M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Assyria Attacks Judah(A)
32 After Hezekiah ·did all these things to serve the Lord [accomplished these faithful acts], Sennacherib king of Assyria ·came and attacked [invaded] Judah. He and his army ·surrounded and attacked [besieged] the ·strong, walled [fortified] cities, ·hoping [intending] to take them for himself. 2 Hezekiah ·knew [realized] that Sennacherib had come to Jerusalem to attack it. 3 So Hezekiah and his ·officers [officials] and army ·commanders [officers] decided to ·cut off [stop the flow of] the water from the springs outside the city. So they helped Hezekiah. 4 Many people ·came [gathered] and ·cut off [stopped up] all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. They said, “Why should the king of Assyria come and find ·plenty of [abundant] water?” 5 Then Hezekiah ·made Jerusalem stronger. He […took courage/or worked hard/L strengthened himself and] rebuilt all the broken parts of the wall and ·put [erected; raised] towers on it. He also built another wall outside the first one and strengthened the ·area that was filled in on the east side [L Millo; C possibly fortified terraces] of the City of David [C Jerusalem]. He also made many weapons and shields.
6 Hezekiah ·put [appointed] army ·commanders [officers] over the ·people [or army] and met with them ·at the open place near [in the square at] the city gate. Hezekiah encouraged them, saying, 7 “Be strong and ·brave [courageous]. Don’t be afraid or ·worried [panic] because of the king of Assyria or ·his large army [all his horde]. There is a greater ·power [one] with us than with him. 8 He only has ·men [human strength; L an arm of flesh], but we have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” The people were encouraged by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
9 After this King Sennacherib of Assyria and all his army ·surrounded and attacked [besieged] Lachish. Then he sent his ·officers [officials; servants] to Jerusalem with this message for King Hezekiah of Judah and all the people of Judah in Jerusalem:
10 Sennacherib king of Assyria says this: “·You have nothing to trust in [L On what are you trusting…?] to help you. ·It is no use for you to [L Why do you…?] stay in Jerusalem under ·attack [siege]. 11 Hezekiah says to you, ‘The Lord our God will ·save [rescue; T deliver] us from the hand of the king of Assyria,’ but he is ·fooling [misleading; deceiving] you, condemning you to death from hunger and thirst. 12 ·Hezekiah [L Did not Hezekiah…?] himself removed your Lord’s ·places of worship [L high places; 11:15] and altars. He told you people of Judah and Jerusalem that you must worship and burn incense on only one altar [C in the Temple at Jerusalem].
13 “·You know [L Do you not realize…?] what my ·ancestors [fathers] and I have done to all the people ·in other nations [of the lands]. ·The gods of those nations could not [L Were the gods of those lands able to…?] ·save [rescue] their people from my ·power [L hand]. 14 My ·ancestors [fathers] destroyed those nations. ·None [L Which…?] of their gods could save them from ·me [L my hand]. ·So your god cannot [L Why suppose your god/God can…?] ·save [rescue; T deliver] you from my ·power [L hand]. 15 Do not let Hezekiah ·fool [deceive] you or ·trick [mislead] you, and do not believe him. No god of any nation or kingdom has been able to ·save [rescue; T deliver] his people from me or my ·ancestors [fathers]. ·Your god is even less [L How much less will your god/God be…?] able to ·save [rescue; T deliver] you from me.”
16 Sennacherib’s ·officers [officials] ·said worse things against [further insulted/mocked] the Lord God and his servant Hezekiah. 17 King Sennacherib also wrote letters ·insulting [mocking] the Lord, the God of Israel. They spoke against him, saying, “The gods of the other nations could not ·save [rescue; T deliver] their people from me. In the same way Hezekiah’s ·god [God] won’t be able to ·save [rescue; T deliver] his people from me.” 18 Then the king’s ·officers [officials] shouted in ·Hebrew [L the language of Judah], calling out to the people of Jerusalem who were on the city wall. The ·officers [officials] wanted to ·scare [frighten and terrify] the people so they could capture Jerusalem. 19 They spoke about the God of Jerusalem as though he were like the gods the people of the ·world [earth] worshiped, which are made by human hands.
God Rescues Judah(B)
20 King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz ·prayed [cried out to] to heaven about this. 21 Then the Lord sent an angel who ·killed [destroyed; annihilated] all the soldiers, ·leaders [commanders], and officers in the ·camp [army] of the king of Assyria. So the king went back to his own country in ·disgrace [shame; humiliation]. When he went into the ·temple [L house] of his god, some of his own ·sons [children] killed him with a sword.
22 So the Lord ·saved [rescued; T delivered] Hezekiah and the people in Jerusalem from [L the hand of] Sennacherib king of Assyria and from all other people. He ·took care of [guided; or gave rest to] them on every side. 23 Many people brought ·gifts [offerings] for the Lord to Jerusalem, and they also brought ·valuable gifts [precious things] to King Hezekiah of Judah. From then on all the nations ·respected [looked up to; exalted] Hezekiah.
Hezekiah Dies(C)
24 At that time Hezekiah became so sick he almost died. When he prayed to the Lord, the Lord spoke to him and gave him a ·sign [miraculous sign; C God gave him a sign that he would live for another fifteen years; Is. 38:1–8]. 25 But Hezekiah ·did not thank God for his kindness [did not respond to/was not grateful for the kindness shown him], because he was so proud. So ·the Lord was angry with [L wrath came upon] him and the people of Judah and Jerusalem. 26 ·But later [Then] Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem ·were sorry and stopped being proud [humbled themselves], so ·the Lord did not punish [L the wrath of the Lord did not come on] them while Hezekiah was alive.
27 Hezekiah had ·many riches [great wealth] and much honor. He made treasuries for his silver, gold, ·gems [precious stones], spices, shields, and other valuable things. 28 He built ·storage buildings [storehouses] for grain, new wine, and olive oil and stalls for all the cattle and pens for the sheep. 29 He also built many towns. He had ·many [vast] flocks and herds, because God had given Hezekiah much wealth.
30 It was Hezekiah who ·cut off [blocked; stopped; dammed] the upper pool of the Gihon spring and ·made those waters flow [channeled/directed the water] straight down to the west side of the City of David [C Jerusalem]. And Hezekiah ·was successful [prospered] in everything he did. 31 But one time the ·leaders [officials] of Babylon sent messengers to Hezekiah, asking him about a ·strange [miraculous] sign that had happened in the land [2 Kin. 20:12–19; Is. 39:1–8]. When they came, God left Hezekiah ·alone [to himself] to test him so he could know everything that was in Hezekiah’s heart.
Hezekiah Dies(D)
32 Hezekiah’s ·love for God [acts of devotion] and the ·other things [rest of the events/acts] he did as king are written in the vision of the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. This is in the ·book [scroll] of the kings of Judah and Israel. 33 Hezekiah ·died [L lay down/T slept with his fathers/ancestors] and was buried on a hill, where the ·graves [tombs] of David’s ·ancestors [descendants] are. All the people of Judah and Jerusalem honored Hezekiah when he died, and his son Manasseh became king in his place.
Babylon Is Destroyed
18 After ·the vision of these things [L these things], I saw another angel coming down from heaven. This angel had great ·power [authority], and his ·glory [splendor] ·made the earth bright [illumined the earth]. 2 He ·shouted [cried out] in a ·powerful [mighty; strong] voice:
“·Ruined, ruined [L Fallen, fallen] is ·the great city of Babylon [L Babylon the great]!
She has become a ·home [haunt; dwelling place] for demons
and a ·prison [or haunt] for every ·evil [L unclean] spirit,
and a ·prison [or haunt] for every unclean bird and unclean beast.
3 She has ·been ruined [fallen], because all the ·peoples [nations] of the earth
have ·drunk [some manuscripts read “have fallen from”] the wine of the ·desire [passion] of her ·sexual sin [promiscuity; fornication; 14:8; 17:2].
She has been ruined also because the kings of the earth
have ·sinned sexually [fornicated] with her,
and the merchants of the earth
have grown rich from the ·great wealth [power] of her ·luxury [sensuality].”
4 Then I heard another voice from heaven saying:
“Come out of that city, my people,
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not receive ·the disasters that will come to her [L her plagues; Gen. 19:15, 17].
5 [L Because] Her sins have ·piled up [heaped; reached] as high as ·the sky [heaven],
and God has ·not forgotten [remembered] ·the wrongs she has done [her crimes; her sins].
6 ·Give [Pay back] that city the same as she ·gave to [paid] others.
Pay her back ·twice as much as [double what] she did.
·Prepare wine for her that is twice as strong
as the wine she prepared for others [L In the cup she mixed, mix double for her; 14:8].
7 She gave herself much glory and ·rich living [sensual luxury].
Give her that much ·suffering [torment; torture] and ·sadness [grief; mourning].
She says ·to herself [L in her heart], ‘I am a queen sitting on my throne.
I am not a widow; I will never ·be sad [know grief; mourn].’
8 So these ·disasters [plagues] will come to her in one day:
death, and ·crying [sadness; grief; mourning], and ·great hunger [famine],
and she will be ·destroyed [consumed; burned up] by fire,
because the Lord God who judges her is ·powerful [strong].”
9 The kings of the earth who ·sinned sexually [fornicated] with her and ·shared her wealth [lived in luxury/sensuality with her] will see the smoke from her burning. Then they will ·cry [weep] and ·be sad [mourn] because of her death. 10 They will be afraid of her ·suffering [torment; torture] and stand far away and say:
“·Terrible! How terrible for you [L Woe, woe; 8:13], great city,
·powerful [strong; mighty] city of Babylon,
because your ·punishment [judgment; doom] has come ·in one hour [suddenly]!”
11 And the merchants of the earth will ·cry [weep] and be sad about her, because now there is no one to buy their cargoes— 12 cargoes of gold, silver, ·jewels [precious stones], pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, ·red [scarlet] cloth; all kinds of citron wood and all kinds of things made from ivory, expensive wood, bronze, iron, and marble; 13 [and cargoes of] cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, carriages [wagons], ·slaves, and human lives [L bodies and human souls].
14 The merchants will say [C implied by the context],
“Babylon, the ·good things [L fruit] you ·wanted [desired; longed for] are gone from you.
All your ·rich [expensive; luxurious] and ·fancy [glamorous; L shining] things have disappeared.
You will never ·have [find] them again.”
15 The merchants [L of these things] who became rich ·from selling to her [L from her] will be afraid of her ·suffering [torment; torture] and will stand far away. They will ·cry [weep] and ·be sad [mourn] 16 and say:
“·Terrible! How terrible [L Woe, woe; 8:13] for the great city!
She was dressed in fine linen, purple and ·red [scarlet] cloth,
and she was ·shining [glittering; adorned] with gold, precious jewels, and pearls [17:4]!
17 All these riches have been ·destroyed [made desolate] in one hour [C suddenly or in a short time]!”
Every sea captain, every passenger, the sailors, and all those who ·earn their living from [trade; work on] the sea stood far away from Babylon. 18 As they saw the smoke from her burning, they cried out loudly, “·There was never a city [What city was…?] like this great city!” 19 And they threw dust on their heads [C a ritual of mourning] and cried out, weeping and ·being sad [mourning]. They said:
“·Terrible! How terrible [L Woe, woe] for the great city!
[L In which] All the people who had ships on the sea
became rich because of her wealth!
But she has been ·destroyed [made desolate] in one hour [C suddenly or in a short time]!
20 ·Be happy [rejoice] ·because of this [L over her], heaven!
·Be happy [Rejoice], ·God’s holy people [T saints] and apostles and prophets!
[L For] God has ·punished [judged] her ·because of what she did to you [or on your behalf; or for the judgment/punishment she imposed on you].”
21 Then a ·powerful [strong; mighty] angel picked up a large stone, like ·one used for grinding grain [a millstone], and threw it into the sea [Jer. 51:63–64]. He said:
“In the same way, the great city of Babylon will be thrown down [with violence],
and it will never be found again.
22 The ·music [L sound] of ·people playing harps [harpists] and ·other instruments [musicians; singers], ·flutes [flutists], and ·trumpets [trumpeters],
will never be heard in you again.
No ·workman [craftsman] doing any ·job [trade]
will ever be found in you again.
The sound of ·grinding grain [the millstone]
will never be heard in you again.
23 The light of a lamp
will never shine in you again,
and the voices of a bridegroom and bride
will never be heard in you again.
[L For; Because] Your merchants were the world’s great people,
and all the nations were ·tricked [deceived; led astray] by your ·magic [sorcery].
24 ·You are guilty of the death of the prophets and God’s holy people [L In you was found the blood of the prophets and the saints]
and all who have been ·killed [slaughtered; slain] on earth.”
The Day of Punishment
14 The ·Lord’s day of judging [L day of the Lord; Zeph. 1:7] is coming when ·the wealth you have taken [your plunder] will be divided ·among you [in your midst; or right in front of you; while you watch].
2 I will bring all the nations together to ·fight [wage war against] Jerusalem. They will capture the city and ·rob [plunder; loot] the houses and ·attack [rape] the women. Half the people will be taken away ·as captives [into exile], but the rest of the people won’t be taken from the city.
3 Then the Lord will go to war against those nations; he will fight as in a day of battle. 4 On that day ·he [L his feet] will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem. The Mount of Olives will split in two, forming a deep valley that runs east and west. Half the mountain will move toward the north, and half will move toward the south. 5 You will ·run [flee] through this mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel [C unknown location east of Jerusalem]. You will run just as you did from the earthquake when Uzziah was king of Judah [Amos 1:1]. Then the Lord my God will come and all the holy ones [C either angels or believers; Matt. 25:31; 1 Thess. 3:13; Jude 14; Rev. 19:14] with him.
6 On that day there will be no light, ·cold, or frost [or the sources of lights will diminish]. 7 There will be no other day like it, ·and the Lord knows when it will come [L a day known to the Lord]. There will be no day or night; even at evening it will still be light.
8 At that time ·fresh [bubbling; or living; life-giving] water will flow from Jerusalem. Half of it will flow east to the ·Dead [L eastern] Sea, and half will flow west to the ·Mediterranean [L western] Sea. It will flow summer and winter.
9 Then the Lord will be king over the whole world. ·At that time [L On that day] ·there will be only one Lord [L the Lord will be one; Deut. 6:4–5], and his name ·will be the only name [L one].
10 All the land south of Jerusalem from Geba [C six miles northeast of Jerusalem, the northern boundary of Judah] to ·Rimmon [C thirty-five miles southwest of Jerusalem] will be ·turned into a plain [or like the Arabah; C the Jordan Valley, from Mount Hermon to the Gulf of Aqaba]. Jerusalem will be raised up, but it will stay in the same place. The city will reach from the Benjamin Gate and to the First Gate to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s winepresses. 11 People will live there, and it will never be destroyed again. Jerusalem will ·be safe [dwell in security].
12 But the Lord will bring a terrible ·disease [plague] on the nations that fought against Jerusalem. Their flesh will rot away while they are still standing up. Their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. 13 ·At that time [L On that day] the Lord will cause panic. Everybody will grab ·his [L the hand of his] neighbor, and they will ·attack each other [L raise his hand against the hand of his neighbor]. 14 ·The people of Judah [L Judah] will fight in Jerusalem. And the wealth of the nations around them will be collected—much gold, silver, and clothes. 15 A similar ·disease [plague] will strike the horses, mules, camels, donkeys, and all the animals in the camps.
16 All of those left alive of the ·people [nations] who came to fight Jerusalem will come back to Jerusalem year after year to worship the King, the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], and to celebrate the Feast of ·Shelters [Booths; Tabernacles; Deut. 31:9–13]. 17 Anyone from the nations who does not go to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], will not have rain fall on his land. 18 If the Egyptians do not go to Jerusalem, they will not have rain. Then the Lord will send them the same ·terrible disease [plague] he sent the other nations that did not celebrate the Feast of ·Shelters [Booths; Tabernacles]. 19 This will be the punishment for Egypt and any nation that does not go up to celebrate the Feast of Shelters.
20 ·At that time [L On that day] the horses’ bells will have written on them: holy to the lord. The cooking pots in the Temple of the Lord will be like the holy altar bowls. 21 Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], and everyone who offers sacrifices will be able to take food from them and cook in them. ·At that time [L On that day] there will not be any ·buyers or sellers [or Canaanite] in the Temple of the Lord [Matt. 21:12–13; John 2:13–16] ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].
Jesus Prays for His Followers
17 After Jesus said these things, he ·looked [L raised his eyes] toward heaven and ·prayed [L said], “Father, the ·time [L hour; C the time of his death and resurrection] has come. ·Give glory to [Glorify; Honor] your Son so that the Son can ·give glory to [glorify; honor] you. 2 You gave the Son ·power [authority] over all ·people [T flesh] so that the Son could give eternal life to all those you gave him. 3 And this is eternal life: that people know you, the only true God, and that they know Jesus Christ, the One you sent. 4 Having ·finished [completed] the work you gave me to do, I ·brought you glory [glorified/honored you] on earth [C by leading people to praise God]. 5 And now, Father, ·give me glory [glorify/honor me] ·with you [or in your presence]; give me the ·glory [honor] I had with you before the world ·was made [existed; began].
6 “I ·showed what you are like [L revealed your name; C God’s reputation/character] to ·those [L the people] you gave me from the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have ·obeyed your teaching [L kept your word]. 7 Now they know that everything you gave me comes from you. 8 [L Because] I gave them the ·teachings [words; utterances] you gave me, and they ·accepted [received] them. They knew that I truly came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I am ·praying for them [asking on their behalf]. I am not ·praying for [asking on behalf of] people in the world but for those you gave me, because they are yours. 10 ·All I have is yours, and all you have is mine [L All mine are yours and all yours are mine]. And ·my glory is shown [I am glorified] through them. 11 I am coming to you; I will not stay in the world any longer. But they are still in the world. Holy Father, ·keep them safe by the power of [or keep them loyal to] your name, the name you gave me, so that they will be one, just as you and I are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power of [or kept them loyal to] your name, the name you gave me. I ·protected [guarded] them, and only one of them, the ·one worthy of destruction [L son of destruction/perdition; C Judas], was lost so that the Scripture would ·come true [L be fulfilled; Ps. 41:9].
13 “I am coming to you now. But I ·pray [L say] these things while I am still in the world so that ·these followers [these disciples; L they] can have all of my joy [ L made complete; fulfilled] in them. 14 I have given them your ·teaching [word]. And the world has hated them, because they don’t belong to the world, just as I don’t belong to the world. 15 I am not asking you to take them out of the world but to ·keep them safe [protect them] from the ·Evil One [or evil; C the Evil One is the Devil]. 16 They don’t belong to the world, just as I don’t belong to the world. 17 ·Make them ready for your service [Sanctify them; Consecrate them; C setting them apart for service] through your truth; your ·teaching [word] is truth. 18 I have sent them into the world, just as you sent me into the world. 19 For their sake, I am ·making myself ready to serve [sanctifying/consecrating myself] so that they can be ·ready for their service of [sanctified/consecrated by] the truth.
20 “I ·pray for these followers [L ask not only for these], but I am also ·praying [L asking] for all those who will believe in me because of their ·teaching [message; proclamation; L word]. 21 Father, I ·pray [L ask] that they can be one. As you are in me and I am in you, I ·pray [L ask] that they can also be ·one in us [L in us]. Then the world will believe that you sent me. 22 I have given these people the ·glory [honor] that you gave me so that they can be one, just as you and I are one. 23 ·I will be in them and you will be in me [L I in them and you in me] so that they will be ·completely one [in perfect unity]. ·Then […so that] the world will know that you sent me and that you loved them just as much as you loved me.
24 “Father, I want these people that you gave me to be with me where I am. ·I want them to […so that they may] see my ·glory [honor], which you gave me because you loved me before the ·world was made [foundation/creation of the world]. 25 ·Father, you are the One who is good [L Righteous Father,…]. The world does not know you, but I know you, and these people know you sent me. 26 I ·showed [made known to] them ·what you are like [L your name; 14:13], and I will ·show them again [continue to make it known]. ·Then […so that] they will have the same love that you have for me, and I will ·live [be] in them.”
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