M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Gatekeepers
26 The divisions of the gatekeepers: from the Korahites: Meshelemiah, Kore’s son, one of Ebiasaph’s[a] family.
2 Meshelemiah’s family: Zechariah the oldest, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth, 3 Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, and Eliehoenai the seventh.
4 Obed-edom’s family: Shemaiah the oldest, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sachar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth, 5 Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, and Peullethai the eighth. God truly blessed him. 6 To his son Shemaiah were born sons who ruled over their household, because they were valiant men. 7 Shemaiah’s family: Othni, Rephael, Obed, Elzabad, and his relatives, Elihu and Semachiah, who were valiant men. 8 All these were members of Obed-edom’s family, they, their sons, and their relatives. They were valiant and strong in their service, 62 men belonging to Obed-edom. 9 Meshelemiah’s family and relatives, valiant men, numbered 18.
10 Hosah, one of Merari’s family, also had a family: Shimri the first (though he wasn’t the oldest, his father gave him that status), 11 Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, and Zechariah the fourth. All of Hosah’s family and relatives numbered 13.
12 These were the divisions of the gatekeepers with their leaders, who were responsible to minister in the Lord’s temple, along with their relatives. 13 They cast lots for each gate in the same way, whether their household was small or large. 14 The lot for the East Gate fell to Shelemiah. They then cast lots for his son Zechariah, a wise counselor, and his lot indicated the North Gate. 15 Obed-edom was assigned the South Gate, and his sons were assigned the storehouses. 16 Hosah[b] was assigned the West Gate, that is, the chamber[c] gate on the upper road.
The guards had the same task: 17 each day[d] the East had six, the North four, and the South four, with two at each of the storehouses. 18 At the courtyard on the West, there were four at the road and two at the courtyard. 19 These were the divisions of the gatekeepers from Korah’s family and Merari’s family.
20 Their fellow[e] Levites were in charge of the treasuries of God’s temple and the treasuries of the dedicated gifts: 21 from Ladan’s family, the family of the Gershonites belonging to Ladan, and the heads of the households belonging to Ladan the Gershonite: Jehieli. 22 Jehieli’s family: Zetham and Joel his brother were in charge of the treasuries of the Lord’s temple. 23 From the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites, and Uzzielites: 24 Shebuel, a descendant of Gershom, Moses’ son, was the chief officer in charge of the treasuries. 25 His relatives through Eliezer included his son Rehabiah, his son Jeshaiah, his son Joram, his son Zichri, and his son Shelomoth. 26 This Shelomoth and his relatives were in charge of all the treasuries of the gifts dedicated by King David, by the household leaders, by the commanders[f] of the units of a thousand and a hundred, and by the army officers. 27 They had dedicated some of the valuable objects won in battle to repair the Lord’s temple. 28 Everything that was dedicated by Samuel the seer, as well as by Saul, Kish’s son; Abner, Ner’s son; and Joab, Zeruiah’s son—in fact, anything that had been dedicated—was under the supervision of Shelomoth[g] and his relatives.
29 From the Izharites: Chenaniah and his family had responsibilities over Israel outside the temple as officials and judges. 30 From the Hebronites: Hashabiah and his relatives, 1,700 capable men, were put in charge of Israel west of the Jordan concerning all of the Lord’s affairs and the king’s service. 31 From the Hebronites: Jerijah was the head of the Hebronites according to the family records of their households. In the fortieth year of David’s rule, a search was made and capable men were found among them in Jazer in Gilead. 32 Jerijah’s relatives, capable men, were 2,700 heads of households. King David put them in charge of Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh concerning all of God’s and the king’s affairs.
Divisions of the military
27 This is the list of the Israelites, the heads of households, the commanders of units of a thousand and a hundred, and their officers. They served the king in every way their divisions required, and they were on duty for a month at a time through all the months of the year. Each division numbered 24,000.
2 In charge of the first division for the first month was Jashobeam, Zabdiel’s son. His division numbered 24,000. 3 He was a Perezite and the head of all the army officers for the first month.
4 In charge of the division for the second month was Dodai the Ahohite.[h] His division numbered 24,000.
5 The third army commander for the third month was Benaiah the chief priest Jehoiada’s son. His division numbered 24,000. 6 This Benaiah was a warrior of the Thirty and in command of the Thirty. In command of his division was his son Ammizabad.
7 The fourth for the fourth month was Asahel, Joab’s brother, and after him his son Zebadiah. His division numbered 24,000.
8 The fifth for the fifth month was the commander Shammoth the Zerahite.[i] His division numbered 24,000.
9 The sixth for the sixth month was Ira the Tekoite Ikkesh’s son. His division numbered 24,000.
10 The seventh for the seventh month was Helez the Pelonite from Ephraim’s family. His division numbered 24,000.
11 The eighth for the eighth month was Sibbecai the Hushathite from the Zerahites. His division numbered 24,000.
12 The ninth for the ninth month was Abiezer of Annathoth from the Benjaminites. His division numbered 24,000.
13 The tenth for the tenth month was Maharai the Netophathite from the Zerahites. His division numbered 24,000.
14 The eleventh for the eleventh month was Benaiah the Pirathonite from Ephraim’s family. His division numbered 24,000.
15 The twelfth for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite from Othniel. His division numbered 24,000.
Tribal leaders
16 In charge of the tribes of Israel:
for the Reubenites—the leader was Eliezer, Zichri’s son;
for the Simeonites—Shephatiah, Maacah’s son;
17 for the Levites—Hashabiah, Kemuel’s son;
for Aaron—Zadok;
18 for Judah—Eliab,[j] one of David’s relatives;
for Issachar—Omri, Michael’s son;
19 for Zebulun—Ishmaiah, Obadiah’s son;
for Naphtali—Jerimoth, Azriel’s son;
20 for the Ephraimites—Hoshea, Azaziah’s son;
for half the tribe of Manasseh—Joel, Pedaiah’s son;
21 for half the tribe[k] of Manasseh in Gilead—Iddo, Zechariah’s son;
for Benjamin—Jaasiel, Abner’s son;
22 for Dan—Azarel, Jeroham’s son.
These were the leaders of the tribes of Israel. 23 But David didn’t count those younger than 20 years of age, because the Lord had promised to make Israel as numerous as the stars in the sky. 24 Joab, Zeruiah’s son, began to count them, but he never finished. Since Israel experienced wrath because of this, the number wasn’t entered into the official records of King David.
Civil servants
25 In charge of the king’s treasuries—Azmaveth, Adiel’s son;
in charge of the treasuries in the country, cities, villages, and towers—Jonathan, Uzziah’s son;
26 in charge of agricultural workers cultivating the fertile land—Ezri, Chelub’s son;
27 in charge of the vineyards—Shimei the Ramathite;
in charge of the vineyard’s produce for the wine cellars—Zabdi the Shiphmite;
28 in charge of the olive and sycamore trees in the western foothills—Baal-hanan the Gederite;
in charge of the stores of oil—Joash;
29 in charge of the cattle that grazed in Sharon—Shitrai the Sharonite;
in charge of the cattle in the valleys—Shaphat, Adlai’s son;
30 in charge of the camels—Obil the Ishmaelite;
in charge of the female donkeys—Jehdeiah the Meronothite;
31 in charge of the flocks of sheep and goats—Jaziz the Hagrite.
All these were stewards of King David’s property.
Royal advisors
32 Jonathan, David’s uncle, was a counselor, a man of understanding, and a scribe. Jehiel, Hachmoni’s son, took care of the king’s sons. 33 Ahithophel was the king’s counselor, and Hushai the Archite was the king’s political advisor.[l] 34 After Ahithophel came Benaiah’s son Jehoiada, and Abiathar. Joab was commander of the king’s army.
Greeting
1 From Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ.
To those who received a faith equal to ours through the justice of our God and savior Jesus Christ.
2 May you have more and more grace and peace through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.
Christian life in outline
3 By his divine power the Lord has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of the one who called us by his own honor and glory. 4 Through his honor and glory he has given us his precious and wonderful promises, that you may share the divine nature and escape from the world’s immorality that sinful craving produces.
5 This is why you must make every effort to add moral excellence to your faith; and to moral excellence, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, endurance; and to endurance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, affection for others; and to affection for others, love. 8 If all these are yours and they are growing in you, they’ll keep you from becoming inactive and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 Whoever lacks these things is shortsighted and blind, forgetting that they were cleansed from their past sins.
10 Therefore, brothers and sisters, be eager to confirm your call and election. Do this and you will never ever be lost. 11 In this way you will receive a rich welcome into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
Reminder of the Christian life
12 So I’ll keep reminding you about these things, although you already know them and stand secure in the truth you have. 13 I think it’s right that I keep stirring up your memory, as long as I’m alive. 14 After all, our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that I am about to depart from this life. 15 I’m eager for you always to remember these things after my death.
Christ’s return is true
16 We didn’t repeat crafty myths when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Quite the contrary, we witnessed his majesty with our own eyes. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when a voice came to him from the magnificent glory, saying, “This is my dearly loved Son, with whom I am well-pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 In addition, we have a most reliable prophetic word, and you would do well to pay attention to it, just as you would to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Most important, you must know that no prophecy of scripture represents the prophet’s own understanding of things, 21 because no prophecy ever came by human will. Instead, men and women led by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
A peaceable world
4 But in the days to come,
the mountain of the Lord’s house
will be the highest of the mountains;
it will be lifted above the hills;
peoples will stream to it.
2 Many nations will go and say:
“Come, let’s go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of Jacob’s God,
so that he may teach us his ways
and we may walk in God’s paths!”
Instruction will come from Zion
and the Lord’s word from Jerusalem.
3 God will judge between the nations
and settle disputes of mighty nations,
which are far away.
They will beat their swords into iron plows
and their spears into pruning tools.
Nation will not take up sword against nation;
they will no longer learn how to make war.
4 All will sit underneath their own grapevines,
under their own fig trees.
There will be no one to terrify them;
for the mouth of the Lord of heavenly forces has spoken.
An assertion of enduring loyalty
5 Each of the peoples walks in the name of their own god;
but as for us, we will walk in the name of the Lord our God
forever and always.
Dominion in Zion
6 On that day, says the Lord,
I will gather the lame;
I will assemble those who were driven away
and those whom I have harmed.
7 I will make the lame into survivors,
those driven away into a mighty nation.
The Lord will rule over them on Mount Zion
from now on and forever.
8 As for you, Tower of Eder,[a] hill of Daughter Zion,
as for you it will come,
the former dominion will come,
the royal power belonging to Daughter Zion.
God is in control
9 Now why do you cry out so loudly?
Isn’t the king in you?
Or has your counselor perished,
so that pain has seized you like that of a woman in labor?
10 Writhe and scream, Daughter Zion, like a woman in labor!
Now you will leave the city and dwell in the open field;
you will go to Babylon.
There you will be rescued;
there the Lord will redeem you from the power of your enemies.
11 Now many nations may gather against you;
they say, “Let her be defiled,”
or “Let our eyes look with desire at Zion.”
12 But they don’t know the plans of the Lord;
they can’t understand his scheme,
namely, that he will bring them like grain to the threshing floor!
13 Arise and thresh, Daughter Zion,
for I will make your horn out of iron;
your hooves I will make out of bronze.
You will crush many peoples;
you will dedicate their ill-gotten gains to the Lord,
their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.
Demand for genuine change
13 Some who were present on that occasion told Jesus about the Galileans whom Pilate had killed while they were offering sacrifices. 2 He replied, “Do you think the suffering of these Galileans proves that they were more sinful than all the other Galileans? 3 No, I tell you, but unless you change your hearts and lives, you will die just as they did. 4 What about those eighteen people who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them? Do you think that they were more guilty of wrongdoing than everyone else who lives in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you, but unless you change your hearts and lives, you will die just as they did.”
6 Jesus told this parable: “A man owned a fig tree planted in his vineyard. He came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7 He said to his gardener, ‘Look, I’ve come looking for fruit on this fig tree for the past three years, and I’ve never found any. Cut it down! Why should it continue depleting the soil’s nutrients?’ 8 The gardener responded, ‘Lord, give it one more year, and I will dig around it and give it fertilizer. 9 Maybe it will produce fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.’”
Healing on a Sabbath
10 Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 A woman was there who had been disabled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and couldn’t stand up straight. 12 When he saw her, Jesus called her to him and said, “Woman, you are set free from your sickness.” 13 He placed his hands on her and she straightened up at once and praised God.
14 The synagogue leader, incensed that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, responded, “There are six days during which work is permitted. Come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath day.”
15 The Lord replied, “Hypocrites! Don’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from its stall and lead it out to get a drink? 16 Then isn’t it necessary that this woman, a daughter of Abraham, bound by Satan for eighteen long years, be set free from her bondage on the Sabbath day?” 17 When he said these things, all his opponents were put to shame, but all those in the crowd rejoiced at all the extraordinary things he was doing.
Growth of God’s kingdom
18 Jesus asked, “What is God’s kingdom like? To what can I compare it? 19 It’s like a mustard seed that someone took and planted in a garden. It grew and developed into a tree and the birds in the sky nested in its branches.”
20 Again he said, “To what can I compare God’s kingdom? 21 It’s like yeast, which a woman took and hid in a bushel of wheat flour until the yeast had worked its way through the whole.”
Who will be saved?
22 Jesus traveled through cities and villages, teaching and making his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone said to him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?”
Jesus said to them, 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow gate. Many, I tell you, will try to enter and won’t be able to. 25 Once the owner of the house gets up and shuts the door, then you will stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you are from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 He will respond, ‘I don’t know you or where you are from. Go away from me, all you evildoers!’[a] 28 There will be weeping and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in God’s kingdom, but you yourselves will be thrown out. 29 People will come from east and west, north and south, and sit down to eat in God’s kingdom. 30 Look! Those who are last will be first and those who are first will be last.”
Sorrow for Jerusalem
31 At that time, some Pharisees approached Jesus and said, “Go! Get away from here, because Herod wants to kill you.”
32 Jesus said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Look, I’m throwing out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will complete my work. 33 However, it’s necessary for me to travel today, tomorrow, and the next day because it’s impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’
34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who were sent to you! How often I have wanted to gather your people just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But you didn’t want that. 35 Look, your house is abandoned. I tell you, you won’t see me until the time comes when you say, Blessings on the one who comes in the Lord’s name.”[b]
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible