M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Work of the Levites
23 When David was an old man, he made his son Solomon king of Israel. 2 He gathered together all the leaders of Israel, the religious leaders, and the Levites. 3 The Levites were numbered from thirty years old and older. Their number was 38,000. 4 Of these, 24,000 were to watch over the work of the Lord’s house. There were 6,000 who were leaders and men who were to judge. 5 There were 4,000 gate-keepers. And 4,000 were praising the Lord with the things for playing music that David had made. 6 David divided them into groups by the sons of Levi, Gershon and Kohath and Merari.
7 The sons of Gershon were Ladan and Shimei. 8 The sons of Ladan were Jehiel the first, then Zetham and Joel, three in all. 9 The three sons of Shimei were Shelemoth, Haziel and Haran. These were the heads of the fathers’ houses of Ladan. 10 And the sons of Shimei were Jahath, Zina, Jeush and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei. 11 Jahath was the first, and Zizah the second. But Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they were numbered together as one father’s house.
12 The four sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. 13 The sons of Amram were Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart for holy work, he and his sons forever. They were to burn special perfume before the Lord, and do His work. And they were to pray for good to come to the people in the Lord’s name forever. 14 But the names of the sons of Moses the man of God were among the family of Levi. 15 The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer. 16 The son of Gershom was Shebuel the leader. 17 The son of Eliezer was Rehabiah the leader. Eliezer had no other sons. But Rehabiah had many sons. 18 The son of Izhar was Shelomith the leader. 19 The sons of Hebron were Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jehaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth. 20 The sons of Uzziel were Micah the first, and Isshiah the second.
21 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli were Eleazar and Kish. 22 Eleazar died and had no sons, only daughters. Their brothers the sons of Kish married them. 23 The three sons of Mushi were Mahli and Eder and Jeremoth.
24 These were the sons of Levi by their fathers’ houses. They were the heads of the fathers’ houses of those whose names were numbered from twenty years old and older. They were to do the work of the Lord’s house. 25 For David said, “The Lord God of Israel has given peace to his people. And He lives in Jerusalem forever. 26 The Levites do not need to carry the meeting tent and all the parts for its work any longer.” 27 For by the last words of David the sons of Levi were numbered, from twenty years old and older. 28 He said, “Their duties are to help Aaron’s sons with the work of the Lord’s house, in the open spaces and in the rooms. They are to make clean all the holy things, and do any work needed to be done in the house of God. 29 They are to take care of the holy bread, the fine flour for a grain gift, and the bread without yeast. They are to take care of what is baked, and what is well mixed, of all the right amounts. 30 They are to stand every morning and evening to thank and praise the Lord. 31 And they are to give all the burnt gifts to the Lord on the Days of Rest, the new moons, and the special days. They are to do this before the Lord all the time, by the number set by the Law. 32 In this way they are to take care of the meeting tent, the holy place, and help their brothers the sons of Aaron, for the work of the Lord’s house.
Following Christ Will Mean Suffering
4 Since Christ has suffered in His body, we must be ready to suffer also. Suffering puts an end to sin. 2 You should no longer spend the rest of your life giving in to the sinful desires of the flesh. But do what God wants as long as you live in this world. 3 In the past you gave enough of your life over to living like the people who do not know God. You gave your life to sex sins and to sinful desires. You got drunk and went to wild parties and to drinking parties and you worshiped false gods. 4 Those who do not know God are surprised you do not join them in the sinful things they do. They laugh at you and say bad things against you. 5 Remember, they will give an answer to Him Who judges all who are living or dead. 6 For this reason, the Good News was preached to the dead. They stood in the flesh before the One Who judges so they might live in the Spirit as God wants.
Love Each Other
7 The end of the world is near. You must be the boss over your mind. Keep awake so you can pray. 8 Most of all, have a true love for each other. Love covers many sins. 9 Be happy to have people stay for the night and eat with you. 10 God has given each of you a gift. Use it to help each other. This will show God’s loving-favor. 11 If a man preaches, let him do it with God speaking through him. If a man helps others, let him do it with the strength God gives. So in all things God may be honored through Jesus Christ. Shining-greatness and power belong to Him forever. Let it be so.
Stay True During Suffering
12 Dear friends, your faith is going to be tested as if it were going through fire. Do not be surprised at this. 13 Be happy that you are able to share some of the suffering of Christ. When His shining-greatness is shown, you will be filled with much joy. 14 If men speak bad of you because you are a Christian, you will be happy because the Spirit of shining-greatness and of God is in you. 15 None of you should suffer as one who kills another person or as one who steals or as one who makes trouble or as one who tries to be the boss of other peoples’ lives. 16 But if a man suffers as a Christian, he should not be ashamed. He should thank God that he is a Christian. 17 The time has come for Christians to stand before God and He will judge. If this happens to us, what will happen to those who do not obey the Good News of God? 18 If it is hard for a man who is right with God to be saved, what will happen to the sinner? 19 So if God wants you to suffer, give yourself to Him. He will do what is right for you. He made you and He is faithful.
It Is Bad for Wrong-Doers
2 It is bad for those who make plans to do wrong, who lie on their beds thinking of something sinful to do! When morning comes, they do it, because it is in their power. 2 They want fields that belong to someone else, and take them. They want houses, and take them. They rob a man and his house, a man and what has been given to him. 3 So the Lord says, “I am planning trouble against this family, from which you cannot save yourselves. You will no longer walk in pride, for it will be a time of much trouble. 4 On that day they will make fun of you and sing a bitter song of sorrow, saying, ‘We are destroyed and everything is gone! My people’s land is divided. He takes it from me! He gives our fields to those who turned against us.’” 5 So you will have no one among the Lord’s people to divide the land in a right way for you.
Men Who Lie
6 “The people say to me, ‘Do not speak about these things, because we will not be put to shame.’ 7 Should it be said, O people of Jacob: “Is the Spirit of the Lord angry? Would He do such things? Do not My Words do good to the one whose way is right and good? 8 My people have begun to hate those who are at peace with them. You pull the coat off from a brother Israelite, from those who pass by in peace like men returning from war. 9 You drive the women of My people away from their beautiful houses. You take My greatness away from their children forever. 10 Get up and go away, for this is no place of rest, because it is made unclean. It is destroyed with much suffering. 11 If a man comes speaking lies and says, ‘I will speak to you about wine and strong drink,’ he would be the one for these people!
Israel Is Gathered Together
12 “I will gather all of you together, Jacob. I will gather all those left of Israel. I will put them together like sheep within a fence, like a flock in its field. The land will be filled with the noise of many people. 13 The One Who breaks open the way will go out before them. They will break through the gate and go out. Their king will pass through before them, and the Lord will lead them.”
Jesus Teaches His Followers to Pray
11 Jesus had been praying. One of His followers said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray as John the Baptist taught his followers.” 2 Jesus said to them, “When you pray, say, ‘Our Father in heaven, Your name is holy. May Your holy nation come. *What You want done, may it be done on earth as it is in heaven. 3 Give us the bread we need everyday. 4 Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Do not let us be tempted.’”
A Picture-Story about How to Ask
5 Jesus said to them, “If one of you has a friend and goes to him in the night and says, ‘Friend, give me three loaves of bread, 6 for a friend of mine is on a trip and has stopped at my house. I have no food to give him.’ 7 The man inside the house will say, ‘Do not trouble me. The door is shut. My children and I are in bed. I cannot get up and give you bread.’ 8 I say to you, he may not get up and give him bread because he is a friend. Yet, if he keeps on asking, he will get up and give him as much as he needs. 9 I say to you, ask, and what you ask for will be given to you. Look, and what you are looking for you will find. Knock, and the door you are knocking on will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, will receive what he asks for. Everyone who looks, will find what he is looking for. Everyone who knocks, will have the door opened to him.
11 “Would any of you fathers give your son a stone if he asked for bread? Or would you give a snake if he asked for a fish? 12 Or if he asked for an egg, would you give him a small animal with a sting of poison? 13 You are sinful and you know how to give good things to your children. How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”
A Nation That Cannot Stand (A)
14 Jesus was putting a demon out of a man who could not speak. When the demon was gone, the man could speak. All the people were surprised and wondered about it. 15 Some of them said, “He puts out demons through Satan, the king of demons.” 16 Others tried to trap Jesus. They asked for something special to see from heaven. 17 But He knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every nation divided into groups that fight each other will be destroyed. Every family divided into groups that fight each other will not stand. 18 If Satan is divided against himself, how will his nation stand? And yet you say I put out demons through Satan! 19 If I put out demons through Satan, by whose help do your sons put them out? Your own sons will say if you are guilty or not. 20 But if I put out demons by the power of God, then the holy nation of God has come to you.
21 “When a strong man watches his house and is ready to fight, his things are safe. 22 When a stronger man comes along, he wins the fight. He takes away all the things to fight with that the man of the house had put his trust in. Then the stronger man takes anything he wants from the house. 23 Whoever is not with Me is against Me. Whoever does not gather with Me is sending them everywhere.
A Person Filled with Bad or Good (B)
24 “When a demon is gone out of a man, it goes through dry places to find rest. If it finds none, it says, ‘I will go back to my house I came from.’ 25 When the demon comes back, it finds the house cleaned and looking good. 26 Then the demon goes out and comes back bringing seven demons worse than itself. They go in and live there. In the end that man is worse than at the first.” 27 As Jesus was talking, a woman of the group said with a loud voice, “The woman is happy who gave You birth and who fed You.” 28 But He said, “Yes, but those who hear the Word of God and obey it are happy.”
Jesus Tells about Jonah (C)
29 When the people were gathered near Jesus, He said, “The people of this day are sinful. They are looking for something special to see. They will get nothing special to see, except what Jonah the early preacher did. 30 As Jonah was something special to the people of the city of Nineveh, the Son of Man will be to the people of this day also. 31 The queen of the south will stand up on the day men stand before God. She will say the people of this day are guilty because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wise sayings of Solomon. And look, Someone greater than Solomon is here! 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up on the day men stand before God. They will say the people of this day are guilty because the men of Nineveh were sorry for their sins and turned from them when Jonah preached. And look, Someone greater than Jonah is here!
Jesus Teaches about Light
33 “No man lights a lamp and then hides it under a pail. He puts the light on a lamp-stand so those who come in can see it. 34 The eye is the light of the body. When your eye is good, your whole body is full of light. When your eye is sinful, your whole body is full of darkness. 35 Be careful that the light in you is not dark. 36 If your whole body is full of light, with no dark part, then it will shine. It will be as a lamp that gives light.”
Jesus Speaks Sharp Words to the Proud Religious Law-Keeper
37 As Jesus was talking, a proud religious law-keeper asked Him to eat with him. Jesus went to the man’s house and took His place at the table. 38 The proud religious law-keeper was surprised and wondered why Jesus had not washed before He ate. 39 But the Lord said to him, “You proud religious law-keepers make the outside of the cup and plate clean, but inside you are full of stealing and sinning. 40 You are foolish. Did not He that made the outside make the inside also? 41 Give yourself as a gift and then you will be clean.
42 “It is bad for you, proud religious law-keepers! You give one-tenth part of your spices. But you give no thought to what is right and to the love of God. You should do both of these.
43 “It is bad for you, proud religious law-keepers! For you like to have the important seats in the places of worship. You like to have people speak good-sounding words to you as you are in the center of town where people gather. 44 It is bad for you, teachers of the Law and proud religious law-keepers and you who pretend to be someone you are not! For you are like graves that are hidden. Men walk on graves without knowing they are there.”
Jesus Speaks Sharp Words to the Men Who Knew the Law
45 One of the men who knew the Law said to Jesus, “Teacher, You are making us look bad when You speak like this.” 46 Jesus said, “It is bad for you also, you men who know the Law! For you put heavy loads on the shoulders of men. But you will not even put your finger on one of these loads to help them. 47 It is bad for you! For you make beautiful buildings for the graves of the early preachers your fathers killed. 48 You are saying what your fathers did was good, because they killed the early preachers and you are making their graves.
49 “For this reason the wisdom of God has said, ‘I will send them early preachers and missionaries. Some they will kill and some they will make it very hard for.’ 50 The blood of all the early preachers from the beginning of the world is on the people of this day. 51 It will be from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zacharias, the one who died between the altar and the house of God. For sure, I tell you, the people of this day will be guilty for this.
52 “It is bad for you men who know the Law! For you have locked the door to the house of learning. You are not going in yourselves and you do not allow those to go in who are about to go in.”
53 As Jesus went away from there, the teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers were very angry and tried to make Him say many things. 54 They planned against Jesus and tried to trap Him with something He might say.
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