M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Abimelech Becomes King
9 Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to his mother’s brothers at Shechem and spoke to them and to all his maternal grandfather’s clan, saying, 2 “Please speak in the presence of all the lords of Shechem, ‘Is it better for you that 70 men, all the sons of Jerubbaal,(A) rule over you or that one man rule over you?’ Remember that I am your own flesh and blood.”[a]
3 His mother’s relatives spoke all these words about him in the presence of all the lords of Shechem, and they were favorable to Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.” 4 So they gave him 70 pieces of silver from the temple of Baal-berith.[b] Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men with this money, and they followed him. 5 He went to his father’s house in Ophrah and killed his 70 brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, on top of a large stone. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived, because he hid himself. 6 Then all the lords of Shechem and of Beth-millo gathered together and proceeded to make Abimelech king at the oak of the pillar in Shechem.
Jotham’s Parable
7 When they told Jotham, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim,(B) raised his voice, and called to them:
Listen to me, lords of Shechem,
and may God listen to you:
8 The trees set out
to anoint a king over themselves.
They said to the olive tree, “Reign over us.”
9 But the olive tree said to them,
“Should I stop giving my oil
that honors both God and man,
and rule[c] over the trees?”
10 Then the trees said to the fig tree,
“Come and reign over us.”
11 But the fig tree said to them,
“Should I stop giving
my sweetness and my good fruit,
and rule[d] over trees?”
12 Later, the trees said to the grapevine,
“Come and reign over us.”
13 But the grapevine said to them,
“Should I stop giving my wine
that cheers both God and man,
and rule[e] over trees?”
14 Finally, all the trees said to the bramble,
“Come and reign over us.”
15 The bramble said to the trees,
“If you really are anointing me
as king over you,
come and find refuge in my shade.
But if not,
may fire come out from the bramble
and consume the cedars of Lebanon.”
16 “Now if you have acted faithfully(C) and honestly(D) in making Abimelech king, if you have done well by Jerubbaal and his family, and if you have rewarded him appropriately for what he did— 17 for my father fought for you, risked his life, and delivered you from the hand of Midian, 18 and now you have attacked my father’s house today, killed his 70 sons on top of a large stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his slave, king over the lords of Shechem ‘because he is your brother’— 19 if then you have acted faithfully and honestly with Jerubbaal and his house this day, rejoice in Abimelech and may he also rejoice in you. 20 But if not, may fire come from Abimelech and consume the lords of Shechem and Beth-millo, and may fire come from the lords of Shechem and Beth-millo and consume Abimelech.” 21 Then Jotham fled, escaping to Beer, and lived there because of his brother Abimelech.
Abimelech’s Punishment
22 When Abimelech had ruled over Israel three years, 23 God sent an evil spirit(E) between Abimelech and the lords of Shechem. They treated Abimelech deceitfully, 24 so that the crime against the 70 sons of Jerubbaal might come to justice and their blood would be avenged on their brother Abimelech, who killed them, and on the lords of Shechem, who had helped him kill his brothers. 25 The lords of Shechem rebelled against him by putting people on the tops of the mountains to ambush(F) and rob everyone who passed by them on the road. So this was reported to Abimelech.
26 Gaal son of Ebed came with his brothers and crossed into Shechem, and the lords of Shechem trusted him. 27 So they went out to the countryside and harvested grapes from their vineyards. They trampled the grapes and held a celebration.(G) Then they went to the house of their god, and as they ate and drank, they cursed Abimelech. 28 Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem that we should serve him? Isn’t he the son of Jerubbaal, and isn’t Zebul his officer? You are to serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem.(H) Why should we serve Abimelech? 29 If only these people were in my power, I would remove Abimelech.” So he said[f] to Abimelech, “Gather your army and come out.”
30 When Zebul, the ruler of the city, heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed, he was angry. 31 So he sent messengers secretly to Abimelech, saying, “Look, Gaal son of Ebed, with his brothers, have come to Shechem and are turning the city against you.[g] 32 Now tonight, you and the people with you are to come wait in ambush in the countryside. 33 Then get up early, and at sunrise charge the city. When he and the people who are with him come out against you, do to him whatever you can.”[h] 34 So Abimelech and all the people with him got up at night and waited in ambush for Shechem in four units.
35 Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate. Then Abimelech and the people who were with him got up from their ambush. 36 When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the mountaintops!” But Zebul said to him, “The shadows of the mountains look like men to you.”
37 Then Gaal spoke again, “Look, people are coming down from the central part of the land,(I) and one unit is coming from the direction of the Diviners’ Oak.” 38 Zebul replied,[i] “Where is your mouthing off now? You said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Aren’t these the people you despised? Now go and fight them!”
39 So Gaal went out leading the lords of Shechem and fought against Abimelech, 40 but Abimelech pursued him, and Gaal fled before him. Many wounded died(J) as far as the entrance of the gate. 41 Abimelech stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers from Shechem.
42 The next day when the people went into the countryside, this was reported to Abimelech. 43 He took the people, divided them into three companies, and waited in ambush in the countryside. He looked, and the people were coming out of the city, so he arose against them and struck them down. 44 Then Abimelech and the units that were with him rushed forward and took their stand at the entrance of the city gate. The other two units rushed against all who were in the countryside and struck them down. 45 So Abimelech fought against the city that entire day, captured it, and killed the people who were in it. Then he tore down the city and sowed it with salt.
46 When all the lords of the Tower of Shechem heard, they entered the inner chamber[j] of the temple of El-berith.[k] 47 Then it was reported to Abimelech that all the lords of the Tower of Shechem had gathered together. 48 So Abimelech and all the people who were with him went up to Mount Zalmon. Abimelech took his ax in his hand and cut a branch from the trees. He picked up the branch, put it on his shoulder, and said to the people who were with him, “Hurry and do what you have seen me do.” 49 Each person also cut his own branch and followed Abimelech. They put the branches against the inner chamber and set it on fire around the people, and all the people in the Tower of Shechem died—about 1,000 men and women.
50 Abimelech went to Thebez,(K) camped against it, and captured it. 51 There was a strong tower inside the city, and all the men, women, and lords of the city fled there. They locked themselves in and went up to the roof of the tower. 52 When Abimelech came to attack the tower, he approached its entrance to set it on fire. 53 But a woman threw the upper portion of a millstone on Abimelech’s head and fractured his skull. 54 He quickly called his armor-bearer and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, or they’ll say about me, ‘A woman killed him.’” So his armor-bearer thrust him through, and he died. 55 When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they all went home.
56 In this way, God turned back on Abimelech the evil that he had done against his father, by killing his 70 brothers. 57 And God also returned all the evil of the men of Shechem on their heads. So the curse of Jotham son of Jerubbaal came on them.(L)
Preparing for the Mission Field
13 In the church that was at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen, a close friend of Herod the tetrarch,(A) and Saul.
2 As they were ministering to[a] the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work I have called them to.”(B) 3 Then after they had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them off.(C)
The Mission to Cyprus
4 Being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they came down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 Arriving in Salamis, they proclaimed God’s message in the Jewish synagogues. They also had John as their assistant.(D) 6 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came across a sorcerer, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus.(E) 7 He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and desired to hear God’s message.(F) 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (this is the meaning of his name) opposed(G) them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith.(H)
9 Then Saul—also called Paul—filled with the Holy Spirit, stared straight at the sorcerer 10 and said, “You son of the Devil,(I) full of all deceit and all fraud, enemy of all righteousness! Won’t you ever stop perverting the straight paths(J) of the Lord? 11 Now, look! The Lord’s hand is against you.(K) You are going to be blind, and will not see the sun for a time.” Suddenly a mist and darkness fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.
12 Then the proconsul, seeing what happened, believed and was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.(L)
Paul’s Sermon in Antioch of Pisidia
13 Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John, however, left them and went back to Jerusalem.(M) 14 They continued their journey from Perga and reached Antioch in Pisidia. On the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.(N) 15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any message of encouragement for the people, you can speak.”(O)
16 Then Paul stood up and motioned with his hand and said: “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen!(P) 17 The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors, exalted the people during their stay in the land of Egypt, and led them out of it with a mighty[b] arm.(Q) 18 And for about 40 years He put up with them[c] in the wilderness;(R) 19 then after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan,(S) He gave their land to them as an inheritance. 20 This all took about 450 years. After this, He gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.(T) 21 Then they asked for a king, so God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for 40 years.(U) 22 After removing him,(V) He raised up David as their king and testified about him: ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man loyal to Me,(W)[d] who will carry out all My will.’
23 “From this man’s descendants, according to the promise, God brought the Savior, Jesus,[e] to Israel.(X) 24 Before He came to public attention,[f] John had previously proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.(Y) 25 Then as John was completing his life’s work, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not the One. But look! Someone is coming after me, and I am not worthy to untie the sandals on His feet.’(Z)
26 “Brothers, sons of Abraham’s race, and those among you who fear God, the message of this salvation has been sent to us.(AA) 27 For the residents of Jerusalem and their rulers, since they did not recognize Him or the voices of the prophets that are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled their words[g] by condemning Him.(AB) 28 Though they found no grounds for the death penalty, they asked Pilate to have Him killed.(AC) 29 When they had fulfilled all that had been written about Him, they took Him down from the tree and put Him in a tomb.(AD) 30 But God raised Him from the dead,(AE) 31 and He appeared for many days to those who came with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now His witnesses to the people.(AF) 32 And we ourselves proclaim to you the good news of the promise that was made to our ancestors.(AG) 33 God has fulfilled this for us, their children, by raising up Jesus, as it is written in the second Psalm:
34 Since He raised Him from the dead, never to return to decay, He has spoken in this way, I will grant you the faithful covenant blessings[j] made to David.(AI)[k] 35 Therefore He also says in another passage, You will not allow Your Holy One to see decay.(AJ)[l] 36 For David, after serving his own generation in God’s plan, fell asleep,(AK) was buried with his fathers, and decayed.(AL) 37 But the One God raised up did not decay. 38 Therefore, let it be known to you, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you,(AM) 39 and everyone who believes in Him is justified from everything that you could not be justified from through the law of Moses.(AN) 40 So beware that what is said in the prophets does not happen to you:
41 Look, you scoffers,
marvel and vanish away,
because I am doing a work in your days,
a work that you will never believe,
even if someone were to explain it to you.”(AO)[m]
Paul and Barnabas in Antioch
42 As they[n] were leaving, the people[o] begged that these matters be presented to them the following Sabbath. 43 After the synagogue had been dismissed, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and persuading them to continue in the grace of God.(AP)
44 The following Sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the message of the Lord.[p] 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to oppose what Paul was saying by insulting him.(AQ)
46 Then Paul and Barnabas boldly said: “It was necessary that God’s message be spoken to you first. But since you reject it and consider yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles!(AR) 47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us:
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the message of the Lord, and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed. 49 So the message of the Lord spread through the whole region. 50 But the Jews incited the prominent women, who worshiped God, and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them from their district.(AT) 51 But they shook the dust off their feet(AU) against them(AV) and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.(AW)
Judgment against Sinful Kings
22 This is what the Lord says: “Go down to the palace of the king of Judah and announce this word there. 2 You are to say: Hear the word of the Lord, king of Judah, you who sit on the throne of David—you, your officers, and your people who enter these gates. 3 This is what the Lord says: Administer justice and righteousness.(A) Rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor.(B) Don’t exploit or brutalize the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow. Don’t shed innocent blood in this place. 4 For if you conscientiously carry out this word, then kings sitting on David’s throne will enter through the gates of this palace(C) riding on chariots and horses—they, their officers, and their people. 5 But if you do not obey these words, then I swear by Myself”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“that this house will become a ruin.”(D)
6 For this is what the Lord says concerning the house of the king of Judah:
You are like Gilead to Me,
or the summit of Lebanon,
but I will certainly turn you into a wilderness,
uninhabited cities.
7 I will appoint destroyers against you,
each with his weapons.
They will cut down the choicest of your cedars
and throw them into the fire.
8 “Many nations will pass by this city and ask one another, ‘Why did the Lord do such a thing to this great city?’ 9 They will answer, ‘Because they abandoned the covenant(E) of Yahweh their God and worshiped and served other gods.’”(F)
A Message Concerning Shallum
10 Do not weep for the dead;
do not mourn for him.
Weep bitterly for the one[a] who has gone away,
for he will never return again
and see his native land.
11 For this is what the Lord says concerning Shallum(G) son of Josiah, king of Judah, who became king in place of his father Josiah: “He has left this place—he will never return here again, 12 but he will die in the place where they deported him, never seeing this land again.”
A Message concerning Jehoiakim
13 Woe for the one who builds his palace
through unrighteousness,(H)
his upper rooms through injustice,
who makes his fellow man serve without pay
and will not give him his wages,(I)
14 who says, “I will build myself a massive palace,
with spacious upper rooms.”
He will cut windows[b] in it,
and it will be paneled with cedar
and painted with vermilion.
15 Are you a king because you excel in cedar?
Didn’t your father eat and drink
and administer justice and righteousness?(J)
Then it went well with him.
16 He took up the case of the poor and needy,
then it went well.
Is this not what it means to know Me?
This is the Lord’s declaration.
17 But you have eyes and a heart for nothing
except your own dishonest profit,
shedding innocent blood
and committing extortion and oppression.
18 Therefore, this is what the Lord says concerning Jehoiakim(K) son of Josiah, king of Judah:
They will not mourn for him, saying,
“Woe, my brother!” or “Woe, my sister!”
They will not mourn for him, saying,
“Woe, lord! Woe, his majesty!”
19 He will be buried like a donkey,(L)
dragged off and thrown
outside the gates of Jerusalem.
20 Go up to Lebanon and cry out;
raise your voice in Bashan;
cry out from Abarim,(M)
for all your lovers[c] have been crushed.(N)
21 I spoke to you when you were secure.
You said, “I will not listen.”
This has been your way since youth;(O)
indeed, you have never listened to Me.
22 The wind will take charge of[d] all your shepherds,
and your lovers[e] will go into captivity.
Then you will be ashamed and humiliated(P)
because of all your evil.
23 You residents of Lebanon,
nestled among the cedars,
how you will groan[f] when labor pains come on you,
agony like a woman in labor.(Q)
A Message concerning Coniah
24 “As I live,” says the Lord, “though you, Coniah[g](R) son of Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, were a signet ring(S) on My right hand, I would tear you from it. 25 In fact, I will hand you over to those you dread,(T) who want to take your life, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the Chaldeans. 26 I will hurl you and the mother who gave birth(U) to you into another land,(V) where neither of you were born, and there you will both die. 27 They will never return to the land they long to return to.”
28 Is this man Coniah a despised, shattered pot,(W)
a jar no one wants?
Why are he and his descendants hurled out
and cast into a land they have not known?
29 Earth, earth, earth,
hear the word of the Lord!
30 This is what the Lord says:
Feeding 4,000
8 In(A) those days there was again a large crowd, and they had nothing to eat. He summoned(B) the disciples(C) and said to them, 2 “I have compassion(D) on the crowd, because they’ve already stayed with Me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them home hungry,[a] they will collapse on the way,(E) and some of them have come a long distance.”
4 His disciples answered Him, “Where can anyone get enough bread here in this desolate place to fill(F) these people?”
5 “How many loaves do you have?” He asked them.
“Seven,” they said. 6 Then He commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground. Taking the seven loaves, He gave thanks, broke(G) the loaves, and kept on giving them to His disciples to set before the people. So they served the loaves to the crowd. 7 They also had a few small fish, and when He had blessed them, He said these were to be served as well. 8 They ate and were filled. Then they collected seven large baskets of leftover pieces. 9 About 4,000 men were there. He dismissed them 10 and immediately got into the boat with His disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.[b]
The Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod
11 The(H) Pharisees(I) came out and began to argue with Him, demanding of Him a sign(J) from heaven(K) to test(L) Him. 12 But sighing deeply in His spirit,(M) He said, “Why does this generation(N) demand a sign? I assure you:(O) No sign will be given to this generation!” 13 Then He left them, got on board the boat again, and went to the other side.
14 They had forgotten to take bread and had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 Then(P) He commanded them: “Watch out! Beware of the yeast(Q) of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.”(R)
16 They were discussing among themselves that they did not have any bread. 17 Aware of this, He said to them, “Why are you discussing that you do not have any bread? Don’t you understand or comprehend? Is your heart hardened?(S) 18 Do you have eyes, and not see, and do you have ears, and not hear?(T)[c] And do you not remember?(U) 19 When I broke the five loaves for the 5,000, how many baskets full of pieces of bread did you collect?”
“Twelve,” they told Him.
20 “When I broke the seven loaves for the 4,000, how many large baskets full of pieces of bread did you collect?”
“Seven,” they said.
21 And He said to them, “Don’t you understand yet?”(V)
Healing a Blind Man
22 Then they came to Bethsaida.(W) They brought a blind(X) man to Him and begged Him to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and brought him out of the village. Spitting(Y) on his eyes and laying His hands on(Z) him, He asked him, “Do you see anything?”
24 He looked up and said, “I see people—they look to me like trees walking.”(AA)
25 Again Jesus placed His hands on the man’s eyes, and he saw distinctly. He was cured and could see everything clearly. 26 Then He sent(AB) him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”[d](AC)
Peter’s Confession of the Messiah
27 Jesus(AD) went out with His disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the road He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”
28 They answered Him, “John the Baptist;(AE) others, Elijah; still others, one of the prophets.”(AF)
29 “But you,” He asked them again, “who do you say that I am?”
Peter(AG) answered Him, “You are the Messiah!”(AH)
30 And He strictly warned(AI) them to tell no one about Him.
His Death and Resurrection Predicted
31 Then(AJ) He began to teach them that the Son of Man(AK) must suffer many things and be rejected(AL) by the elders,(AM) the chief priests, and the scribes,(AN) be killed, and rise(AO) after three days.(AP) 32 He was openly talking about this. So Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.
33 But turning around and looking at His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan,(AQ) because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns,[e] but man’s!”
Take Up Your Cross
34 Summoning the crowd along with His disciples, He said to them, “If anyone wants to be My follower, he must deny himself,(AR) take up his cross,(AS) and follow Me.(AT) 35 For whoever wants to save(AU) his life will lose it,(AV) but whoever loses(AW) his life(AX) because of Me(AY) and the gospel(AZ) will save it.(BA) 36 For what does it benefit(BB) a man to gain(BC) the whole world(BD) yet lose(BE) his life?(BF) 37 What can a man give in exchange for his life?(BG) 38 For whoever is ashamed(BH) of Me and of My words(BI) in this adulterous and sinful(BJ) generation,(BK) the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory(BL) of His Father(BM) with the holy(BN) angels.”(BO)
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