M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Issachar’s line
7 Issachar’s family: Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron—four in all.
2 Tola’s family: Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Shemuel—the heads of their households in Tola’s line, mighty warriors of their generations. In David’s time they numbered 22,600.
3 Uzzi’s family: Izrahiah; and Izrahiah’s family—Michael, Obadiah, Joel, and Isshiah—five in all, and all of them leaders. 4 According to the family records of their households, they had 36,000 troops in the units of their fighting force, since they had many wives and children. 5 Their relatives from all of Issachar’s clans were 87,000 mighty warriors, all listed in the family records.
Lines of Benjamin and Naphtali
6 Benjamin’s family:[a] Bela, Becher, and Jediael—three in all.
7 Bela’s family: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri—five heads of households, mighty warriors; 22,034 were listed in their family records.
8 Becher’s family: Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alemeth. These were all Becher’s family. 9 As listed in their family records by generation, as heads of their households, mighty warriors, there were 22,200.
10 Jediael’s family: Bilhan.
Bilhan’s family: Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Chenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish, and Ahishahar. 11 All these were Jediael’s family, heads of their households, and mighty warriors. There were 17,200 ready for battle. 12 The Shuppites and Huppites were Ir’s family, and the Hushites were Aher’s family.
13 Naphtali’s family: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shallum. These were Bilhah’s family.
Manasseh’s line
14 Manasseh’s family: Asriel, to whom his Aramean secondary wife gave birth. She gave birth to Machir, Gilead’s father. 15 Machir married Huppite and Shuppite women. His sister’s name was Maacah. The second descendant’s name was Zelophehad, who had only daughters. 16 Machir’s wife Maacah gave birth to a son and named him Peresh. His brother’s name was Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rekem.
17 Ulam’s family: Bedan.
This was the family of Gilead, Machir’s son and Manasseh’s grandson. 18 His sister Hammolecheth gave birth to Ishhod, Abiezer, Mahlah, and Shemida.[b] 19 The members of Shemida’s family were Ahian, Shechem, Likhi, and Aniam.
Ephraim’s line
20 Ephraim’s family: Shuthelah, his son Bered, his son Tahath, his son Eleadah, his son Tahath, 21 his son Zabad, his son Shuthelah, and Ezer and Elead. The men of Gath, who were born in the land, killed them when they came down to take their cattle. 22 Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brothers came to comfort him.
23 Ephraim had sex with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. He named him Beriah, because misfortune had come to his house. 24 His daughter was Sheerah. She built both Lower and Upper Beth-horon and Uzzen-sheerah. 25 His son was Rephah, his son[c] Resheph, his son Telah, his son Tahan, 26 his son Ladan, his son Ammihud, his son Elishama, 27 his son Nun, and his son Joshua. 28 Their possessions and settlements were Bethel and its towns, to the east Naaran, and to the west Gezer and its towns, and Shechem and its towns as far as Ayyah and its towns. 29 Beth-shean and its towns, Taanach and its towns, Megiddo and its towns, and Dor and its towns were under Manassite authority. The family of Joseph, Israel’s son, lived in them.
Asher’s line
30 Asher’s family: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah.
31 Beriah’s family: Heber and Malchiel, who was Birzaith’s father. 32 Heber was the father of Japhlet, Shomer, Hotham, and their sister Shua.
33 Japhlet’s family: Pasach, Bimhal, and Ashvath. This is Japhlet’s family.
34 Shemer’s family: Ahi, Rohgah, Jehubbah, and Aram.
35 His brother Helem’s family: Zophah, Imna, Shelesh, and Amal.
36 Zophah’s family: Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah, 37 Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera.
38 Jether’s family: Jephunneh, Pispa, and Ara.
39 Ulla’s family: Arah, Hanniel, and Rizia.
40 All these were Asher’s family, heads of households, select mighty warriors, the heads of the princes. Those ready for battle listed in the records numbered 26,000.
Benjamin’s line
8 Benjamin was the father of Bela his oldest son, Ashbel his second son, Aharah the third, 2 Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth.
3 Bela had a family: Addar, Gera, Abihud, 4 Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, 5 Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram.
6 This was Ehud’s family. They were heads of households of the inhabitants of Geba, who were sent into exile to Manahath. 7 Gera[d] sent them into exile and was the father of Uzza and Ahihud.
8 Shaharaim had children in the country of Moab after he divorced his wives Hushim and Baara. 9 He had children with his wife Hodesh: Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, 10 Jeuz, Sachia, and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of households. 11 He also had children with Hushim: Abitub and Elpaal.
12 Elpaal’s family: Eber, Misham, Shemed, who built Ono and Lod with its towns, 13 Beriah, and Shema. They were heads of households of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who drove out the inhabitants of Gath. 14 Their brothers[e] were Shashak and Jeremoth.
15 Beriah’s family: Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, 16 Michael, Ishpah, and Joha.
17 Elpaal’s family: Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber, 18 Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab.
19 Shimei’s family: Jakim, Zichri, Zabdi, 20 Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, 21 Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath.
22 Shashak’s family: Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, 23 Abdon, Zichri, Hanan, 24 Hananiah, Omri,[f] Elam, Anthothijah, 25 Iphdeiah, and Penuel.
26 Jeroham’s family: Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah, 27 Jaareshiah, Elijah, and Zichri.
28 These were the heads of households, in their generations. They were leaders who lived in Jerusalem. 29 Jeiel,[g] Gibeon’s father, lived in Gibeon. His wife’s name was Maacah; 30 his oldest son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner,[h] Nadab, 31 Gedor, Ahio, Zecher, and Mikloth.
32 Mikloth was the father of Shimeah. These also lived near their relatives in Jerusalem.[i]
33 Ner was the father of Kish, Kish was the father of Saul, and Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal.
34 Jonathan’s son was Merib-baal, and Merib-baal was Micah’s father.
35 Micah’s family: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz.
36 Ahaz was the father of Jehoaddah; Jehoaddah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri was the father of Moza. 37 Moza was the father of Binea; his son was Raphah, his son Eleasah, and his son Azel. 38 Azel had six sons, named Azrikam, his oldest,[j] Ishmael, Sheariah, Azariah,[k] Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were in Azel’s family.
39 His brother Eshek’s family: Ulam his oldest, Jeush the second, and Eliphelet the third. 40 Ulam’s family were mighty warriors and archers, having many children and grandchildren—150 in all and all were Benjaminites.
Description of faith
11 Faith is the reality of what we hope for, the proof of what we don’t see. 2 The elders in the past were approved because they showed faith.
Acts of faith by God’s people
3 By faith we understand that the universe has been created by a word from God so that the visible came into existence from the invisible.
4 By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice to God than Cain, which showed that he was righteous, since God gave approval to him for his gift. Though he died, he’s still speaking through faith.
5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he didn’t see death, and he wasn’t found because God took him up.[a] He was given approval for having pleased God before he was taken up. 6 It’s impossible to please God without faith because the one who draws near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards people who try to find him.
7 By faith Noah responded with godly fear when he was warned about events he hadn’t seen yet. He built an ark to deliver his household. With his faith, he criticized the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes from faith.
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out without knowing where he was going.
9 By faith he lived in the land he had been promised as a stranger. He lived in tents along with Isaac and Jacob, who were coheirs of the same promise. 10 He was looking forward to a city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11 By faith even Sarah received the ability to have a child, though she herself was barren and past the age for having children, because she believed that the one who promised was faithful. 12 So descendants were born from one man (and he was as good as dead). They were as many as the number of the stars in the sky and as countless as the grains of sand on the seashore. 13 All these people died in faith without receiving the promises, but they saw the promises from a distance and welcomed them. They confessed that they were strangers and immigrants on earth. 14 People who say this kind of thing make it clear that they are looking for a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking about the country that they had left, they would have had the opportunity to return to it. 16 But at this point in time, they are longing for a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God isn’t ashamed to be called their God—he has prepared a city for them.
17 By faith Abraham offered Isaac when he was tested. The one who received the promises was offering his only son. 18 He had been told concerning him, Your legitimate descendants will come from Isaac.[b] 19 He figured that God could even raise him from the dead. So in a way he did receive him back from the dead.
20 By faith Isaac also blessed Jacob and Esau concerning their future.
21 By faith Jacob blessed each of Joseph’s sons as he was dying and bowed in worship over the head of his staff.[c]
22 By faith Joseph recalled the exodus of the Israelites at the end of his life, and gave instructions about burying his bones.
23 By faith Moses was hidden by his parents for three months when he was born, because they saw that the child was beautiful and they weren’t afraid of the king’s orders.
24 By faith Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter when he was grown up. 25 He chose to be mistreated with God’s people instead of having the temporary pleasures of sin. 26 He thought that the abuses he suffered for Christ were more valuable than the treasures of Egypt, since he was looking forward to the reward.
27 By faith he left Egypt without being afraid of the king’s anger. He kept on going as if he could see what is invisible.
28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, in order that the destroyer could not touch their firstborn children.
29 By faith they crossed the Red Sea as if they were on dry land, but when the Egyptians tried it, they were drowned.
30 By faith Jericho’s walls fell after the people marched around them for seven days.
31 By faith Rahab the prostitute wasn’t killed with the disobedient because she welcomed the spies in peace.
32 What more can I say? I would run out of time if I told you about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. 33 Through faith they conquered kingdoms, brought about justice, realized promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 put out raging fires, escaped from the edge of the sword, found strength in weakness, were mighty in war, and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured and refused to be released so they could gain a better resurrection.
36 But others experienced public shame by being taunted and whipped; they were even put in chains and in prison. 37 They were stoned to death, they were cut in two, and they died by being murdered with swords. They went around wearing the skins of sheep and goats, needy, oppressed, and mistreated. 38 The world didn’t deserve them. They wandered around in deserts, mountains, caves, and holes in the ground.
39 All these people didn’t receive what was promised, though they were given approval for their faith. 40 God provided something better for us so they wouldn’t be made perfect without us.
A song of lament
5 Hear this word—a funeral song—that I am lifting up against you, house of Israel:
2 Fallen, no more to rise,
is virgin Israel,
deserted on her land,
with no one to raise her up.
3 The Lord God proclaims:
The city that marched out one thousand people
will have one hundred left,
and the city that marched out one hundred will have ten left in the house of Israel.
Words of encouragement
4 The Lord proclaims to the house of Israel:
Seek me and live.
5 But don’t seek Bethel,
don’t enter into Gilgal,
or cross over to Beer-sheba;
for Gilgal will go into exile,
and Bethel will come to nothing.
6 Seek the Lord and live,
or else God might rush like a fire against the house of Joseph.
The fire will burn up Bethel, with no one to put it out.
Words of doom
7 Doom to you who turn justice into poison,
and throw righteousness to the ground!
8 The one who made the Pleiades and Orion,
and turns deep darkness into the morning,
and darkens the day into night;
who summons the waters of the sea,
and pours them out on the surface of the earth—
this one’s name is the Lord—
9 who causes destruction to flash out against the strong,
so that destruction comes upon the fortress.
10 They hate the one who judges at the city gate,
and they reject the one who speaks the truth.
11 Truly, because you crush the weak,
and because you tax their grain,
you have built houses of carved stone,
but you won’t live in them;
you have planted pleasant vineyards,
but you won’t drink their wine.
12 I know how many are your crimes,
and how numerous are your sins—
afflicting the righteous,
taking money on the side,
turning away the poor who seek help.
13 Therefore, the one who is wise will keep silent in that time;
it is an evil time.
Words of inspiration
14 Seek good and not evil,
that you may live;
and so the Lord, the God of heavenly forces,
will be with you just as you have said.
15 Hate evil, love good,
and establish justice at the city gate.
Perhaps the Lord God of heavenly forces
will be gracious to what is left of Joseph.
Divine wrath anticipated
16 Truly, the Lord proclaims,
the God of heavenly forces, the Lord:
Crying will be heard in all the squares.
In all the streets they will say, “Oh no! Oh no!”
They will call upon the farmers to wail,
and those skilled in mourning to lament.
17 In all the vineyards there will be bitter crying because
I will pass through your midst,
says the Lord.
A statement of divine disgust
18 Doom to those who desire the day of the Lord!
Why do you want the day of the Lord?
It is darkness, not light;
19 as if someone fled from a lion,
and was met by a bear;
or sought refuge in a house,
rested a hand against the wall,
and was bitten by a snake.
20 Isn’t the day of the Lord darkness, not light;
all dark with no brightness in it?
21 I hate, I reject your festivals;
I don’t enjoy your joyous assemblies.
22 If you bring me your entirely burned offerings and gifts of food—
I won’t be pleased;
I won’t even look at your offerings of well-fed animals.
23 Take away the noise of your songs;
I won’t listen to the melody of your harps.
24 But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
25 Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings
during the forty years in the wilderness, house of Israel?
26 You will take up Sakkuth your king,
and Kaiwan your star-god,
your images, which you made for yourselves.
27 Therefore, I will take you away
beyond Damascus, says the Lord,
whose name is the God of heavenly forces.
Luke’s purpose
1 Many people have already applied themselves to the task of compiling an account of the events that have been fulfilled among us. 2 They used what the original eyewitnesses and servants of the word handed down to us. 3 Now, after having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, I have also decided to write a carefully ordered account for you, most honorable Theophilus. 4 I want you to have confidence in the soundness of the instruction you have received.
John the Baptist’s birth foretold
5 During the rule of King Herod of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah. His wife Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron. 6 They were both righteous before God, blameless in their observance of all the Lord’s commandments and regulations. 7 They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to become pregnant and they both were very old. 8 One day Zechariah was serving as a priest before God because his priestly division was on duty. 9 Following the customs of priestly service, he was chosen by lottery to go into the Lord’s sanctuary and burn incense. 10 All the people who gathered to worship were praying outside during this hour of incense offering. 11 An angel from the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw the angel, he was startled and overcome with fear.
13 The angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah. Your prayers have been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will give birth to your son and you must name him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many people will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the Lord’s eyes. He must not drink wine and liquor. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before his birth. 16 He will bring many Israelites back to the Lord their God. 17 He will go forth before the Lord, equipped with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will turn the hearts of fathers[a] back to their children, and he will turn the disobedient to righteous patterns of thinking. He will make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? My wife and I are very old.”
19 The angel replied, “I am Gabriel. I stand in God’s presence. I was sent to speak to you and to bring this good news to you. 20 Know this: What I have spoken will come true at the proper time. But because you didn’t believe, you will remain silent, unable to speak until the day when these things happen.”
21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they wondered why he was in the sanctuary for such a long time. 22 When he came out, he was unable to speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he gestured to them and couldn’t speak. 23 When he completed the days of his priestly service, he returned home. 24 Afterward, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant. She kept to herself for five months, saying, 25 “This is the Lord’s doing. He has shown his favor to me by removing my disgrace among other people.”
Jesus’ birth foretold
26 When Elizabeth was six months pregnant, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a city in Galilee, 27 to a virgin who was engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 When the angel came to her, he said, “Rejoice, favored one! The Lord is with you!” 29 She was confused by these words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Mary. God is honoring you. 31 Look! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and he will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father. 33 He will rule over Jacob’s house forever, and there will be no end to his kingdom.”
34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How will this happen since I haven’t had sexual relations with a man?”
35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come over you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the one who is to be born will be holy. He will be called God’s Son. 36 Look, even in her old age, your relative Elizabeth has conceived a son. This woman who was labeled ‘unable to conceive’ is now six months pregnant. 37 Nothing is impossible for God.”
38 Then Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be with me just as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible