M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Deborah and Barak
4 After Ehud died, the people of Israel sinned in the eyes of the Lord again. 2 So the Lord let them be taken by Jabin king of Canaan, who ruled in Hazor. The head of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. 3 The people of Israel cried to the Lord, for Jabin had 900 iron war-wagons. He made it very hard for the people of Israel for twenty years.
4 Now Lappidoth’s wife Deborah, a woman who spoke for God, was judging Israel at that time. 5 She would sit under the tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim. And the people of Israel came to her to find out what was right or wrong. 6 She sent for Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedeshnaphtali, and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘Go to Mount Tabor. Take with you 10,000 men from the sons of Naphtali and Zebulun. 7 I will have Sisera, the head of Jabin’s army, meet you at the river Kishon. He will have his war-wagons and his many soldiers with him. But I will give him into your hand.’” 8 Then Barak said to her, “I will go if you go with me. But if you do not go with me, I will not go.” 9 And she said, “For sure I will go with you. But the honor will not be yours as you go on your way. For the Lord will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman.” Then Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to come to Kedesh. He went up with 10,000 men. And Deborah went up with him.
11 Now Heber the Kenite had gone away from the Kenites, from the sons of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses. He had put up his tent as far away as the big tree in Zaanannim, near Kedesh.
12 They told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor. 13 Sisera gathered together all his 900 iron war-wagons. He gathered together all the people who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon. 14 Deborah said to Barak, “Get up! For this is the day the Lord has given Sisera into your hands. See, the Lord has gone out before you.” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor, and 10,000 men followed him. 15 The Lord brought trouble upon Sisera and all his war-wagons and all his army in front of Barak with the sword. Sisera got down from his war-wagon and ran away on foot. 16 But Barak went after the war-wagons and the army as far as Harosheth-hagoyim. All of Sisera’s army fell by the sword. Not one was left.
17 Sisera ran away on foot to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite. For there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the family of Heber the Kenite. 18 Jael went out to meet Sisera, saying, “Come in, my lord. Come in to me. Do not be afraid.” So he went into her tent, and she put a cover over him. 19 He said to her, “Give me a little water to drink. For I am thirsty.” So she opened a skin bag of milk and gave him a drink. Then she covered him. 20 He said to her, “Stand in the door of the tent. If anyone comes and asks you, ‘Is there anyone here?’ you say, ‘No.’” 21 But Heber’s wife Jael took a big tent nail in her hand and a tool to hit it with. Because Sisera was very tired, he went into a deep sleep. She went to him in secret and hit the big nail into the side of his head. It went through and into the ground. So he died. 22 As Barak came after Sisera, Jael came out to meet him. She said to him, “Come. I will show you the man you are looking for.” So Barak went in with her, and he saw Sisera lying dead with the big tent nail in his head.
23 God put Jabin the king of Canaan under the power of the people of Israel on that day. 24 The people of Israel made it harder and harder for Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed him.
It Is Hard for the Christians in Jerusalem
8 Saul thought it was all right that Stephen was killed. On that day people started to work very hard against the church in Jerusalem. All the followers, except the missionaries, were made to leave. They went to parts of the countries of Judea and Samaria. 2 Good men put Stephen in a grave. There was much sorrow because of him. 3 During this time Saul was making it very hard for the church. He went into every house of the followers of Jesus and took men and women and put them in prison.
Philip Preaches in Samaria
4 Those who had been made to go to other places preached the Word as they went. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and preached about Christ. 6 The people all listened to what Philip said. As they listened, they watched him do powerful works. 7 There were many people who had demons in their bodies. The demons cried with loud voices when they went out of the people. Many of the people could not move their bodies or arms and legs. They were all healed. 8 There was much joy in that city.
Simon the Witch Doctor
9 A man by the name of Simon had done witchcraft there. The people of Samaria were surprised at the things he did. He pretended that he was a great man. 10 All the people watched and listened to him. They said, “This man must be that great power of God.” 11 They kept running after him. For a long time he fooled them with his witchcraft.
12 Philip told the Good News of the holy nation of God and of Jesus Christ. Both men and women put their trust in Christ and were baptized. 13 Even Simon believed in Christ and was baptized. He went along with Philip everywhere. He was surprised when he saw the powerful works that were being done.
14 The missionaries in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had received the Word of God. They sent Peter and John to them. 15 When Peter and John got there, they prayed that the new followers might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 He had not yet come on any of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 They laid their hands on them and the followers received the Holy Spirit.
18 When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given when the missionaries laid their hands on the people, he wanted to give money to the missionaries. 19 He said, “Let me also have this power. Then I can give the Holy Spirit to anyone I lay my hands on.” 20 Peter said to him, “May your money be destroyed with you because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or place in this work. Your heart is not right in God’s sight. 22 You must be sorry for this sin of yours and turn from it. Pray to the Lord that He will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23 I see that you are full of jealousy and chained by your sin.” 24 Simon said, “Pray to the Lord for me that nothing you have said will come to me.”
25 Peter and John went back to Jerusalem after telling what they had seen and heard. They had preached the Word of the Lord also. On the way they preached the Good News in many other towns in the country of Samaria.
Philip and the Man from Ethiopia
26 An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, “Get up and go south. Take the road that goes down from Jerusalem to the country of Gaza. It goes through the desert.” 27 Philip got up and went. A man from the country of Ethiopia had come to Jerusalem to worship. He had been made so he could not have children. He cared for all the riches that belonged to Candace who was Queen of Ethiopia. 28 As he was going back home, he was sitting in his wagon reading about the early preacher Isaiah. 29 The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that wagon and get on it.” 30 Philip ran up to him. He saw that the man from Ethiopia was reading from the writings of the early preacher Isaiah and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 The man from Ethiopia said, “How can I, unless someone teaches me?” Then he asked Philip to come up and sit beside him.
32 He was reading the part in the Holy Writings which says He was taken like a lamb to be put to death. A sheep does not make a sound while its wool is cut. So He made no sound. 33 No one listened to Him because of His shame. Who will tell the story of His day? For His life was taken away from the earth. (A)
34 The man from Ethiopia said to Philip, “Who is the early preacher talking about, himself, or someone else?” 35 So Philip started with this part of the Holy Writings and preached the Good News of Jesus to him.
36 As they went on their way, they came to some water. The man from Ethiopia said, “See! Here is water. What is to stop me from being baptized?” 37 (*Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” The man said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”) 38 He stopped the wagon. Then both Philip and the man from Ethiopia went down into the water and Philip baptized him.
39 When they came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit took Philip away. The man from Ethiopia did not see Philip again. He went on his way full of joy. 40 Philip found himself at the city of Azotus. Then Philip went through all the towns as far as the city of Caesarea preaching the Good News at each place.
Judah’s Sin and the Punishment
17 The sin of Judah is written down with pen of iron and with a sharp diamond. It is written on their hearts and on the horns of their altars. 2 Even their children remember their altars and their wooden female goddesses of Asherah by green trees and on the high hills. 3 O My mountain in the country, I will give your money and all your riches to those who fight against you. I will give your high places as the price of your sin through all your land. 4 And you yourself will let your land go that I gave you. I will make you serve those who hate you in a land which you do not know. For you have made My an-ger start a fire which will burn forever.
5 The Lord says, “Cursed is the man who trusts in man, who trusts in the flesh for his strength, and whose heart turns away from the Lord. 6 For he will be like a bush in the desert and will not see when good comes. He will live in dry wastes in the desert, in a land of salt where no other people live. 7 Good will come to the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is in the Lord. 8 He will be like a tree planted by the water, that sends out its roots by the river. It will not be afraid when the heat comes but its leaves will be green. It will not be troubled in a dry year, or stop giving fruit.
9 “The heart is fooled more than anything else, and is very sinful. Who can know how bad it is? 10 I the Lord look into the heart, and test the mind. I give to each man what he should have because of his ways and because of the fruit that comes from his works. 11 As a bird that sits on eggs which it has not laid, so is he who gets rich by doing wrong. When his life is half over, they will leave him, and in the end he will be a fool.”
12 A beautiful throne on high from the beginning is our holy place. 13 O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who leave You will be put to shame. Those who turn away from You will be written in the earth, because they have left the Lord, the well of living water.
Jeremiah Prays for Help
14 Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed. Save me and I will be saved. For You are my praise. 15 They say to me, “Where is the Word of the Lord? Let it come now!” 16 But as for me, I have not run away from being a shepherd who follows You. And I have not been hoping for the day of trouble. You know what I said was spoken in front of You. 17 Do not make me afraid of You. You are my safe place in the day of trouble. 18 Let those who make it hard for me be put to shame, but do not let me be put to shame. Let them be afraid, but do not let me be afraid. Bring on them a day of trouble, and destroy them with twice as much!
Keeping the Day of Rest Holy
19 The Lord said to me, “Go and stand in the people’s gate, through which the kings of Judah come in and go out, and also in all the gates of Jerusalem. 20 And say to them, ‘Listen to the Word of the Lord, kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all people of Jerusalem who come in through these gates. 21 The Lord says, “Be careful for your lives. Do not carry any load on the Day of Rest or bring anything in through the gates of Jerusalem. 22 Do not bring a load out of your houses on the Day of Rest or do any work. But keep the Day of Rest holy, as I told your fathers before you. 23 Yet they did not listen or hear, but made their necks hard and would not change their ways.
24 “Listen to Me,” says the Lord, “and bring no load through the city gates on the Day of Rest. Keep the Day of Rest holy by doing no work on it. 25 Then kings and their sons will come through the city gates who will sit on the throne of David. They will come in war-wagons and on horses, with the men of Judah and the people of Jerusalem. And people will live in this city forever. 26 People will come in from the cities of Judah and from the places around Jerusalem. They will come from the land of Benjamin, from the valleys, from the hill country, and from the Negev. They will bring burnt gifts, animals to kill on the altar in worship, grain gifts, special perfume, and gifts of thanks to the house of the Lord. 27 But if you do not listen to Me, to keep the Day of Rest holy by not carrying a load when coming through the gates of Jerusalem on the Day of Rest, then I will start a fire in its gates. And it will burn up the beautiful houses of the kings of Jerusalem and will not be stopped.”’”
Jesus Heals on the Day of Rest (A)
3 Jesus went into the Jewish place of worship again. A man was there with a dried-up hand. 2 The proud religious law-keepers watched Jesus to see if He would heal the man on the Day of Rest. They wanted to have something to say against Jesus. 3 Jesus said to the man with the dried-up hand, “Stand up.” 4 Then Jesus said to the proud religious law-keepers, “Does the Law say to do good on the Day of Rest or to do bad, to save life or to kill?” But they said nothing. 5 Jesus looked around at them with anger. He was sad because of their hard hearts. Then He said to the man, “Put out your hand.” He put it out and his hand was healed. It was as good as the other. 6 The proud religious law-keepers went out and made plans with the followers of King Herod how they might kill Jesus.
Jesus Heals by the Sea-Shore (B)
7 Jesus went with His followers to the sea. Many people followed Him from the countries of Galilee and Judea. 8 They followed from Jerusalem and from the country of Idumea. They came from the other side of the Jordan River and from the cities of Tyre and Sidon. Many people heard all that Jesus was doing and came to Him. 9 He told His followers to have a small boat ready for Him because so many people might push Him down. 10 He had healed so many that the sick people were pushing in on Him. They were trying to put their hands on Him. 11 When demons saw Him, they got down at His feet and cried out, “You are the Son of God!” 12 He spoke strong words that the demons should tell no one Who He was.
Jesus Calls His Twelve Followers (C)
13 He went up on a mountain and called those He wanted. They followed Him. 14 He picked out twelve followers to be with Him so He might send them out to preach. 15 They would have the right and the power to heal diseases and to put out demons. 16 Jesus gave Simon another name, Peter. 17 James and John were brothers. They were the sons of Zebedee. He named them Boanerges, which means, The Sons of Thunder. 18 The others were Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Canaanite, 19 and Judas Iscariot. Judas was the one who handed Jesus over to be killed.
The Family of Jesus Holds Him Back
20 When Jesus came into a house, many people gathered around Him again. Jesus and His followers could not even eat. 21 When His family heard of it, they went to take Him. They said, “He must be crazy.”
A Nation That Cannot Stand (D)
22 Teachers of the Law came down from Jerusalem. They said, “Jesus has Satan in Him. This Man puts out demons by the king of demons.” 23 Jesus called them to Him and spoke to them in picture-stories. He said, “How can the devil put out the devil? 24 A nation cannot last if it is divided against itself. 25 A family cannot last if it is divided against itself. 26 If the devil fights against himself and is divided, he cannot last. He will come to an end. 27 No man can go into a strong man’s house and take away his things, unless he ties up the strong man first. Only then can he take things from his house. 28 For sure, I tell you, all sins will be forgiven people, and bad things they speak against God. 29 But if anyone speaks bad things against the Holy Spirit, he will never be forgiven. He is guilty of a sin that lasts forever.” 30 Jesus told them this because they said, “He has a demon.”
The New Kind of Family (E)
31 Then His mother and brothers came and stood outside. They sent for Jesus. 32 Many people were sitting around Him. They said, “See! Your mother and brothers are outside looking for You.” 33 He said to them, “Who is My mother or My brothers?” 34 He turned to those sitting around Him and said, “See! My mother and My brothers! 35 Whoever does what My Father wants is My brother and My sister and My mother.”
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