M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Last Words of David
23 Now these are the last words of David:
The oracle of David, son of Jesse,
the oracle of the man whom God exalted,[a]
the anointed of the God of Jacob,
the favorite of the Strong One of Israel:(A)
2 The spirit of the Lord speaks through me;
his word is upon my tongue.(B)
3 The God of Israel has spoken;
the Rock of Israel has said to me:
“One who rules over people justly,
ruling in the fear of God,(C)
4 is like the light of morning,
like the sun rising on a cloudless morning,
gleaming from the rain on the grassy land.”(D)
5 Is not my house like this with God?
For he has made with me an everlasting covenant,
ordered in all things and secure.
Will he not cause to prosper
all my help and my desire?(E)
6 But the godless[b] are all like thorns that are thrown away,
for they cannot be picked up with the hand;(F)
7 to touch them one uses an iron bar
or the shaft of a spear.
And they are entirely consumed in fire on the spot.[c]
David’s Mighty Men
8 These are the names of the warriors whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite; he was chief of the Three;[d] he wielded his spear[e] against eight hundred whom he killed at one time.
9 Next to him among the three warriors was Eleazar son of Dodo son of Ahohi. He was with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle. The Israelites withdrew,(G) 10 but he stood his ground. He struck down the Philistines until his arm grew weary, though his hand clung to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. Then the people came back to him—but only to strip the dead.(H)
11 Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines gathered together at Lehi, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the army fled from the Philistines.(I) 12 But he took his stand in the middle of the plot, defended it, and killed the Philistines, and the Lord brought about a great victory.
13 Toward the beginning of harvest three of the thirty chiefs went down to join David at the cave of Adullam while a band of Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.(J) 14 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem.(K) 15 David said longingly, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” 16 Then the three warriors broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it; he poured it out to the Lord, 17 for he said, “The Lord forbid that I should do this. Can I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. The three warriors did these things.(L)
18 Now Abishai son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, was chief of the Thirty.[f] With his spear he fought against three hundred men and killed them and won a name beside the Three.(M) 19 He was the most renowned of the Thirty[g] and became their commander, but he did not attain to the Three.
20 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a valiant warrior[h] from Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds; he struck down two sons of Ariel[i] of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen.(N) 21 And he killed an Egyptian, a handsome man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but Benaiah went against him with a staff, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. 22 Such were the things Benaiah son of Jehoiada did and won a name beside the three warriors. 23 He was renowned among the Thirty, but he did not attain to the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.(O)
24 Among the Thirty were Asahel brother of Joab; Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem;(P) 25 Shammah of Harod; Elika of Harod;(Q) 26 Helez the Paltite; Ira son of Ikkesh of Tekoa; 27 Abiezer of Anathoth; Mebunnai the Hushathite; 28 Zalmon the Ahohite; Maharai of Netophah; 29 Heleb son of Baanah of Netophah; Ittai son of Ribai of Gibeah of the Benjaminites; 30 Benaiah of Pirathon; Hiddai of the wadis of Gaash; 31 Abi-albon the Arbathite; Azmaveth of Bahurim;[j] 32 Eliahba of Shaalbon; the sons of Jashen: Jonathan 33 son of[k] Shammah the Hararite; Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite; 34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai of Maacah; Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite; 35 Hezro[l] of Carmel; Paarai the Arbite; 36 Igal son of Nathan of Zobah; Bani the Gadite; 37 Zelek the Ammonite; Naharai of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah; 38 Ira the Ithrite; Gareb the Ithrite;(R) 39 Uriah the Hittite—thirty-seven in all.(S)
Law or Faith
3 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly exhibited as crucified!(A) 2 The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard?(B) 3 Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh?(C) 4 Did you experience so much for nothing?—if it really was for nothing.(D) 5 Well then, does God[a] supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law or by your believing what you heard?
6 Just as Abraham “believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,”(E) 7 so, you see, those who believe are the descendants of Abraham. 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would reckon as righteous the gentiles by faith, declared the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the gentiles shall be blessed in you.”(F) 9 For this reason, those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed.
10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the things written in the book of the law.”(G) 11 Now it is evident that no one is reckoned as righteous before God by the law, for “the one who is righteous will live by faith.”[b](H) 12 But the law does not rest on faith; on the contrary, “Whoever does the works of the law[c] will live by them.”(I) 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”(J)— 14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.(K)
The Promise to Abraham
15 Brothers and sisters, I give an example from daily life: once a person’s will[d] has been ratified, no one adds to it or annuls it.(L) 16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring;[e] it does not say, “And to offsprings,”[f] as of many, but it says, “And to your offspring,”[g] that is, to one person, who is Christ.(M) 17 My point is this: the law, which came four hundred thirty years later, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise.(N) 18 For if the inheritance comes from the law, it no longer comes from the promise, but God granted it to Abraham through the promise.(O)
The Purpose of the Law
19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring[h] would come to whom the promise had been made, and it was ordained through angels by a mediator.(P) 20 Now a mediator involves more than one party, but God is one.(Q)
21 Is the law then opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could make alive, then righteousness would indeed come through the law. 22 But the scripture has imprisoned all things under the power of sin, so that what was promised through the faith of Jesus Christ[i] might be given to those who believe.(R)
23 Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be reckoned as righteous[j] by faith.(S) 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.(T) 27 As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.(U) 28 There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.(V) 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring,[k] heirs according to the promise.(W)
Lamentation for Egypt
30 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 Mortal, prophesy, and say: Thus says the Lord God:
Wail, “Alas for the day!”(A)
3 For a day is near,
the day of the Lord is near;
it will be a day of clouds,
a time of doom[a] for the nations.(B)
4 A sword shall come upon Egypt,
and anguish shall be in Cush,
when the slain fall in Egypt,
and its wealth is carried away,
and its foundations are torn down.(C)
5 Cush and Put and Lud and all the mixed populations and Libya[b] and the people of the allied land[c] shall fall with them by the sword.(D)
6 Thus says the Lord:
Those who support Egypt shall fall,
and its proud might shall come down;
from Migdol to Syene
they shall fall within it by the sword,
says the Lord God.(E)
7 They shall be desolated among other desolated countries,
and their cities shall lie among cities laid waste.(F)
8 Then they shall know that I am the Lord,
when I have set fire to Egypt,
and all who help it are broken.(G)
9 On that day, messengers shall go out from me in ships to terrify the secure Cushites, and anguish shall come upon them on the day of Egypt’s doom,[d] for it is coming!(H)
10 Thus says the Lord God:
I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt,
by the hand of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon.(I)
11 He and his people with him, the most terrible of the nations,
shall be brought in to destroy the land,
and they shall draw their swords against Egypt
and fill the land with the slain.(J)
12 I will dry up the channels of the Nile
and will sell the land into the hand of evildoers;
I will bring desolation upon the land and everything in it
by the hand of foreigners;
I the Lord have spoken.(K)
13 Thus says the Lord God:
I will destroy the idols
and put an end to the images in Memphis;
there shall no longer be a prince in the land of Egypt,
so I will put fear in the land of Egypt.(L)
14 I will make Pathros a desolation
and will set fire to Zoan
and will execute acts of judgment on Thebes.(M)
15 I will pour my wrath upon Pelusium,
the stronghold of Egypt,
and will cut off the hordes of Thebes.(N)
16 I will set fire to Egypt;
Pelusium shall be in great agony;
Thebes shall be breached
and Memphis face adversaries by day.
17 The young men of On and of Pi-beseth shall fall by the sword,
and the cities themselves[e] shall go into captivity.
18 At Tehaphnehes the day shall be dark,
when I break there the dominion of Egypt,
and its proud might shall come to an end;
the city[f] shall be covered by a cloud,
and its daughter towns shall go into captivity.(O)
19 Thus I will execute acts of judgment on Egypt.
Then they shall know that I am the Lord.(P)
Proclamation against Pharaoh
20 In the eleventh year, in the first month, on the seventh day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: 21 Mortal, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; it has not been bound up for healing or wrapped with a bandage, so that it may become strong to wield the sword.(Q) 22 Therefore thus says the Lord God: I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt and will break his arms, both the strong arm and the one that was broken, and I will make the sword fall from his hand.(R) 23 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout the lands.(S) 24 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan before him with the groans of one mortally wounded.(T) 25 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh shall fall. And they shall know that I am the Lord when I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon. He shall stretch it out against the land of Egypt,(U) 26 and I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.(V)
38 Yet he, being compassionate,
forgave their iniquity
and did not destroy them;
often he restrained his anger
and did not stir up all his wrath.(A)
39 He remembered that they were but flesh,
a wind that passes and does not come again.(B)
40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness
and grieved him in the desert!(C)
41 They tested God again and again
and provoked the Holy One of Israel.(D)
42 They did not keep in mind his power
or the day when he redeemed them from the foe,
43 when he displayed his signs in Egypt
and his miracles in the fields of Zoan.
44 He turned their rivers to blood,
so that they could not drink of their streams.(E)
45 He sent among them swarms of flies that devoured them
and frogs that destroyed them.(F)
46 He gave their crops to the caterpillar
and the fruit of their labor to the locust.
47 He destroyed their vines with hail
and their sycamores with frost.(G)
48 He gave over their cattle to the hail
and their flocks to thunderbolts.(H)
49 He let loose on them his fierce anger,
wrath, indignation, and distress,
a company of destroying angels.(I)
50 He made a path for his anger;
he did not spare them from death
but gave their lives over to the plague.
51 He struck all the firstborn in Egypt,
the first issue of their strength in the tents of Ham.(J)
52 Then he led out his people like sheep
and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.(K)
53 He led them in safety so that they were not afraid,
but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.(L)
54 And he brought them to his holy hill,
to the mountain that his right hand had won.(M)
55 He drove out nations before them;
he apportioned them for a possession
and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.(N)
56 Yet they tested the Most High God
and rebelled against him.
They did not observe his decrees(O)
57 but turned away and were faithless like their ancestors;
they twisted like a treacherous bow.(P)
58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places;
they moved him to jealousy with their idols.(Q)
59 When God heard, he was full of wrath,
and he utterly rejected Israel.
60 He abandoned his dwelling at Shiloh,
the tent where he dwelt among mortals,(R)
61 and delivered his power to captivity,
his glory to the hand of the foe.(S)
62 He gave his people to the sword
and vented his wrath on his heritage.(T)
63 Fire devoured their young men,
and their young women had no marriage song.(U)
64 Their priests fell by the sword,
and their widows made no lamentation.(V)
65 Then the Lord awoke as from sleep,
like a warrior shouting because of wine.(W)
66 He put his adversaries to rout;
he put them to everlasting disgrace.(X)
67 He rejected the tent of Joseph;
he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,
68 but he chose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion, which he loves.(Y)
69 He built his sanctuary like the high heavens,
like the earth, which he has founded forever.(Z)
70 He chose his servant David
and took him from the sheepfolds;(AA)
71 from tending the nursing ewes he brought him
to be the shepherd of his people Jacob,
of Israel, his inheritance.(AB)
72 With upright heart he tended them
and guided them with skillful hand.(AC)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.