M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Rahab Shelters Spies
2 Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from (A)Shittim, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and came into the house of (B)a harlot whose name was Rahab, and [a]lodged there. 2 It was told the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.” 3 And the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land.” 4 But the (C)woman had taken the two men and hidden them, and she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5 It came about when it was time to shut the gate at dark, that the men went out; I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.” 6 But (D)she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them in the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof. 7 So the men pursued them on the road to the Jordan to the fords; and as soon as those who were pursuing them had gone out, they shut the gate.
8 Now before they lay down, [b]she came up to them on the roof, 9 and said to the men, “(E)I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the (F)terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have [c]melted away before you. 10 (G)For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the [d]Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and (H)what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you [e]utterly destroyed. 11 When we heard it, (I)our hearts melted and no [f]courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the (J)Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. 12 Now therefore, please swear to me by the Lord, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s household, and give me a (K)pledge of [g]truth, 13 and [h]spare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters, with all who belong to them, and deliver our [i]lives from death.” 14 So the men said to her, “Our [j]life [k]for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when the Lord gives us the land that we will (L)deal kindly and [l]faithfully with you.”
The Promise to Rahab
15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall, so that she was living on the wall. 16 She said to them, “(M)Go to the hill country, so that the pursuers will not happen upon you, and hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way.” 17 The men said to her, “(N)We shall be free from this oath [m]to you which you have made us swear, 18 [n]unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and (O)gather to yourself into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father’s household. 19 It shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be free; but anyone who is with you in the house, (P)his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him. 20 But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be free from the oath which you have made us swear.” 21 She said, “According to your words, so be it.” So she sent them away, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window.
22 They departed and came to the hill country, and remained there for three days until the pursuers returned. Now the pursuers had sought them [o]all along the road, but had not found them. 23 Then the two men returned and came down from the hill country and crossed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and they related to him all that had happened to them. 24 They said to Joshua, “Surely the Lord has given all the land into our hands; moreover, (Q)all the inhabitants of the land have [p]melted away before us.”
Prayer for the Lord’s Help.
A Song of Ascents.
123 To You I (A)lift up my eyes,
O You who (B)are enthroned in the heavens!
2 Behold, as the eyes of (C)servants look to the hand of their master,
As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
So our (D)eyes look to the Lord our God,
Until He is gracious to us.
3 (E)Be gracious to us, O Lord, be gracious to us,
For we are greatly filled (F)with contempt.
4 Our soul is greatly filled
With the (G)scoffing of (H)those who are at ease,
And with the (I)contempt of the proud.
Praise for Rescue from Enemies.
A Song of Ascents, of David.
124 “(J)Had it not been the Lord who was on our side,”
(K)Let Israel now say,
2 “Had it not been the Lord who was on our side
When men rose up against us,
3 Then they would have (L)swallowed us alive,
When their (M)anger was kindled against us;
4 Then the (N)waters would have engulfed us,
The stream would have [a]swept over our soul;
5 Then the (O)raging waters would have [b]swept over our soul.”
6 Blessed be the Lord,
Who has not given us [c]to be (P)torn by their teeth.
7 Our soul has (Q)escaped (R)as a bird out of the (S)snare of the trapper;
The snare is broken and we have escaped.
8 Our (T)help is in the name of the Lord,
Who (U)made heaven and earth.
The Lord Surrounds His People.
A Song of Ascents.
125 Those who trust in the Lord
Are as Mount Zion, which (V)cannot be moved but (W)abides forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
So (X)the Lord surrounds His people
(Y)From this time forth and forever.
3 For the (Z)scepter of wickedness shall not rest upon the [d]land of the righteous,
So that the righteous (AA)will not put forth their hands to do wrong.
Zion’s Glory and New Name
62 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not keep quiet,
Until her (A)righteousness goes forth like brightness,
And her (B)salvation like a torch that is burning.
2 The (C)nations will see your righteousness,
And all kings your glory;
And you will be called by a new (D)name
Which the mouth of the Lord will designate.
3 You will also be a (E)crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
And a royal [a]diadem in the hand of your God.
4 It will no longer be said to you, “[b](F)Forsaken,”
Nor to your land will it any longer be said, “[c]Desolate”;
But you will be called, “[d]My delight is in her,”
And your land, “[e](G)Married”;
For the (H)Lord delights in you,
And to Him your land will be married.
5 For as a young man marries a virgin,
So your sons will marry you;
And as the [f]bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
So your (I)God will rejoice over you.
6 On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed (J)watchmen;
All day and all night they will never keep silent.
You who (K)remind the Lord, take no rest for yourselves;
7 And (L)give Him no rest until He establishes
And makes (M)Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
8 (N)The Lord has sworn by His right hand and by His strong arm,
“I will (O)never again give your grain as food for your enemies;
Nor will [g]foreigners drink your new wine for which you have labored.”
9 But those who (P)garner it will eat it and praise the Lord;
And those who gather it will drink it in the courts of My sanctuary.
10 Go through, (Q)go through the gates,
Clear the way [h]for the people;
(R)Build up, build up the (S)highway,
Remove the stones, lift up a (T)standard over the peoples.
11 Behold, the Lord has proclaimed to the (U)end of the earth,
(V)Say to the daughter of Zion, “Lo, your (W)salvation comes;
(X)Behold His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.”
12 And they will call them, “(Y)The holy people,
The (Z)redeemed of the Lord”;
And you will be called, “Sought out, a city (AA)not forsaken.”
The Twelve Disciples; Instructions for Service
10 Jesus (A)summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to (B)heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.
2 (C)Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, (D)Simon, who is called Peter, and (E)Andrew his brother; and [a](F)James the son of Zebedee, and [b]John his brother; 3 (G)Philip and [c]Bartholomew; (H)Thomas and (I)Matthew the tax collector; [d](J)James the son of Alphaeus, and (K)Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the [e]Zealot, and (L)Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him.
5 (M)These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: “Do not [f]go [g]in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the (N)Samaritans; 6 but rather go to (O)the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as you go, [h]preach, saying, ‘(P)The kingdom of heaven [i]is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. 9 (Q)Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, 10 or a [j]bag for your journey, or even two [k]coats, or sandals, or a staff; for (R)the worker is worthy of his [l]support. 11 And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay [m]at his house until you leave that city. 12 As you enter the [n]house, (S)give it your [o]greeting. 13 If the house is worthy, [p]give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, [q]take back your blessing of peace. 14 Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, (T)shake the dust off your feet. 15 Truly I say to you, (U)it will be more tolerable for the land of (V)Sodom and Gomorrah in (W)the day of judgment than for that city.
A Hard Road before Them
16 “(X)Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so [r]be (Y)shrewd as serpents and (Z)innocent as doves. 17 But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the (AA)courts and scourge you (AB)in their synagogues; 18 and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 (AC)But when they hand you over, (AD)do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. 20 For (AE)it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
21 “(AF)Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and (AG)children will rise up against parents and [s]cause them to be put to death. 22 (AH)You will be hated by all because of My name, but (AI)it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.
23 “But whenever they (AJ)persecute you in [t]one city, flee to [u]the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel (AK)until the Son of Man comes.
The Meaning of Discipleship
24 “(AL)A [v]disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. (AM)If they have called the head of the house [w](AN)Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!
26 “Therefore do not (AO)fear them, (AP)for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 (AQ)What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim (AR)upon the housetops. 28 Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather (AS)fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in [x](AT)hell. 29 (AU)Are not two sparrows sold for a [y]cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But (AV)the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So do not fear; (AW)you are more valuable than many sparrows.
32 “Therefore (AX)everyone who [z]confesses Me before men, I will also confess [aa]him before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But (AY)whoever [ab]denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.
34 “(AZ)Do not think that I came to [ac]bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to (BA)set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and (BB)a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.
37 “(BC)He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And (BD)he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 (BE)He who has found his [ad]life will lose it, and he who has lost his [ae]life for My sake will find it.
The Reward of Service
40 “(BF)He who receives you receives Me, and (BG)he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 41 (BH)He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And (BI)whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these [af]little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.