M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Capture of Jerusalem
1 Sometime after Joshua had died, the Israelis asked the Lord, “Who is to lead[a] us against the Canaanites in our opening attack against them?”
2 The Lord replied, “The tribe of[b] Judah is to lead you.[c] Look! I’ve given the land into their control.”
3 But the tribe of Judah told the tribe of Simeon, the descendants of Judah’s[d] brother, “Come with us[e] into our territory, and we’ll both fight the Canaanites. In return, we’ll[f] go with you when you fight in your territory.” So the army of[g] the tribe of Simeon accompanied the army of the tribe of Judah.
4 When the army of the tribe of Judah went into battle, the Lord gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their control, and they defeated 10,000 men at Bezek. 5 They located Adoni-bezek in Bezek, fought him, and defeated the Canaanites and the Perizzites. 6 Adoni-bezek ran off, but they pursued him, caught him, and amputated his thumbs and big toes. 7 Adoni-bezek used to brag, “Seventy kings without thumbs and big toes used to eat what was left under my table. God has repaid me for what I’ve done.” They brought him to Jerusalem, and he later died there.
8 Then the army of Judah attacked Jerusalem, captured it, executed its inhabitants, and set fire to the city. 9 Later, the army of Judah left Jerusalem[h] to attack the Canaanites who lived in the hill country, the Negev,[i] and the Shephelah.[j] 10 They[k] attacked the Canaanites who inhabited Hebron (formerly known as Kiriath-arba) and fought Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.
The Capture of Debir(A)
11 The army of Judah then proceeded to attack the inhabitants of Debir, which used to be known as Kiriath-sepher. 12 Caleb announced, “I’ll give my daughter Achsah in marriage to whomever leads the attack against Kiriath-sepher and captures it.” 13 Othniel, Caleb’s nephew through his younger brother Kenaz, captured the city, so Caleb[l] awarded him his daughter Achsah in marriage.
14 Later on, after she had arrived, she urged Othniel[m] to ask her father for a field. As she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What do you want[n] for yourself?”
15 “I want this blessing from you,” she replied. “Since you’ve given me land in the Negev,[o] give me water springs, too.” So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs.
The Capture of Certain Southern Territories
16 The descendants of the Kenites, the tribe from which[p] Moses’ father-in-law came, accompanied the descendants of Judah from the city of the palms to the Judean wilderness, which is in the desert area south of Arad, and lived with the people there. 17 The army of Judah accompanied the army of Simeon, Judah’s[q] brother, as they attacked the Canaanites who were living in Zephath, and they completely destroyed it. Then they renamed the city Hormah. 18 The army of Judah captured Gaza and its territory, Ashkelon and its territory, and Ekron and its territory. 19 The Lord was with the army of Judah, and they captured the hill country, but did not expel the inhabitants of the valley because they were equipped with iron chariots.
Hebron Awarded to Caleb(B)
20 They gave Hebron to Caleb, just as Moses had promised,[r] and he drove out the three sons of Anak from there. 21 However, the descendants of Benjamin did not expel the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem, so the Jebusites have lived with the descendants of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.
The Capture of Bethel
22 Then the army of the tribe[s] of Joseph attacked Bethel, and the Lord was with them. 23 The army of the tribe of Joseph scouted out Bethel, which had been formerly named Luz. 24 The scouts observed a man coming out of the city and they promised him, “Please show us the entrance to the city and we’ll deal kindly with you.” 25 So he showed them the entrance to the city, and they attacked the city with swords, but they let the man and his entire family escape. 26 So the man traveled to the land of the Hittites and built a city that he named “Luz,” and it is called by that name to this day.
Unconquered Territories
27 The army of the tribe of Manasseh did not conquer Beth-shean and its villages, Taanach and its villages, the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages. Instead, the Canaanites continued to live in that land. 28 When Israel had grown strong, they subjected the Canaanites to conscripted labor and never did expel them completely.
29 The army of the tribe of Ephraim did not expel the Canaanites who were living in Gezer, so the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them.
30 The army of the tribe of Zebulun did not expel the inhabitants of Kitron or the inhabitants of Nahalol, so the Canaanites lived among them, but were subjected to conscripted labor.
31 The army of the tribe of Asher did not expel the inhabitants of Acco nor the inhabitants of Sidon, Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, or Rehob. 32 So the descendants of Asher lived among the Canaanites who continued to inhabit the land, because they did not expel them.
33 The army of the tribe of Naphtali did not expel the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and the inhabitants of Beth-anath. Instead, they lived among the Canaanites who inhabited the land. However, the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath were subjected to conscripted labor.
34 Later on, the Amorites forced the descendants of Dan into the hill country and did not permit them to come into the valleys of the hills. 35 Furthermore, the Amorites continued to inhabit Mount Heres in Aijalon and Shaalbim. Eventually, however, after the tribe[t] of Joseph had become strong, the Amorites[u] were subjected to conscripted labor. 36 The Amorite border extended upward from the Akrabbim Ascent, that is, from Sela.
Ananias and Sapphira are Punished
5 But then a man named Ananias, with the consent of his wife Sapphira, sold some property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge, he kept back some of the money for himself and brought the remainder and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
3 Peter asked, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart so that you should lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back some of the money you got for the land? 4 As long as it remained unsold, wasn’t it your own? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? So how could you have thought of doing what you did? You didn’t lie only[a] to men, but also[b] to God!”
5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear seized everyone who heard about it. 6 The young men got up, wrapped him up, carried him outside, and buried him. 7 After an interval of about three hours, Ananias’[c] wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 So Peter asked her, “Tell me, did you sell the land for that price?”
She answered, “Yes, that was the price.”
9 “How could you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord?” Peter asked her. “Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and these men[d] will carry you outside as well.” 10 She instantly fell down at Peter’s[e] feet and died. When the young men came in, they found her dead. So they carried her out and buried her next to her husband. 11 And great fear seized the whole church and everyone else who heard about this.
The Apostles Perform Many Miracles
12 Now many signs and wonders were being performed by the apostles among the people, who were gathered together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 None of the others dared join them, although the rest of the people continued to hold them in high regard. 14 Nevertheless, believers were being added to the Lord in increasing numbers—both men and women. 15 As a result, people[f] kept carrying their sick into the streets and placing them on stretchers and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he went by. 16 Crowds continued coming in—even from the towns around Jerusalem—bringing their sick and those who were troubled by unclean spirits, and all of them were healed.
The Apostles are Tried before the Jewish Council
17 Then the high priest and all those from the sect of the Sadducees who were with him were filled with jealousy. So they went out, 18 arrested the apostles, and put them in the city jail. 19 But at night the angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and led them out. The angel[g] told them, 20 “Go, stand in the Temple, and keep on telling the people the whole message about this life they can have.”[h]
21 After the apostles[i] heard this, they went into the Temple at daybreak and began to teach. The high priest and those who were with him arrived, called the Council[j] and all the elders of Israel together, and sent word[k] to the prison to have the men brought in. 22 When the Temple police got there, they did not find them in the prison. They came back and reported, 23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” 24 When the commander of the Temple guards and the high priests heard these words, they were utterly at a loss as to what could have happened to them.
25 Then someone came and told them, “Look! The men you put in prison are standing in the Temple and teaching the people!” 26 So the commander of the Temple guards went with his men to bring them back without force, because they were afraid of being stoned to death by the people. 27 When they brought them back, they made them stand before the Council,[l] and the high priest began to question them. 28 He said, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in his name, didn’t we? Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to bring this man’s blood on us!”
29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men! 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus to life after you killed him by hanging him on a tree. 31 God has exalted to his right hand this very man as our Leader and Savior in order to extend repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who keep on obeying him.”
33 When the Council[m] heard this, they became furious and wanted to kill them. 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law who was respected by all the people, stood up in the Council[n] and ordered the men to be taken outside for a little while. 35 Then he told them, “Fellow Israelis, consider carefully what you propose to do to these men. 36 For in the recent past Theudas appeared, claiming that he was important, and about 400 men joined him. He was killed, and all his followers were dispersed and disappeared. 37 After that man, at the time of the census, Judas the Galilean appeared and got people to follow him. He, too, died, and all his followers were scattered.
38 “I’m telling you to keep away from these men for now. Leave them alone, because if this plan or movement is of human origin, it will fail. 39 However, if it’s from God, you won’t be able to stop them, and you may even discover that you are fighting against God!”
So they were convinced by him. 40 After calling in the apostles and beating them, they again[o] ordered them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus and let them go. 41 They left the Council,[p] rejoicing to have been considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the Name. 42 Every day in the Temple and from house to house they kept teaching and proclaiming that Jesus is the Messiah.[q]
A Terrible Drought in the Land
14 This is[a] this message from the Lord that came[b] to Jeremiah concerning the drought:
2 “Judah mourns, and her gates languish.
The people[c] mourn for the land,
and the cry of Jerusalem goes up.
3 Their nobles send their young people for water.
They go to the cisterns, but they find no water.
They return with their vessels empty.
They’re disappointed[d] and dismayed,
and they cover their heads in shame.[e]
4 The ground is cracked,
because there has been no rain in the land.
The farmers are disappointed,[f]
and they cover their heads in shame.[g]
5 Even the doe in the field gives birth
and then abandons her young[h]
because there is no grass.
6 Wild donkeys stand on the barren hills.
They pant for air like jackals.
Their eyesight fails
because there is no vegetation.”
The People Cry for Help
7 Lord, even though our iniquities testify against us,
do something for the sake of your name.
Indeed, our apostasies are many,
and we have sinned against you.
8 Hope of Israel,
its deliverer in time of trouble,
why are you like a stranger[i] in the land,
like a traveler who sets up his tent for a night?
9 Why are you like a man taken by surprise,
like a strong man who can’t deliver?
You are among us, Lord,
and your name is the one by which we’re called.
Don’t abandon us!
God Responds to the Prophet
10 This is what the Lord says to these people:
“Yes, they do love to wander,
and they haven’t restrained their feet.
So the Lord won’t accept them now.
He will remember their iniquity
and punish their sin.”
11 Then the Lord told me, “Don’t pray for the welfare of these people. 12 Although they fast, I won’t listen to their cry, and although they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I won’t accept them. Instead, I’ll put an end to them with the sword, with famine, and with a plague.”
13 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God, look! The prophets are saying to them, ‘You won’t see the sword and you won’t experience famine. Rather, I’ll give you lasting peace in this place.’”
14 Then the Lord told me, “The prophets are prophesying lies[j] in my name. I didn’t send them, I didn’t command them, and I didn’t speak to them. They’re proclaiming[k] to you false visions, worthless predictions,[l] and the delusions of their own minds. 15 Therefore, this is what the Lord says about the false prophets who prophesy in my name, ‘There will be no sword and famine in this land’ (though I haven’t sent them): ‘By the sword and by famine these prophets will be finished off! 16 The people to whom they have prophesied will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword. There will be no one to bury them, their wives, their sons, or their daughters. I’ll pour out on them the[m] judgment they deserve.’”[n]
17 “And deliver[o] this message to them:
‘Let tears run down my face,[p]
night and day, and don’t let them stop,
because my virgin daughter—my people—
will be broken with a powerful blow,
with a severe wound.
18 If I go out into the field,
I see those slain by the sword!
If I go into the city,
I see the ravages of the famine!
Indeed, both prophet and priest
ply their trade in the land,
but they don’t know anything.’”[q]
The People Plead to the Lord
19 Have you completely rejected Judah?
Do you despise Zion?
Why have you struck us,
so that there is no healing for us?
We hoped for peace, but no good came,
for a time of healing, but there was only terror.
20 We acknowledge, Lord, our wickedness,
the guilt of our ancestors.
Indeed, we have sinned against you.
21 For the sake of your name[r] don’t despise us.
Don’t dishonor your glorious throne.
Remember, don’t break your covenant with us!
22 Can any of the worthless gods of the nations make it rain?
Can the heavens themselves bring forth showers?
Aren’t you the one who does this,[s]
Lord our God?
So we hope in you,
for you are the one who does all these things.
Jesus is Raised from the Dead(A)
28 After the Sabbaths,[a] around dawn on the first day of the week,[b] Mary Magdalene[c] and the other Mary went to take a look at the burial site.[d] 2 Suddenly, there was a powerful earthquake, because an angel of the Lord had come down from heaven, approached the stone, rolled it away, and was sitting on top of it. 3 His appearance was bright as lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 Trembling from fear, even the guards themselves became catatonic.[e]
5 Responding to the women, the angel said, “Stop being frightened! I know you’re looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here. He has been raised, just as he said. Come and see the place where he[f] was lying. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead. He is going ahead of you into Galilee, and you will see him there. Remember, I have told you!”
8 So they quickly left the tomb, terrified but also ecstatic, and ran to tell Jesus’[g] disciples. 9 Suddenly, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” They went up to him, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him. 10 Then Jesus told them, “Stop being frightened! Go and tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”
The Guards Report to the High Priests
11 While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and told the high priests everything that had happened. 12 So they met with the elders and agreed on a plan to give the soldiers a large[h] amount of money. 13 They said, “Say that Jesus’[i] disciples came at night and stole him while you were sleeping. 14 If this is reported to the governor, we’ll personally persuade him to keep you out of trouble.”[j] 15 So the soldiers[k] took the money, did as they were instructed, and this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.
Jesus Commissions His Disciples(B)
16 The eleven disciples went into Galilee to the hillside to which Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw him, they worshipped him, though some had doubts. 18 Then Jesus approached them and told them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore, as you go, disciple people in all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you. And remember, I am with you each and every day[l] until the end of the age.”[m]
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