M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Gideon’s 300 Chosen Men
7 Then (A)Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him, rose early and camped beside [a]the spring of Harod; and the camp of Midian was on the north side of [b]them by the hill of (B)Moreh in the valley.
2 The Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, (C)for Israel [c]would become boastful, saying, ‘My own [d]power has delivered me.’ 3 Now therefore [e]come, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘(D)Whoever is afraid and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.’” So 22,000 people returned, but 10,000 remained.
4 (E)Then the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there. Therefore it shall be that he of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” 5 So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “You shall separate everyone who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps, as well as everyone who kneels to drink.” 6 Now the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men; but all the rest of the people kneeled to drink water. 7 The Lord said to Gideon, “I will deliver you (F)with the 300 men who lapped and will give the Midianites into your hands; so let all the other people go, each man to his [f]home.” 8 So [g]the 300 men took the people’s provisions and their trumpets into their hands. And [h]Gideon sent all the other men of Israel, each to his tent, but retained the 300 men; and the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.
9 Now the same night it came about that the Lord said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, (G)for I have given it into your hands. 10 But if you are afraid to go down, go with Purah your servant down to the camp, 11 and you will hear what they say; and (H)afterward your hands will be strengthened that you may go down against the camp.” So he went with Purah his servant down to the [i]outposts of the army that was in the camp. 12 Now the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the sons of the east were lying in the valley (I)as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, (J)as numerous as the sand on the seashore. 13 When Gideon came, behold, a man was relating a dream to his friend. And he said, “Behold, I [j]had a dream; [k]a loaf of barley bread was tumbling into the camp of Midian, and it came to the tent and struck it so that it fell, and turned it [l]upside down so that the tent lay flat.” 14 His friend replied, “This is nothing less than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given Midian and all the camp (K)into his hand.”
15 When Gideon heard the account of the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. He returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the Lord has given the camp of Midian into your hands.” 16 He divided the 300 men into three [m]companies, and he put trumpets and empty pitchers into the hands of all of them, with torches inside the pitchers. 17 He said to them, “Look at me and do likewise. And behold, when I come to the outskirts of the camp, [n]do as I do. 18 When I and all who are with me blow the trumpet, then you also blow the trumpets all around the camp and say, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’”
Confusion of the Enemy
19 So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just posted the watch; and they blew the trumpets and smashed the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 When the three [o]companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers, they held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing, and cried, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” 21 Each stood in his place around the camp; and (L)all the [p]army ran, crying out as they fled. 22 When they blew 300 trumpets, the (M)Lord set the sword of one against another even throughout the whole [q]army; and the [r]army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the edge of (N)Abel-meholah, by Tabbath. 23 The men of Israel were summoned from (O)Naphtali and Asher and all Manasseh, and they pursued Midian.
24 Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down [s]against Midian and (P)take the waters before them, as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan.” So all the men of Ephraim were summoned and they took the waters as far as Beth-barah and the Jordan. 25 They captured the two leaders of Midian, (Q)Oreb and Zeeb, and they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and they killed Zeeb at the wine press of Zeeb, while they pursued Midian; and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon (R)from across the Jordan.
Peter Reports at Jerusalem
11 Now the apostles and (A)the brethren who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, [a](B)those who were circumcised took issue with him, 3 saying, “(C)You [b]went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” 4 But Peter began speaking [c]and proceeded to explain to them (D)in orderly sequence, saying, 5 “(E)I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw (F)a vision, an [d]object coming down like a great sheet lowered by four corners from [e]the sky; and it came right down to me, 6 and when I had fixed my gaze on it and was observing it [f]I saw the four-footed animals of the earth and the wild beasts and the [g]crawling creatures and the birds of the [h]air. 7 I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; [i]kill and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘By no means, Lord, for nothing [j]unholy or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 But a voice from heaven answered a second time, ‘(G)What God has cleansed, no longer [k]consider unholy.’ 10 This happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into [l]the sky. 11 And behold, at that moment three men appeared at the house in which we were staying, having been sent to me from (H)Caesarea. 12 (I)The Spirit told me to go with them [m](J)without misgivings. (K)These six brethren also went with me and we entered the man’s house. 13 And he reported to us how he had seen the angel [n]standing in his house, and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here; 14 and he will speak (L)words to you by which you will be saved, you and (M)all your household.’ 15 And as I began to speak, (N)the Holy Spirit fell upon them just (O)as He did upon us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘(P)John baptized with water, but you will be baptized [o]with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 Therefore if (Q)God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, (R)who was I that I could [p]stand in God’s way?” 18 When they heard this, they [q]quieted down and (S)glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the (T)repentance that leads to life.”
The Church at Antioch
19 (U)So then those who were scattered because of the [r]persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way [s]to (V)Phoenicia and (W)Cyprus and (X)Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone. 20 But there were some of them, men of (Y)Cyprus and (Z)Cyrene, who came to (AA)Antioch and began speaking to the [t](AB)Greeks also, [u](AC)preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And (AD)the hand of the Lord was with them, and (AE)a large number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 The [v]news about them [w]reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent (AF)Barnabas off [x]to (AG)Antioch. 23 Then when he arrived and [y]witnessed (AH)the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with [z]resolute heart to remain true to the Lord; 24 for he was a good man, and (AI)full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And (AJ)considerable [aa]numbers were [ab]brought to the Lord. 25 And he left for (AK)Tarsus to look for Saul; 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to (AL)Antioch. And for an entire year they [ac]met with the church and taught considerable [ad]numbers; and (AM)the disciples were first called (AN)Christians in (AO)Antioch.
27 Now [ae]at this time (AP)some prophets came down from Jerusalem to (AQ)Antioch. 28 One of them named (AR)Agabus stood up and began to indicate [af]by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine (AS)all over the [ag]world. [ah]And this took place in the reign of (AT)Claudius. 29 And in the proportion that any of (AU)the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the [ai]relief of (AV)the brethren living in Judea. 30 (AW)And this they did, sending it [aj]in charge of (AX)Barnabas and Saul to the (AY)elders.
Pashhur Persecutes Jeremiah
20 When Pashhur the priest, the son of (A)Immer, who was (B)chief officer in the house of the Lord, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things, 2 Pashhur had Jeremiah the prophet (C)beaten and put him in the (D)stocks that were at the upper (E)Benjamin Gate, which was by the house of the Lord. 3 On the next day, when Pashhur released Jeremiah from the stocks, Jeremiah said to him, “Pashhur is not the name the Lord has (F)called you, but rather [a](G)Magor-missabib. 4 For thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I am going to make you a (H)terror to yourself and to all your friends; and while (I)your eyes look on, they will fall by the sword of their enemies. So I will (J)give over all Judah to the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will carry them away as (K)exiles to Babylon and will slay them with the sword. 5 I will also give over all the (L)wealth of this city, all its produce and all its costly things; even all the treasures of the kings of Judah I will give over to the (M)hand of their enemies, and they will plunder them, take them away and bring them to Babylon. 6 And you, (N)Pashhur, and all who live in your house will go into captivity; and you will enter Babylon, and there you will die and there you will be buried, you and all your (O)friends to whom you have (P)falsely prophesied.’”
Jeremiah’s Complaint
7 O Lord, You have deceived me and I was deceived;
You have (Q)overcome me and prevailed.
I have become a (R)laughingstock all day long;
Everyone (S)mocks me.
8 For each time I speak, I cry aloud;
I (T)proclaim violence and destruction,
Because for me the (U)word of the Lord has [b]resulted
In reproach and derision all day long.
9 But if I say, “I will not (V)remember Him
Or speak anymore in His name,”
Then in (W)my heart it becomes like a burning fire
Shut up in my bones;
And I am weary of holding it in,
And (X)I cannot endure it.
10 For (Y)I have heard the whispering of many,
“(Z)Terror on every side!
(AA)Denounce him; yes, let us denounce him!”
[c]All my (AB)trusted friends,
Watching for my fall, say:
“Perhaps he will be [d]deceived, so that we may (AC)prevail against him
And take our revenge on him.”
11 But the (AD)Lord is with me like a dread champion;
Therefore my (AE)persecutors will stumble and not prevail.
They will be utterly ashamed, because they have [e]failed,
With an (AF)everlasting disgrace that will not be forgotten.
12 Yet, O Lord of hosts, You who (AG)test the righteous,
Who see the [f]mind and the heart;
Let me (AH)see Your vengeance on them;
For (AI)to You I have set forth my cause.
13 (AJ)Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord!
For He has (AK)delivered the soul of the needy one
From the hand of evildoers.
14 Cursed be the (AL)day when I was born;
Let the day not be blessed when my mother bore me!
15 Cursed be the man who brought the news
To my father, saying,
“A [g](AM)baby boy has been born to you!”
And made him very happy.
16 But let that man be like the cities
Which the Lord (AN)overthrew without [h]relenting,
And let him hear an (AO)outcry in the morning
And a [i]shout of alarm at noon;
17 Because he did not (AP)kill me [j]before birth,
So that my mother would have been my grave,
And her womb ever pregnant.
18 Why did I ever come forth from the womb
To (AQ)look on trouble and sorrow,
So that my (AR)days have been spent in (AS)shame?
Teaching at Nazareth
6 (A)Jesus went out from there and *came into [a](B)His hometown; and His disciples *followed Him. 2 When the Sabbath came, He began (C)to teach in the synagogue; and the (D)many listeners were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things, and what is this wisdom given to Him, and such [b]miracles as these performed by His hands? 3 Is not this (E)the carpenter, (F)the son of Mary, and brother of [c]James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not (G)His sisters here with us?” And they took (H)offense at Him. 4 Jesus said to them, “(I)A prophet is not without honor except in [d](J)his hometown and among his own relatives and in his own household.” 5 And He could do no [e]miracle there except that He (K)laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And He wondered at their unbelief.
(L)And He was going around the villages teaching.
The Twelve Sent Out
7 (M)And (N)He *summoned the twelve and began to send them out (O)in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits; 8 (P)and He instructed them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a mere staff—no bread, no [f]bag, no money in their belt— 9 but [g]to wear sandals; and He added, “Do not put on two [h]tunics.” 10 And He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you [i]leave town. 11 Any place that does not receive you or listen to you, as you go out from there, (Q)shake the dust [j]off the soles of your feet for a testimony against them.” 12 (R)They went out and [k]preached that men should repent. 13 And they were casting out many demons and (S)were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them.
John’s Fate Recalled
14 (T)And King Herod heard of it, for His name had become well known; and people were saying, “(U)John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in Him.” 15 But others were saying, “He is (V)Elijah.” And others were saying, “He is (W)a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16 But when Herod heard of it, he kept saying, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen!”
17 For Herod himself had sent and had John arrested and bound in prison on account of (X)Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because he had married her. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “(Y)It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 (Z)Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death and could not do so; 20 for (AA)Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; [l]but he [m]used to enjoy listening to him. 21 A strategic day came when Herod on his birthday (AB)gave a banquet for his lords and [n]military commanders and the leading men (AC)of Galilee; 22 and when the daughter of (AD)Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and [o]his dinner guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you.” 23 And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you; up to (AE)half of my kingdom.” 24 And she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25 Immediately she came in a hurry to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 And although the king was very sorry, yet because of his oaths and because of [p]his dinner guests, he was unwilling to refuse her. 27 Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded him to bring back his head. And he went and had him beheaded in the prison, 28 and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard about this, they came and took away his body and laid it in a tomb.
30 (AF)The (AG)apostles *gathered together with Jesus; and they reported to Him all that they had done and taught. 31 And He *said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” (For there were many people coming and going, and (AH)they did not even have time to eat.) 32 (AI)They went away in (AJ)the boat to a secluded place by themselves.
Five Thousand Fed
33 The people saw them going, and many recognized them and ran there together on foot from all the cities, and got there ahead of them. 34 When Jesus went [q]ashore, He (AK)saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because (AL)they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things. 35 When it was already quite late, His disciples came to Him and said, “[r]This place is desolate and it is already quite late; 36 send them away so that they may go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves [s]something to eat.” 37 But He answered them, “You give them something to eat!” (AM)And they *said to Him, “Shall we go and spend two hundred [t](AN)denarii on bread and give them something to eat?” 38 And He *said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go look!” And when they found out, they *said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 And He commanded them all to [u]sit down by groups on the green grass. 40 They [v]sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties. 41 And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He (AO)blessed the food and broke the loaves and He kept giving them to the disciples to set before them; and He divided up the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were satisfied, 43 and they picked up twelve full (AP)baskets of the broken pieces, and also of the fish. 44 There were (AQ)five thousand men who ate the loaves.
Jesus Walks on the Water
45 (AR)Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into (AS)the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to (AT)Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the crowd away. 46 After (AU)bidding them farewell, He left (AV)for the mountain to pray.
47 When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land. 48 Seeing them [w]straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the [x](AW)fourth watch of the night He *came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them. 49 But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; 50 for they all saw Him and were [y]terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and *said to them, “(AX)Take courage; it is I, (AY)do not be afraid.” 51 Then He got into (AZ)the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished, 52 for (BA)they [z]had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but [aa]their heart (BB)was hardened.
Healing at Gennesaret
53 (BC)When they had crossed over they came to land at Gennesaret, and moored to the shore. 54 When they got out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, 55 and ran about that whole country and began to carry here and there on their pallets those who were sick, to [ab]the place they heard He was. 56 Wherever He entered villages, or cities, or countryside, they were laying the sick in the market places, and imploring Him that they might just (BD)touch (BE)the fringe of His cloak; and as many as touched it were being cured.
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