M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Visit of the Queen of Sheba
9 When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test him with riddles, having a very great retinue and camels bearing spices and very much gold and precious stones. When she came to Solomon, she discussed with him all that was on her mind.(A) 2 Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from Solomon that he could not explain to her. 3 When the queen of Sheba had observed the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built,(B) 4 the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, and their clothing, his valets, and their clothing, and his burnt offerings[a] that he offered at the house of the Lord, it took her breath away.
5 So she said to the king, “The report was true that I heard in my own land of your accomplishments and of your wisdom,(C) 6 but I did not believe the[b] reports until I came and my own eyes saw it. Not even half of the greatness of your wisdom had been told to me; you far surpass the report that I had heard. 7 Happy are your people! Happy are these your servants who continually attend you and hear your wisdom! 8 Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on his throne as king for the Lord your God. Because your God loved Israel and would establish them forever, he has made you king over them, that you may execute justice and righteousness.”(D) 9 Then she gave the king one hundred twenty talents of gold, a very great quantity of spices, and precious stones; there were no spices such as those that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.(E)
10 Moreover, the servants of Huram and the servants of Solomon who brought gold from Ophir brought algum wood and precious stones.(F) 11 From the algum wood, the king made steps[c] for the house of the Lord and for the king’s house, lyres also and harps for the singers; there never was seen the like of them before in the land of Judah.
12 Meanwhile, King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba every desire that she expressed, well beyond what she had brought to the king. Then she returned to her own land with her servants.
Solomon’s Great Wealth
13 The weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents of gold,(G) 14 besides that which the traders and merchants brought, and all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold; six hundred shekels[d] of beaten gold went into each large shield. 16 He made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three hundred shekels[e] of gold went into each shield, and the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. 17 The king also made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with pure gold. 18 The throne had six steps and a footstool of gold, which were attached to the throne, and on each side of the seat were arm rests and two lions standing beside the arm rests,(H) 19 while twelve lions were standing, one on each end of a step on the six steps. The like of it was never made in any kingdom.(I) 20 All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; silver was not considered as anything in the days of Solomon. 21 For the king’s ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram; once every three years the ships of Tarshish used to come bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.[f](J)
22 Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.(K) 23 All the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind. 24 Every one of them brought a present, objects of silver and gold, garments, weaponry, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year. 25 Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.(L) 26 He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines and to the territory of Egypt.(M) 27 The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stone and cedar as plentiful as the sycamore of the Shephelah.(N) 28 Horses were imported for Solomon from Egypt and from all lands.(O)
Death of Solomon
29 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, from first to last, are they not written in the history of the prophet Nathan and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite and in the visions of the seer Iddo concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat?(P) 30 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.(Q) 31 Solomon slept with his ancestors and was buried in the city of his father David, and his son Rehoboam succeeded him.(R)
Salutation
1 Jude,[a] a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James,
To those who are called, who are beloved[b] in[c] God the Father and kept safe for[d] Jesus Christ:(A)
2 May mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance.
Occasion of the Letter
3 Beloved, while eagerly preparing to write to you about the salvation we share, I find it necessary to write and appeal to you to contend for the faith that was once and for all handed on to the saints.(B) 4 For certain intruders have stolen in among you, people who long ago were designated for this condemnation as ungodly, who pervert the grace of our God into debauchery and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.[e](C)
Judgment on False Teachers
5 Now I desire to remind you, though you are fully informed, once and for all, that Jesus, who saved[f] a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.(D) 6 And the angels who did not keep their own position but deserted their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains in deepest darkness for the judgment of the great day.(E) 7 Likewise, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which, in the same manner as they, indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural lust,[g] serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.(F)
8 Yet in the same way these dreamers also defile the flesh, reject authority, and slander the glorious ones.[h](G) 9 But when the archangel Michael disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, he did not dare to bring a condemnation of slander[i] against him but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”(H) 10 But these people slander whatever they do not understand, and they are destroyed by those things that, like irrational animals, they know by instinct. 11 Woe to them! For they go the way of Cain and abandon themselves to Balaam’s error for the sake of gain and perish in Korah’s rebellion.(I) 12 These are blots[j] on your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, feeding themselves.[k] They are waterless clouds carried along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, uprooted;(J) 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the deepest darkness has been reserved forever.(K)
14 It was also about these that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “See, the Lord is coming[l] with ten thousands of his holy ones,(L) 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly[m] of all the deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16 These are grumblers and malcontents; they indulge their lusts;[n] their mouths utter bombastic nonsense, flattering people to their own advantage.(M)
Warnings and Exhortations
17 But you, beloved, must remember the words previously spoken by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, 18 for they said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, indulging their own ungodly lusts.”(N) 19 It is these worldly people, devoid of the Spirit, who are causing divisions. 20 But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit;(O) 21 keep yourselves in the love of God; look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to[o] eternal life.(P) 22 And have mercy on some who are wavering; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; and have mercy on still others with fear, hating even the tunic defiled by their bodies.[p](Q)
Benediction
24 Now to him who is able to keep you from falling and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing,(R) 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.(S)
1 The word of the Lord that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi son of Gedaliah son of Amariah son of Hezekiah, in the days of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah.(A)
The Coming Judgment on Judah
2 I will utterly sweep away everything
from the face of the earth, says the Lord.(B)
3 I will sweep away humans and animals;
I will sweep away the birds of the air
and the fish of the sea.
I will make the wicked stumble.[a]
I will cut off humanity
from the face of the earth, says the Lord.(C)
4 I will stretch out my hand against Judah
and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
and I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal
and the name of the idolatrous priests,[b](D)
5 those who bow down on the roofs
to the host of the heavens,
those who bow down and swear to the Lord
but also swear by Milcom,[c](E)
6 those who have turned back from following the Lord,
who have not sought the Lord or inquired of him.(F)
7 Be silent before the Lord God,
for the day of the Lord is at hand!
The Lord has prepared a sacrifice;
he has consecrated his guests.(G)
8 And on the day of the Lord’s sacrifice
I will punish the officials and the king’s sons
and all who dress themselves in foreign attire.(H)
9 On that day I will punish
all who leap over the threshold,
who fill their master’s house
with violence and fraud.(I)
10 On that day, says the Lord,
a cry will be heard from the Fish Gate,
a wail from the Second Quarter,
a loud crash from the hills.(J)
11 The inhabitants of the Mortar wail,
for all the traders have perished;
all who weigh out silver are cut off.
12 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps,
and I will punish the people
who settle like dregs in wine,
those who say in their hearts,
“The Lord will not do good,
nor will he do harm.”(K)
13 Their wealth shall be plundered
and their houses laid waste.
Though they build houses,
they shall not inhabit them;
though they plant vineyards,
they shall not drink wine from them.(L)
The Great Day of the Lord
14 The great day of the Lord is near,
near and hastening fast;
the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter;
the warrior cries aloud there.(M)
15 That day will be a day of wrath,
a day of distress and anguish,
a day of ruin and devastation,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness,(N)
16 a day of trumpet blast and battle cry
against the fortified cities
and against the lofty battlements.
17 I will bring such distress upon people
that they shall walk like the blind;
because they have sinned against the Lord,
their blood shall be poured out like dust
and their flesh like dung.(O)
18 Neither their silver nor their gold
will be able to save them
on the day of the Lord’s wrath;
in the fire of his passion
the whole earth shall be consumed,
for a full, a terrible end
he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth.(P)
Jesus before Pilate
23 Then the assembly rose as a body and brought Jesus[a] before Pilate.(A) 2 They began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man inciting our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes to Caesar and saying that he himself is the Messiah, a king.”[b](B) 3 Then Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He answered, “You say so.”(C) 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for an accusation against this man.”(D) 5 But they were insistent and said, “He stirs up the people by teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where he began even to this place.”
Jesus before Herod
6 When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 And when he learned that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him off to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time.(E) 8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had been wanting to see him for a long time because he had heard about him and was hoping to see him perform some sign.(F) 9 He questioned him at some length, but Jesus[c] gave him no answer. 10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by vehemently accusing him. 11 Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then he put an elegant robe on him and sent him back to Pilate.(G) 12 That same day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other; before this they had been enemies.(H)
Jesus Sentenced to Death
13 Pilate then called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people, and here I have examined him in your presence and have not found this man guilty of any of your charges against him.(I) 15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16 I will therefore have him flogged and release him.”[d](J)
18 Then they all shouted out together, “Away with this fellow! Release Barabbas for us!”(K) 19 (This was a man who had been put in prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city and for murder.) 20 Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again, 21 but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” 22 A third time he said to them, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death; I will therefore have him flogged and then release him.”(L) 23 But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified, and their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate gave his verdict that their demand should be granted. 25 He released the man they asked for, the one who had been put in prison for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus over as they wished.
The Crucifixion of Jesus
26 As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.(M) 27 A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him.(N) 28 But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.(O) 29 For the days are surely coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’(P) 31 For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”(Q)
32 Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him.(R) 33 When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus[e] there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. [[34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”]][f] And they cast lots to divide his clothing.(S) 35 And the people stood by watching, but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah[g] of God, his chosen one!”(T) 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine(U) 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him,[h] “This is the King of the Jews.”
39 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding[i] him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah?[j] Save yourself and us!”(V) 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.”(W) 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come in[k] your kingdom.” 43 He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”(X)
The Death of Jesus
44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land[l] until three in the afternoon, 45 while the sun’s light failed,[m] and the curtain of the temple was torn in two.(Y) 46 Then Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Having said this, he breathed his last.(Z) 47 When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, “Certainly this man was innocent.”[n](AA) 48 And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts. 49 But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things.(AB)
The Burial of Jesus
50 Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph who, though a member of the council, 51 had not agreed to their plan and action. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea, and he was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God.(AC) 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid. 54 It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning.[o](AD) 55 The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how his body was laid.(AE) 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments.
On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.(AF)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.