M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

Defeating the Ammonites

19 Now in the course of time Nachash king of the Ammonites died and his son became king in his place. ² David said: “l will show lovingkindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father dealt loyally with me.”

So David sent messengers to console him concerning his father. But when David’s emissaries came to Hanun in the land of the Ammonites to console him, ³ the Ammonite officials said to Hanun, “Do you really think that David is honoring your father, by sending messengers to express sympathy? Have not his servants come to you to explore and spy out the country to overthrow it?” ⁴ So Hanun took David’s emissaries and shaved them. He cut off their garments in the middle at the buttocks and sent them away.

⁵ When some people came and told David about the men, he sent messengers to meet them for the men were throughly humiliated. The king said: “Stay in Jericho until your beards grow and then return.”

⁶ When the children of Ammon realized they had made themselves a stench to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent 1,000 talents of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram-naharaim^[a], Aram-maacah and Zobah. ⁷ So they hired 32,000 chariots along with the king of Maacah and his people, who came and camped before Medeba. The children of Ammon also assembled from their cities and moved out to the battle.

⁸ On hearing this, David sent Joab and the entire army of mighty men. ⁹ The children of Ammon came out and took up battle formation at the city gate, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the field. ¹⁰ When Joab saw that there was a battle line against him both in front and rear, he selected some of Israel’s best men and deployed them against the Arameans. ¹¹ He put the rest of the people under the command of his brother Abishai, and arrayed them against the Ammonites. ¹² He said: “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you will help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will help you. ¹³ Chazak! Take courage for the sake of our people and the cities of our God! Adonai will do what is good in His eyes.”

¹⁴ So Joab and the people who were with him advanced to battle against the Arameans, and they fled before him. ¹⁵ When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they likewise fled before his brother Abishai and withdrew into the city. Then Joab went to Jerusalem.

¹⁶ After the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they sent messengers and had the Arameans brought from across the River^[b] with Shophah the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.

¹⁷ When David was informed he gathered all Israel and crossed the Jordan. He came against them and took up positions against them. David took up positions against the Arameans in battle and they fought with him. ¹⁸ But the Arameans fled before Israel. David killed 7,000 Aramean charioteers and 40,000 infantrymen. He also killed Shophah the commander of the army.

¹⁹ Now when Hadadezer’s vassals saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and served him. Thus the Arameans were no longer willing to help the Ammonites.

Clearing Out the Giants

20 At the turn of the year, the season when kings go out to war, Joab led out the army and devastated the land of the Ammonites. He went and besieged Rabbah, while David remained in Jerusalem. Joab smote Rabbah and left it in ruins. ² David took the crown from the head of their king—its weight was found to be a talent^[c] of gold and it was set with precious stones—and it was placed on David’s head. He took a vast amount of spoils from the city. ³ Furthermore, he removed the people who were in it and set them to work with saws, sharp iron tools and axes. Thus he did to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

⁴ Now it came about after this, that war broke out with the Philistines at Gezer. Then Sibbecai the Hushathite struck down Sippai, one of the descendants of the Rephaim, and they were subdued. ⁵ Again there was war with the Philistines, and Elhanan the son of Jair killed Lahmi, the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear had a shaft like a weaver’s beam. ⁶ Once again there was a battle at Gath, where there was a man of great stature who had 24 fingers and toes, six on each hand and six on each foot. He too also descended from the giants. ⁷ When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimea, David’s brother, struck him down.

⁸ These were descendants of the giants in Gath; they fell by the hand of David and his servants.

Greetings

1 Peter, an emissary of Messiah Yeshua,

To the sojourners of the Diaspora in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia—chosen ² according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, set apart by the Ruach for obedience and for sprinkling with the blood^[a] of Yeshua the Messiah:

May grace and shalom be multiplied to you.

A Message of Living Hope

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah! In His great mercy He caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Messiah Yeshua from the dead. ⁴ An incorruptible, undefiled, and unfading inheritance has been reserved in heaven for you. ⁵ By trusting, you are being protected by God’s power for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶ You rejoice in this greatly, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials. ⁷ These trials are so that the true metal^[b] of your faith (far more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire) may come to light in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Messiah Yeshua. ⁸ Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. And even though you don’t see Him now, you trust Him and are filled with a joy that is glorious beyond words, ⁹ receiving the outcome of your faith—the salvation of your souls. ¹⁰ The prophets, who spoke about the grace that was to be yours, searched for this salvation and investigated carefully. ¹¹ They were trying to find out the time and circumstances the Ruach of Messiah within them was indicating, when predicting the sufferings in store for Messiah^[c] and the glories to follow. ¹² It was revealed to them that they were providing these messages not to themselves but to you. These messages have now been announced to you through those who proclaimed the Good News to you by the Ruach ha-Kodesh, sent from heaven. Even angels long to catch a glimpse of these things.

A Call to Be Holy

¹³ So brace your minds for action. Keep your balance. And set your hope completely on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Yeshua the Messiah. ¹⁴ Like obedient children, do not be shaped by the cravings you had formerly in your ignorance. ¹⁵ Instead, just like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in everything you do. ¹⁶ For it is written,

¹⁷ If you call on Him as Father—the One who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds—then live out the time of sojourning in reverent fear.

¹⁸ You know that you were redeemed from the futile way of life handed down from your ancestors—not with perishable things such as silver or gold, ¹⁹ but with precious blood like that of a lamb without defect or spot, the blood of Messiah. ²⁰ He was chosen before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. ²¹ Through Him you are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your trust and hope are in God.

²² Now that you have purified your souls in obedience to the truth,^[e] leading to sincere brotherly love, love one another fervently from a pure heart. ²³ You have been born again—not from perishable seed but imperishable—through the living and enduring word of God. ²⁴ For,

And this is the word that was proclaimed as Good News to you.

Nineveh Repents

3 Now the word of Adonai came to Jonah a second time, saying, ² “Rise and go to Nineveh, the great city, and cry out to it the proclamation that I am telling you.”

³ So Jonah rose and went to Nineveh according to the word of Adonai. Now Nineveh was a great city to God—the length of a three day journey. ⁴ So Jonah began to come into the city for one day’s journey, and he cried out saying: “Another forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown!”

⁵ Then the people of Nineveh believed God and called for a fast and wore sackcloth—from the greatest of them to the least of them. ⁶ When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his robe, covered himself in sackcloth, and sat in the ashes. ⁷ He made a proclamation saying:

“In Nineveh, by the decree of the king and his nobles, no man or beast, herd or flock, may taste anything. They must not graze nor drink water. ⁸ But cover man and beast with sackcloth. Let them cry out to God with urgency. Let each one turn from his evil way and from the violence in his hands. ⁹ Who knows? God may turn and relent, and turn back from his burning anger, so that we may not perish.”

¹⁰ When God saw their deeds—that they turned from their wicked ways—God relented from the calamity that He said He would do to them, and did not do it.

Sowing Good News from Town to Town

8 Soon afterward, Yeshua began traveling throughout towns and villages, preaching and proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God. The twelve were also with Him. ² And certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Miriam, the one called Magdalene, out of whom seven demons had gone; ³ Joanna, the wife of Kuza, Herod’s finance minister; Susanna; and many others—were supporting them out of their own resources.

⁴ And when a large crowd was gathering and those from various towns were traveling to Him, He spoke by means of a parable. ⁵ “The sower went out to spread his seed. As he sowed, some fell beside the road and was trampled; and the birds of the air ate it up. ⁶ And other seed fell on rock; when it came up, that seed withered away because it had no moisture. ⁷ Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. ⁸ And other seed fell into the good soil; and when it came up, it produced fruit a hundredfold.” While saying these things, He would call out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

⁹ Now His disciples were asking Him what this parable meant. ¹⁰ Then Yeshua said to them, “To you has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but to the others it is given in parables,^[a] in order that

¹¹ “Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. ¹² Those beside the road are the ones who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they may not believe and be saved. ¹³ But those on the rocky places are the ones who, when they hear, accept the word with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a season, and in a time of testing fall away. ¹⁴ Now that which fell into the thorns are those who were hearing; but as they go along the way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and they do not bear mature fruit. ¹⁵ But the seed in the good soil are those with a praiseworthy and good heart, who have heard the word and hold it fast and bear fruit with patient endurance.

¹⁶ “Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it with some object or places it under a bed. But he puts it on a lampstand so that all those who enter may be able to see the light. ¹⁷ For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor secret that shall not be known and come into open view. ¹⁸ So pay attention how you listen. For whoever has, to him more will be given. And whoever does not have, even what he supposes he has will be taken away from him.”

¹⁹ Yeshua’s mother and brothers came to Him, but were not able to reach Him through the crowd. ²⁰ Now it was reported to Him, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see You.”

²¹ But answering, He said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who are hearing the word of God and doing it.”

Crossing a Stormy Sea

²² Now on one of those days Yeshua and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, “Let’s move to the other side of the lake.” So they set out. ²³ Then as they were sailing, He fell asleep. A violent windstorm came down on the lake, and they were swamped with water and in danger.

²⁴ They came to Yeshua and woke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re perishing!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging wave of water. Then they stopped, and it became calm.^[c]

²⁵ Then Yeshua said to them, “Where is your faith?” But they were afraid and marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him!”

Not Welcome in the Gerasenes

²⁶ They sailed over to the country of the Gerasenes, which is on the opposite side of the Galilee. ²⁷ A demon-plagued man from the town met Yeshua as He was coming out onto the land. The man hadn’t worn any clothing for a long time and was living not in a house but in the tombs.

²⁸ Seeing Yeshua, he cried out and fell down before Yeshua, and with a loud voice said, “What’s between You and me, Yeshua, Ben El Elyon? I’m begging You, do not torment me!” ²⁹ For Yeshua commanded the defiling spirit to come out of the man. For many times it had seized him so that, even though he was restrained and bound with chains and shackles, he would break the chains and be driven by the demons into the desert.

³⁰ Yeshua questioned him, “What is your name?”

“Legion,” he said, for many demons had entered him. ³¹ They kept begging Him not to command them to depart into the abyss. ^{[d] 32} Now a large herd of pigs was feeding on the mountain. The demons urged Yeshua to let them enter these pigs, and He gave them permission. ³³ Then the demons came out of the man and entered into the pigs. The herd rushed down the cliff into the lake and was drowned. ³⁴ But when the herdsmen saw what happened, they ran away and reported it in the town and countryside.

³⁵ People went out to see what had happened. They came to Yeshua and found the man from whom the demons had gone—clothed and in his right mind, sitting at the feet of Yeshua. And they were frightened. ³⁶ Now those who had seen it reported how the demon-plagued man had been restored. ³⁷ And all the people from the region surrounding the Gerasenes asked Yeshua to go away from them because they were overcome by great fear. So He got into a boat and returned.

³⁸ The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with Yeshua. But Yeshua sent him away, saying, ³⁹ “Return to your home, and describe all that God has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole town all that Yeshua had done for him.

Interrupted on the Way to a Miracle

⁴⁰ As Yeshua returned, the crowd welcomed Him, for they were all expecting Him. ⁴¹ And here came a man named Jairus, a leader in the synagogue. Falling at Yeshua’s feet, he begged Him to come to his house, ⁴² because his only daughter, about twelve years old, was dying. But as He made His way, the masses were crushing in upon Him.

⁴³ And there was a woman with a blood flow for twelve years,^[e] who could not be healed by anyone. ⁴⁴ She came up from behind and touched the tzitzit of Yeshua’s garment. Immediately, her blood flow stopped. ⁴⁵ Yeshua said, “Who touched Me?”

When everyone denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds are surrounding You and pressing in!”

⁴⁶ But Yeshua said, “Someone touched Me, for I recognized power going out from Me.” ⁴⁷ Then seeing that she did not escape notice, the woman came trembling and fell prostrate before Him. In the presence of all the people, she confessed why she had touched Him and how she had been healed immediately. ⁴⁸ He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in shalom.”

⁴⁹ While He was still speaking, someone comes from the house of the synagogue leader, saying, “Your daughter has died. Don’t bother the Teacher anymore.”

⁵⁰ But hearing this, Yeshua replied to him, “Do not fear—just keep trusting, and she shall be restored.”

⁵¹ When Yeshua came into the house, He didn’t let anyone enter with Him except Peter, John, Jacob, and the child’s father and mother. ⁵² And everyone was weeping and lamenting her; but He said, “Don’t weep, for she didn’t die but is sleeping.” ⁵³ But they were ridiculing Him, knowing she had died.

⁵⁴ But Yeshua, took her by the hand and called out, saying, “Child, get up!” ⁵⁵ Her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. Yeshua ordered food to be given to her to eat. ⁵⁶ Her parents were utterly astonished, but He ordered them to say nothing of what had happened.