M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Philistines Oppress Again
13 Now the sons of Israel (A)again did evil in the sight of the Lord, so that the Lord gave them into the hands of the Philistines forty years.
2 There was a certain man of (B)Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had borne no children. 3 (C)Then the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Behold now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and give birth to a son. 4 Now therefore, be careful (D)not to drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing. 5 (E)For behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son, and no razor shall come upon his head, for the boy shall be a (F)Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines.” 6 Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, “(G)A man of God came to me and his appearance was like the appearance of the angel of God, very awesome. And I did not ask him where he came from, nor did he tell me his name. 7 But he said to me, ‘Behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son, and now you shall not drink wine or strong drink nor eat any unclean thing, for the boy shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’”
8 Then Manoah entreated the Lord and said, “O Lord, please let (H)the man of God whom You have sent come to us again that he may teach us what to do for the boy who is to be born.” 9 God listened to the voice of Manoah; and (I)the angel of God came again to the woman as she was sitting in the field, but Manoah her husband was not with her. 10 So the woman ran quickly and told her [a]husband, “Behold, (J)the man who [b]came the other day has appeared to me.” 11 Then Manoah arose and followed his wife, and when he came to the man he said to him, “Are you (K)the man who spoke to the woman?” And he said, “I am.” 12 Manoah said, “Now when your words come to pass, what shall be the boy’s mode of life and his vocation?” 13 So (L)the angel of the Lord said to Manoah, “(M)Let the woman pay attention [c]to all that I said. 14 She should not eat anything that comes from the (N)vine nor drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing; let her observe all that I commanded.”
15 Then Manoah said to (O)the angel of the Lord, “Please let us detain you so that we may prepare a young goat for you.” 16 The angel of the Lord said to Manoah, “Though you detain me, (P)I will not eat your [d]food, but if you prepare a burnt offering, then offer it to the Lord.” For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the Lord. 17 Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, “(Q)What is your name, so that when your words come to pass, we may honor you?” 18 But the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is [e](R)wonderful?” 19 So (S)Manoah took the young goat with the grain offering and offered it on the rock to the Lord, and He performed wonders while Manoah and his wife looked on. 20 For it came about when the flame went up from the altar toward heaven, that the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they (T)fell on their faces to the ground.
21 Now the angel of the Lord did not appear to Manoah or his wife again. (U)Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of the Lord. 22 So Manoah said to his wife, “(V)We will surely die, for we have seen God.” 23 But his wife said to him, “If the Lord had desired to kill us, He would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering from our hands, nor would He have (W)shown us all these things, nor would He have let us hear things like this at this time.”
24 Then the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson; and the (X)child grew up and the Lord blessed him. 25 And (Y)the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him in [f](Z)Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Paul at Thessalonica
17 Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to (A)Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And (B)according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three (C)Sabbaths reasoned with them from (D)the Scriptures, 3 [a]explaining and [b]giving evidence that the [c]Christ (E)had to suffer and (F)rise again from the dead, and saying, “(G)This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the [d]Christ.” 4 (H)And some of them were persuaded and joined (I)Paul and Silas, [e]along with a large number of the (J)God-fearing (K)Greeks and [f]a number of the (L)leading women. 5 But (M)the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of (N)Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people. 6 When they did not find them, they began (O)dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset [g](P)the world have come here also; 7 [h]and Jason (Q)has welcomed them, and they all act (R)contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 8 They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things. 9 And when they had received a [i]pledge from (S)Jason and the others, they released them.
Paul at Berea
10 (T)The brethren immediately sent (U)Paul and Silas away by night to (V)Berea, [j]and when they arrived, they went into (W)the synagogue of the Jews. 11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in (X)Thessalonica, [k]for they received the word with [l]great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. 12 Therefore (Y)many of them believed, [m]along with a number of (Z)prominent Greek (AA)women and men. 13 But when the Jews of (AB)Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in (AC)Berea also, they came there as well, agitating and stirring up the crowds. 14 Then immediately (AD)the brethren sent Paul out to go as far as the sea; and (AE)Silas and (AF)Timothy remained there. 15 Now (AG)those who escorted Paul brought him as far as (AH)Athens; and receiving a command for (AI)Silas and Timothy to (AJ)come to him as soon as possible, they left.
Paul at Athens
16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at (AK)Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols. 17 So he was reasoning (AL)in the synagogue with the Jews and (AM)the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present. 18 And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were [n]conversing with him. Some were saying, “What would (AN)this [o]idle babbler wish to say?” Others, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,”—because he was preaching (AO)Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they (AP)took him and brought him [p]to the [q](AQ)Areopagus, saying, “May we know what (AR)this new teaching is [r]which you are proclaiming? 20 For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean.” 21 (Now all the Athenians and the strangers (AS)visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)
Sermon on Mars Hill
22 So Paul stood in the midst of the [s]Areopagus and said, “Men of (AT)Athens, I observe that you are very (AU)religious in all respects. 23 For while I was passing through and examining the (AV)objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what (AW)you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. 24 (AX)The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is (AY)Lord of heaven and earth, does not (AZ)dwell in temples made with hands; 25 nor is He served by human hands, (BA)as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26 and (BB)He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having (BC)determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, (BD)though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for (BE)in Him we live and move and [t]exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ 29 Being then the children of God, we (BF)ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. 30 Therefore having (BG)overlooked (BH)the times of ignorance, God is (BI)now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, 31 because He has fixed (BJ)a day in which (BK)He will judge [u](BL)the world in righteousness [v]through a Man whom He has (BM)appointed, having furnished proof to all men [w]by (BN)raising Him from the dead.”
32 Now when they heard of (BO)the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, “We shall hear you [x]again concerning this.” 33 So Paul went out of their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the (BP)Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
Cities of Judah Warned
26 In the beginning of the reign of (A)Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the Lord, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord, ‘(B)Stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah who have (C)come to worship in the Lord’s house (D)all the words that I have commanded you to speak to them. (E)Do not omit a word! 3 (F)Perhaps they will listen and everyone will turn from his evil way, that (G)I may repent of the calamity which I am planning to do to them because of the evil of their deeds.’ 4 And you will say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord, “(H)If you will not listen to Me, to (I)walk in My law which I have set before you, 5 to listen to the words of (J)My servants the prophets, whom I have been sending to you [a]again and again, but you have not listened; 6 then I will make this house like (K)Shiloh, and this city I will make a (L)curse to all the nations of the earth.”’”
A Plot to Murder Jeremiah
7 The (M)priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. 8 When Jeremiah finished speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, “(N)You must die! 9 Why have you prophesied in the name of the Lord saying, ‘This house will be like Shiloh and this city will be (O)desolate, without inhabitant’?” And (P)all the people gathered about Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.
10 When the (Q)officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the house of the Lord and sat in the (R)entrance of the New Gate of the Lord’s house. 11 Then the priests and the prophets (S)spoke to the officials and to all the people, saying, “A (T)death sentence for this man! For he has prophesied (U)against this city as you have heard in your hearing.”
12 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and to all the people, saying, “(V)The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard. 13 Now therefore (W)amend your ways and your deeds and obey the voice of the Lord your God; and the Lord will [b]change His mind about the misfortune which He has pronounced against you. 14 But as for me, behold, (X)I am in your hands; do with me as is good and right in your sight. 15 Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring (Y)innocent blood on yourselves, and on this city and on its inhabitants; for truly the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”
Jeremiah Is Spared
16 Then the officials and all the people (Z)said to the priests and to the prophets, “No (AA)death sentence for this man! For he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.” 17 Then (AB)some of the elders of the land rose up and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying, 18 “[c](AC)Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, ‘Thus the Lord of hosts has said,
“(AD)Zion will be plowed as a field,
And Jerusalem will become ruins,
And the (AE)mountain of the house as the [d]high places of a forest.”’
19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Did he not (AF)fear the Lord and entreat the favor of the Lord, and (AG)the Lord [e]changed His mind about the misfortune which He had pronounced against them? But we are (AH)committing a great evil against ourselves.”
20 Indeed, there was also a man who prophesied in the name of the Lord, Uriah the son of Shemaiah from (AI)Kiriath-jearim; and he prophesied against this city and against this land words similar to all those of Jeremiah. 21 When King Jehoiakim and all his mighty men and all the officials heard his words, then the (AJ)king sought to put him to death; but Uriah heard it, and he was afraid and (AK)fled and went to Egypt. 22 Then King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt: (AL)Elnathan the son of Achbor and certain men with him went into Egypt. 23 And they brought Uriah from Egypt and led him to King Jehoiakim, who (AM)slew him with a sword and cast his dead body into the [f]burial place of the [g]common people.
24 But the hand of (AN)Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so that he was (AO)not given into the hands of the people to put him to death.
Parable of the Vine-growers
12 (A)And He began to speak to them in parables: “(B)A man (C)planted a vineyard and put a [a]wall around it, and dug a vat under the wine press and built a tower, and rented it out to [b]vine-growers and went on a journey. 2 At the harvest time he sent a slave to the vine-growers, in order to receive some of the produce of the vineyard from the vine-growers. 3 They took him, and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Again he sent them another slave, and they wounded him in the head, and treated him shamefully. 5 And he sent another, and that one they killed; and so with many others, beating some and killing others. 6 He had one more to send, a beloved son; he sent him last of all to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 But those vine-growers said to one another, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours!’ 8 They took him, and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 What will the [c]owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vine-growers, and will give the vineyard to others. 10 Have you not even read this Scripture:
‘(D)The stone which the builders rejected,
This became the chief corner stone;
11 (E)This came about from the Lord,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?”
12 (F)And they were seeking to seize Him, and yet they feared the [d]people, for they understood that He spoke the parable against them. And so (G)they left Him and went away.
Jesus Answers the Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes
13 (H)Then they *sent some of the Pharisees and (I)Herodians to Him in order to (J)trap Him in a statement. 14 They *came and *said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and [e]defer to no one; for You are not partial to any, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it [f]lawful to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not? 15 Shall we pay or shall we not pay?” But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a [g]denarius to look at.” 16 They brought one. And He *said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” And they said to Him, “Caesar’s.” 17 And Jesus said to them, “(K)Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they [h]were amazed at Him.
18 (L)Some Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection) *came to Jesus, and began questioning Him, saying, 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that (M)if a man’s brother dies and leaves behind a wife and leaves no child, his brother should [i]marry the wife and raise up children to his brother. 20 There were seven brothers; and the first took a wife, and died leaving no children. 21 The second one [j]married her, and died leaving behind no children; and the third likewise; 22 and so [k]all seven left no children. Last of all the woman died also. 23 In the resurrection, [l]when they rise again, which one’s wife will she be? For [m]all seven had married her.” 24 Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not [n]understand the Scriptures or the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 But [o]regarding the fact that the dead rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, (N)in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘(O)I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 (P)He is not the God [p]of the dead, but of the living; you are greatly mistaken.”
28 (Q)One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and (R)recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the [q]foremost of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘(S)Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; 30 (T)and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this, ‘(U)You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 The scribe said to Him, “Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that (V)He is One, and there is no one else besides Him; 33 (W)and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as himself, (X)is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” (Y)After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions.
35 (Z)And Jesus began to say, as He (AA)taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that [r]the Christ is the (AB)son of David? 36 David himself said [s]in the Holy Spirit,
‘(AC)The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Until I put Your enemies beneath Your feet.”’
37 David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; so in what sense is He his son?” And (AD)the large crowd [t]enjoyed listening to Him.
38 (AE)In His teaching He was saying: “Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like (AF)respectful greetings in the market places, 39 and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, 40 (AG)who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers; these will receive greater condemnation.”
The Widow’s Mite
41 (AH)And He sat down opposite (AI)the treasury, and began observing how the people were (AJ)putting [u]money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. 42 A poor widow came and put in two [v]small copper coins, which amount to a [w]cent. 43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all [x]the contributors to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their [y]surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, [z]all she had (AK)to live on.”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.