M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Josiah, King of Judah(A)
34 And Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he was king for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 2 And he did what was correct in the eyes of the Lord, and he walked in the ways of David his father and did not turn either to the right or left.
3 And in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still a young boy, he began to seek out the God of David his father; and in the twelfth year he began to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem from high places, Asherah poles, idols, and carved and cast images. 4 So they tore down the altars for the Baals, and he cut down the incense altars that were above them and smashed the Asherah poles and carved and cast images. And he crushed them to dust and scattered them before the graves of those who sacrificed to them. 5 Then he burned the bones of the priests on their altars and so cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. 6 In the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, and as far as Naphtali, in their ruins all around, 7 he broke down the altars, beat Asherah poles and the images into powder, and cut down all the incense altars throughout all the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.
8 In the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the house of the Lord his God.
9 When they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites, the keepers of the door, had collected from the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and from all the remnant of Israel, and from all Judah and Benjamin, and from the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 And they gave it to those appointed to do the work in the house of the Lord. And those who were doing the work on the house gave it to repair and restore the house. 11 And they gave it to the craftsmen and builders to acquire quarried stones and timber for joists and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had ruined.
12 So the men did the work faithfully. Their overseers were Jahath and Obadiah the Levites, of the sons of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, as supervisors. And other Levites, all skillful with musical instruments, 13 were over those laborers and supervised all those doing the work in every type of service, and other Levites were scribes, officials, and gatekeepers.
The Book of the Law Found(B)
14 When they brought out the money that had been given to the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord from Moses. 15 Then Hilkiah said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan.
16 Shaphan brought the book to the king and reported, “Everything that has been designated to your servants, they are doing. 17 They have given out the money that was in the house of the Lord and have allocated to those who are supervisors and those who are doing the work.” 18 Then Shaphan the scribe also declared to the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it to the king.
19 And it happened that when the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his garments. 20 Then the king ordered Hilkiah, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Abdon the son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the attendant of the king: 21 “Go and seek the Lord on my behalf and on the behalf of the remnant in Israel and Judah concerning what is written in the book that was found, for the wrath of the Lord that is poured out on us is great because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord, to do everything that is written in this book.”
22 So Hilkiah and those with the king went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath, son of Hasrah, who kept the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter, and they spoke to her about this.
23 And she said to them, “So says the Lord God of Israel: Speak to the man who sent you all to Me, 24 Thus says the Lord: I am bringing disaster on this place and all who dwell in it, even all the curses that are written in the book that they read before the king of Judah. 25 Because they have abandoned Me and offered sacrifices to other gods in order to provoke Me with everything they have made with their hands, so My rage will be poured out on this place, and it will not be quenched. 26 And the king of Judah who sent you all to seek out the Lord, so you will speak to him: So says the Lord God of Israel: The words that you have heard, 27 because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and those who dwell here, and you have brought yourself low before Me and torn your clothes and wept before Me, I have heard you, declares the Lord. 28 I am bringing you to be with your fathers, and you will be brought to your grave in peace, and your eyes will not see all the disaster that I am bringing on this place and on those who dwell here.”
So they returned this word to the king.
Josiah Restores True Worship
29 Then the king sent for all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 Then the king went up to the house of the Lord with men from Judah and those living in Jerusalem, even the priests and Levites and all the people from the greatest to the least, and he read within their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant that was found in the house of the Lord. 31 Then the king stood in his place and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant written in this book.
32 Then he appointed all who were in Jerusalem and Benjamin to carry this out, and those living in Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.
33 So Josiah took away all the detestable things from the lands that belonged to the people of Israel and caused all who were found in Israel to serve their Lord God. And all his days they did not turn away from the Lord God of their fathers.
The Thousand Years
20 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be set free for a little while.
4 I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and the authority to judge was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness of Jesus and for the word of God. They had not worshipped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who takes part in the first resurrection. Over these the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
The Defeat of Satan
7 When the thousand years are ended, Satan will be set free from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the sea. 9 They traveled the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. But fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet were. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
The Great White Throne Judgment
11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. From His face the earth and the heavens fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God. Books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. The dead were judged according to their works as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one by his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
Divine Warnings to the Priests
2 And now, O priests, this commandment is for you. 2 If you will not listen, and if you will not take it to heart to give honor to My name, says the Lord of Hosts, I will send a curse on you and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have cursed them already, because you do not take it to heart.
3 I rebuke your descendants, and spread refuse on your faces, the refuse of your solemn feasts, and you will be taken away with it. 4 And you will know that I have sent this command to you, that My covenant with Levi may remain, says the Lord of Hosts. 5 My covenant with him was for life and peace, and I gave them to him. With awe he feared Me, and he was reverent before My name. 6 True instruction was in his mouth, and injustice was not found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and with uprightness, and turned many away from iniquity.
7 For a priest’s lips should preserve knowledge, and people should seek the law from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts. 8 But you have departed from the way. You have caused many to stumble at the law. You have violated the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of Hosts. 9 So I have made you contemptible and base before all the people, because you have not kept My ways, but have shown partiality in the law.
The Covenant Profaned
10 Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously with one another, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?
11 Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination has been committed in Israel and Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord, which He loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. 12 May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob any descendant of the man who does this, teacher and student, yet who brings an offering to the Lord of Hosts.
13 This is the second thing you do: You cover the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and crying out, because He no longer regards the offering, nor receives it with good will from your hand. 14 Yet you say, “Why?” It is because the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously. Yet she is your companion and your wife by covenant.
15 Did He not make them one, having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. So take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.
16 For the Lord, the God of Israel, says that He hates divorce; for it covers one’s garment with violence, says the Lord of Hosts.
Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.
Injustice Committed
17 You have wearied the Lord with your words.
Yet you say, “How have we wearied Him?”
When you say, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and He delights in them,” or, “Where is the God of justice?”
19 Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged Him. 2 The soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put a purple robe on Him. 3 They said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they hit Him with their hands.
4 Again Pilate went out and said to them, “Look, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no guilt in Him.” 5 Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Here is the Man!”
6 When the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”
Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him.”
7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God!”
8 When Pilate heard these words, he was more afraid, 9 and entered the Praetorium again, and said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to release You, and power to crucify You?”
11 Jesus answered, “You would have no power at all over Me, unless it were given to you from above. Therefore he who handed Me over to you has the greater sin.”
12 From then on, Pilate tried to release Him. But the Jews cried out, “If you release this Man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar!”
13 When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement (which in Hebrew is Gabbatha). 14 It was the Day of Preparation of the Passover and about the sixth hour.
He said to the Jews, “Here is your King!”
15 But they shouted, “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!”
Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?”
The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!”
16 Then he handed Him over to them to be crucified.
The Crucifixion(A)
So they took Jesus and led Him away. 17 He went out, carrying His own cross, to a place called The Place of a Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the middle.
19 Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. The writing was:
JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
20 Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city. And it was written in Hebrew, in Greek, and in Latin. 21 The chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but ‘He said, I am King of the Jews.’ ”
22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took His garments and divided them into four parts, a part for each soldier; and also His tunic. Now the tunic was seamless, woven from top to bottom.
24 So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to decide whose it shall be.”
This happened to fulfill the Scripture which says:
“They divided My garments among them,
and for My clothing they cast lots.”[a]
Therefore the soldiers did these things.
25 But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, here is your son.” 27 Then He said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time, this disciple took her to his own home.
The Death of Jesus(B)
28 After this, Jesus, knowing that everything was now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst.” 29 A bowl full of sour wine was placed there. So they put a sponge full of sour wine on hyssop and held it to His mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
The Piercing of Jesus’ Side
31 Since it was the Day of Preparation, to prevent bodies from remaining on the cross on the Sabbath day (for that Sabbath day was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32 Therefore the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was dead already, they did not break His legs. 34 However, one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. 35 He who saw it has testified, and his testimony is true. He knows that he is telling the truth, that you may believe. 36 For these things happened so that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken,”[b] 37 and again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they have pierced.”[c]
The Burial of Jesus(C)
38 After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away His body. 39 Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about seventy-five pounds.[d] 40 Then they took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden was a new tomb in which no one had ever been buried. 42 So because of the Jewish Day of Preparation, and since the tomb was nearby, they buried Jesus there.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.