M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
8 Elisha had told the woman whose son he had brought back to life, “Take your family and move to some other country, for the Lord has called down a famine on Israel that will last for seven years.”
2 So the woman took her family and lived in the land of the Philistines for seven years. 3 After the famine ended, she returned to the land of Israel and went to see the king about getting back her house and land. 4 Just as she came in, the king was talking with Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, and saying, “Tell me some stories of the great things Elisha has done.” 5 And Gehazi was telling the king about the time when Elisha brought a little boy back to life. At that very moment, the mother of the boy walked in!
“Oh, sir!” Gehazi exclaimed. “Here is the woman now, and this is her son—the very one Elisha brought back to life!”
6 “Is this true?” the king asked her. And she told him that it was. So he directed one of his officials to see to it that everything she had owned was restored to her, plus the value of any crops that had been harvested during her absence.
7 Afterwards Elisha went to Damascus (the capital of Syria), where King Ben-hadad lay sick. Someone told the king that the prophet had come.
8-9 When the king heard the news, he said to Hazael, “Take a present to the man of God and tell him to ask the Lord whether I will get well again.”
So Hazael took forty camel-loads of the best produce of the land as presents for Elisha and said to him, “Your son Ben-hadad, the king of Syria, has sent me to ask you whether he will recover.”
10 And Elisha replied, “Tell him, ‘Yes.’ But the Lord has shown me that he will surely die!”
11 Elisha stared at Hazael until he became embarrassed, and then Elisha started crying.
12 “What’s the matter, sir?” Hazael asked him.
Elisha replied, “I know the terrible things you will do to the people of Israel: you will burn their forts, kill the young men, dash their babies against the rocks, and rip open the bellies of the pregnant women!”
13 “Am I a dog?” Hazael asked him. “I would never do that sort of thing.”
But Elisha replied, “The Lord has shown me that you are going to be the king of Syria.”
14 When Hazael went back, the king asked him, “What did he tell you?”
And Hazael replied, “He told me that you would recover.”
15 But the next day Hazael took a blanket and dipped it in water and held it over the king’s face until he smothered to death. And Hazael became king instead.
16 King Jehoram, the son of King Jehoshaphat of Judah, began his reign during the fifth year of the reign of King Joram of Israel, the son of Ahab. 17 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for eight years. 18 But he was as wicked as Ahab and the other kings of Israel; he even married one of Ahab’s daughters. 19 Nevertheless, because God had promised his servant David that he would watch over and guide his descendants, he did not destroy Judah.
20 During Jehoram’s reign, the people in Edom revolted from Judah and appointed their own king. 21 King Jehoram[a] tried unsuccessfully to crush the rebellion: he crossed the Jordan River and attacked the city of Zair, but was quickly surrounded by the army of Edom. Under cover of night he broke through their ranks, but his army deserted him and fled. 22 So Edom has maintained its independence to this day. Libnah also rebelled at that time.
23 The rest of the history of King Jehoram is written in The Annals of the Kings of Judah. 24-25 He died and was buried in the royal cemetery in the City of David—the old section of Jerusalem.
Then his son Ahaziah[b] became the new king during the twelfth year of the reign of King Joram of Israel, the son of Ahab. 26 Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, but he reigned only one year in Jerusalem. His mother was Athaliah, the granddaughter of King Omri of Israel. 27 He was an evil king, just as all of King Ahab’s descendants were—for he was related to Ahab by marriage.
28 He joined King Joram of Israel (son of Ahab) in his war against Hazael, the king of Syria, at Ramoth-gilead. King Joram was wounded in the battle, 29 so he went to Jezreel to rest and recover from his wounds. While he was there, King Ahaziah of Judah (son of Jehoram) came to visit him.
5 Never speak sharply to an older man, but plead with him respectfully just as though he were your own father. Talk to the younger men as you would to much-loved brothers. 2 Treat the older women as mothers, and the girls as your sisters, thinking only pure thoughts about them.
3 The church should take loving care of women whose husbands have died if they don’t have anyone else to help them. 4 But if they have children or grandchildren, these are the ones who should take the responsibility, for kindness should begin at home, supporting needy parents. This is something that pleases God very much.
5 The church should care for widows who are poor and alone in the world if they are looking to God for his help and spending much time in prayer; 6 but not if they are spending their time running around gossiping, seeking only pleasure and thus ruining their souls. 7 This should be your church rule so that the Christians will know and do what is right.
8 But anyone who won’t care for his own relatives when they need help, especially those living in his own family, has no right to say he is a Christian. Such a person is worse than the heathen.
9 A widow who wants to become one of the special church workers[a] should be at least sixty years old and have been married only once. 10 She must be well thought of by everyone because of the good she has done. Has she brought up her children well? Has she been kind to strangers as well as to other Christians? Has she helped those who are sick and hurt? Is she always ready to show kindness?
11 The younger widows should not become members of this special group because after a while they are likely to disregard their vow to Christ and marry again. 12 And so they will stand condemned because they broke their first promise. 13 Besides, they are likely to be lazy and spend their time gossiping around from house to house, getting into other people’s business. 14 So I think it is better for these younger widows to marry again and have children and take care of their own homes; then no one will be able to say anything against them. 15 For I am afraid that some of them have already turned away from the church and been led astray by Satan.
16 Let me remind you again that a widow’s relatives must take care of her and not leave this to the church to do. Then the church can spend its money for the care of widows who are all alone and have nowhere else to turn.
17 Pastors who do their work well should be paid well and should be highly appreciated, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scriptures say, “Never tie up the mouth of an ox when it is treading out the grain—let him eat as he goes along!” And in another place, “Those who work deserve their pay!”
19 Don’t listen to complaints against the pastor unless there are two or three witnesses to accuse him. 20 If he has really sinned, then he should be rebuked in front of the whole church so that no one else will follow his example.
21 I solemnly command you in the presence of God and the Lord Jesus Christ and of the holy angels to do this whether the pastor is a special friend of yours or not. All must be treated exactly the same. 22 Never be in a hurry about choosing a pastor; you may overlook his sins, and it will look as if you approve of them. Be sure that you yourself stay away from all sin. 23 (By the way, this doesn’t mean you should completely give up drinking wine. You ought to take a little sometimes as medicine for your stomach because you are sick so often.)
24 Remember that some men, even pastors, lead sinful lives, and everyone knows it. In such situations you can do something about it. But in other cases only the judgment day will reveal the terrible truth. 25 In the same way, everyone knows how much good some pastors do, but sometimes their good deeds aren’t known until long afterward.
12 “At that time Michael, the mighty angelic prince who stands guard over your nation, will stand up and fight for you in heaven against satanic forces,[a] and there will be a time of anguish for the Jews greater than any previous suffering in Jewish history. And yet every one of your people whose names are written in the Book will endure it.
2 “And many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3 “And those who are wise—the people of God—shall shine as brightly as the sun’s brilliance, and those who turn many to righteousness will glitter like stars forever.
4 “But Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal it up so that it will not be understood until the end times, when travel and education shall be vastly increased!”
5 Then I, Daniel, looked and saw two men[b] on each bank of a river. 6 And one of them asked the man in linen robes who was standing now above the river, “How long will it be until all these terrors end?”
7 He replied, with both hands lifted to heaven, taking oath by him who lives forever and ever, that they will not end until three and a half years after the power of God’s people has been crushed.[c]
8 I heard what he said, but I didn’t understand what he meant. So I said, “Sir, how will all this finally end?”
9 But he said, “Go now, Daniel, for what I have said is not to be understood until the time of the end. 10 Many shall be purified by great trials and persecutions. But the wicked shall continue in their wickedness, and none of them will understand. Only those who are willing to learn will know what it means.
11 “From the time the daily sacrifice is taken away and the Horrible Thing is set up to be worshiped, there will be 1,290 days.[d] 12 And blessed are those who wait and remain until the 1,335th day!
13 “But go on now to the end of your life and your rest; for you will rise again and have your full share of those last days.”[e]
49-50 Never forget your promises to me your servant, for they are my only hope. They give me strength in all my troubles; how they refresh and revive me! 51 Proud men hold me in contempt for obedience to God, but I stand unmoved. 52 From my earliest youth I have tried to obey you; your Word has been my comfort.
53 I am very angry with those who spurn your commands. 54 For these laws of yours have been my source of joy and singing through all these years of my earthly pilgrimage. 55 I obey them even at night and keep my thoughts, O Lord, on you. 56 What a blessing this has been to me—to constantly obey.
57 Jehovah is mine! And I promise to obey! 58 With all my heart I want your blessings. Be merciful just as you promised. 59-60 I thought about the wrong direction in which I was headed, and turned around and came running back to you. 61 Evil men have tried to drag me into sin, but I am firmly anchored to your laws.
62 At midnight I will rise to give my thanks to you for your good laws. 63 Anyone is my brother who fears and trusts the Lord and obeys him. 64 O Lord, the earth is full of your loving-kindness! Teach me your good paths.
65 Lord, I am overflowing with your blessings, just as you promised. 66 Now teach me good judgment as well as knowledge. For your laws are my guide. 67 I used to wander off until you punished me; now I closely follow all you say. 68 You are good and do only good; make me follow your lead.
69 Proud men have made up lies about me, but the truth is that I obey your laws with all my heart. 70 Their minds are dull and stupid, but I have sense enough to follow you.
71-72 The punishment you gave me was the best thing that could have happened to me, for it taught me to pay attention to your laws. They are more valuable to me than millions in silver and gold!
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.