M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Birth of Samson, the Last Judge
13 The Israelites again did what was evil in the Lord’s sight,(A) so the Lord handed them over to the Philistines 40 years. 2 There was a certain man from Zorah,(B) from the family of Dan, whose name was Manoah; his wife was unable to conceive and had no children. 3 The Angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “It is true that you are unable to conceive and have no children, but you will conceive and give birth to a son. 4 Now please be careful not to drink wine or beer,(C) or to eat anything unclean;(D) 5 for indeed, you will conceive and give birth to a son. You must never cut his hair,[a] because the boy will be a Nazirite(E) to God from birth, and he will begin to save Israel from the power of the Philistines.”
6 Then the woman went and told her husband, “A man of God came to me. He looked like the awe-inspiring Angel of God. I didn’t ask Him where He came from, and He didn’t tell me His name. 7 He said to me, ‘You will conceive and give birth to a son. Therefore, do not drink wine or beer, and do not eat anything unclean, because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from birth until the day of his death.’”
8 Manoah prayed(F) to the Lord and said, “Please Lord, let the man of God you sent come again to us and teach us what we should do for the boy who will be born.”
9 God listened(G) to[b] Manoah, and the Angel of God came again to the woman. She was sitting in the field, and her husband Manoah was not with her. 10 The woman ran quickly to her husband and told him, “The man who came to me today has just come back!”
11 So Manoah got up and followed his wife. When he came to the man, he asked, “Are You the man who spoke to my wife?”
“I am,” He said.
12 Then Manoah asked, “When Your words come true, what will the boy’s responsibilities and mission[c] be?”
13 The Angel of the Lord answered Manoah, “Your wife needs to do everything I told her. 14 She must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine or drink wine or beer. And she must not eat anything unclean. Your wife must do everything I have commanded her.”
15 “Please stay here,” Manoah told Him, “and we will prepare a young goat(H) for You.”
16 The Angel of the Lord said to him, “If I stay, I won’t eat your food. But if you want to prepare a burnt offering, offer it to the Lord.” For Manoah did not know He was the Angel of the Lord.
17 Then Manoah said to Him, “What is Your name, so that we may honor You when Your words come true?”
18 “Why do you ask My name,” the Angel of the Lord asked him, “since it is wonderful.”(I)
19 Manoah took a young goat and a grain offering and offered them on a rock to the Lord, and He did a wonderful thing[d] while Manoah and his wife were watching. 20 When the flame went up from the altar to the sky, the Angel of the Lord went up in its flame. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell facedown on the ground. 21 The Angel of the Lord did not appear again to Manoah and his wife. Then Manoah realized that it was the Angel of the Lord.
22 “We’re going to die,” he said to his wife, “because we have seen God!”(J)
23 But his wife said to him, “If the Lord had intended to kill us, He wouldn’t have accepted the burnt offering and the grain offering from us, and He would not have shown us all these things or spoken to us now like this.”
24 So the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson.(K) The boy grew,(L) and the Lord blessed him. 25 Then the Spirit of the Lord began to direct him in the Camp of Dan,[e] between Zorah and Eshtaol.(M)
A Short Ministry in Thessalonica
17 Then they traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica,(A) where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As usual, Paul went to the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures,(B) 3 explaining and showing that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead: “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah.”(C) 4 Then some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, including a great number of God-fearing Greeks, as well as a number[a] of the leading women.(D)
Riot in the City
5 But the Jews became jealous, and they brought together some scoundrels from the marketplace, formed a mob, and started a riot in the city. Attacking Jason’s house, they searched for them to bring them out to the public assembly.(E) 6 When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city officials, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here too, 7 and Jason has received them as guests! They are all acting contrary to Caesar’s decrees,(F) saying that there is another king—Jesus!”(G) 8 The Jews stirred up the crowd and the city officials who heard these things. 9 So taking a security bond from Jason and the others, they released them.
The Bereans Search the Scriptures
10 As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas off to Berea.(H) On arrival, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 The people here were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, since they welcomed the message with eagerness and examined the Scriptures(I) daily to see if these things were so. 12 Consequently, many of them believed, including a number of the prominent Greek women as well as men. 13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica found out that God’s message had been proclaimed by Paul at Berea, they came there too, agitating and disturbing[b] the crowds. 14 Then the brothers immediately sent Paul away to go to the sea, but Silas and Timothy(J) stayed on there. 15 Those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving instructions for Silas and Timothy to come to him as quickly as possible, they departed.(K)
Paul in Athens
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was troubled within him when he saw that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with those who worshiped God and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.(L) 18 Then also, some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers argued with him. Some said, “What is this pseudo-intellectual[c] trying to say?”
Others replied, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign deities”—because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the Resurrection.[d](M)
19 They took him and brought him to the Areopagus,[e] and said, “May we learn about this new teaching you’re speaking of?(N) 20 For what you say sounds strange to us, and we want to know what these ideas mean.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners residing there spent their time on nothing else but telling or hearing something new.
The Areopagus Address
22 Then Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that you are extremely religious in every respect. 23 For as I was passing through and observing the objects of your worship, I even found an altar on which was inscribed:
TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.
Therefore, what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it(O)—He is Lord of heaven and earth(P) and does not live in shrines made by hands.(Q) 25 Neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything,(R) since He Himself gives everyone life and breath and all things.(S) 26 From one man[f] He has made every nationality to live over the whole earth and has determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they live.(T) 27 He did this so they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.(U) 28 For in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’[g](V) 29 Being God’s offspring then, we shouldn’t think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image fashioned by human art and imagination.(W)
30 “Therefore, having overlooked(X) the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because He has set a day when He is going to judge the world in righteousness by the Man He has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”(Y)
32 When they heard about resurrection of the dead, some began to ridicule him. But others said, “We’d like to hear from you again about this.” 33 Then Paul left their presence. 34 However, some men joined him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
Jeremiah’s Speech in the Temple
26 At the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim(A) son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the Lord: 2 “This is what the Lord says: Stand in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple and speak all the words I have commanded you to speak to all Judah’s cities that are coming to worship there. Do not hold back a word.(B) 3 Perhaps they will listen and return—each from his evil way of life—so that I might relent(C) concerning the disaster that I plan to do to them because of the evil of their deeds. 4 You are to say to them: This is what the Lord says: If you do not listen to Me by living according to My instruction that I set before you(D) 5 and by listening to the words of My servants the prophets(E) I have been sending you time and time again,[a] though you did not listen, 6 I will make this temple like Shiloh.(F) I will make this city an object of cursing for all the nations of the earth.”
Jeremiah Seized
7 The priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the temple of the Lord. 8 He finished the address the Lord had commanded him to deliver to all the people. Then the priests, the prophets, and all the people took hold of him, yelling, “You must surely die! 9 How dare you prophesy in the name of Yahweh, ‘This temple will become like Shiloh and this city will become an uninhabited ruin’!” Then all the people assembled against Jeremiah at the Lord’s temple.
10 When the officials of Judah heard these things, they went from the king’s palace to the Lord’s temple and sat at the entrance of the New Gate.[b](G) 11 Then the priests and prophets said to the officials and all the people, “This man deserves the death sentence because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.”(H)
Jeremiah’s Defense
12 Then Jeremiah said to all the officials and the people, “The Lord sent me to prophesy all the words that you have heard against this temple and city. 13 So now, correct your ways and deeds(I) and obey the voice of the Lord your God so that He might relent concerning the disaster that He warned about. 14 As for me, here I am in your hands; do to me what you think is good and right. 15 But know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood(J) on yourselves, on this city, and on its residents, for it is certain the Lord has sent me to speak all these things directly to you.”
Jeremiah Released
16 Then the officials and all the people told the priests and prophets, “This man doesn’t deserve the death sentence, for he has spoken to us in the name of Yahweh our God!”
17 Some of the elders of the land stood up(K) and said to all the assembled people, 18 “Micah the Moreshite(L) prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah(M) and said to all the people of Judah, ‘This is what the Lord of Hosts says:
Zion will be plowed like a field,
Jerusalem will become ruins,
and the temple mount a forested hill.’(N)
19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all the people of Judah put him to death? Did he not fear the Lord and plead for the Lord’s favor,[c](O) and did not the Lord relent concerning the disaster He had pronounced against them?(P) We are about to bring great harm on ourselves!”
The Prophet Uriah
20 Another man was also prophesying in the name of Yahweh—Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim.(Q) He prophesied against this city and against this land in words like all those of Jeremiah. 21 King Jehoiakim, all his warriors, and all the officials heard his words, and the king tried to put him to death. When Uriah heard, he fled in fear and went to Egypt. 22 But King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt: Elnathan son of Achbor(R) and certain other men with him went to Egypt. 23 They brought Uriah out of Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who executed him with the sword and threw his corpse into the burial place of the common people.[d]
24 But Ahikam(S) son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.
The Parable of the Vineyard Owner
12 Then(A) He began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard,(B) put a fence around it, dug out a pit for a winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went away. 2 At harvest time he sent(C) a slave(D) to the farmers to collect some of the fruit(E) of the vineyard from the farmers. 3 But they took him, beat(F) him, and sent him away empty-handed.(G) 4 Again he sent another slave to them, and they[a] hit him on the head and treated him shamefully.[b] 5 Then he sent another, and they killed that one. He also sent many others; they beat some and they killed some.
6 “He still had one to send, a beloved(H) son. Finally(I) he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’
7 “But those tenant farmers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours!’ 8 So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
9 “Therefore, what will the owner[c](J) of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the farmers and give the vineyard to others. 10 Haven’t you read this Scripture:(K)
The(L) stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.[d](M)
11 This came from the Lord(N)
and is wonderful in our eyes?”[e]
12 Because they knew He had said this parable against them, they were looking for a way to arrest Him, but they were afraid of the crowd. So they left Him and went away.
God and Caesar
13 Then(O) they sent some of the Pharisees(P) and the Herodians(Q) to Him to trap Him by what He said.[f](R) 14 When they came, they said to Him, “Teacher, we know You are truthful and defer to no one, for You don’t show partiality[g](S) but teach truthfully the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes(T) to Caesar or not? 15 Should we pay, or should we not pay?”
But knowing their hypocrisy,(U) He said to them, “Why are you testing(V) Me? Bring Me a denarius(W) to look at.” 16 So they brought one. “Whose image(X) and inscription(Y) is this?” He asked them.
“Caesar’s,” they said.
17 Then Jesus told them, “Give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”(Z) And they were amazed(AA) at Him.
The Sadducees and the Resurrection
18 Some(AB) Sadducees,(AC) who say there is no resurrection,(AD) came to Him and questioned Him: 19 “Teacher,(AE) Moses(AF) wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaves his wife behind, and leaves no child,(AG) his brother should take the wife(AH) and produce offspring for his brother.(AI)[h] 20 There were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and dying, left no offspring. 21 The second also took her, and he died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. 22 So the seven[i] left no offspring. Last of all, the woman died too. 23 In the resurrection, when they rise,[j] whose wife will she be, since the seven had married her?”[k]
24 Jesus told them, “Are you not deceived because you don’t know the Scriptures(AJ) or the power(AK) of God?(AL) 25 For when they rise(AM) from the dead,(AN) they neither marry nor are given in marriage(AO) but are like angels(AP) in heaven. 26 Now concerning the dead being raised—haven’t you read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him: I(AQ) am the God of Abraham(AR) and the God of Isaac(AS) and the God of Jacob?(AT)[l] 27 He is not God of the dead but of the living. You are badly deceived.”
The Primary Commands
28 One(AU) of the scribes(AV) approached. When he heard them debating and saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked Him, “Which command is the most important of all?”[m]
29 “This is the most important,”[n] Jesus answered:
Listen, Israel! The Lord(AW) our God, the Lord(AX) is One.[o] 30 Love(AY) the Lord your God(AZ) with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind,(BA) and with all your strength.[p](BB)[q]
31 “The second is: Love your neighbor(BC) as yourself.(BD)[r] There is no other command(BE) greater than these.”
32 Then the scribe said to Him, “You are right, Teacher! You have correctly said that He is One, and there is no one(BF) else except Him.(BG) 33 And to love(BH) Him with all your heart, with all your understanding,[s] and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is far more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.”(BI)
34 When Jesus saw that he answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”(BJ) And no one dared(BK) to question Him any longer.
The Question about the Messiah
35 So(BL) Jesus asked this question as He taught in the temple complex,(BM) “How can the scribes(BN) say that the Messiah(BO) is the Son of David?(BP) 36 David(BQ) himself says by the Holy Spirit:(BR)
The Lord(BS) declared to my Lord,
‘Sit at My right hand(BT)
until I put Your enemies under Your feet.’(BU)[t]
37 David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; how then can the Messiah be his Son?” And the large crowd was listening to Him with delight.
Warning against the Scribes
38 He(BV) also said in His teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes,(BW) and who want greetings in the marketplaces,(BX) 39 the front seats(BY) in the synagogues,(BZ) and the places of honor(CA) at banquets.(CB) 40 They devour(CC) widows’(CD) houses and say long prayers(CE) just for show. These will receive harsher punishment.”
The Widow’s Gift
41 Sitting(CF) across from the temple treasury,(CG) He watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury. Many rich(CH) people were putting in large sums. 42 And a poor(CI) widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little.[u] 43 Summoning His disciples,(CJ) He said to them, “I assure you:(CK) This poor widow has put in more than all those giving to the temple treasury.(CL) 44 For they all gave out of their surplus,(CM) but she out of her poverty(CN) has put in everything she possessed(CO)—all she had to live on.”(CP)
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