M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Conflict with Ephraim
12 The men of Ephraim were called together and crossed the Jordan to Zaphon.(A) They said to Jephthah, “Why have you crossed over to fight against the Ammonites but didn’t call us to go with you? We will burn your house down with you in it!”
2 Then Jephthah said to them, “My people and I had a serious conflict with the Ammonites. So I called for you, but you didn’t deliver me from their power. 3 When I saw that you weren’t going to deliver me, I took my life in my own hands and crossed over to the Ammonites, and the Lord handed them over to me. Why then have you come[a] today to fight against me?”
4 Then Jephthah gathered all of the men of Gilead. They fought and defeated Ephraim, because Ephraim had said, “You Gileadites are Ephraimite fugitives in the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh.” 5 The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim. Whenever a fugitive from Ephraim said, “Let me cross over,” the Gileadites asked him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he answered, “No,” 6 they told him, “Please say Shibboleth.” If he said, “Sibboleth,” because he could not pronounce it correctly, they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time 42,000 from Ephraim died.
7 Jephthah judged Israel six years, and when he died, he was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.[b]
Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon
8 Ibzan, who was from Bethlehem,(B) judged Israel after Jephthah 9 and had 30 sons. He gave his 30 daughters in marriage to men outside the tribe and brought back 30 wives for his sons from outside the tribe. Ibzan judged Israel seven years, 10 and when he died, he was buried in Bethlehem.
11 Elon, who was from Zebulun, judged Israel after Ibzan. He judged Israel 10 years, 12 and when he died, he was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
13 After Elon, Abdon son of Hillel, who was from Pirathon,(C) judged Israel. 14 He had 40 sons and 30 grandsons, who rode on 70 donkeys. Abdon judged Israel eight years, 15 and when he died, he was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.(D)
Paul Selects Timothy
16 Then he went on to Derbe and Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy,(A) the son of a believing Jewish woman,(B) but his father was a Greek. 2 The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him.(C) 3 Paul wanted Timothy[a] to go with him, so he took him and circumcised(D) him because of the Jews who were in those places, since they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they traveled through the towns, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem for them to observe.(E) 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in number daily.(F)
Evangelization of Europe
6 They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia and were prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message in Asia.(G) 7 When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus(H) did not allow them. 8 So, bypassing Mysia, they came down to Troas.(I) 9 During the night a vision appeared to Paul: A Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him, “Cross over to Macedonia and help us!”(J) 10 After(K) he had seen the vision, we[b] immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to evangelize them.
Lydia’s Conversion
11 Then, setting sail from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, the next day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi,(L) a Roman colony, which is a leading city of that district of Macedonia. We stayed in that city for a number of days. 13 On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate by the river, where we thought there was a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women gathered there. 14 A woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was spoken by Paul.(M) 15 After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.”(N) And she persuaded us.
Paul and Silas in Prison
16 Once, as we were on our way to prayer, a slave girl met us who had a spirit of prediction.[c](O) She made a large profit for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 As she followed Paul and us she cried out, “These men, who are proclaiming to you[d] the way of salvation, are the slaves of the Most High God.” 18 And she did this for many days.
But Paul was greatly aggravated and turning to the spirit, said, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out right away.[e](P)
19 When her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas(Q) and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. 20 Bringing them before the chief magistrates, they said, “These men are seriously disturbing our city. They are Jews 21 and are promoting customs that are not legal for us as Romans to adopt or practice.”(R)
22 Then the mob joined in the attack against them, and the chief magistrates stripped off their clothes and ordered them to be beaten with rods.(S) 23 After they had inflicted many blows on them, they threw them in jail, ordering the jailer to keep them securely guarded. 24 Receiving such an order, he put them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks.(T)
A Midnight Deliverance
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the jail were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains came loose.(U) 27 When the jailer woke up and saw the doors of the prison open, he drew his sword and was going to kill himself, since he thought the prisoners had escaped.
28 But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Don’t harm yourself, because all of us are here!”
29 Then the jailer called for lights, rushed in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he escorted them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”(V)
31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”(W) 32 Then they spoke the message of the Lord to him along with everyone in his house. 33 He took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds. Right away he and all his family were baptized. 34 He brought them into his house, set a meal before them, and rejoiced because he had believed God with his entire household.(X)
An Official Apology
35 When daylight came, the chief magistrates sent the police to say, “Release those men!”
36 The jailer reported these words to Paul: “The magistrates have sent orders for you to be released. So come out now and go in peace.”(Y)
37 But Paul said to them, “They beat us in public without a trial, although we are Roman citizens, and threw us in jail. And now are they going to smuggle us out secretly? Certainly not! On the contrary, let them come themselves and escort us out!”(Z)
38 Then the police reported these words to the magistrates. They were afraid when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. 39 So they came and apologized to them, and escorting them out, they urged them to leave town. 40 After leaving the jail, they came to Lydia’s house where they saw and encouraged the brothers, and departed.(AA)
The Seventy-Year Exile
25 This is the word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim(A) son of Josiah, king of Judah (which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon). 2 The prophet Jeremiah spoke concerning all the people of Judah and all the residents of Jerusalem as follows: 3 “From the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon,(B) king of Judah, until this very day—23 years—the word of the Lord has come to me, and I have spoken to you time and time again,[a](C) but you have not obeyed. 4 The Lord sent all His servants the prophets to you time and time again,[b] but you have not obeyed or even paid attention.[c](D) 5 He announced, ‘Turn, each of you, from your[d] evil way of life and from your evil deeds.(E) Live in the land the Lord gave to you and your ancestors long ago and forever. 6 Do not follow other gods to serve them and to worship them,(F) and do not provoke Me to anger by the work of your hands.(G) Then I will do you no harm.
7 “‘But you would not obey Me’—this is the Lord’s declaration—‘in order that you might provoke Me to anger by the work of your hands and bring disaster on yourselves.’
8 “Therefore, this is what the Lord of Hosts says: ‘Because you have not obeyed My words, 9 I am going to send for all the families of the north’(H)—this is the Lord’s declaration—‘and send for My servant(I) Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and I will bring them against this land, against its residents, and against all these surrounding nations, and I will completely destroy them and make them a desolation,(J) a derision, and ruins forever. 10 I will eliminate the sound of joy and gladness from them—the voice of the groom and the bride,(K) the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. 11 This whole land will become a desolate ruin, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for 70 years.(L) 12 When the 70 years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation’—this is the Lord’s declaration—‘the land of the Chaldeans, for their guilt, and I will make it a ruin forever.(M) 13 I will bring on that land all My words I have spoken against it, all that is written in this book that Jeremiah prophesied against all the nations. 14 For many nations and great kings will enslave them, and I will repay them according to their deeds(N) and the work of their hands.’”
The Cup of God’s Wrath
15 This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take this cup of the wine of wrath from My hand and make all the nations I am sending you to, drink from it.(O) 16 They will drink, stagger,[e] and go out of their minds because of the sword I am sending among them.”
17 So I took the cup from the Lord’s hand and made all the nations drink from it, everyone the Lord sent me to. 18 These included:
Jerusalem and the other cities of Judah, its kings and its officials, to make them a desolate ruin, an object of scorn and cursing—as it is today;
19 Pharaoh king of Egypt, his officers, his leaders, all his people,
20 and all the mixed peoples;
all the kings of the land of Uz;
all the kings of the land of the Philistines—Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod;
21 Edom, Moab, and the Ammonites;
22 all the kings of Tyre,
all the kings of Sidon,
and the kings of the coastlands across the sea;
23 Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all those who shave their temples;[f](P)
24 all the kings of Arabia,
and all the kings of the mixed peoples who have settled in the desert;
25 all the kings of Zimri,
all the kings of Elam,
and all the kings of Media;
26 all the kings of the north, both near and far from one another;
that is, all the kingdoms of the world which are on the face of the earth.
Finally, the king of Sheshach[g] will drink after them.
27 “Then you are to say to them: This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Drink,(Q) get drunk, and vomit. Fall down and never get up again, as a result of the sword I am sending among you. 28 If[h] they refuse to take the cup from you and drink, you are to say to them: This is what the Lord of Hosts says: You must drink! 29 For I am already bringing disaster on the city that bears My name,(R) so how could you possibly go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts.(S)
Judgment on the Whole World
30 “As for you, you are to prophesy all these things to them, and say to them:
The Lord roars from heaven;
He raises His voice from His holy dwelling.(T)
He roars loudly over His grazing land;
He calls out with a shout, like those who tread grapes,
against all the inhabitants of the earth.
31 The tumult reaches to the ends of the earth
because the Lord brings a case against(U) the nations.
He enters into judgment with all flesh.
As for the wicked, He hands them over to the sword—
this is the Lord’s declaration.
32 “This is what the Lord of Hosts says:
Pay attention! Disaster spreads
from nation to nation.
A great storm is stirred up
from the ends of the earth.”(V)
33 Those slain by the Lord(W) on that day will be spread from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned,(X) gathered, or buried. They will be like manure on the surface of the ground.
34 Wail, you shepherds, and cry out.
Roll in the dust,[i](Y) you leaders of the flock.
Because the days of your slaughter have come,
you will fall and become shattered like a precious vase.
35 Flight will be impossible for the shepherds,
and escape, for the leaders of the flock.
36 Hear the sound of the shepherds’ cry,
the wail of the leaders of the flock,
for the Lord is destroying their pasture.
37 Peaceful grazing land will become lifeless
because of the Lord’s burning anger.(Z)
38 He has left His den like a lion,
for their land has become a desolation
because of the sword[j] of the oppressor,(AA)
because of His burning anger.
The Triumphal Entry
11 When(A) they approached Jerusalem,(B) at Bethphage and Bethany(C) near the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples 2 and told them, “Go into the village ahead of you. As soon as you enter it, you will find a young donkey tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here right away.’”
4 So they went and found a young donkey outside in the street, tied by a door. They untied it, 5 and some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the donkey?” 6 They answered them just as Jesus had said, so they let them go. 7 Then they brought the donkey to Jesus and threw their robes on it, and He sat on it.
8 Many people spread their robes on the road,(D) and others spread leafy branches cut from the fields.[a] 9 Then those who went ahead and those who followed kept shouting:
Hosanna!
He who comes in the name(E)
of the Lord is the blessed One!(F)[b]
10 The coming kingdom(G)
of our father David(H) is blessed!
Hosanna(I) in the highest heaven!
11 And He went into Jerusalem(J) and into the temple complex.(K) After looking around at everything, since it was already late, He went out to Bethany(L) with the Twelve.
The Barren Fig Tree Is Cursed
12 The(M) next day when they came out from Bethany, He was hungry. 13 After seeing in the distance a fig(N) tree with leaves, He went to find out if there was anything on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit(O) from you again!”(P) And His disciples(Q) heard it.
Cleansing the Temple Complex
15 They came to Jerusalem,(R) and He went into the temple complex(S) and began to throw out those buying and selling in the temple. He overturned the money changers’(T) tables and the chairs of those selling doves, 16 and would not permit anyone to carry goods through the temple complex.
17 Then He began to teach them: “Is it not written,(U) My house(V) will be called a house of prayer(W) for all nations?[c] But you have made it a den of thieves!”(X)[d] 18 Then the chief priests and the scribes(Y) heard it and started looking for a way to destroy Him. For they were afraid(Z) of Him, because the whole crowd was astonished by His teaching.
19 And whenever evening came, they would go out of the city.
The Barren Fig Tree Is Withered
20 Early(AA) in the morning, as they were passing by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. 21 Then Peter(AB) remembered and said to Him, “Rabbi,(AC) look! The fig tree that You cursed(AD) is withered.”
22 Jesus replied to them, “Have faith in God.(AE) 23 I assure you:(AF) If anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt(AG) in his heart, but believes(AH) that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.(AI) 24 Therefore I tell you, all the things you pray(AJ) and ask for(AK)—believe that you have received[e](AL) them, and you will have them. 25 And whenever you stand(AM) praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive(AN) him, so that your Father(AO) in heaven(AP) will also forgive(AQ) you your wrongdoing. [26 But if you don’t forgive, neither will your Father in heaven(AR) forgive your wrongdoing.]”[f][g]
Messiah’s Authority Challenged
27 They(AS) came again to Jerusalem.(AT) As He was walking in the temple complex,(AU) the chief priests, the scribes,(AV) and the elders(AW) came 28 and asked Him, “By what authority(AX) are You doing these things? Who gave You this authority to do these things?”
29 Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question;(AY) then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 30 Was John’s baptism(AZ) from heaven or from men? Answer Me.”
31 They began to argue among themselves: “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Then why didn’t you believe(BA) him?’ 32 But if we say, ‘From men’”—they were afraid of the crowd, because everyone thought that John was a genuine prophet.(BB) 33 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
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