M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

King Manasseh of Judah

(2 Kings 21.1-9,17,18)

33 Manasseh was 12 years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled 55 years from Jerusalem. ^2 (A) Manasseh disobeyed the Lord by following the disgusting customs of the nations that the Lord had forced out of Israel. ³ He rebuilt the local shrines^[a] that his father Hezekiah had torn down. He built altars for the god Baal and set up sacred poles^[b] for worshiping the goddess Asherah. And he continued to worship the stars.

⁴ In the temple, where only the Lord was supposed to be worshiped, Manasseh built altars for the worship of pagan gods ⁵ and the stars. He placed these altars in both courtyards of the temple ^6-7 (B) and even set up a stone image of a foreign god. Manasseh practiced magic and witchcraft; he asked fortunetellers for advice and sacrificed his own sons in Hinnom Valley. He did many other sinful things and made the Lord very angry.

Years ago, God had told David and Solomon:

Jerusalem is the place I prefer above all others in Israel. It belongs to me, and there in the temple I will be worshiped forever. ⁸ If my people will faithfully obey all the laws and teaching I gave to my servant Moses, I will never again force them to leave the land I gave to their ancestors.

⁹ But the people of Judah and Jerusalem listened to Manasseh and did even more sinful things than the nations the Lord had wiped out.

¹⁰ The Lord tried to warn Manasseh and the people about their sins, but they ignored the warning. ¹¹ So he let Assyrian army commanders invade Judah and capture Manasseh. They put a hook in his nose and tied him up in chains, and they took him to Babylon. ¹² While Manasseh was held captive there, he asked the Lord God to forgive him and to help him. ¹³ The Lord listened to Manasseh's prayer and saw how sorry he was, and so he let him go back to Jerusalem and rule as king. Manasseh knew from then on that the Lord was God.

¹⁴ Later, Manasseh rebuilt the eastern section of Jerusalem's outer wall and made it taller. This section went from Gihon Valley north to Fish Gate and around the part of the city called Mount Ophel. He also assigned army officers to each of the fortified cities in Judah.^[c]

¹⁵ Manasseh also removed the idols and the stone image of the foreign god from the temple, and he gathered the altars he had built near the temple and in other parts of Jerusalem. He threw all these things outside the city. ¹⁶ Then he repaired the Lord's altar and offered sacrifices to thank him and sacrifices to ask his blessing.^[d] He gave orders that everyone in Judah must worship the Lord God of Israel. ¹⁷ The people obeyed Manasseh, but they worshiped the Lord at their own shrines.

¹⁸ Everything else Manasseh did while he was king, including his prayer to the Lord God and the warnings from his prophets, is written in The History of the Kings of Israel. ¹⁹ Hozai^[e] wrote a lot about Manasseh, including his prayer and God's answer. But Hozai also recorded the evil things Manasseh did before turning back to God, as well as a list of places where Manasseh set up idols, and where he built local shrines and places to worship Asherah. ²⁰ Manasseh died and was buried near the palace, and his son Amon became king.

King Amon of Judah

(2 Kings 21.19-26)

²¹ Amon was 22 years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled from Jerusalem for 2 years. ²² Amon disobeyed the Lord, just as his father Manasseh had done, and he worshiped and offered sacrifices to the idols his father had made. ²³ Manasseh had turned back to the Lord, but Amon refused to do that. Instead, he sinned even more than his father.

²⁴ Some of Amon's officials plotted against him and killed him in his palace. ²⁵ But the people of Judah killed the murderers of Amon and made his son Josiah king.

19 After this, I heard what sounded like a lot of voices in heaven, and they were shouting,

^3 (B) Then the crowd shouted,

⁴ After this, the 24 elders and the four living creatures all knelt before the throne of God and worshiped him. They said, “Amen! Praise the Lord!”

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb

^5 (C) From the throne a voice said,

^6 (D) Then I heard what seemed to be a large crowd that sounded like a roaring flood and loud thunder all mixed together. They were saying,

^9 (E) Then the angel told me, “Put this in writing. God will bless everyone who is invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” The angel also said, “These things God has said are true.”

¹⁰ I knelt at the feet of the angel and began to worship him. But the angel said, “Don't do that! I am a servant, just like you and everyone else who tells about Jesus. Don't worship anyone but God. Everyone who tells about Jesus does it by the power of the Spirit.”

The Rider on the White Horse

^11 (F) I looked and saw heaven was open, and a white horse was there. Its rider was called Faithful and True, and he is always fair when he judges or goes to war. ^12 (G) He had eyes like flames of fire, and he was wearing a lot of crowns. His name was written on him, but he was the only one who knew what the name meant.

^13 (H) The rider wore a robe that was covered with^[a] blood, and he was known as “The Word of God.” ¹⁴ He was followed by armies from heaven that rode on white horses and were dressed in pure white linen. ^15 (I) From his mouth a sharp sword went out to attack the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod and will show the fierce anger of God All-Powerful by trampling the grapes in the pit where wine is made. ¹⁶ On the part of the robe that covered his thigh was written, “KING OF KINGS AND Lord OF LordS.”

^17 (J) I then saw an angel standing on the sun, and he shouted to all the birds flying in the sky, “Come and join in God's great feast! ¹⁸ You can eat the flesh of kings, rulers, leaders, horses, riders, free people, slaves, important people, and everyone else.”

¹⁹ I also saw the beast and all kings of the earth come together. They fought against the rider on the white horse and against his army. ^20 (K) But the beast was captured and so was the false prophet. This is the same prophet who had worked miracles for the beast, so he could fool everyone who had the mark of the beast and worshiped the idol. The beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into a lake of burning sulfur. ²¹ But the rest of their army was killed by the sword that came from the mouth of the rider on the horse. Then birds stuffed themselves on the dead bodies.

1 I am Malachi. And this is the message that the Lord gave me for Israel.

The Lord's Love for Israel

^2 (A)(B) Israel, I, the Lord, have loved you. And yet you ask in what way have I loved you. Don't forget that Esau was the brother of your ancestor Jacob, but I chose Jacob ³ instead of Esau. And I turned Esau's hill country into a barren desert where jackals^[a] roam. ⁴ Esau's descendants may say, “Although our nation Edom is in ruins, we will rebuild it.”

But I, the Lord All-Powerful, promise to tear down whatever they build. Then everyone will know that I will never stop being angry with them as long as they are so sinful.

⁵ Israel, when you see this, you will shout, “The Lord's great reputation reaches beyond our borders.”

Judgment against Priests

⁶ I, the Lord All-Powerful, have something to say to you priests. Children respect their fathers, and servants respect their masters. I am your father and your master, so why don't you respect me? You priests have insulted me, and now you ask, “How did we insult you?”

⁷ You embarrass me by offering worthless food on my altar. Then you ask, “How have we embarrassed you?” You have done it by saying, “What's so great about the Lord's altar?”

^8 (C) But isn't it wrong to offer animals that are blind, lame, or sick? Just try giving those animals to your governor. That certainly wouldn't please him or make him want to help you. ⁹ I am the Lord God All-Powerful, and you had better try to please me. You have sinned. Now see if I will have mercy on any of you.

¹⁰ I wish someone would lock the doors of my temple, so you would stop wasting time building fires on my altar. I am not pleased with you priests, and I refuse to accept any more of your offerings. ¹¹ From dawn until dusk my name is praised by every nation on this earth, as they burn incense and offer the proper sacrifices to me. ¹² But even you priests insult me by saying, “There's nothing special about the Lord's altar, and these sacrifices are worthless.”

¹³ You get so disgusted that you even make vulgar signs at me.^[b] And for an offering, you bring stolen^[c] animals or those that are lame or sick. Should I accept these? ¹⁴ Instead of offering the acceptable animals you have promised, you bring me those that are unhealthy. I will punish you for this, because I am the great King, the Lord All-Powerful, and I am worshiped by nations everywhere.

Jesus Is Betrayed and Arrested

(Matthew 26.47-56; Mark 14.43-50; Luke 22.47-53)

18 When Jesus had finished praying, he and his disciples crossed the Kidron Valley and went into a garden.^{[a] 2} Jesus had often met there with his disciples, and Judas knew where the place was.

^3-5 Judas had promised to betray Jesus. So he went to the garden with some Roman soldiers and temple police, who had been sent by the chief priests and the Pharisees. They carried torches, lanterns, and weapons. Jesus already knew everything that was going to happen, but he asked, “Who are you looking for?”

They answered, “We are looking for Jesus from Nazareth!”

Jesus told them, “I am Jesus!”^{[b] 6} At once they all backed away and fell to the ground.

⁷ Jesus again asked, “Who are you looking for?”

“We are looking for Jesus from Nazareth,” they answered.

⁸ This time Jesus replied, “I have already told you that I am Jesus. If I am the one you are looking for, let these others go. ⁹ Then everything will happen, just as I said, ‘I did not lose anyone you gave me.’ ”

¹⁰ Simon Peter had brought along a sword. He pulled it out and struck at Malchus, the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. ^11 (A) Jesus told Peter, “Put your sword away. I must drink from the cup^[c] that the Father has given me.”

Jesus Is Brought to Annas

(Matthew 26.57,58; Mark 14.53,54; Luke 22.54)

¹² The Roman officer and his men, together with the temple police, arrested Jesus and tied him up. ¹³ They took him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. ^14 (B) This was the same Caiaphas who had told the Jewish leaders, “It is better if one person dies for the people.”

Peter Says He Doesn't Know Jesus

(Matthew 26.69,70; Mark 14.66-68; Luke 22.55-57)

¹⁵ Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. That disciple knew the high priest, and he followed Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest's house. ¹⁶ Peter stayed outside near the gate. But the other disciple came back out and spoke to the girl at the gate. She let Peter go in, ¹⁷ but asked him, “Aren't you one of that man's followers?”

“No, I am not!” Peter answered.

¹⁸ It was cold, and the servants and temple police had made a charcoal fire. They were warming themselves around it, when Peter went over and stood near the fire to warm himself.

Jesus Is Questioned by the High Priest

(Matthew 26.59-66; Mark 14.55-64; Luke 22.66-71)

¹⁹ The high priest questioned Jesus about his followers and his teaching. ²⁰ But Jesus told him, “I have spoken freely in front of everyone. And I have always taught in our synagogues and in the temple, where all of our people come together. I have not said anything in secret. ²¹ Why are you questioning me? Why don't you ask the people who heard me? They know what I have said.”

²² As soon as Jesus said this, one of the temple police hit him and said, “That's no way to talk to the high priest!”

²³ Jesus answered, “If I have done something wrong, say so. But if not, why did you hit me?” ²⁴ Jesus was still tied up, and Annas sent him to Caiaphas the high priest.

Peter Again Denies that He Knows Jesus

(Matthew 26.71-75; Mark 14.69-72; Luke 22.58-62)

²⁵ While Simon Peter was standing there warming himself, someone asked him, “Aren't you one of Jesus' followers?”

Again Peter denied it and said, “No, I am not!”

²⁶ One of the high priest's servants was there. He was a relative of the servant whose ear Peter had cut off, and he asked, “Didn't I see you in the garden with that man?”

²⁷ Once more Peter denied it, and right then a rooster crowed.

Jesus Is Tried by Pilate

(Matthew 27.1,2,11-14; Mark 15.1-5; Luke 23.1-5)

²⁸ It was early in the morning when Jesus was taken from Caiaphas to the building where the Roman governor stayed. But the crowd waited outside. Any of them who had gone inside would have become unclean and would not be allowed to eat the Passover meal.^[d]

²⁹ Pilate came out and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”

^30 (C) They answered, “He is a criminal! That's why we brought him to you.”

³¹ Pilate told them, “Take him and judge him by your own laws.”

The crowd replied, “We are not allowed to put anyone to death.” ^32 (D) And so what Jesus said about his death^[e] would soon come true.

³³ Pilate then went back inside. He called Jesus over and asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

³⁴ Jesus answered, “Are you asking this on your own or did someone tell you about me?”

³⁵ “You know I'm not a Jew!” Pilate said. “Your own people and the chief priests brought you to me. What have you done?”

³⁶ Jesus answered, “My kingdom doesn't belong to this world. If it did, my followers would have fought to keep me from being handed over to our leaders. No, my kingdom doesn't belong to this world.”

³⁷ “So you are a king,” Pilate replied.

“You are saying that I am a king,” Jesus told him. “I was born into this world to tell about the truth. And everyone who belongs to the truth knows my voice.”

³⁸ Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?”

Jesus Is Sentenced to Death

(Matthew 27.15-31; Mark 15.6-20; Luke 23.13-25)

Pilate went back out and said, “I don't find this man guilty of anything! ³⁹ And since I usually set a prisoner free for you at Passover, would you like for me to set free the king of the Jews?”

⁴⁰ They shouted, “No, not him! We want Barabbas.” Now Barabbas was a terrorist.^[f]