M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

The Ark Brought from Kiriath-jearim

13 David consulted with the commanders of the thousands and of the hundreds, with every leader. ² David said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send abroad to our kindred who remain in all the land of Israel, including the priests and Levites in the cities that have pasturelands, that they may come together to us.^{(A) 3} Then let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul.”^{(B) 4} The whole assembly agreed to do so, for the thing pleased all the people.

⁵ So David assembled all Israel from the Shihor of Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.^{(C) 6} And David and all Israel went up to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim, which belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, the Lord, who is enthroned on the cherubim, which is called by his^[a] name.^{(D) 7} They carried the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab, and Uzzah and Ahio^[b] were driving the cart.^{(E) 8} David and all Israel were dancing before God with all their might, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and cymbals and trumpets.^(F)

⁹ When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah put out his hand to hold the ark, for the oxen lurched.^{(G) 10} The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; he struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark, and he died there before God.^{(H) 11} David was angry because the Lord had burst out against Uzzah, so that place is called Perez-uzzah^[c] to this day. ¹² David was afraid of God that day; he said, “How can I bring the ark of God into my care?” ¹³ So David did not take the ark into his care into the city of David; he took it instead to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. ¹⁴ The ark of God remained with the household of Obed-edom in his house three months, and the Lord blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that he had.^(I)

David Established at Jerusalem

14 King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs and masons and carpenters to build a house for him.^{(J) 2} David then perceived that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel.

³ David took more wives in Jerusalem, and David became the father of more sons and daughters. ⁴ These are the names of the children whom he had in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, and Nathan; Solomon,^{(K) 5} Ibhar, Elishua, and Elpelet; ⁶ Nogah, Nepheg, and Japhia; ⁷ Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet.

Defeat of the Philistines

⁸ When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up in search of David, but David heard about it and went out against them.^{(L) 9} Now the Philistines had come and made a raid in the valley of Rephaim.^{(M) 10} David inquired of God, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” The Lord said to him, “Go up, and I will give them into your hand.” ¹¹ So they went up to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. David said, “God has burst forth against my enemies by my hand, like a bursting flood.” Therefore that place is called Baal-perazim.^{[d] 12} They abandoned their gods there, and at David’s command they were burned.

¹³ Once again the Philistines made a raid in the valley.^{(N) 14} When David again inquired of God, God said to him, “You shall not go up after them; go around and come upon them opposite the balsam trees.^{(O) 15} When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.” ¹⁶ David did as God had commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army from Gibeon to Gezer.^{(P) 17} The fame of David went out into all lands, and the Lord brought the fear of him on all nations.^(Q)

Salutation

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To the twelve tribes in the dispersion:

Greetings.

Faith and Wisdom

² My brothers and sisters, whenever you face various trials, consider it all joy,^{(A) 3} because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. ⁴ And let endurance complete its work, so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing.

⁵ If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you.^{(B) 6} But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.^{(C) 7,8} For the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

Poverty and Riches

⁹ Let the brother or sister of humble means boast in having a high position ¹⁰ and the rich in having been humbled, because the rich will disappear like a flower in the field.^{(D) 11} For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the field; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. It is the same way with the rich; in the midst of a busy life, they will wither away.

Trial and Temptation

¹² Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord^[a] has promised to those who love him.^{(E) 13} No one, when tempted, should say, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. ¹⁴ But one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it; ¹⁵ then, when desire has conceived, it engenders sin, and sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death.^(F)

¹⁶ Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers and sisters. ¹⁷ Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.^{[b](G) 18} In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave birth to us by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.^(H)

Hearing and Doing the Word

¹⁹ You must understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger,^{(I) 20} for human anger does not produce God’s righteousness.^{[c] 21} Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.^(J)

²² But be doers of the word and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.^{(K) 23} For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves^[d] in a mirror;^{(L) 24} for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. ²⁵ But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing.^(M)

²⁶ If any think they are religious and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless.^{(N) 27} Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.^(O)

The Basket of Fruit

8 This is what the Lord God showed me: a basket of summer fruit. ² He said, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A basket of summer fruit.” Then the Lord said to me,

The Proclamation of John the Baptist

3 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene,^{(A) 2} during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.^{(B) 3} He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, ⁴ as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,

⁷ John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?^{(E) 8} Therefore, bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.^{(F) 9} Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”^(G)

¹⁰ And the crowds asked him, “What, then, should we do?”^{(H) 11} In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none, and whoever has food must do likewise.”^{(I) 12} Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?”^{(J) 13} He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.”^{(K) 14} Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”^(L)

¹⁵ As the people were filled with expectation and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah,^{[a](M) 16} John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water, but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with^[b] the Holy Spirit and fire.^{(N) 17} His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”^(O)

¹⁸ So with many other exhortations he proclaimed the good news to the people. ¹⁹ But Herod the ruler, who had been rebuked by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the evil things that Herod had done,^{(P) 20} added to them all by shutting up John in prison.

The Baptism of Jesus

²¹ Now when all the people were baptized and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened,^{(Q) 22} and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved;^[c] with you I am well pleased.”^[d](R)

The Ancestors of Jesus

²³ Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his work. He was the son (as was thought) of Joseph son of Heli,^{(S) 24} son of Matthat, son of Levi, son of Melchi, son of Jannai, son of Joseph, ²⁵ son of Mattathias, son of Amos, son of Nahum, son of Esli, son of Naggai, ²⁶ son of Maath, son of Mattathias, son of Semein, son of Josech, son of Joda, ²⁷ son of Joanan, son of Rhesa, son of Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, son of Neri,^{(T) 28} son of Melchi, son of Addi, son of Cosam, son of Elmadam, son of Er, ²⁹ son of Joshua, son of Eliezer, son of Jorim, son of Matthat, son of Levi, ³⁰ son of Simeon, son of Judah, son of Joseph, son of Jonam, son of Eliakim, ³¹ son of Melea, son of Menna, son of Mattatha, son of Nathan, son of David,^{(U) 32} son of Jesse, son of Obed, son of Boaz, son of Sala,^[e] son of Nahshon,^{(V) 33} son of Amminadab, son of Admin, son of Arni,^[f] son of Hezron, son of Perez, son of Judah, ³⁴ son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham, son of Terah, son of Nahor,^{(W) 35} son of Serug, son of Reu, son of Peleg, son of Eber, son of Shelah, ³⁶ son of Cainan, son of Arphaxad, son of Shem, son of Noah, son of Lamech,^{(X) 37} son of Methuselah, son of Enoch, son of Jared, son of Mahalaleel, son of Cainan, ³⁸ son of Enos, son of Seth, son of Adam, son of God.^(Y)