M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Jotham King of Judah(A)
27 Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he ·ruled [reigned] sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerusha daughter of Zadok. 2 Jotham did what ·the Lord said was right [L was pleasing/proper in the eyes/sight of the Lord], just as his father Uzziah had done. But Jotham did not enter the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord [C a reference to Uzziah’s sin, 26:16–21]. But the people continued ·doing wrong [sinning; in their corrupt practices]. 3 Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord, and he added greatly to the wall at Ophel. 4 He also built towns in the hill country of Judah, as well as ·walled cities [fortresses] and towers in the forests.
5 Jotham also fought the king of the Ammonites and ·defeated [conquered] them. So each year for three years they ·gave [paid] Jotham ·about seventy-five hundred pounds [L one hundred talents] of silver, ·about sixty-two thousand bushels [L ten thousand kors] of wheat, and ·about sixty-two thousand bushels [L ten thousand kors] of barley. 6 Jotham became powerful, because he ·always obeyed [walked purposefully before; L ordered his ways before] the Lord his God.
7 The ·other things Jotham did while he was king [rest of the events/acts/history of Jotham’s reign] and all his wars ·are [L are they not…?] written in the ·book [scroll] of the kings of Israel and Judah. 8 Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he ·ruled [reigned] sixteen years in Jerusalem. 9 Jotham ·died [L lay down/T slept with his fathers/ancestors] and was buried in the City of David [C Jerusalem]. Then Jotham’s son Ahaz became king in his place.
Ahaz King of Judah(B)
28 Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he ·ruled [reigned] sixteen years in Jerusalem. Unlike his ·ancestor [father] David, he did not do what ·the Lord said was right [L was pleasing/proper in the eyes/sight of the Lord]. 2 Ahaz ·did the same things as [L walked in the ways of] the kings of Israel. He made ·metal [cast; molten] ·idols [images] to worship Baal. 3 He ·burned incense [offered sacrifices] in the Valley of Ben Hinnom and ·made [sacrificed] his children ·pass through [in] the fire. He ·did [followed] the ·same hateful sins [detestable/abominable practices] as the nations had done whom the Lord had ·forced [driven] out of the land ahead of the Israelites. 4 Ahaz ·offered [sacrificed] sacrifices and burned incense at the ·places where gods were worshiped [L high places; 11:15], and on the hills, and under every green tree.
5 So the Lord his God handed over Ahaz to the king of Aram. The Arameans defeated Ahaz and ·took [deported] many people of Judah as ·prisoners [captives] to Damascus.
He also handed over Ahaz to Pekah king of Israel, ·and Pekah’s army killed many soldiers of Ahaz [who inflicted heavy casualties on him]. 6 Pekah son of Remaliah killed one hundred twenty thousand ·brave [skilled] soldiers from Judah in one day. Pekah defeated them because they had ·left [abandoned; forsaken] the Lord, the God of their ·ancestors [fathers]. 7 Zicri, a mighty warrior from Ephraim, killed King Ahaz’s son Maaseiah. He also killed Azrikam, the ·officer [commander] in charge of the ·palace [L house], and Elkanah, who was second in command to the king. 8 The Israelite army captured two hundred thousand of their own relatives. They took women, sons and daughters, and ·many valuable things [much plunder/spoil/booty] from Judah and carried ·them [it] back to Samaria. 9 But a prophet of the Lord named Oded was there. He met the Israelite army when it returned to Samaria and said to them, “The Lord, the God of your ·ancestors [fathers], handed Judah over to you, because he was angry with them. But ·God has seen the cruel way you killed them [you slaughtered them in a rage that has reached to heaven]. 10 Now you plan to make the people of Judah and Jerusalem your slaves, but ·you also have sinned [L what about your own sins/transgressions…?] against the Lord your God. 11 Now listen to me. Send back ·your brothers and sisters whom you captured [the captives you have taken from your brothers], because the ·Lord is very angry with you [L fierce anger of the Lord burns against you].”
12 Then some of the ·leaders [officials] in Ephraim—Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berekiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai—·met [confronted; L rose against] the Israelite soldiers coming home from ·war [battle]. 13 They warned the soldiers, “Don’t bring the ·prisoners [captives] from Judah here. If you do, we will ·be guilty of sin against the Lord, and that will make our sin and guilt even worse [add to our sins and guilt before the Lord]. Our guilt is already so great that ·he is angry with [L his fierce anger is burning against] Israel.”
14 So the soldiers left the ·prisoners [captives] and ·valuable things [plunder; spoil; booty] in front of the ·officers [officials] and ·people there [the entire assembly]. 15 The ·leaders [men] who were named took the ·prisoners [captives] and gave those who were naked clothes from ·what the Israelite army had taken [the plunder/spoil/booty]. They gave the ·prisoners [captives] clothes, sandals, food, drink, and ·medicine [oil for their wounds; L anointed them]. They put the weak on donkeys and took them back to their ·families [brothers] in Jericho, the city of palm trees. Then they returned home to Samaria.
More Attacks(C)
22 During Ahaz’s ·troubles [L time of distress] he was even more unfaithful to the Lord. 23 He ·offered [sacrificed] sacrifices to the gods of the people of Damascus, who had defeated him. He thought, “The gods of the kings of Aram helped them. If I ·offer [sacrifice] sacrifices to them, they ·will [may] help me also.” But this brought ·ruin to [the downfall of] Ahaz and all Israel.
24 Ahaz gathered the ·things [articles; utensils] from the ·Temple [L house] of God and ·broke [cut] them into pieces. Then he closed the doors of the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. He made himself altars [C to pagan gods] and put them on every street corner in Jerusalem. 25 In every town in Judah, Ahaz made ·places [L high places; 11:15] for burning sacrifices to other gods. So he ·made [provoked] the Lord, the God of his ·ancestors [fathers], ·very angry [to anger].
26 The ·other things Ahaz did as king [rest of the events/acts/history of Ahaz’s reign], from ·beginning to end [first to last], are written in the ·book [scroll] of the kings of Judah and Israel. 27 Ahaz ·died [L lay down/T slept with his fathers/ancestors] and was buried in the City of David [C Jerusalem], but not in the ·graves [tombs] of the kings of Israel. Ahaz’s son Hezekiah became king in his place.
The Song of the Saved
14 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion [C a mountain near Jerusalem where the temple was located, representing the presence of God]. With him were one hundred forty-four thousand people [7:4] who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads [13:16]. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the noise of ·flooding water [rushing water; L many waters; 1:15] and like the ·sound [peal] of loud thunder [19:6]. The sound I heard was like ·people [L harpists] playing harps. 3 And they sang a new song [C a song celebrating divine deliverance; 5:9; Ps. 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1] before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders [4:4]. No one could learn the new song except the one hundred forty-four thousand [7:4] who had been ·bought [redeemed] from the earth. 4 These are the ones who did not ·do sinful things [defile themselves] with women, because they ·kept themselves pure [L are virgins]. They follow the Lamb every place he goes. ·These one hundred forty-four thousand [L They] were ·bought [redeemed] from ·among the people of the earth [L humanity; mankind] as ·people to be offered [L firstfruits; C the earliest part of the harvest was offered to God] to God and the Lamb. 5 ·They were not guilty of telling lies [L No lie was found in their mouth]; they are ·without fault [blameless].
The Three Angels
6 Then I saw another angel flying ·high in the air [L in mid-heaven; 8:13]. He had the eternal ·Good News [Gospel] to preach to those who ·live [dwell] on earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people. 7 He ·preached [L spoke] in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him ·praise [glory], because the ·time has come for God to judge all people [L hour of his judgment has come]. So worship God who made the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the springs of water.”
8 Then the second angel followed the first angel and said, “·Ruined, ruined [L Fallen, fallen] is ·the great city of Babylon [L Babylon the Great; C the capital of the empire that destroyed Jerusalem in 586 bc, a symbol for the evil world system opposing God; 2 Kin. 24—25; Is. 21:9; Dan. 4:30]! She made all the nations drink the wine of the ·anger [or passion; C the Greek word thymos can mean either anger or passion; see v. 10 for a possible play on words] of her ·adultery [or sexual immorality].”
9 Then a third angel followed the first two angels, saying in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his ·idol [image] and ·gets [receives; takes] the beast’s ·mark [brand; stamp] on the forehead or on the hand, 10 that one also will drink the wine of God’s anger [C perhaps a play on words with v. 8; Babylon’s “passion” will bring on God’s “wrath”], which is prepared ·with all its strength [undiluted; L unmixed; C wine was often mixed with water] in the cup of his anger [C God’s judgment is often portrayed in the OT as a “cup” of wine poured out; Jer. 25:15–29]. And that person will be ·put in pain [tortured; tormented] with ·burning sulfur [L fire and sulfur] before the holy angels and the Lamb. 11 And the smoke from their ·burning pain [torture; torment] will rise forever and ever. There will be no rest, day or night, for those who worship the beast and his ·idol [image] or who get the ·mark [brand; stamp] of his name.” 12 This means ·God’s holy people [T the saints] must ·be patient [persevere; endure]. They must ·obey [keep] God’s commands and ·keep their faith in [remain faithful to] Jesus.
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: ·Blessed [or Happy] are the dead who die from now on in the Lord.”
The Spirit says, “Yes, they will rest from their hard work, ·and the reward of all they have done stays with them [L for their deeds will follow them].”
The Earth Is Harvested
14 Then I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and sitting on the white cloud was One who looked like a ·Son of Man [or human being; C a designation Jesus applied to himself; Dan. 7:13–14]. He had a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle [C a curved blade used to harvest grain] in his hand. 15 Then another angel came out of the temple and called out in a loud voice to the One who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle and ·harvest [reap] from the earth, because the time to ·harvest [reap] has come, ·and [L because] the ·fruit [L harvest] of the earth is ripe.” 16 So the One who was sitting on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was ·harvested [reaped].
17 Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. 18 And then another angel, who has ·power [authority; charge] over the fire, came from the altar. This angel called to the angel with the sharp sickle, saying, “Take your sharp sickle and gather the bunches [clusters] of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.” 19 Then the angel swung his sickle over the earth. He gathered the earth’s grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s ·anger [wrath; Is. 63:2–3, 6; Lam. 1:15]. 20 They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the winepress as high as horses’ bridles for a distance of about ·one hundred eighty miles [L one thousand six hundred stadia].
The Lord’s Promises
10 Ask the Lord for rain during the ·springtime [L latter] rains.
The Lord is the one who makes the storm clouds.
He sends the showers
and gives everyone ·green [plants in the] fields.
2 ·Idols [Household gods; L Teraphim; Gen. 31:19] ·tell lies [or give worthless counsel];
fortune-tellers see ·false [lying] visions
and tell about false dreams.
The comfort they give is ·worth nothing [in vain].
So the people ·are [wander] like lost sheep.
They are ·abused [oppressed; or in distress], because there is no shepherd.
3 The Lord says, “·I am angry [My anger burns] at my shepherds,
and I will punish the ·leaders [L lead goats].
I, the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], care
for my flock, the ·people [L house] of Judah.
I will make them like my ·proud [majestic] war horses.
4 From ·Judah [L him] will come the cornerstone,
and the tent peg,
the battle bow,
and every ruler.
5 Together they will be like ·soldiers [mighty men]
·marching to battle [or trampling their enemies] through muddy streets.
The Lord is with them,
so they will fight and ·defeat [L put to shame] the horsemen.
6 “I will strengthen the ·people [L house] of Judah
and save the ·people [L house] of Joseph.
I will bring them back,
because I ·care about [have compassion on] them.
It will be as though
I had never ·left [rejected] them,
because I am the Lord their God,
and I will ·answer [hear] them.
7 The people of Ephraim will be strong like ·soldiers [mighty men];
·they will be glad [L their hearts will rejoice] as when they have drunk wine.
Their children will see it and rejoice;
they will ·be happy [rejoice] in the Lord.
8 I will ·call [signal/whistle for] my people
and gather them together.
I will ·save [redeem] them,
and they grow as numerous as they were before.
9 I have scattered them among the nations,
but in those faraway places, they will remember me.
They and their children will ·live [survive; sprout forth] and return.
10 I will bring them back from the land of Egypt
and gather them from Assyria.
I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon
until there isn’t enough room for them all.
11 ·They [or The Lord; L He] will come through the sea of trouble [C as at the Red/or Reed Sea; Ex. 14:22].
The waves of the sea will be calm,
and the ·Nile River [L depths of the Nile/River] will dry up.
I will ·defeat [bring down; humble] Assyria’s pride
and destroy Egypt’s ·power over other countries [L scepter; C ruling authority].
12 I will make my people strong [L in the Lord],
and they will ·live as I say [L walk in my name],” says the Lord.
Jesus Washes His Followers’ Feet
13 ·It was almost time for [L Now before…,] the Passover Feast [12:12]. Jesus knew that it was ·time [L the hour] for him to ·leave [depart from] this world and go back to the Father. He had always loved those who were his own in the world, and he loved them ·all the way to the end [or completely; totally].
2 ·Jesus and his followers were at the evening meal [L It was dinnertime]. The devil had already ·persuaded [L put it into the heart of] Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to ·turn against [betray] Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had ·given him power over everything [L placed everything into his hands] and that he had come from God and was going back to God. 4 So ·during the meal [L from supper] Jesus stood up and took off his outer clothing. Taking a towel, he wrapped it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a bowl and began to wash the ·followers’ [disciples’] feet, ·drying [wiping] them with the towel that was wrapped around him. [C This act was considered so demeaning by some people that they only allowed Gentile slaves to do it.]
6 Jesus came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus answered, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but you will understand later.”
8 Peter said, “No, you will never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “If I don’t wash your feet, you ·are not one of my people [L have no share/part with me].”
9 Simon Peter answered, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but wash my hands and my head, too!”
10 Jesus said to him, “After a person has ·had a bath [washed; bathed], his whole body is clean. He needs only to wash his feet. And you men are clean, but not all of you.” 11 [L For] Jesus knew who would ·turn against [betray] him, and that is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and ·sat down [L reclined; C the posture for a banquet or dinner party] again. He asked, “Do you understand what I have just done ·for [to] you? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord’ [C titles appropriately ascribed to an esteemed Rabbi, but which took on deeper meaning after his death and resurrection], and you are right, because that is what I am. 14 If I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash each other’s feet. 15 I did this as ·an example [a pattern] so that you should do as I have done for you. 16 ·I tell you the truth [L Truly, truly, I say to you], a ·servant [slave; bond-servant] is not greater than his ·master [lord]. [L And] A messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
18 “I am not talking about all of you. I know those I have chosen. But this is to ·bring about what the Scripture said [L fulfill the Scripture]: ·‘The man who ate at my table has turned against me.’ [L ‘The one who ate bread with me lifted his heel against me’; Ps. 41:9; C eating with someone showed an intimate relationship, and lifting one’s heel was an act of betrayal.] 19 I am telling you this now before it happens so that when it happens, you will believe that ·I am he [L I am; C this may be an allusion to God’s (Yahweh’s) self identification as “I AM” in Ex. 3:14, or to God’s repeated claim that “I am he” throughout Is. 40—55; see John 8:24, 28, 58]. 20 ·I tell you the truth [L Truly, truly, I say to you], whoever ·accepts [receives] anyone I send also ·accepts [receives] me. And whoever ·accepts [receives] me also ·accepts [receives] the One who sent me [Matt. 10:40].”
Jesus Talks About His Death(A)
21 After Jesus said this, he was very troubled [L in spirit]. He ·said openly [bore witness and said], “·I tell you the truth [L Truly, truly, I say to you], one of you will ·turn against [betray] me.”
22 The ·followers [disciples] all looked at each other, because they did not know whom Jesus was talking about. 23 One of the ·followers [disciples] ·sitting next to Jesus [L reclining at his side/chest; C an honored position] was the ·follower [disciple] Jesus loved [C a reference to John]. 24 Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus whom he was talking about.
25 That ·follower [disciple] ·leaned [reclined] closer to Jesus and asked, “Lord, who is it?”
26 Jesus answered, “I will dip this [piece/morsel of] bread into the dish. The man I give it to is the man who will ·turn against [betray] me.” So Jesus took a piece of bread, dipped it, and gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27 ·As soon as [After] Judas took the [piece/morsel of] bread, Satan entered him. [L Then] Jesus said to him, “·The thing that you will do—do it quickly [T What you do, do quickly].” 28 No one ·at the table [L of those reclining] understood why Jesus said this to Judas. 29 Since he was the one who kept the money ·box [or bag], some of the ·followers [disciples] thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the ·feast [festival] or to give something to the poor.
30 [L So] Judas took the [piece/morsel of] bread Jesus gave him and immediately went out. It was night. [C The night is both a time reference and a symbol of Judas’ evil actions.]
31 When Judas was gone, Jesus said, “Now the ·Son of Man [C a title for the Messiah; Dan. 7:13–14] ·receives his glory [is glorified], and God ·receives glory [is glorified] through him. 32 If God ·receives glory [is glorified] through him,[a] then God will ·give glory to [glorify; honor] the Son through himself. And God will ·give him glory [glorify/honor him] ·quickly [immediately; at once].”
33 Jesus said, “·My children [or Little children; C a term of endearment], I will be with you only a little longer. You will ·look for [seek] me, and what I told the Jews [7:33–34; 8:21], I tell you now: Where I am going you cannot come.
34 “I give you a new ·command [commandment]: Love ·each other [T one another]. You must love ·each other [T one another] as I have loved you. 35 All people will know that you are my ·followers [disciples] if you love ·each other [T one another].”
Peter Will Say He Doesn’t Know Jesus(B)
36 Simon Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, where are you going?”
Jesus answered, “Where I am going you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”
37 Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I ·am ready to die for you [L will lay down my life for you]!”
38 Jesus answered, “·Are you ready to die for me [L Will you lay down your life for me]? ·I tell you the truth [L Truly, truly, I say to you], before the ·rooster [cock] crows, you will ·say three times that you don’t know me [deny/disown me three times].”
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