M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Gibeonites Act Craftily
9 Now it happened when (A)all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country and in the [a]Shephelah and on all the (B)coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, (C)the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, heard of it, 2 that they gathered themselves together with [b](D)one accord to fight with Joshua and with Israel.
3 Now the inhabitants of (E)Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai. 4 So they also acted craftily and went and traveled as envoys and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins worn-out and torn and [c]mended, 5 and worn-out and patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and was crumbled. 6 And they went to Joshua to the (F)camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country; so now, cut a covenant with us.” 7 Then the men of Israel said to the (G)Hivites, “Perhaps you are living [d]within our land; (H)how then shall we cut a covenant with you?” 8 But they said to Joshua, “(I)We are your servants.” Then Joshua said to them, “Who are you and where do you come from?” 9 They said to him, “Your servants have come from (J)a very far country because of the [e]fame of Yahweh your God; for (K)we have heard the report of Him and all that He did in Egypt, 10 and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan who was at Ashtaroth. 11 So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them and say to them, “(L)We are your servants; now then, cut a covenant with us.”’ 12 This bread of ours was warm when we took it for our provisions out of our houses on the day that we left to come to you; but now behold, it is dry and has become crumbled. 13 And these wineskins which we filled were new, and behold, they are torn; and these clothes of ours and our sandals are worn out because of the very long journey.” 14 So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, but (M)they did not ask for the [f]command of Yahweh. 15 (N)And Joshua made peace with them and cut a covenant with them, to let them live; and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.
16 Now it happened at the end of three days after they had cut a covenant with them, that they heard that they were near them and that they were living [g]nearly among them. 17 Then the sons of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were (O)Gibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim. 18 But the sons of Israel did not strike them down because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by Yahweh the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders. 19 Then all the leaders said to the whole congregation, “We have sworn to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel, so now we cannot touch them. 20 This we will do to them, even let them live, so that wrath will not be upon us for the oath which we swore to them.” 21 So the leaders said to them, “Let them live.” Thus they became (P)hewers of wood and drawers of water for the whole congregation, just as the leaders had spoken to them.
22 Then Joshua called for them and spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ (Q)when you are living nearly in the midst of us? 23 So now, you are (R)cursed, and [h]you shall never be cut loose from being slaves, both hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.” 24 So they answered Joshua and said, “(S)Because it was certainly told to your slaves that Yahweh your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you; therefore we feared greatly for our lives because of you and have done this thing. 25 So now, behold, (T)we are in your hands; do as it seems good and right in your sight to do to us.” 26 Thus he did to them and delivered them from the hands of the sons of Israel, and they did not kill them. 27 But Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of Yahweh, to this day, (U)in the place which He would choose.
Rescue Me, O Yahweh, from Evil Men
For the choir director. A Psalm of David.
140 (A)Rescue me, O Yahweh, from evil men;
Guard me from (B)violent men
2 Who (C)think up evil things in their hearts;
They (D)continually stir up wars.
3 They (E)sharpen their tongues as a serpent;
(F)Poison of an asp is under their lips. [a]Selah.
4 (G)Keep me, O Yahweh, from the hands of the wicked;
(H)Guard me from violent men
Who [b]give thought to [c](I)trip up my steps.
5 The proud have (J)hidden a trap for me, and cords;
They have spread a (K)net by the [d]wayside;
They have set (L)snares for me. Selah.
6 I (M)said to Yahweh, “You are my God;
(N)Give ear, O Yahweh, to the (O)voice of my supplications.
7 O Yahweh, O Lord, (P)the strength of my salvation,
You have (Q)covered my head in the day of [e]battle.
8 Do not grant, O Yahweh, the (R)desires of the wicked;
Do not promote (S)his evil [f]scheme, that they not be exalted. Selah.
9 “As for the head of those who surround me,
May the (T)trouble from their lips cover them.
10 May (U)burning coals be shaken out upon them;
May He (V)cause them to fall into the fire,
Into [g]bottomless pits from which they (W)can never rise.
11 May a [h]slanderer not be established in the earth;
(X)May evil hunt the violent man [i]speedily.”
12 I know that Yahweh will (Y)maintain the cause for the afflicted
And (Z)judgment for the needy.
13 Surely the (AA)righteous will give thanks to Your name;
The (AB)upright will abide in Your presence.
My Prayer as Incense Before You
A Psalm of David.
141 O Yahweh, I call upon You; (AC)hasten to me!
(AD)Give ear to my voice when I call to You!
2 May my prayer be established as (AE)incense before You;
The (AF)lifting up of my hands as the (AG)evening offering.
3 Set a (AH)guard, O Yahweh, [j]over my mouth;
Keep watch over the (AI)door of my lips.
4 (AJ)Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,
To practice deeds in wickedness
With men who are (AK)workers of iniquity;
And (AL)do not let me eat of their delicacies.
5 Let the (AM)righteous smite me in lovingkindness and reprove me;
It is (AN)oil upon the head;
Let not my head refuse it,
[k]For still my prayer (AO)is [l]against their evil deeds.
6 Their judges are (AP)thrown down by the sides of the cliff,
And they hear my words, for they are pleasant.
7 As when one (AQ)plows and splits open the earth,
Our (AR)bones have been scattered at the (AS)mouth of Sheol.
8 For my (AT)eyes are toward You, O Yahweh, O Lord;
In You I (AU)take refuge; (AV)do not pour out my soul to death.
9 Keep me from the [m](AW)jaws of the trap which they have set for me,
And from the (AX)snares of workers of iniquity.
10 Let the wicked (AY)fall into their own nets,
As for myself—meanwhile, (AZ)I am passing by.
The Polluted Land
3 God [a]says, “(A)If a husband divorces his wife
And she goes from him
And belongs to another man,
Will he still return to her?
Will not that land be completely [b]polluted?
But you (B)are a harlot with many [c]lovers;
Yet you (C)turn to Me,” declares Yahweh.
2 “Lift up your eyes to the (D)bare heights and see;
Where have you not been ravished?
By the roads you have (E)sat for them
Like [d]an Arab in the wilderness,
And you have (F)polluted a land
With your harlotry and with your evil.
3 Therefore the (G)showers have been withheld,
And the [e]late rain has not [f]come.
Yet you had a (H)harlot’s forehead;
You refused to feel dishonor.
4 Have you not just now called to Me,
‘(I)My Father, You are the [g](J)close companion of my (K)youth?
5 (L)Will He be angry forever?
Will He keep it to the end?’
Behold, you have spoken
And have done evil things,
And you have [h]had your way.”
Faithless Israel Called to Repentance
6 Then Yahweh said to me in the days of Josiah the king, “Have you seen what faithless Israel did? She (M)went up on every high hill and under every green tree, and she was a harlot there. 7 (N)I said, ‘After she has done all these things, she will return to Me’; but she did not return, and her (O)treacherous sister Judah saw it. 8 And I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her away and (P)given her a certificate of divorce, yet her (Q)treacherous sister Judah did not fear; but she went and was a harlot also. 9 So it was, because of the lightness of her harlotry, that she (R)polluted the land and committed adultery with (S)stones and trees. 10 Yet in spite of all this, her treacherous sister Judah did not return to Me with all her heart, but rather in (T)lying,” declares Yahweh.
11 And Yahweh said to me, “(U)Faithless Israel has proved herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. 12 Go and call out these words toward the north and say,
‘[i](V)Return, faithless Israel,’ declares Yahweh;
‘(W)I will not [j]look upon you in anger.
For I am (X)One of lovingkindness,’ declares Yahweh;
‘I will not be angry forever.
13 Only [k](Y)acknowledge your iniquity,
That you have transgressed against Yahweh your God
And have (Z)scattered your ways of harlotry to the strangers (AA)under every green tree,
And you have not listened to My voice,’ declares Yahweh.
14 ‘[l]Return, O faithless sons,’ declares Yahweh;
‘For I am a (AB)master to you,
And I will take you one from a city and two from a family,
And (AC)I will bring you to Zion.’
15 “Then I will give you (AD)shepherds after My own heart, who will [m](AE)shepherd you on knowledge and understanding. 16 It shall be in those days when you are multiplied and fruitful in the land,” declares Yahweh, “they will (AF)no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of Yahweh.’ And it will not come upon the heart, nor will they remember it, nor will they miss it, nor will it be made again. 17 At that time they will call Jerusalem ‘The (AG)Throne of Yahweh,’ and (AH)all the nations will be gathered to it, to Jerusalem, for the (AI)name of Yahweh; nor will they (AJ)walk anymore after the stubbornness of their evil heart. 18 (AK)In those days the house of Judah will walk with the house of Israel, and they will come together (AL)from the land of the north to the (AM)land that I gave your fathers as an inheritance.
19 “Then I said,
‘How I would set you among [n]My sons
And give you a pleasant land,
The most (AN)beautiful inheritance of the nations!’
And I said, ‘You shall call Me, (AO)“My Father,”
And not turn away from following Me.’
20 Surely, as a woman treacherously departs from her [o]lover,
So you have (AP)dealt treacherously with Me,
O house of Israel,” declares Yahweh.
21 A voice is heard on the (AQ)bare heights,
The weeping and the supplications of the sons of Israel;
Because they have perverted their way,
They have (AR)forgotten Yahweh their God.
22 [p]“Return, O faithless sons;
(AS)I will heal your faithlessness.”
“Behold, we come to You,
For You are Yahweh our God.
23 Surely, (AT)the hills are a lie,
A tumult on the mountains.
Surely in (AU)Yahweh our God
Is the salvation of Israel.
24 “But (AV)the shameful thing has devoured the labor of our fathers since our youth, their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters. 25 Let us lie down in our (AW)shame, and let our dishonor cover us; for we have sinned against Yahweh our God, we and our fathers, (AX)from our youth even to this day. And we have not listened to the voice of Yahweh our God.”
The Transfiguration
17 And (A)six days later Jesus *brought with Him (B)Peter and James and John his brother, and *led them up on a high mountain by themselves. 2 And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, (C)I will make three [a]booths here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, (D)a voice out of the cloud said, “(E)This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!” 6 And when the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. 7 And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, “Get up, and (F)do not be afraid.” 8 And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone.
9 (G)And as they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “(H)Tell the vision to no one until (I)the Son of Man has (J)risen from the dead.” 10 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that (K)Elijah must come first?” 11 And He answered and said, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things; 12 but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did [b]to him whatever they wished. So also (L)the Son of Man is going to suffer [c]at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist.
Jesus Casts Out a Demon
14 (M)And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus, falling on his knees before Him and saying, 15 “[d]Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has [e](N)seizures and suffers terribly; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16 And I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him.” 17 And Jesus answered and said, “O you unbelieving and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured [f]at once.
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 And He *said to them, “Because of your little faith; for truly I say to you, (O)if you have faith [g]the size of (P)a mustard seed, you will say to (Q)this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and (R)nothing will be impossible to you. 21 [h][(S)But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”]
22 (T)And while they were gathering together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be [i]delivered into the hands of men; 23 and (U)they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day.” And they were deeply grieved.
The Temple Tax
24 Now when they came to Capernaum, those who collected (V)the [j]two-drachma tax came to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay (W)the [k]two-drachma tax?” 25 He *said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect (X)tolls or (Y)taxes, from their sons or from strangers?” 26 And when Peter said, “From strangers,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are [l]exempt. 27 However, so that we do not [m](Z)offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a [n]stater. Take that and give it to them for Me and you.”
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