M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Israel is Rebuked
2 Some time later, the angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim and announced to Israel,[a] “I brought you up from Egypt and led you into the land that I promised to your ancestors. I had told them,[b] ‘I’ll never breach my covenant with you. 2 As for you, you must not make any treaties[c] with the inhabitants of this land. Instead, tear down their altars.’ But you haven’t obeyed me. What have you done? 3 Therefore I’m now saying,[d] ‘I won’t expel them before you. Instead, they’ll remain at your side, and their gods will ensnare you.’”
4 Because the angel of the Lord said these things to all of the Israelis, the people wept out loud, 5 which is why they named the place Bochim.[e] And there they sacrificed to the Lord. 6 After Joshua had dismissed the people, the Israelis returned to their respective inheritances to take possession of the land.
The Death of Joshua(A)
7 The people served the Lord during the entire lifetime of Joshua as well as the lifetimes of all the elders who outlived Joshua and who had observed all the great deeds that the Lord had done for Israel. 8 But then Nun’s son Joshua, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of 110 years. 9 They buried him in Timnath-heres, within the boundaries of his inheritance in the mountainous region[f] of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. 10 After that whole generation had died,[g] another generation grew up after them that was not acquainted with the Lord or with what he had done for Israel.
The Rise of the Judges
11 So the Israelis practiced what the Lord considered to be evil by worshiping Canaanite deities.[h] 12 They abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They followed other gods from among the gods of the peoples who surrounded them. They bowed down in worship of them, and by doing so angered the Lord. 13 As a result, they abandoned the Lord by serving both Baal[i] and Ashtaroth.[j] 14 So in his burning anger against Israel, the Lord gave them into the domination of marauders who plundered them. The enemies who surrounded the Israelis[k] controlled them, and they were no longer able to withstand their adversaries. 15 Wherever they went, the Lord worked[l] against them to bring misfortune, just as the Lord had warned, and just as the Lord had promised them. As a result, they suffered greatly.
16 Then the Lord raised up leaders,[m] who delivered Israel[n] from domination by their marauders. 17 But they didn’t listen to their leaders, because they were committing spiritual immorality by following other gods and worshiping them. They quickly turned away from the road on which their ancestors had walked in obedience to the commands of the Lord. They didn’t follow their example. 18 As a result, whenever the Lord raised up leaders for them, the Lord remained present with their leader, delivering Israel[o] from the control of their enemies during the lifetime of that leader. The Lord[p] was moved with compassion by their groaning that had been caused by those who were oppressing and persecuting them. 19 However, after the leader had died, they would relapse to a condition more corrupt than their ancestors, following other gods, serving them, and worshiping them. They would not abandon their activities or their obstinate lifestyles.
20 In his burning anger against Israel, the Lord said, “Because the people have transgressed my covenant that I commanded their ancestors to keep, and because they haven’t obeyed me, 21 I’m also going to stop expelling any of the nations that remained after Joshua died. 22 That way, I’ll use them to demonstrate whether or not Israel will keep the Lord’s lifestyle by walking on that road like their ancestors did.” 23 So the Lord caused those nations to remain and did not expel them quickly. He did not give them into Joshua’s control.
Seven Men are Chosen to Help the Apostles
6 In those days, as the number of the disciples was growing larger and larger, a complaint was made by the Hellenistic Jews against the Hebraic Jews that their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve called the whole group of disciples together and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect messages from[a] God in order to wait on tables. 3 Therefore, brothers, appoint seven men among you who have a good reputation, who are full of the Spirit and wisdom, and we’ll put them in charge of this work. 4 Then we’ll devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
5 This suggestion pleased the whole group. So they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a gentile convert to Judaism from Antioch. 6 They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
7 So the word of God[b] continued to spread, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem continued to grow rapidly. Even a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
Stephen is Arrested
8 Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. 9 But some men who belonged to the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), as well as some Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and men from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and began to debate with Stephen. 10 But they could neither refute the wisdom nor withstand the Spirit by which he kept speaking. 11 So they secretly got some men to say, “We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes. Then they rushed at Stephen,[c] grabbed him, and brought him before the Council.[d]
13 They had false witnesses stand up and say, “This man never stops saying things against this Holy Place and against the Law. 14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus from Nazareth[e] will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.” 15 Then everyone who was seated in the Council[f] glared at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
The Destiny of the Judged
15 Then the Lord told me, “Even if Moses and Samuel were standing before me, I wouldn’t be favorably disposed toward this people. Send them out of my presence! Let them go!
2 “When they say to you, ‘Where can we go?’, say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says:
“Those destined for death,
to death will go;[a]
those destined for the sword,
to the sword will go;[b]
and those destined for captivity,
to captivity will go.[c]
3 “I’ll appoint four kinds of judgment for them,” declares the Lord: “the sword to kill, the dogs to drag off, the birds of the sky to devour, and the animals of the land to destroy. 4 I’ll make them a horrifying sight to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Hezekiah’s son Manasseh, king of Judah, did in Jerusalem.
5 “Who will have pity on you, Jerusalem,
and who will grieve for you?
Who will go out of his way
to ask about your welfare?
6 You have deserted me,” declares the Lord.
“You keep going backward.
I’ll reach out my hand and destroy you.
I’m tired of showing compassion.
7 I’ll winnow[d] them with a winnowing fork
in the gates of the land.
I’ll make them childless.
I’ll destroy my people,
for they didn’t change their ways.
8 I’ll make their[e] widows more numerous
than the sand of the sea.
At noontime I’ll send a destroyer
against the mother[f] of a young man.
I’ll cause terror and anguish
to come to her unexpectedly.
9 “The woman who gave birth to seven will grow faint,
her life will expire.
Her sun will set while it’s still day.
She will be disgraced and humiliated.
I’ll kill the rest of them with swords
in the presence of their enemies,”
declares the Lord.
Jeremiah’s Complaint
10 How terrible for me, my mother,
that you gave birth to me,
a man of strife and contention for the whole land!
I’ve neither lent nor borrowed,
yet everyone curses me.
God’s Answer to Jeremiah’s Complaint
11 The Lord said,
“Have I not set you free
for a good purpose?
Have I not intervened for you with your enemies
in times of trouble and times of distress?
12 “Can anyone break iron—
iron from the north—or bronze?
13 “I’ll give away your wealth and your treasures
as plunder, for free,
because of all your sins throughout your territory.
14 I’ll make you serve your enemies
in a land you don’t know,
for my anger has started a fire
that will burn against you.”
Jeremiah’s Revised Complaint
15 You are aware—
Lord, remember me,
pay attention to me,
and vindicate me in front of those who pursue me.
You are patient—
don’t take me away.
Know that I suffer insult because of you!
16 Your words were found, and I consumed them.
Your words were joy and my hearts delight,
because I bear your name,[g]
Lord God of the Heavenly Armies.
17 I didn’t sit in the company of those who have fun,
and I didn’t rejoice.
Because of your hand on me,[h] I sat alone,
for you filled me with indignation.
18 Why is my pain unending and my wound incurable,
refusing to be healed?
God’s Answer to Jeremiah’s Revised Complaint
You are like a deceptive brook,
whose waters cannot be depended on.
19 Therefore, this is what the Lord says:
“If you repent, I’ll take you back
and you will stand before me.
If you speak what is worthwhile,[i]
instead of what is worthless,
then you will be my spokesman.[j]
People[k] will turn to you,
but you aren’t to turn to them.
20 I’ll make you a fortified wall of bronze to this people.
They’ll fight against you,
but they won’t prevail against you,
for I am with you to save you
and deliver you,”
21 So I’ll deliver you from the hand of the wicked,
and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.”
John the Baptist Prepares the Way for Jesus(A)
1 This is[a] the beginning of the gospel of Jesus the Messiah,[b] the Son of God.[c] 2 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,
“See! I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way.[d]
3 He is a voice calling out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way for the Lord![e]
Make his paths straight!’”[f]
4 John was baptizing in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism about repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 People from[g] the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were flocking to him, being baptized by him while they confessed their sins. 6 Now John was dressed in camel’s hair with[h] a leather belt around his waist. He ate grasshoppers[i] and wild honey. 7 He kept proclaiming, “The one who is coming after me is stronger than I am, and I am not worthy to bend down and untie his sandal straps. 8 I baptized you with[j] water, but it is he who will baptize you with[k] the Holy Spirit.”
Jesus is Baptized(B)
9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens split open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 Then a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love. I am pleased with you!”
Jesus is Tempted by Satan(C)
12 At once the Spirit drove him into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness for 40 days being tempted by Satan. He was among wild animals, and angels were ministering to him.
Jesus Begins His Ministry in Galilee(D)
14 Now after John had been arrested, Jesus went to Galilee and proclaimed the gospel about the kingdom[l] of God. 15 He said, “The time is now! The kingdom of God is near! Repent, and keep believing the gospel!”
Jesus Calls His First Disciples(E)
16 While Jesus[m] was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were throwing a net into the sea because they were fishermen. 17 Jesus told them, “Follow me, and I’ll make you fishers of people!” 18 So immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 Going on a little farther, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat repairing their nets. 20 He immediately called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
Jesus Heals a Man with an Unclean Spirit(F)
21 Then they went to Capernaum. As soon as it was the Sabbaths, Jesus[n] went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people[o] were utterly amazed at his teaching, because he was teaching them like one with authority, and not like their scribes. 23 All of a sudden,[p] there was a man in their synagogue who had an unclean spirit! He screamed, 24 “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
25 But Jesus rebuked him. “Be quiet,” he ordered, “and come out of him!” 26 At this, the unclean spirit shook the man,[q] cried out with a loud voice, and came out of him.
27 All the people were so stunned that they kept saying to each other, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He tells even the unclean spirits what to do, and they obey him!” 28 At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.
Jesus Heals Many People(G)
29 After they left the synagogue, they went directly to the house of Simon and Andrew, along with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying in bed, sick with a fever, so they promptly told Jesus[r] about her. 31 He went up to her, took her by the hand, and helped her up. The fever left her, and she began serving them. 32 When evening came, after the sun had set, people[s] started bringing to him everyone who was sick or possessed by demons. 33 In fact, the whole city gathered at the door. 34 He healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons. However, he wouldn’t allow the demons to speak because they knew who he was.
Jesus Goes on a Preaching Tour(H)
35 In the morning, while it was still very dark, Jesus[t] got up and went to a deserted place and prayed there. 36 Simon and his companions searched frantically for him. 37 When they found him, they told him, “Everyone’s looking for you.”
38 “Let’s go to the neighboring town,” he replied, “so I can preach there, too, because that’s why I came.” 39 So he went throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
Jesus Cleanses a Leper(I)
40 Then a leper[u] came to Jesus[v] and began pleading with him. He fell on his knees and told him, “If you want to, you can make me clean.”
41 Moved with compassion, Jesus[w] reached out his hand, touched him, and told him, “I do want to. Be made clean!” 42 Instantly the leprosy left him, and he was clean.
43 Then Jesus[x] sternly warned him and encouraged him to go at once. 44 He told the man, “Be sure that you don’t tell anyone. Instead, go and show yourself to the priest, and then offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded as proof to the authorities.”[y] 45 But when the man[z] left, he began to proclaim it freely. He spread the news so widely that Jesus[aa] could no longer enter a town openly, but had to stay out in deserted places. Still, people[ab] kept coming to him from everywhere.
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