M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Samson Burns Philistine Crops
15 But after a while, in the time of wheat harvest, Samson visited his wife (A)with a young goat, and said, “I will go in to my wife in her room.” But her father did not let him enter. 2 Her father said, “I really thought that you hated her intensely; so I (B)gave her to your companion. Is not her younger sister [a]more beautiful than she? Please let her be yours [b]instead.” 3 Samson then said to them, “This time I shall be blameless in regard to the Philistines when I do them harm.” 4 Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took torches, and turned the foxes tail to tail and put one torch in the middle between two tails. 5 When he had set fire to the torches, he released [c]the foxes into the standing grain of the Philistines, thus burning up both the shocks and the standing grain, along with the vineyards and groves. 6 Then the Philistines said, “Who did this?” And they said, “Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because [d]he took his wife and gave her to his companion.” So the Philistines came up and (C)burned her and her father with fire. 7 Samson said to them, “Since you act like this, I will surely take revenge on you, but after that I will quit.” 8 He struck them [e]ruthlessly with a great slaughter; and he went down and lived in the cleft of the rock of Etam.
9 Then the Philistines went up and camped in Judah, and spread out in Lehi. 10 The men of Judah said, “Why have you come up against us?” And they said, “We have come up to bind Samson in order to do to him as he did to us.” 11 Then 3,000 men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam and said to Samson, “Do you not know (D)that the Philistines are rulers over us? What then is this that you have done to us?” And he said to them, “As they did to me, so I have done to them.” 12 They said to him, “We have come down to bind you so that we may give you into the hands of the Philistines.” And Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you will not [f]kill me.” 13 So they said to [g]him, “No, but we will bind you fast and give you into their hands; yet surely we will not kill you.” Then they bound him with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock.
14 When he came to Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they met him. And (E)the Spirit of the Lord [h]came upon him mightily so that the ropes that were on his arms were as flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds [i]dropped from his hands. 15 He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, so he [j]reached out and took it and [k]killed (F)a thousand men with it. 16 Then Samson said,
“With the jawbone of a donkey,
[l]Heaps upon heaps,
With the jawbone of a donkey
I have [m]killed a thousand men.”
17 When he had finished speaking, he threw the jawbone from his hand; and he named that place [n]Ramath-lehi. 18 Then he became very thirsty, and he (G)called to the Lord and said, “You have given this great deliverance by the hand of Your servant, and now [o]shall I die of thirst [p]and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?” 19 But God split the hollow place that is in Lehi so that water came out of it. When he drank, (H)his [q]strength returned and he revived. Therefore he named it [r]En-hakkore, which is in Lehi to this day. 20 So (I)he judged Israel twenty years in (J)the days of the Philistines.
Paul at Ephesus
19 It happened that while (A)Apollos was at (B)Corinth, Paul passed through the (C)upper country and came to (D)Ephesus, and found some disciples. 2 He said to them, “(E)Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, (F)we have not even heard whether [a]there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “(G)Into John’s baptism.” 4 Paul said, “(H)John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people (I)to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 When they heard this, they were (J)baptized [b]in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had (K)laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began (L)speaking with tongues and (M)prophesying. 7 There were in all about twelve men.
8 And he entered (N)the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them (O)about the kingdom of God. 9 But when (P)some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of (Q)the Way before the [c]people, he withdrew from them and took away (R)the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. 10 This took place for (S)two years, so that all who lived in [d](T)Asia heard (U)the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
Miracles at Ephesus
11 God was performing (V)extraordinary [e]miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 (W)so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and (X)the evil spirits went out. 13 But also some of the Jewish (Y)exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14 Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” 16 And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in (Z)Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified. 18 Many also of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices. 19 And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it [f]fifty thousand (AA)pieces of silver. 20 So [g](AB)the word of the Lord (AC)was growing mightily and prevailing.
21 Now after these things were finished, Paul purposed in the [h]Spirit to (AD)go to Jerusalem (AE)after he had passed through (AF)Macedonia and (AG)Achaia, saying, “After I have been there, (AH)I must also see Rome.” 22 And having sent into (AI)Macedonia two of (AJ)those who ministered to him, (AK)Timothy and (AL)Erastus, he himself stayed in [i](AM)Asia for a while.
23 About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning (AN)the Way. 24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of [j]Artemis, (AO)was bringing no little [k]business to the craftsmen; 25 these he gathered together with the workmen of similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity [l]depends upon this business. 26 You see and hear that not only in (AP)Ephesus, but in almost all of [m](AQ)Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that [n](AR)gods made with hands are no gods at all. 27 Not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess [o]Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of [p](AS)Asia and (AT)the [q]world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence.”
28 When they heard this and were filled with rage, they began crying out, saying, “Great is [r]Artemis of the (AU)Ephesians!” 29 The city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed [s]with one accord into the theater, dragging along (AV)Gaius and (AW)Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling (AX)companions from (AY)Macedonia. 30 And when Paul wanted to go into the [t]assembly, (AZ)the disciples would not let him. 31 Also some of the [u]Asiarchs who were friends of his sent to him and repeatedly urged him not to [v]venture into the theater. 32 (BA)So then, some were shouting one thing and some another, for the [w]assembly was in confusion and the majority did not know [x]for what reason they had come together. 33 Some of the crowd [y]concluded it was Alexander, since the Jews had put him forward; and having (BB)motioned with his hand, Alexander was intending to make a defense to the [z]assembly. 34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, a single outcry arose from them all as they shouted for about two hours, “Great is [aa]Artemis of the Ephesians!” 35 After quieting the crowd, the town clerk *said, “Men of (BC)Ephesus, what man is there after all who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is guardian of the temple of the great [ab]Artemis and of the image which fell down from [ac]heaven? 36 So, since these are undeniable facts, you ought to keep calm and to do nothing rash. 37 For you have brought these men here who are neither (BD)robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess. 38 So then, if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against any man, the courts are in session and [ad](BE)proconsuls are available; let them bring charges against one another. 39 But if you want anything beyond this, it shall be settled in the [ae]lawful [af]assembly. 40 For indeed we are in danger of being accused of a riot in connection with today’s events, since there is no real cause for it, and in this connection we will be unable to account for this disorderly gathering.” 41 After saying this he dismissed the [ag]assembly.
Hananiah’s False Prophecy
28 Now in the same year, (A)in the beginning of the reign of (B)Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, in the fifth month, (C)Hananiah the son of Azzur, the prophet, who was from (D)Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of the Lord in the presence of the priests and all the people, saying, 2 “(E)Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3 Within two years I am going to bring back to this place (F)all the vessels of the Lord’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon. 4 I am (G)also going to bring back to this place (H)Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the (I)exiles of Judah who went to Babylon,’ declares the Lord, ‘for I will break the (J)yoke of the king of Babylon.’”
5 Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and in the presence of all the people who were standing in the (K)house of the Lord, 6 and the prophet Jeremiah said, “(L)Amen! May the Lord do so; may the Lord [a]confirm your words which you have prophesied to bring back the vessels of the Lord’s house and all the exiles, from Babylon to this place. 7 Yet (M)hear now this word which I am about to speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people! 8 The prophets who were before me and before you from ancient times (N)prophesied against many lands and against great kingdoms, of war and of calamity and of pestilence. 9 The prophet who prophesies of peace, (O)when the word of the prophet comes to pass, then that prophet will be known as one whom the Lord has truly sent.”
10 Then Hananiah the prophet took the (P)yoke from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke it. 11 Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, “(Q)Thus says the Lord, ‘Even so will I break within two full years the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all the nations.’” Then the prophet Jeremiah went his way.
12 The (R)word of the Lord came to Jeremiah after Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying, 13 “Go and speak to Hananiah, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord, “You have broken the yokes of wood, but you have made instead of them (S)yokes of iron.” 14 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “I have put a (T)yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they will (U)serve him. And (V)I have also given him the beasts of the field.”’” 15 Then Jeremiah the prophet said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen now, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, and (W)you have made this people trust in a lie. 16 Therefore thus says the Lord, ‘(X)Behold, I am about to [b]remove you from the face of the earth. This year you are going to (Y)die, because you have [c](Z)counseled rebellion against the Lord.’”
17 So Hananiah the prophet died in the same year in the seventh month.
Death Plot and Anointing
14 (A)Now (B)the Passover and Unleavened Bread were two days away; and the chief priests and the scribes (C)were seeking how to seize Him by stealth and kill Him; 2 for they were saying, “Not during the festival, otherwise there might be a riot of the people.”
3 (D)While He was in (E)Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabaster vial of very (F)costly perfume of pure [a]nard; and she broke the vial and poured it over His head. 4 But some were indignantly remarking to one another, “Why has this perfume been wasted? 5 For this perfume might have been sold for over three hundred [b]denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they were scolding her. 6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you bother her? She has done a good deed to Me. 7 For you always have (G)the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me. 8 She has done what she could; (H)she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial. 9 Truly I say to you, (I)wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.”
10 (J)Then Judas Iscariot, (K)who was one of the twelve, went off to the chief priests in order to [c]betray Him to them. 11 They were glad when they heard this, and promised to give him money. And he began seeking how to betray Him at an opportune time.
The Last Passover
12 (L)On the first day of (M)Unleavened Bread, when [d]the Passover lamb was being (N)sacrificed, His disciples *said to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?” 13 And He *sent two of His disciples and *said to them, “Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him; 14 and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is My (O)guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ 15 And he himself will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; prepare for us there.” 16 The disciples went out and came to the city, and found it just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover.
17 (P)When it was evening He *came with the twelve. 18 As they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will [e]betray Me—[f]one who is eating with Me.” 19 They began to be grieved and to say to Him one by one, “Surely not I?” 20 And He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, [g]one who dips with Me in the bowl. 21 For the Son of Man is to go just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man [h]by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good [i]for that man if he had not been born.”
The Lord’s Supper
22 (Q)While they were eating, He took some bread, and [j]after a (R)blessing He broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is My body.” 23 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 And He said to them, “This is My (S)blood of the (T)covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Truly I say to you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
26 (U)After singing a hymn, they went out to (V)the Mount of Olives.
27 (W)And Jesus *said to them, “You will all [k]fall away, because it is written, ‘(X)I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.’ 28 But after I have been raised, (Y)I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” 29 But Peter said to Him, “Even though all may [l]fall away, yet I will not.” 30 And Jesus *said to him, “Truly I say to you, that [m](Z)this very night, before (AA)a rooster crows twice, you yourself will deny Me three times.” 31 But Peter kept saying insistently, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And they all were saying the same thing also.
Jesus in Gethsemane
32 (AB)They *came to a place named Gethsemane; and He *said to His disciples, “Sit here until I have prayed.” 33 And He *took with Him Peter and [n]James and John, and began to be very (AC)distressed and troubled. 34 And He *said to them, “(AD)My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death; remain here and keep watch.” 35 And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground and began to pray that if it were possible, (AE)the hour might [o]pass Him by. 36 And He was saying, “(AF)Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; (AG)yet not what I will, but what You will.” 37 And He *came and *found them sleeping, and *said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38 (AH)Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 Again He went away and prayed, saying the same [p]words. 40 And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him. 41 And He *came the third time, and *said to them, “[q]Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough; (AI)the hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being [r]betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!”
Betrayal and Arrest
43 (AJ)Immediately while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, *came up [s]accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs, who were from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44 Now he who was betraying Him had given them a signal, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him and lead Him away [t]under guard.” 45 After coming, Judas immediately went to Him, saying, “(AK)Rabbi!” and kissed Him. 46 They laid hands on Him and seized Him. 47 But one of those who stood by drew his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and [u]cut off his ear. 48 And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me, as you would against a robber? 49 Every day I was with you (AL)in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me; but this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures.” 50 And they all left Him and fled.
51 A young man was following Him, wearing nothing but a linen sheet over his naked body; and they *seized him. 52 But he [v]pulled free of the linen sheet and escaped naked.
Jesus before His Accusers
53 (AM)They led Jesus away to the high priest; and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes *gathered together. 54 Peter had followed Him at a distance, (AN)right into (AO)the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the [w]officers and (AP)warming himself at the [x]fire. 55 Now the chief priests and the whole [y](AQ)Council kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, and they were not finding any. 56 For many were giving false testimony against Him, but their testimony was not consistent. 57 Some stood up and began to give false testimony against Him, saying, 58 “We heard Him say, ‘(AR)I will destroy this [z]temple made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.’” 59 Not even in this respect was their testimony consistent. 60 The high priest stood up and came forward and questioned Jesus, saying, “Do You not answer? [aa]What is it that these men are testifying against You?” 61 (AS)But He kept silent and did not answer. (AT)Again the high priest was questioning Him, and [ab]saying to Him, “Are You [ac]the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” 62 And Jesus said, “I am; and you shall see (AU)the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and (AV)coming with the clouds of heaven.” 63 (AW)Tearing his clothes, the high priest *said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? 64 You have heard the (AX)blasphemy; how does it seem to you?” And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death. 65 Some began to (AY)spit at Him, and [ad](AZ)to blindfold Him, and to beat Him with their fists, and to say to Him, “(BA)Prophesy!” And the officers [ae]received Him with [af]slaps in the face.
Peter’s Denials
66 (BB)As Peter was below in (BC)the courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest *came, 67 and seeing Peter (BD)warming himself, she looked at him and *said, “You also were with Jesus the (BE)Nazarene.” 68 But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.” And he (BF)went out onto the [ag]porch.[ah] 69 The servant-girl saw him, and began once more to say to the bystanders, “This is one of them!” 70 But again (BG)he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders were again saying to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, (BH)for you are a Galilean too.” 71 But he began to [ai]curse and swear, “I do not know this man you are talking about!” 72 Immediately a rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had made the remark to him, “Before (BI)a rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” [aj]And he began to weep.
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