M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Samuel’s First Encounter with Yahweh
3 Now the boy Samuel was serving Yahweh in the presence[a] of Eli. The word of Yahweh was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. 2 And then[b] one day when Eli was lying in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow weak so that he was not able to see) 3 and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, Samuel was lying in the temple[c] of Yahweh where the ark of God was. 4 Then Yahweh called out to Samuel and he said, “Here I am!” 5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, because you called me.” But he said, “I did not call you. Go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. 6 And Yahweh called Samuel again, so Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, because you called me.” And he said, “I did not call you, my son. Go back and lie down.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know Yahweh, and the word of Yahweh had not yet been revealed to him. 8 Again Yahweh called Samuel a third time, so he got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, because you called me.” Then Eli realized that Yahweh was calling the boy. 9 So Eli said to Samuel “Go lie down. If he calls[d] to you, then you must say, ‘Speak Yahweh, because your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 Then Yahweh came and stood there and called out as before,[e] “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, because your servant is listening.” 11 So Yahweh said to Samuel, “Look, I am doing something in Israel which will cause[f] the two ears of everyone who hears it to tingle. 12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken against his household, from beginning to end.[g] 13 I will make him know that I am about to judge his household forever because of the iniquity that he knew, for his sons were bringing curses on themselves,[h] but he did not rebuke them. 14 Therefore I swore to the house of Eli that the iniquity of the house of Eli would not be atoned for[i] by sacrifice or by offering forever.”
15 So Samuel lay down until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of Yahweh, but Samuel was afraid of telling the vision to Eli. 16 Then Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son!” And he said, “Here I am.” 17 And he said, “What is the message[j] that he spoke to you? Please do not conceal it from me. May God punish you severely[k] if you conceal anything from me of all the words that he told you.” 18 So Samuel told him all the words and did not conceal anything from him. And he[l] said, “He is Yahweh, he will do what is[m] good in his sight.”[n]
19 And Samuel grew up, and Yahweh was with him. He did not allow any of his prophecies to go unfulfilled.[o] 20 All Israel from Dan to Beersheba realized that Samuel was faithful[p] as a prophet to Yahweh. 21 And Yahweh appeared again in Shiloh, for Yahweh revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh through the word of Yahweh.
Jews Still Have an Advantage
3 Therefore, what is the advantage of the Jew, or what is the use of circumcision? 2 Much in every way. For first, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3 What is the result[a] if some refused to believe? Their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? 4 May it never be! But let God be true but every human being a liar, just as it is written,
5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? God, who inflicts wrath, is not unjust, is he? (I am speaking according to a human perspective.) 6 May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world? 7 But if by my lying, the truth of God abounded to his glory, why am I also still condemned as a sinner? 8 And why not (as we are slandered, and as some affirm that we say), “Let us do evil, in order that good may come of it? Their[d] condemnation is just!
The Entire World Guilty of Sin
9 What then? Do we have an advantage? Not at all. For we have already charged both Jews and Greeks are all under sin, 10 just as it is written,
“There is no one righteous, not even one;
11 there is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned aside together; they have become worthless;
There is no one who practices kindness;
there is not even one.[e]
13 Their throat is an opened grave;
they deceive with their tongues;
the venom of asps is under their lips,[f]
14 whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.[g]
15 Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 destruction and distress are in their paths,
17 and they have not known the way of peace.[h]
18 The fear of God is not before their eyes.”[i]
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those under the law, in order that every mouth may be closed and the whole world may become accountable to God. 20 For by the works of the law no person will be declared righteous[j] before him, for through the law comes knowledge of sin.
Righteousness through Faith Revealed
21 But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified about by the law and the prophets— 22 that is, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ[k] to all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by his grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God made publicly available as the mercy seat[l] through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness, because of the passing over of previously committed sins, 26 in the forbearance of God, for the demonstration of his righteousness in the present time, so that he should be just and the one who justifies the person by faith[m] in Jesus.
27 Therefore, where is boasting? It has been excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law[n] of faith. 28 For we consider a person to be justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, also of the Gentiles, 30 since God is one, who will justify those who are circumcised[o] by faith and those who are uncircumcised[p] through faith. 31 Therefore, do we nullify the law through faith? May it never be! But we uphold the law.
41 And then[a] in the seventh month Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, from the offspring of the kingship, and one of the chief officers of the king, came to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam at Mizpah, along with[b] ten men. And they ate bread together there at Mizpah. 2 And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah got up, along with[c] the ten men who were with him, and they struck Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword and killed him whom the king of Babylon had appointed in an official position over the land. 3 Then Ishmael killed all the Judeans who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, along with[d] the Chaldeans who were found there, the soldiers.[e]
The Massacre of the Mourners
4 And then[f] on the second day of the killing of Gedaliah—and no one[g] knew— 5 then men came from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, eighty men with shaven beards[h] and torn garments, who had cut themselves with blades, having[i] grain offerings[j] and frankincense in their hands[k] to bring to the temple[l] of Yahweh. 6 And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah came out to meet them from Mizpah, weeping as he came.[m] And then[n] as he was meeting them, he said to them, “Come to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam.” 7 And then,[o] the moment of their coming to the middle of the city, then Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, along with[p] the men who were with him, slaughtered[q] them and threw them to the middle of the pit.[r] 8 But ten men were found among them, and they said to Ishmael, “You must not kill us, for we have[s] hidden treasures in the field, wheat, and barley, and oil, and honey. So he refrained and he did not kill them in the midst of their fellow countrymen. 9 Now the pit[t] into which Ishmael threw all the corpses of the men whom he had killed along with[u] Gedaliah was the same one that King Asa had made because of Baasha the king of Israel, who was against him. Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with the slain ones.
10 Then Ishmael took captive all the rest of the people who were in Mizpah, the daughters of the king and all the people who were left at Mizpah, over whom Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard,[v] had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam. And Ishmael took them captive and set out to cross over to the Ammonites.[w]
11 When Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies who were with him, heard[x] all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done, 12 then they took all the men and went to fight against Ishmael the son of Nethaniah. And they met him at the great pool that is in Gibeon. 13 And then,[y] the moment that all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies who were with him, they were glad. 14 So all the people whom Ishmael had taken captive from Mizpah turned around and returned and went to Johanan the son of Kareah. 15 But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped with eight men from[z] Johanan, and they went to the Ammonites.[aa]
16 Then Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies who were with him took from Mizpah all the rest of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, after he had killed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, strong men, soldiers,[ab] and women, and little children, and eunuchs whom he brought back from Gibeon. 17 And they set out and stayed at the lodging place of Chimham that is near Bethlehem, intending[ac] to go to Egypt 18 because of the Chaldeans. For they were afraid of them,[ad] because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had killed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed in an official position over the land.
Prayer for Vindication and Protection
A prayer of David.[a]
17 O Yahweh, hear a just cause.
Hear my cry; heed my prayer
I make without deceitful lips.
2 Let my vindication come forth from you;
let your eyes see fairness.
3 You have tried my heart;
you have examined me by night;
you have tested me; you found nothing.
I have decided that my mouth will not transgress.
4 As for the works of humankind,
by the word of your lips,
I have kept from the ways of the violent.
5 I have held my steps in your path
My feet will not slip.
6 As for me, I have called on you
because you will answer me, O God.
Incline your ear to me.
Hear my words.[b]
7 Show wondrously your acts of loyal love,
O Savior of those who take refuge
at your right hand[c]
from those who rise up against them.
8 Keep me as the apple of your eye.[d]
Hide me in the shadow of your wings
9 from the presence[e] of the wicked who destroy me,
those enemies against my life,
they that surround me.
10 They have shut off their calloused[f] heart;
with their mouth they speak arrogantly.
11 Now they surround us at our every step.
They intend[g]
to pin[h] me to the ground.
12 He is like[i] a lion; he longs to tear apart,
and like a strong lion crouching in hiding places.
13 Rise up, O Yahweh, confront him.[j]
Make him bow down.
Rescue with your sword my life from the wicked,
14 from men by your hand, O Yahweh, from men of this world.
Their share is in this life,[k] and you fill their stomach with your treasure.
They are satisfied with children.
They bequeath their excess to their children.
15 By contrast, I in righteousness shall see your face.
Upon awakening I will be satisfied seeing your form.
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