL) on the part of the people of God^(AM) who keep his commands^(AN) and remain faithful to Jesus.

¹³ Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord^(AO) from now on.”

“Yes,” says the Spirit,^(AP) “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

Harvesting the Earth and Trampling the Winepress

¹⁴ I looked, and there before me was a white cloud,^(AQ) and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man^[b](AR) with a crown^(AS) of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. ¹⁵ Then another angel came out of the temple^(AT) and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle^(AU) and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest^(AV) of the earth is ripe.” ¹⁶ So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.

¹⁷ Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle.^{(AW) 18} Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar^(AX) and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, “Take your sharp sickle^(AY) and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.” ¹⁹ The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath.^{(AZ) 20} They were trampled in the winepress^(BA) outside the city,^(BB) and blood^(BC) flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.^[c]

The Lord Will Care for Judah

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

13 It was just before the Passover Festival.^(A) Jesus knew that the hour had come^(B) for him to leave this world and go to the Father.^(C) Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

² The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.^{(D) 3} Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power,^(E) and that he had come from God^(F) and was returning to God; ⁴ so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.^{(G) 5} After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet,^(H) drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

⁶ He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

⁷ Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”^(I)

⁸ “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

⁹ “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

¹⁰ Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean,^(J) though not every one of you.”^{(K) 11} For he knew who was going to betray him,^(L) and that was why he said not every one was clean.

¹² When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. ¹³ “You call me ‘Teacher’^(M) and ‘Lord,’^(N) and rightly so, for that is what I am. ¹⁴ Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.^{(O) 15} I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.^{(P) 16} Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master,^(Q) nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.^(R)

Jesus Predicts His Betrayal

¹⁸ “I am not referring to all of you;^(S) I know those I have chosen.^(T) But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture:^(U) ‘He who shared my bread^(V) has turned^[a](W) against me.’^[b](X)

¹⁹ “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe^(Y) that I am who I am.^{(Z) 20} Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”^(AA)

²¹ After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit^(AB) and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”^(AC)

²² His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. ²³ One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved,^(AD) was reclining next to him. ²⁴ Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.”

²⁵ Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”^(AE)

²⁶ Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas,^(AF) the son of Simon Iscariot. ²⁷ As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.^(AG)

So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” ²⁸ But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. ²⁹ Since Judas had charge of the money,^(AH) some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival,^(AI) or to give something to the poor.^{(AJ) 30} As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.^(AK)

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial^(AL)

³¹ When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man^(AM) is glorified^(AN) and God is glorified in him.^{(AO) 32} If God is glorified in him,^[c] God will glorify the Son in himself,^(AP) and will glorify him at once.

³³ “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.^(AQ)

³⁴ “A new command^(AR) I give you: Love one another.^(AS) As I have loved you, so you must love one another.^{(AT) 35} By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”^(AU)

³⁶ Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?”^(AV)

Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now,^(AW) but you will follow later.”^(AX)

³⁷ Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”

³⁸ Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!^(AY)