M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Samson’s Marriage
14 A while later, Samson went down to Timnah and observed a woman in Timnah who was of Philistine origin.[a] 2 Then he returned and told his father and mother, “In Timnah I saw a woman of Philistine origin.”[b] He ordered them, “Get her for me as a wife. Now!”[c]
3 His father and mother asked him, “Isn’t there a woman suitable[d] among the daughters of your relatives or among all of our people, since you’re going to get your[e] wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?”
But Samson retorted to his father, “Get her for me, since she looks fine to me.” 4 Meanwhile, his father and mother did not know that she was from the Lord, because he had been seeking a favorable opportunity concerning the Philistines, since[f] the Philistines were dominating Israel at that time.
5 Then Samson went down in the direction of Timnah with his father and mother and arrived as far as the vineyards of Timnah. And—surprise!—a young lion came roaring at him! 6 The Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and he ripped the lion[g] apart as one might dissect a young goat, even though he carried nothing in his hand. But he didn’t tell his father and mother what he had done. 7 Then he went down and talked to the woman, and she looked fine to Samson. 8 When he came back later to marry[h] her, he turned aside to observe the lion’s carcass. Amazingly, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, complete with honey. 9 So he scraped some out into his hands and went on his way, eating all the while. When he met his father and mother, he gave some[i] to them, and they ate it, too. But he didn’t inform them that he had scraped the honey from the carcass of the lion.
Samson’s Riddle
10 Later on, when his father went down to visit[j] the woman, Samson threw a party there, since young men customarily did this. 11 When they saw him, they brought 30 companions to accompany him. 12 “Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson told them. “If you can solve it during this week-long festival, I’ll give you 30 linen garments and 30 formal garments.[k] 13 But if you don’t solve it,[l] then you’ll give me 30 linen garments and 30 formal garments.”[m]
“Tell us your riddle and we’ll solve it,” they responded.
14 So he told them:
From the eater came something edible;
from the strong something sweet.
For three days they couldn’t solve the riddle.
15 The next[n] day, they told Samson’s wife, “Coax your husband to explain the riddle or we’ll set fire to your father’s house—with you in it! You’ve invited us here to make us paupers, haven’t you?”
16 So Samson’s wife cried in front of him and accused him, “You only hate me. You don’t love me. You’ve told a riddle to my relatives, but you haven’t told the solution[o] to me.”
Samson responded, “Look, I haven’t told my parents,[p] either. Why[q] should I tell you?”
17 So she kept on crying in front of him for the entire seven days of the wedding party. On the seventh day he told the solution[r] to her because she nagged him, and then she told the solution to[s] the riddle to her relatives.
18 Then the men of the city answered him just before sunset on the seventh day:
“What is sweeter than honey?
What are stronger than lions?”
Samson[t] responded,
“If you hadn’t plowed with my heifer,
you wouldn’t have solved my riddle.”
19 Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, killed 30 men, took their belongings, and gave the garments to those who had told him the solution to[u] the riddle. He remained furious, left for his father’s house, 20 and Samson’s wife went to the best man at his wedding.[v]
Paul in Corinth
18 After this, Paul[a] left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul[b] went to visit them, 3 and because they had the same trade he stayed with them. They worked together because they were tentmakers by trade. 4 Every Sabbath, he would speak in the synagogue, trying to persuade both Jews and Greeks. 5 But when Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself entirely to the word[c] as he emphatically assured the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah.[d] 6 But when they began to oppose him and insult him, he shook out his clothes in protest and told them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the gentiles.”
7 Then he left that place and went to the home of a man named Titius[e] Justus, who worshipped God and whose house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Now Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, along with his whole family. Many Corinthians who heard Paul also believed and were baptized.
9 One night, the Lord told Paul in a vision, “Stop being afraid to speak out! Don’t remain silent! 10 For I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you or harm you, because I have many people in this city.” 11 So Paul[f] lived there for a year and a half and continued to teach the word of God among the people there.[g]
12 While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jewish leaders[h] gathered together, attacked Paul, and brought him before the judge’s seat. 13 They said, “This man is persuading people to worship God in ways that are contrary to the Law.”
14 Paul was about to speak when Gallio admonished the Jewish leaders,[i] “If there were some misdemeanor or crime involved, it would be reasonable to put up with you Jews. 15 But since it is a question about words, names, and your own Law, you will have to take care of that yourselves. I refuse to be a judge in these matters.” 16 So he drove them away from the judge’s seat. 17 Then all of them[j] took Sosthenes, the synagogue leader, and began beating him in front of the judge’s seat. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.
Paul’s Return Trip to Antioch
18 After staying there for quite a while longer, Paul said goodbye to the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. He had his hair cut in Cenchrea, since he was under a vow. 19 When they arrived in Ephesus, he left Priscilla and Aquila[k] there. Then he went into the synagogue and had a discussion with the Jews. 20 They asked him to stay longer, but he refused. 21 As he told them goodbye, he said, “I will come back[l] to you again if it is God’s will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22 When he arrived in Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem,[m] greeted the church there, and then returned to Antioch. 23 After spending some time there, he departed and went from place to place through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
Apollos Preaches in Ephesus
24 Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos arrived in Ephesus. He was a native of Alexandria, an eloquent man, and well versed in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the Lord’s way, and with spiritual fervor he kept speaking and teaching accurately about Jesus, although he knew only about John’s baptism. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him home and explained God’s way to him more accurately. 27 When Apollos[n] wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers wrote to the disciples there, urging them to welcome him. On his arrival he greatly helped those who, through God’s[o] grace, had believed. 28 He successfully refuted the Jews in public and proved by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah.[p]
Jeremiah Tells the Nations to Submit to Babylon
27 At the beginning of the reign of Josiah’s son Jehoiakim, king of Judah, this message came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 this is what the Lord says to me: “Make restraints and yokes for yourself and put them on your neck. 3 Then send messengers[a] to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of the Ammonites, the king of Tyre, and the king of Sidon through the envoys[b] who come to Jerusalem to king Zedekiah of Judah. 4 Give them this order for their masters: ‘This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says, and this is what you are to say to your masters, 5 “By my great power and outstretched arm I made the earth, mankind, and the animals that are on the face of the earth, and I give it to whomever I see fit.[c] 6 Now I’ve given all these lands to my servant, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and I’ve even given him the wild animals to serve him. 7 All the nations will serve him, his son, and his grandson until his country’s time also comes, and then many nations and great kings will use him as a slave. 8 If a nation and kingdom does not serve him—King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon—and does not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I’ll judge that nation with the sword, with famine, and with plague,” declares the Lord, “until I’ve completely destroyed it by his hand. 9 You aren’t to listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers,[d] your soothsayers, and your sorcerers who say to you, ‘Don’t serve the king of Babylon.’ 10 They’re prophesying a lie to you in order to remove you far away from your land. I’ll drive you out and you will perish. 11 But I’ll let the nation that brings its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serves him remain in its own land,” declares the Lord, “and they’ll work it and remain in it.”’”
Zedekiah Told to Submit to Babylon
12 I spoke to Zedekiah king of Judah using words like these: “Bring your neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon. Serve him and his people, and you will live! 13 Why should you and your people die by the sword, by famine, and by plague as the Lord has decreed about the nation that does not serve the king of Babylon? 14 Don’t listen to the words of the prophets who say to you, ‘You won’t serve the king of Babylon.’ Indeed, they’re prophesying a lie to you. 15 For I didn’t send them,” declares the Lord, “and they’re falsely prophesying in my name, so I will drive both you and the prophets who prophesy to you out of the land.”
The People and Priests Told to Submit to Babylon
16 Then I spoke to the priests and all of the people: “This is what the Lord says: ‘Don’t listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you: “The vessels from the Temple are about to be returned from Babylon very soon now.” Indeed, they’re prophesying a lie to you. 17 Don’t listen to them! Serve the king of Babylon and you’ll live. Why should this city become a ruin? 18 If they’re prophets, and if they have a message from the Lord, let them plead with the Lord of the Heavenly Armies so that the utensils that remain in the Lord’s Temple, in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem might not be taken to Babylon. 19 For this is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies says about the pillars, the bronze sea, the stands, and the rest of the vessels that remain in this city 20 that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon didn’t take when he took Jehoiakim’s son Jeconiah, king of Judah, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem from Jerusalem into exile to Babylon— 21 For this is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel says about the vessels that remain in the Lord’s Temple, in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem, 22 “They’ll go into Babylon and there they’ll remain until the time I take note of them,” declares the Lord. “Then I’ll bring them up and return them to this place.”’”
Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple(A)
13 While Jesus[a] was leaving the Temple, one of his disciples told him, “Look, Teacher! What stones! And what buildings!”
2 “Do you see these large buildings?” Jesus responded. “Not even a single stone here will be left on top of another that won’t be demolished.”
Cults, Revolutions, Famines, and Earthquakes(B)
3 As Jesus[b] was sitting on the Mount of Olives facing the Temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew were asking him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what is to be the sign when these things will be put into effect?”
5 Jesus began by telling them, “See to it that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, proclaiming, ‘I AM,’ and they will deceive many people.[c] 7 But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, don’t panic. These things must take place, but the end won’t have come yet, 8 because nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. Furthermore, there will be earthquakes and famines in various places. These things are only a beginning of agonies.”
Future Persecution and Evangelism(C)
9 “As for yourselves, be on your guard! People[d] will hand you over to local councils, and you will be beaten in their synagogues. You will stand before governors and kings in order to testify to them because of me. 10 But first, the gospel must be proclaimed to all nations.[e] 11 When they take you away and hand you over for trial, don’t worry ahead of time about what you will say. Instead, say whatever is given to you at that time, because it won’t be you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. 12 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 13 You will be hated continuously by everyone on account of my name. But the person who endures to the end will be saved.”
Signs of the End(D)
14 “So when you see the destructive desecration standing where it should not be (let the reader take note),[f] then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 15 Anyone who’s on his housetop must not come down and go into his house to take anything out of it, 16 and the one who’s in the field must not turn back to get his coat.
17 “How terrible it will be for women who are pregnant or who are nursing babies in those days! 18 Pray that it may not be in winter, 19 because those days will be a time of suffering,[g] a kind that has not happened from the beginning of creation—which God himself created—until now, and certainly will never happen again. 20 If the Lord had not shortened those days, no one[h] would survive. But for the sake of the elect whom he has chosen, he has shortened those days.
21 “At that time, if anyone says to you, ‘Look here! The Messiah!’,[i] or, ‘Look there!’ don’t believe it, 22 because false messiahs[j] and false prophets will have arisen and will produce signs and omens intending to deceive, if possible, the elect. 23 So be on your guard! I’ve told you everything beforehand.”
The Coming of the Son of Man(E)
24 “But after the troubles[k] of those days,
‘The sun will be darkened,
the moon will not reflect its light,
25 the stars will be falling out of the sky,
and the powers that are in the heavens will be disrupted.’[l]
26 Then people[m] will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’[n] with great power and glory. 27 He’ll send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the most remote part of earth to the most remote part of heaven.”
The Lesson from the Fig Tree(F)
28 “Now learn a lesson[o] from the fig tree. When its branches become tender and it produces leaves, you know that summer is approaching. 29 In the same way, when you see these things taking place, you will know that the Son of Man[p] is near, right at the door. 30 I tell all of you[q] with certainty, this generation won’t disappear until all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.”
The Unknown Day and Hour of the Messiah’s Return(G)
32 “No one knows when that day or hour will come[r]—neither the angels in heaven nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be careful! Watch out! Because you don’t know when the time will come. 34 It’s like a man who went on a trip. As he left home, he put his servants in charge, each with his own work, and he ordered the doorkeeper to be alert. 35 So keep on watching, because you don’t know when the master of the house is coming—whether in the middle of the night, at the time the cock crows,[s] or at daybreak. 36 Otherwise, he may come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 I’m telling you what I’m telling everyone: Be alert!”
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