M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Elijah Ascends to Heaven
2 Then when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Tarry here, I ask you, for the Lord has sent me to Bethel.”
But Elisha said to him, “As the Lord lives, and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
3 The sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord is taking away your master from you?”
And he said, “Yes, I know. Keep silent.”
4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.”
And he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they entered Jericho.
5 The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord is taking away your master from you?”
And he said, “Yes, I know. Keep silent.”
6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.”
And he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you live, I will not leave you.” And the two of them went on.
7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood at a distance, and the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his robe and rolled it up and struck the water, and it was divided from one side to the other. Then the two of them crossed on dry ground.
9 And as they were crossing, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask for something, and I will do it for you before I am taken away from you.”
And Elisha said, “Let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”
10 He said, “You have asked for a difficult thing, but if you see me when I am taken from you, it will happen to you. If not, it will not.”
11 As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 Elisha was watching and crying, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” And he did not see him again. Then he grabbed his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.
13 He picked up the robe of Elijah that fell from him, and he returned and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 And he took the robe of Elijah that fell from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the Lord, God of Elijah?” When he had struck the water, it parted from one side to the other, and Elisha crossed over.
15 When the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him from far off, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him. 16 They said to him, “Look now, there are fifty strong men with your servants. Let them go and look for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has lifted him up and thrown him on some mountain or into some valley.”
He said, “Do not send them.”
17 When they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send them.” So they sent fifty men, and they searched for three days but did not find him. 18 When they returned to him (for he had stayed at Jericho), he said to them, “Did I not say to you, do not go?”
Elisha Performs Miracles
19 Now the men of the city said to Elisha, “The location of this city is good, as my lord sees, but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful.”
20 He said, “Bring me a new bowl and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him.
21 He went out to the spring of water and threw the salt into it and said, “Thus says the Lord: I have healed this water. No more death or unfruitfulness will come from it.” 22 So the waters have been healthy until this day, according to the word that Elisha spoke.
23 He went up from there to Bethel, and going up on the way, little boys came out of the city and made fun of him and said to him, “Go up, you bald head! Go up, you bald head!” 24 He turned around, saw them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two she-bears came out of the woods and ripped open forty-two of the boys. 25 He went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.
The Man of Lawlessness
2 Now, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and concerning our gathering together unto Him, we ask you 2 not to let your mind be quickly shaken or be troubled, neither in spirit nor by word, nor by letter coming as though from us, as if the day of Christ is already here. 3 Do not let anyone deceive you in any way. For that Day will not come unless a falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself as God.
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you, I told you these things? 6 Now you know what restrains him that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already working. Only He who is now restraining him will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth, and destroy with the brightness of His presence, 9 even him, whose coming is in accordance with the working of Satan with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all deception of unrighteousness among those who perish, because they did not receive the love for the truth that they might be saved. 11 Therefore God will send them a strong delusion, that they should believe the lie: 12 that they all might be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Chosen for Salvation
13 But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, beloved brothers of the Lord, because God has from the beginning called you to salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief of the truth. 14 To this He called you by our gospel, to obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold the traditions which you have been taught, whether by word or by our letter.
16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God our Father, who has loved us and has given us eternal consolation and good hope through grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.
Daniel and the Lions’ Den
6 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty officials, so that they would be over the whole kingdom, 2 and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was first, so that the officials might give accounts to them and the king not suffer loss. 3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and officials because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. 4 Then the presidents and officials sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no occasion or fault because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”
6 Then these presidents and officials assembled together to the king, and said to him: “King Darius, live forever! 7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the officials, the counselors, and the captains have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, save of you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, that it not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be altered.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the writing, even the decree.
10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house. And his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. 11 Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 12 Then they came near and spoke before the king concerning the king’s decree: “Have you not signed a decree, that every man who asks a petition of any god or man within thirty days, save of you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?”
The king answered and said, “The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be altered.”
13 Then they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, who is of the sons of the captivity of Judah, does not regard you, O king, or the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.” 14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was sorely displeased with himself and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him. And he labored until sunset to deliver him.
15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”
16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spoke and said to Daniel, “Your God whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.”
Daniel Saved From the Lions
17 A stone was brought and laid upon the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords so that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. 18 Then the king went to his palace and passed the night fasting, and no instruments of music were brought before him. And his sleep fled from him.
19 Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 When he came to the den, he cried with a voice full of sorrow to Daniel. And the king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God whom you serve continually been able to deliver you from the lions?”
21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God has sent His angel and has shut the lions’ mouths so that they have not hurt me, because innocence was found in me before Him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.”
23 Then the king was exceeding glad for him and commanded that they take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of harm was found on him, because he believed in his God.
24 Then the king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions—them, their children, and their wives. And the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces before they came to the bottom of the den.
25 Then King Darius wrote:
To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth:
“Peace be multiplied unto you.
26 “I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel.
“For He is the living God,
enduring forever;
His kingdom shall never be destroyed,
and His dominion shall be forever.
27 He delivers and rescues,
and He works signs and wonders
in heaven and on earth,
who has delivered Daniel
from the power of the lions.”
28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Psalm 112
1 Praise the Lord!
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
who delights greatly in His commandments.
2 His offspring shall be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright shall be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches shall be in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4 To the upright there arises light in the darkness;
he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
5 A good man shows generous favor, and lends;
he will guide his affairs with justice.
6 Surely the righteous man shall not be moved;
the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.
7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings;
his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.
8 His heart is established; he shall not be afraid,
until he sees triumph upon his enemies.
9 He has given away freely; he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever;
his horn shall be exalted with honor.
10 The wicked shall see it and be grieved;
he shall gnash his teeth and melt away;
the desire of the wicked shall perish.
Psalm 113
1 Praise the Lord!
Praise, O you servants of the Lord,
praise the name of the Lord.
2 Blessed be the name of the Lord
from this time forth and for evermore.
3 From the rising of the sun to its going down,
the Lord’s name is to be praised.
4 The Lord is high above all nations,
and His glory above the heavens.
5 Who is like the Lord our God,
who dwells on high,
6 who looks down on the things
that are in heaven and on the earth?
7 He raises up the poor out of the dust
and lifts the needy out of the ash heap,
8 to make them sit with princes,
even with the princes of His people.
9 He gives the barren woman a dwelling,
making her the joyful mother of children.
Praise the Lord!
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.