M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Abimelech Kills His Brothers
9 And (A)Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s [a]relatives and spoke to them and to the whole family of the household of his mother’s father, saying, 2 “Speak, now, in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you, that (B)seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or that one man rule over you?’ Also, remember that I am (C)your bone and your flesh.” 3 And his mother’s [b]relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem; and [c]they were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is (D)our [d]relative.” 4 So they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of (E)Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, and they followed him. 5 Then he came to his father’s house at Ophrah and (F)killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, (G)seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. 6 Then all the lords of Shechem and all [e]Beth-millo assembled together, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the [f]oak of the pillar which was in Shechem.
7 Then they told Jotham, so he went and stood on the top of (H)Mount Gerizim and lifted his voice and called out. Thus he said to them, “Listen to me, O lords of Shechem, that God may listen to you. 8 The trees surely went forth to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us!’ 9 But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my fatness, with [g]which God and men are honored, and go to wave over the trees?’ 10 Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come, reign over us!’ 11 But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good produce and go to wave over the trees?’ 12 Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You come, reign over us!’ 13 But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my new wine, which makes God and men glad, and go to wave over the trees?’ 14 Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come, reign over us!’ 15 And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in [h]truth you are anointing me as king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, may fire come out from the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’
16 “So now, if you have dealt in [i]truth and integrity and made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with (I)Jerubbaal and his house and [j]have dealt with him according to the bountiful works of his hands— 17 for my father fought for you and [k]risked his life and delivered you from the hand of Midian; 18 but you have risen against my father’s house today and have killed (J)his sons, seventy men, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, (K)the son of his maidservant, king over the lords of Shechem, because he is your [l]relative— 19 if then you have dealt in [m]truth and integrity with Jerubbaal and his house this day, be glad in Abimelech, and let him also be glad in you. 20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and consume the lords of Shechem and [n]Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the lords of Shechem and from [o]Beth-millo and consume Abimelech.” 21 Then Jotham escaped and fled and went to Beer and remained there because of Abimelech his brother.
Zebul Deceives Abimelech
22 And Abimelech governed over Israel three years. 23 (L)Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the lords of Shechem; and the lords of Shechem (M)dealt treacherously with Abimelech, 24 (N)so that the violence [p]done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and (O)their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the lords of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. 25 And the lords of Shechem set [q]men in ambush against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who might pass by them along the road; and it was told to Abimelech.
26 Then Gaal the son of Ebed came with his [r]relatives, and they crossed over into Shechem; and the lords of Shechem put their trust in him. 27 And they went out into the field and gathered the grapes of their vineyards and trod them and celebrated a [s]festival; and they came into the house of (P)their god and ate and drank and cursed Abimelech. 28 Then Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is Zebul not his [t]officer? Serve the men of (Q)Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? 29 [u](R)Would, therefore, that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech.” And he said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out.”
30 Then Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, and his anger burned. 31 And he sent messengers to Abimelech [v]deceitfully, saying, “Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his [w]relatives have come to Shechem; and behold, they are [x]stirring up the city against you. 32 So now, arise by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field. 33 And it will be in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, that you shall rise early and rush upon the city; and behold, he and the people who are with him will come out against you, and you shall (S)do to them [y]whatever your hand finds pleasing.”
34 So Abimelech and all the people who were with him arose by night and lay in wait against Shechem in four [z]companies. 35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the city gate; and Abimelech and the people who were with him arose from the ambush. 36 Then Gaal saw the people and said to Zebul, “Behold, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains.” But Zebul said to him, “You are seeing the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.” 37 Yet Gaal spoke again and said, “Behold, people are coming down from (T)the [aa]highest part of the land, and one [ab]company comes by the way of [ac]the soothsayers’ [ad]oak.” 38 Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your [ae]boasting now with which you said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Is this not the people whom you rejected? Go out now and fight with them!” 39 So Gaal went out before the lords of Shechem and fought with Abimelech. 40 And Abimelech pursued him, and he fled before him; and many fell slain up to the entrance of the gate. 41 Then Abimelech remained at Arumah, but Zebul drove out Gaal and his [af]relatives so that they could not remain in Shechem.
42 Now it happened the next day, that the people went out to the field, and it was told to Abimelech. 43 So he took [ag]his people and divided them into three [ah]companies and lay in wait in the field; then he looked, and behold, the people were coming out from the city. So he arose against them and struck them down. 44 Then Abimelech and the [ai]company who was with him rushed forward and stood in the entrance of the city gate; but the other two [aj]companies rushed upon all who were in the field and struck them down. 45 So Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and he captured the city and killed the people who were in it; then he (U)tore the city down and sowed it with salt.
46 Then all the lords of the tower of Shechem heard of it, and they entered the inner chamber of the [ak]temple of (V)El-berith. 47 And it was told to Abimelech that all the lords of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. 48 So Abimelech went up to Mount (W)Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took [al]an axe in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees and lifted it and laid it on his shoulder. Then he said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry and do [am]likewise.” 49 And all the people also cut down each one his branch and followed Abimelech and put them on the inner chamber and set the inner chamber on fire over those inside, so that all the men of the tower of Shechem also died, about one thousand men and women.
50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and he camped against Thebez and captured it. 51 But there was a strong tower in the center of the city, and all the men and women with all the lords of the city fled there and shut themselves in; and they went up on the roof of the tower. 52 So Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it and approached the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire. 53 But (X)a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, and she smashed his skull. 54 Then (Y)he called quickly to the young man, his armor bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and put me to death, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” So [an]the young man pierced him through, and he died. 55 Then the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, so each went away to his [ao]home. 56 Thus (Z)God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he had done to his father in killing his seventy brothers. 57 God also returned all the evil of the men of Shechem on their own heads, and the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal came [ap]upon them.
Barnabas and Saul Sent from Antioch by the Holy Spirit
13 Now there were at (A)Antioch, in the (B)church that was there, (C)prophets and (D)teachers: (E)Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of (F)Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with (G)Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 And while they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, (H)the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me (I)Barnabas and Saul for (J)the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then, when they had fasted and (K)prayed and (L)laid their hands on them, (M)they sent them away.
On Cyprus
4 So, being (N)sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to (O)Cyprus. 5 And when they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in (P)the synagogues of the Jews, and they also had (Q)John as their helper. 6 And when they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a (R)magician, a Jewish (S)false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus, 7 who was with the (T)proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the (U)magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the (V)proconsul away from (W)the faith. 9 But Saul, who was also known as Paul, [a](X)filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him, 10 and said, “You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you (Y)son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked (Z)the straight ways of the [b]Lord? 11 Now, behold, (AA)the hand of the [c]Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.” And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand. 12 Then the (AB)proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being astonished at (AC)the teaching of the Lord.
In Pisidian Antioch
13 Now after Paul and his companions set sail from (AD)Paphos, they came to (AE)Perga in (AF)Pamphylia, but (AG)John left them and returned to Jerusalem. 14 But going on from Perga, they arrived at (AH)Pisidian (AI)Antioch. And on (AJ)the Sabbath day, they went into (AK)the synagogue and sat down. 15 And after (AL)the reading of the Law and (AM)the Prophets (AN)the synagogue officials sent to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it.” 16 So Paul stood up, and (AO)motioning with his hand said,
“Men of Israel, and (AP)you who fear God, listen: 17 The God of this people Israel (AQ)chose our fathers and [d](AR)lifted up the people during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm (AS)He led them out from it. 18 And for (AT)a period of about forty years (AU)He put up with them in the wilderness. 19 (AV)And when He destroyed (AW)seven nations in the land of Canaan, He (AX)distributed their land as an inheritance—all of which took (AY)about 450 years. 20 After these things He (AZ)gave them judges until (BA)Samuel the prophet. 21 Then they (BB)asked for a king, and God gave them (BC)Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 And after He had (BD)removed him, He raised up David to be their king, about whom He also said, bearing witness, ‘(BE)I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My [e]will.’ 23 (BF)From the seed of this man, (BG)according to promise, God has brought to Israel (BH)a Savior, Jesus, 24 after (BI)John had preached before [f]His coming a (BJ)baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 And as John (BK)was fulfilling his course, (BL)he kept saying, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not He. But behold, one is coming after me of whom I am not worthy to untie the sandals of His feet.’
26 “Brothers, sons of Abraham’s family, and those among you who fear God, to us the word of (BM)this salvation was sent. 27 For those who live in Jerusalem, and their (BN)rulers, (BO)recognizing neither Him nor the [g]utterances of (BP)the prophets which are (BQ)read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning Him. 28 And though they found no ground for death, they (BR)asked Pilate that He be [h]executed. 29 And when they had (BS)finished all that was written concerning Him, (BT)they took Him down from (BU)the tree and (BV)laid Him in a tomb. 30 But God (BW)raised Him from the dead; 31 and for many days (BX)He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now (BY)His witnesses to the people. 32 And we (BZ)proclaim to you the good news of (CA)the promise made to the fathers, 33 that God has fulfilled this promise [i]to our children in that He (CB)raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, ‘(CC)You are My Son; today I have begotten You.’ 34 But that He (CD)raised Him up from the dead, no longer to return to corruption, He has spoken in this way: ‘(CE)I will give you the holy and [j]faithful lovingkindnesses of David.’ 35 Therefore He also says in another Psalm, ‘(CF)You will not give Your [k]Holy One over to see corruption.’ 36 For (CG)David, after he had [l]served (CH)the purpose of God in his own generation, (CI)fell asleep and was laid among his fathers and saw corruption; 37 but He whom God (CJ)raised did not see corruption. 38 Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that (CK)through [m]Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39 and that in Him, (CL)everyone who believes is justified from all things which you could not be justified from [n]through the Law of Moses. 40 Therefore watch out, so that the thing spoken of (CM)in the Prophets may not come upon you:
41 ‘(CN)Look, you scoffers, and marvel, and [o]perish;
For I am accomplishing a work in your days,
A work which you will never believe, though someone should recount it to you.’”
42 And as [p]Paul and Barnabas were leaving, the people kept pleading that these words might be spoken to them the next (CO)Sabbath. 43 Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and of the (CP)God-fearing [q](CQ)proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were urging them to continue in (CR)the grace of God.
Many Gentiles Believe
44 And the next (CS)Sabbath, nearly the whole city assembled to hear the word of [r]the [s]Lord. 45 But when (CT)the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, [t]blaspheming. 46 Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you (CU)first. Since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, (CV)we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For so the [u]Lord has commanded us,
‘(CW)I have placed You as a (CX)light for the Gentiles,
That You may [v]bring salvation to the end of the earth.’”
48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying (CY)the word of [w]the [x]Lord, and as many as (CZ)had been appointed to eternal life believed. 49 And (DA)the word of the [y]Lord was being spread through the whole region. 50 But (DB)the Jews incited the [z](DC)God-fearing women (DD)of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their [aa]district. 51 But (DE)having shaken off the dust of their feet against them, they went to (DF)Iconium. 52 And the disciples were continually (DG)filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
O Land, Hear Yahweh
22 Thus says Yahweh, “Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and there you shall speak this word 2 and say, ‘Hear the word of Yahweh, O king of Judah, who (A)sits on David’s throne, you and your servants and your people who enter these gates. 3 Thus says Yahweh, “(B)Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one who has been robbed from the power of his (C)oppressor. Also (D)do not mistreat or do violence to the sojourner, the orphan, or the widow; and do not (E)shed innocent blood in this place. 4 For if you men will indeed do this thing, then (F)kings will enter the gates of this house, sitting for David on his throne, riding in chariots and on horses, even the king himself and his servants and his people. 5 (G)But if you will not obey these words, I (H)swear by Myself,” declares Yahweh, “that this house will become a waste place.”’” 6 For thus says Yahweh concerning the house of the king of Judah:
“You are like (I)Gilead to Me,
Like the summit of Lebanon;
Yet most assuredly I will make you like a (J)wilderness,
Like cities which are not inhabited.
7 For I will set apart (K)destroyers against you,
Each with his weapons;
And they will (L)cut down your choicest cedars
And (M)throw them on the fire.
8 “Many nations will pass by this city; and they will (N)say to one another, ‘Why has Yahweh done thus to this great city?’ 9 Then they will say, ‘Because they (O)forsook the covenant of Yahweh their God and worshiped other gods and served them.’”
10 (P)Do not weep for the dead or console him,
But weep continually for the one who goes away,
For (Q)he will never return
Or see the land of his birth.
11 For thus says Yahweh in regard to [a](R)Shallum the son of Josiah, king of Judah, who became king in the place of Josiah his father, who went forth from this place, “He will never return there; 12 but in the place where they took him away into exile, there he will (S)die and not see this land again.
13 “Woe to him who builds his house (T)without righteousness
And his [b]upper rooms without justice,
Who uses his neighbor’s services without pay
And (U)does not give him his wages,
14 Who says, ‘I will (V)build myself a roomy house
With spacious [c]upper rooms
And cut out its windows,
[d]Paneling it with (W)cedar and painting it [e]bright red.’
15 Do you become a king because you are competing in cedar?
Did not your father eat and drink
And (X)do justice and righteousness?
Then it was (Y)well with him.
16 He pled the cause of the (Z)afflicted and needy;
Then it was well.
(AA)Is not that what it means to know Me?”
Declares Yahweh.
17 “But your eyes and your heart
Are set on nothing except your own (AB)greedy gain
And on (AC)shedding innocent blood
And on doing oppression and extortion.”
18 Therefore thus says Yahweh in regard to (AD)Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah,
“They will not (AE)lament for him:
‘(AF)Alas, my brother!’ or, ‘Alas, sister!’
They will not lament for him:
‘Alas for the master!’ or, ‘Alas for his splendor!’
19 He will be (AG)buried with a donkey’s burial,
Dragged off and thrown out beyond the gates of Jerusalem.
20 Go up to Lebanon and cry out,
And lift up your voice in Bashan;
Cry out also from (AH)Abarim,
For all your (AI)lovers have been broken.
21 I spoke to you in your prosperity,
But (AJ)you said, ‘I will not listen!’
(AK)This has been your way (AL)from your youth,
That you have not listened to My voice.
22 The wind will sweep away all your (AM)shepherds,
And your (AN)lovers will go into captivity;
Then you will surely be (AO)ashamed and feel dishonor
Because of all your evil.
23 You who inhabit Lebanon,
Nested in the cedars,
How you will groan when pangs come upon you,
(AP)Pain like a woman in childbirth!
24 “As I live,” declares Yahweh, “even though [f](AQ)Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were a (AR)signet ring on My right hand, yet I would pull [g]you [h]off; 25 and I will (AS)give you over into the hand of those who are seeking your life, indeed, into the hand of those whom you dread, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of the Chaldeans. 26 I will (AT)hurl you and your (AU)mother who bore you into another land—there you were not born, but there you will die. 27 But as for the land to which their soul desires to return, they will not return to it.
28 Is this man Coniah a despised, shattered jar?
Or is he an (AV)undesirable vessel?
Why have he and his seed been (AW)hurled out
And cast into a (AX)land that they had not known?
29 (AY)O land, land, land,
Hear the word of Yahweh!
30 Thus says Yahweh,
Jesus Feeds Four Thousand
8 In those days, when there was again a large crowd and they had nothing to eat, (A)Jesus called His disciples and *said to them, 2 “(B)I feel compassion for the crowd because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat. 3 And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way; and some of them have come from a great distance.” 4 And His disciples answered Him, “Where will anyone be able to find enough [a]bread here in this desolate place to satisfy these people?” 5 And He was asking them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven.” 6 And He *directed the crowd to [b]sit down on the ground; and taking the seven loaves, He gave thanks and broke them. And He kept giving them to His disciples to [c]serve to them, and they served them to the crowd. 7 And they also had a few small fish; and (C)after He blessed them, He ordered these to be [d]served as well. 8 And they ate and were satisfied; and they picked up seven large (D)baskets full of what was left over of the broken pieces. 9 Now about four thousand were there, and He sent them away. 10 And immediately He entered the boat with His disciples and came to the district of (E)Dalmanutha.
11 (F)And the Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, (G)seeking from Him [e]a sign from heaven, testing Him. 12 (H)And sighing deeply [f]in His spirit, He *said, “Why does this generation seek [g]a sign? Truly I say to you, [h](I)no [i]sign will be given to this generation.” 13 And leaving them, He again embarked and went away to the other side.
14 And they had forgotten to take bread, and did not have more than one loaf in the boat with them. 15 And He was giving orders to them, saying, “(J)Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of (K)Herod.” 16 And they began to discuss with one another the fact that they had no bread. 17 And Jesus, aware of this, *said to them, “Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? (L)Do you not yet perceive or understand? Do you have a hardened heart? 18 (M)Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember, 19 when I broke (N)the five loaves for the five thousand, how many (O)baskets full of broken pieces you picked up?” They *said to Him, “Twelve.” 20 “When I broke (P)the seven for the four thousand, how many large (Q)baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?” And they *said to Him, “Seven.” 21 And He was saying to them, “(R)Do you not yet understand?”
22 And they *came to (S)Bethsaida. And they *brought a blind man to Jesus and *pleaded with Him to (T)touch him. 23 And taking the blind man by the hand, He (U)brought him out of the village; and after (V)spitting on his eyes and (W)laying His hands on him, He was asking him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And he [j]looked up and was saying, “I see men, for [k]I see them like trees, walking around.” 25 Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly. 26 And He sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter (X)the village.”
Peter Confesses Jesus Is the Christ
27 (Y)And Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of (Z)Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He was asking His disciples, saying to them, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 (AA)And they told Him, saying, “John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; but others, one of the prophets.” 29 And He continued asking them, “But who do you say that I am?” (AB)Peter *answered and *said to Him, “You are the [l]Christ.” 30 And (AC)He [m]warned them to tell no one about Him.
31 (AD)And He began to teach them that (AE)the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And He was stating the matter (AF)openly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33 But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and *said, “Get behind Me, (AG)Satan! For you are not setting your mind on [n]God’s interests, but man’s.”
Take Up Your Cross
34 And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to [o]come after Me, he must deny himself, and (AH)take up his cross and follow Me. 35 For (AI)whoever wishes to save his [p]life will lose it, but whoever loses his [q]life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? 37 For what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For (AJ)whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, (AK)the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He (AL)comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
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