M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Joahaz Rules Judah
36 Then the people of the land took Joahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in place of his father in Jerusalem. 2 Joahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king. And he ruled for three months in Jerusalem. 3 Then the king of Egypt took Joahaz’s power away at Jerusalem, and made the people of the land pay a tax of silver weighing as much as 100 men, and gold weighing as much as one man. 4 The king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. But Neco took Eliakim’s brother Joahaz and brought him to Egypt.
Jehoiakim Rules Judah
5 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he ruled eleven years in Jerusalem. He did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord his God. 6 King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came up against him and tied him with brass chains to take him to Babylon. 7 Nebuchadnezzar also brought some of the things of the Lord’s house to Babylon and put them in his place of worship there. 8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim and the sinful things which he did, and what was found against him, are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. His son Jehoiachin became king in his place.
Jehoiachin Rules Judah
9 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he ruled in Jerusalem three months and ten days. He did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord. 10 In the spring of the year, King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon with the objects of great worth from the Lord’s house. He made his brother Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem.
Zedekiah Rules Judah
11 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he ruled eleven years in Jerusalem. 12 He did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord his God. He had much pride in front of Jeremiah the man of God who spoke for the Lord. 13 And he turned against King Nebuchadnezzar who had made him make a promise by God. He was strong-willed and made his heart hard against turning to the Lord God of Israel. 14 Also none of the rulers of the religious leaders and people were faithful. They followed all the sinful things of the nations. And they brought sinful things into the Lord’s house, which the Lord had made holy in Jerusalem.
Jerusalem Is Taken
15 The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent men to speak for Him again and again, because He had loving-pity on His people and on His house. 16 But the people always made fun of the men sent by God. They hated God’s words and laughed at His men who spoke for God, until the Lord was very angry with His people. And there was no way for things to be better. 17 So God brought the king of the Babylonians against them, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of God. He had no pity on anyone, young or old, men or women or the sick. He gave them all into the king’s hand. 18 And he brought to Babylon all the things of the house of God, great and small, and the riches of the Lord’s house, and the riches of the king and of his rulers. 19 Then they burned the house of God, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem. They burned all of its buildings built for battles, and destroyed all of its objects of great worth. 20 He carried away to Babylon those who had not been killed by the sword. They were made to work for him and his sons until the rule of the nation of Persia. 21 This was done so the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah came true. For the seventy years that the land was not being used, the Day of Rest was kept. So the Days of Rest were enjoyed that had not been kept before.
Cyrus Tells the Jews to Return
22 The Lord’s word by the mouth of Jeremiah came true in this way also: In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the Lord caused the spirit of King Cyrus to send word to all his nation, and also to write it down, saying, 23 “King Cyrus of Persia says, ‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the nations of the earth. He has chosen me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all His people, may the Lord his God be with him, and let him go up.’”
More About the New Jerusalem
22 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life. It was as clear as glass and came from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 It runs down the center of the street in the city. On each side of the river was the tree of life. It gives twelve different kinds of fruit. It gives this fruit twelve times a year, new fruit each month. Its leaves are used to heal the nations.
3 There will be nothing in the city that is sinful. The place where God and the Lamb sit will be there. The servants He owns will serve Him. 4 They will see His face and His name will be written on their foreheads. 5 There will be no night there. There will be no need for a light or for the sun. Because the Lord God will be their light. They will be leaders forever.
Jesus Is Coming Soon
6 Then the angel said to me, “These words are faithful and true. The Lord God of the early preachers has sent His angel to show the servants He owns what must happen soon.” 7 “See! I am coming soon. The one who obeys what is written in this Book is happy!”
8 It was I, John, who heard and saw these things. Then I got down at the feet of the angel who showed me these things. I was going to worship him. 9 But he said to me, “No! You must not do that. I am a servant together with you and with your Christian brothers and the early preachers and with all those who obey the words in this Book. You must worship God!” 10 Then he said to me, “Do not lock up the words of this Book. These things will happen soon. 11 And let the sinful people keep on being sinful. Let the dirty-minded people keep on being dirty-minded. And let those right with God keep on being right with God. Let the holy people keep on being holy.
12 “See! I am coming soon. I am bringing with Me the reward I will give to everyone for what he has done. 13 I am the First and the Last. I am the beginning and the end. 14 Those who wash their clothes clean are happy (who are washed by the blood of the Lamb). They will have the right to go into the city through the gates. They will have the right to eat the fruit of the tree of life. 15 Outside the city are the dogs. They are people who follow witchcraft and those who do sex sins and those who kill other people and those who worship false gods and those who like lies and tell them.
16 “I am Jesus. I have sent My angel to you with these words to the churches. I am the beginning of David and of his family. I am the bright Morning Star.”
17 The Holy Spirit and the Bride say, “Come!” Let the one who hears, say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty, come. Let the one who wants to drink of the water of life, drink it. It is a free gift.
18 I am telling everyone who hears the words that are written in this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written in this book, God will add to him the kinds of trouble that this book tells about. 19 If anyone takes away any part of this book that tells what will happen in the future, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the Holy City, which are told about in this book.
20 He Who tells these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Let it be so. Come, Lord Jesus. 21 May all of you have the loving-favor of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let it be so.
The Great Day of the Lord
4 “See, the day is coming. It is burning like a hot fire. And all those who are proud and those who do wrong will be like dry grass. The day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the Lord of All. “Not a root or branch will be left to them. 2 But for you who fear My name, the sun of what is right and good will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and dance like calves from the cattle-house. 3 You will crush the sinful under foot. They will be ashes under your feet on the day when I do these things,” says the Lord of All.
4 “Remember the Law of My servant Moses. Remember all the Laws I gave him in Horeb for all Israel. 5 See, I will send you Elijah the man of God before the day of the Lord comes, that great day that will be full of much trouble. 6 And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers. Or else I will come and destroy the land with a curse.”
The Risen Christ Talks to His Followers
21 After this, Jesus again showed Himself to His followers at the lake of Tiberias. It happened like this: 2 Simon Peter and Thomas who was called the Twin and Nathanael from the town of Cana in the country of Galilee and the sons of Zebedee and two other followers were all together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” The others said, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into a boat. That night they caught no fish.
4 Early in the morning Jesus stood on the shore of the lake. The followers did not know it was Jesus. 5 Then Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They said, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Put your net over the right side of the boat. Then you will catch some fish.” They put out the net. They were not able to pull it in because it was so full of fish.
7 Then the follower whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Peter heard it was the Lord, he put on his fisherman’s coat. (He had taken it off.) Then he jumped into the water. 8 The other followers came in the boat. They were pulling the net with the fish. They were not far from land, only a little way out.
9 When they came to land they saw fish and bread on a fire. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 Simon Peter went out and pulled the net to land. There were 153 big fish. The net was not broken even with so many.
12 Jesus said to them, “Come and eat.” Not one of the followers would ask, “Who are You?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took bread and fish and gave it to them. 14 This was the third time Jesus had shown Himself to His followers after He had risen from the dead.
The Risen Christ Talks to Peter
15 When they were finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” Peter answered Jesus, “Yes, Lord, You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
16 Jesus said to Peter the second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He answered Jesus, “Yes, Lord, You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Take care of My sheep.”
17 Jesus said to Peter the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter felt bad because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love Me?” He answered Jesus, “Lord, You know everything. You know I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. 18 For sure, I tell you, when you were young, you put on your belt and went wherever you wanted to go. When you get old, you will put out your hands and someone else will put on your belt and take you away where you do not want to go.” 19 He said this to tell Peter what kind of death he would die to honor God. After Jesus said this, He said to Peter, “Follow Me.”
20 Peter turned around. He saw the follower whom Jesus loved, following. This one had been beside Jesus at the supper. This is the one who had asked Jesus, “Lord, who will hand You over?” 21 Peter saw him and said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this one?” 22 Jesus said, “If I want this one to wait until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.” 23 So the news spread among the followers that this follower would not die. But Jesus did not say to him that he would not die. He said, “If I want him to wait until I come, what is that to you?”
John Tells That He Wrote This Book
24 This is the follower who is telling of these things and who has written them. We know that his word is true. 25 There are many other things which Jesus did also. If they were all written down, I do not think the world itself could hold the books that would be written.
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