M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
12 Now Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the sons of Ammon, saying, “What is between you and me, that you have come to me to fight against my land?” 13 The king of the sons of Ammon said to the messengers of Jephthah, “Because Israel (A)took away my land when they came up from Egypt, from the Arnon as far as the (B)Jabbok and the Jordan; therefore, return them peaceably now.” 14 But Jephthah sent messengers again to the king of the sons of Ammon, 15 and they said to him, “Thus says Jephthah, ‘Israel did not take away the land of Moab nor the land of the sons of Ammon. 16 For when they came up from Egypt, and Israel (C)went through the wilderness to the [a]Red Sea and (D)came to Kadesh, 17 then Israel (E)sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, “Please let us pass through your land,” but the king of Edom would not listen. (F)And they also sent to the king of Moab, but he would not consent. So Israel remained at Kadesh. 18 Then they went through the wilderness and (G)around the land of Edom and the land of Moab, and came to the east side of the land of Moab, and they camped beyond the Arnon; but they (H)did not enter the territory of Moab, for the Arnon was the border of Moab. 19 And Israel sent (I)messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon, and Israel said to him, “Please let us pass through your land to our place.” 20 But Sihon did not trust Israel to pass through his territory; so Sihon gathered all his people and camped in Jahaz and fought with Israel. 21 The Lord, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they [b](J)defeated them; so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country. 22 (K)So they possessed all the territory of the Amorites, from the Arnon as far as the Jabbok, and from the wilderness as far as the Jordan. 23 Since now the Lord, the God of Israel, drove out the Amorites from before His people Israel, are you then to possess it? 24 Do you not possess what (L)Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whatever the Lord our God has driven out before us, we will possess it. 25 Now are you any better than (M)Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever strive with Israel, or did he ever fight against them? 26 (N)While Israel lived in Heshbon and its villages, and in Aroer and its villages, and in all the cities that are on the banks of the Arnon, three hundred years, why did you not recover them within that time? 27 I therefore have not sinned against you, but you are doing me wrong by making war against me; (O)may the Lord, the Judge, judge today between the sons of Israel and the sons of Ammon.’” 28 But the king of the sons of Ammon [c]disregarded the message which Jephthah sent him.
Jephthah’s Tragic Vow
29 Now (P)the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, so that he passed through Gilead and Manasseh; then he passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he went on to the sons of Ammon. 30 Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and said, “If You will indeed give the sons of Ammon into my hand, 31 then it shall be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, it shall be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.” 32 So Jephthah crossed over to the sons of Ammon to fight against them; and the Lord gave them into his hand. 33 He struck them with a very great slaughter from Aroer [d]to the entrance of (Q)Minnith, twenty cities, and as far as Abel-keramim. So the sons of Ammon were subdued before the sons of Israel.
34 When Jephthah came to his house at (R)Mizpah, behold, his daughter was coming out to meet him (S)with tambourines and with dancing. Now she was his one and only child; besides her he had no son or daughter. 35 When he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you are among those who trouble me; for I have [e]given my word to the Lord, and (T)I cannot take it back.” 36 So she said to him, “My father, you have [f]given your word to the Lord; (U)do to me [g]as you have said, since the Lord has avenged you of your enemies, the sons of Ammon.” 37 She said to her father, “Let this thing be done for me; let me alone two months, that I may [h]go to the mountains and weep because of (V)my virginity, I and my companions.” 38 Then he said, “Go.” So he sent her away for two months; and she left with her companions, and wept on the mountains because of her virginity. 39 At the end of two months she returned to her father, who did to her according to the vow which he had made; and she [i]had no relations with a man. Thus it became a custom in Israel, 40 that the daughters of Israel went yearly to [j]commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in the year.
The Council at Jerusalem
15 (A)Some men came down from Judea and began teaching (B)the brethren, “Unless you are (C)circumcised according to (D)the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 And when Paul and Barnabas had [a]great dissension and (E)debate with them, (F)the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the (G)apostles and elders concerning this issue. 3 Therefore, being (H)sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both (I)Phoenicia and Samaria, (J)describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all (K)the brethren. 4 When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church and (L)the apostles and the elders, and they (M)reported all that God had done with them. 5 But some of (N)the sect of the (O)Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to (P)circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.”
6 (Q)The apostles and the elders came together to [b]look into this [c]matter. 7 After there had been much (R)debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brethren, you know that [d]in the early days (S)God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of (T)the gospel and believe. 8 And God, (U)who knows the heart, testified to them (V)giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; 9 and (W)He made no distinction between us and them, (X)cleansing their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore why do you (Y)put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which (Z)neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we are saved through (AA)the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”
12 All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were (AB)relating what (AC)signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.
James’s Judgment
13 After they had stopped speaking, [e](AD)James answered, saying, “Brethren, listen to me. 14 (AE)Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name. 15 With this the words of (AF)the Prophets agree, just as it is written,
16 ‘(AG)After these things (AH)I will return,
And I will rebuild the [f]tabernacle of David which has fallen,
And I will rebuild its ruins,
And I will restore it,
17 (AI)So that the rest of [g]mankind may seek the Lord,
And all the Gentiles [h](AJ)who are called by My name,’
18 (AK)Says the Lord, who [i](AL)makes these things known from long ago.
19 Therefore it is (AM)my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, 20 but that we write to them that they abstain from [j](AN)things contaminated by idols and from (AO)fornication and from (AP)what is strangled and from blood. 21 For (AQ)Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since [k]he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
22 Then it seemed good to (AR)the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to (AS)Antioch with Paul and Barnabas—Judas called Barsabbas, and (AT)Silas, leading men among (AU)the brethren, 23 and they [l]sent this letter by them,
“(AV)The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to (AW)the brethren in (AX)Antioch and (AY)Syria and (AZ)Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, (BA)greetings.
24 “Since we have heard that (BB)some [m]of our number to whom we gave no instruction have (BC)disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls, 25 (BD)it seemed good to us, having [n]become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have [o](BE)risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 “Therefore we have sent (BF)Judas and (BG)Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth. 28 “For (BH)it seemed good to (BI)the Holy Spirit and to (BJ)us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: 29 that you abstain from (BK)things sacrificed to idols and from (BL)blood and from (BM)things strangled and from (BN)fornication; [p]if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.”
30 So when they were sent away, (BO)they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the [q]congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31 When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its [r]encouragement. 32 (BP)Judas and (BQ)Silas, also being (BR)prophets themselves, [s]encouraged and strengthened (BS)the brethren with a lengthy message. 33 After they had spent time there, they were sent away from the brethren (BT)in peace to those who had (BU)sent them out. 34 [[t]But it seemed good to Silas to remain there.] 35 But (BV)Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and (BW)preaching with many others also, (BX)the word of the Lord.
Second Missionary Journey
36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in (BY)every city in which we proclaimed (BZ)the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take (CA)John, called Mark, along with them also. 38 But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had (CB)deserted them [u]in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39 And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took (CC)Mark with him and sailed away to (CD)Cyprus. 40 But Paul chose (CE)Silas and left, being (CF)committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord. 41 And he was traveling through (CG)Syria and (CH)Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Baskets of Figs and the Returnees
24 After (A)Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and the officials of Judah with the craftsmen and smiths from Jerusalem and had brought them to Babylon, the Lord showed me: behold, two (B)baskets of figs set before the temple of the Lord! 2 One basket had very good figs, like (C)first-ripe figs, and the other basket had (D)very bad figs which could not be eaten due to rottenness. 3 Then the Lord said to me, “(E)What do you see, Jeremiah?” And I said, “Figs, the good figs, very good; and the bad figs, very bad, which cannot be eaten due to rottenness.”
4 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 5 “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Like these good figs, so I will regard (F)as good the captives of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans. 6 For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will (G)bring them again to this land; and I will (H)build them up and not overthrow them, and I will (I)plant them and not pluck them up. 7 I will give them a (J)heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they will be (K)My people, and I will be their God, for they will (L)return to Me with their whole heart.
8 ‘But like the (M)bad figs which cannot be eaten due to rottenness—indeed, thus says the Lord—so I will [a]abandon (N)Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials, and the (O)remnant of Jerusalem who remain in this land and the ones who dwell in the land of (P)Egypt. 9 I will (Q)make them a terror and an evil for all the kingdoms of the earth, as a (R)reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a (S)curse in all places where I will scatter them. 10 I will send the (T)sword, the famine and the pestilence upon them until they are destroyed from the land which I gave to them and their forefathers.’”
Jesus’ Teaching about Divorce
10 (A)Getting up, He *went from there to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan; crowds *gathered around Him again, and, (B)according to His custom, He once more began to teach them.
2 Some Pharisees came up to Jesus, testing Him, and began to question Him whether it was lawful for a man to [a]divorce a wife. 3 And He answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?” 4 They said, “(C)Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and [b]send her away.” 5 But Jesus said to them, “[c](D)Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. 6 But (E)from the beginning of creation, God (F)made them male and female. 7 (G)For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother[d], 8 (H)and the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”
10 In the house the disciples began questioning Him about this again. 11 And He *said to them, “(I)Whoever [e]divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her; 12 and (J)if she herself [f]divorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing adultery.”
Jesus Blesses Little Children
13 (K)And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; (L)for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I say to you, (M)whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” 16 And He (N)took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.
The Rich Young Ruler
17 (O)As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and (P)knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to (Q)inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments, ‘(R)Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept (S)all these things from my youth up.” 21 Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have (T)treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But at these words [g]he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.
23 And Jesus, looking around, *said to His disciples, “(U)How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples (V)were amazed at His words. But Jesus *answered again and *said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 (W)It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 They were even more astonished and said to Him, “[h]Then who can be saved?” 27 Looking at them, Jesus *said, “(X)With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”
28 (Y)Peter began to say to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, (Z)there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, 30 [i]but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in [j]the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in (AA)the age to come, eternal life. 31 But (AB)many who are first will be last, and the last, first.”
Jesus’ Sufferings Foretold
32 (AC)They were on the road going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking on ahead of them; and they (AD)were amazed, and those who followed were fearful. And again He took the twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him, 33 saying, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and (AE)the Son of Man will be [k]delivered to the chief priests and the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and will [l]hand Him over to the Gentiles. 34 They will mock Him and (AF)spit on Him, and scourge Him and kill Him, and three days later He will rise again.”
35 [m](AG)James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, *came up to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.” 36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 37 They said to Him, “[n]Grant that we (AH)may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.” 38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able (AI)to drink the cup that I drink, or (AJ)to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39 They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink (AK)you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. 40 But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mine to give; (AL)but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
41 (AM)Hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant with [o]James and John. 42 Calling them to Himself, Jesus *said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. 43 But it is not this way among you, (AN)but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man (AO)did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His [p]life a ransom for many.”
Bartimaeus Receives His Sight
46 (AP)Then they *came to Jericho. And (AQ)as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus the (AR)Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, (AS)Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “(AT)Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” So they *called the blind man, saying to him, “(AU)Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you.” 50 Throwing aside his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus. 51 And answering him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the blind man said to Him, “[q](AV)Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go; (AW)your faith has [r]made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.