M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

7 Then Jerobaal, who is the same as Gedeon, rising up early and all the people with him, came to the fountain that is called Harad. Now the camp of Madian was in the valley on the north side of the high hill.

² And the Lord said to Gedeon: The people that are with thee are many, and Madian shall not be delivered into their hands: lest Israel should glory against me, and say: I was delivered by my own strength.

³ Speak to the people, and proclaim in the hearing of all, I Whosoever is fearful and timorous, let him return. So two and twenty thousand men went away from mount Galaad and returned home, and only ten thousand remained.

⁴ And the Lord said to Gedeon: The people are still too many, bring them to the waters, and there I will try them: and of whom I shall say to thee, This shall go with thee, let him go: whom I shall forbid to go, let him return.

⁵ And when the people were come down to the waters, the Lord said to Gedeon: They that shall lap the water with their tongues, as dogs are wont to lap, thou shalt set apart by themselves: but they that shall drink bowing down their knees, shall be on the other side.

⁶ And the number of them that had lapped water, casting it with the hand to their mouth, was three hundred men: and all the rest of the multitude had drunk kneeling.

⁷ And the Lord said to Gedeon: By the three hundred men, that lapped water, I will save you, and deliver Madian into thy hand: but let all the rest of the people return to their place.

⁸ So taking victuals and trumpets according to their number, he ordered all the rest of the multitude to depart to their tents: and he with the three hundred gave himself to the battle. Now the camp of Madian was beneath him in the valley.

⁹ The same night the Lord said to him: Arise, and go down into the camp: because I have delivered them into thy hand.

¹⁰ But if thou be afraid to go alone, let Phara thy servant go down with thee.

¹¹ And when thou shalt hear what they are saying, then shall thy hands be strengthened, and thou shalt go down more secure to the enemies' camp. And he went down with Phara his servant into part of the camp, where was the watch of men in arms.

¹² But Madian and Amalec, and all the eastern people lay scattered in the valley, as a multitude of locusts: their camels also were innumerable as the sand that lieth on the sea shore.

¹³ And when Gedeon was come, one told his neighbour a dream: and in this manner related what he had seen: I dreamt a dream, and it seemed to me as if a hearth cake of barley bread rolled and came down into the camp of Madian: and when it was come to a tent it struck it, and beat it down flat to the ground.

¹⁴ He to whom he spoke, answered: This is nothing else but the sword of Gedeon the son of Joas a man of Israel. For the Lord hath delivered Madian, and all their camp into his hand.

¹⁵ And when Gedeon had heard the dream, and the interpretation thereof, he adored: and returned to the camp of Israel, and said: Arise, for the Lord hath delivered the camp of Madian into our hands.

¹⁶ And he divided the three hundred men into three parts, and gave them trumpets in their hands, and empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.

¹⁷ And he said to them: What you shall see me do, do you the same: I will go into one part of the camp, and do you as I shall do.

¹⁸ When the trumpet shall sound in my hand, do you also blow the trumpets on every side of the camp.

¹⁹ And Gedeon, and the three hundred men that were with him, went into part of the camp, at the beginning of the midnight watch, and the watchmen being alarmed, they began to sound their trumpets, and to clap the pitchers one against another.

²⁰ And when they sounded their trumpets in three places round about the camp, and had broken their pitchers, they held their lamps in their left hands, and with their right hands the trumpets which they blew, and they cried out: The sword of the Lord and of Gedeon;

²¹ Standing every man in his place round about the enemies' camp. So all the camp was troubled, and crying out and howling they fled away.

²² And the three hundred men nevertheless persisted sounding the trumpets. And the Lord sent the sword into all the camp, and they killed one another,

²³ Fleeing as far as Bethsetta, and the border of Abelmahula in Tebbath. But the men of Israel shouting from Nephtali and Aser, and from all Manasses pursued after Madian.

²⁴ And Gedeon sent messengers into all mount Ephraim, saying: Come down to meet Madian, and take the waters before them to Bethbera and the Jordan. And all Ephraim shouted, and took the waters before them and the Jordan as far as Bethbera.

²⁵ And having taken two men of Madian, Oreb and Zeb: Oreb they slew in the rock of Oreb, and Zeb in the winepress of Zeb. And they pursued Madian, carrying the heads of Oreb and Zeb to Gedeon beyond the waters of the Jordan.

11 And the apostles and brethren, who were in Judea, heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

² And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him,

³ Saying: Why didst thou go in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them?

⁴ But Peter began and declared to them the matter in order, saying:

⁵ I was in the city of Joppe praying, and I saw in an ecstasy of mind a vision, a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners, and it came even unto me.

⁶ Into which looking, I considered, and saw fourfooted creatures of the earth, and beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air:

⁷ And I heard also a voice saying to me: Arise, Peter; kill and eat.

⁸ And I said: Not so, Lord; for nothing common or unclean hath ever entered into my mouth.

⁹ And the voice answered again from heaven: What God hath made clean, do not thou call common.

¹⁰ And this was done three times: and all were taken up again into heaven.

¹¹ And behold, immediately there were three men come to the house wherein I was, sent to me from Caesarea.

¹² And the Spirit said to me, that I should go with them, nothing doubting. And these six brethren went with me also: and we entered into the man's house.

¹³ And he told us how he had seen an angel in his house, standing, and saying to him: Send to Joppe, and call hither Simon, who is surnamed Peter,

¹⁴ Who shall speak to thee words, whereby thou shalt be saved, and all thy house.

¹⁵ And when I had begun to speak, the Holy Ghost fell upon them, as upon us also in the beginning.

¹⁶ And I remembered the word of the Lord, how that he said: John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.

¹⁷ If then God gave them the same grace, as to us also who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ; who was I, that could withstand God?

¹⁸ Having heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying: God then hath also to the Gentiles given repentance unto life.

¹⁹ Now they who had been dispersed by the persecution that arose on occasion of Stephen, went about as far as Phenice and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to none, but to the Jews only.

²⁰ But some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they were entered into Antioch, spoke also to the Greeks, preaching the Lord Jesus.

²¹ And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believing, were converted to the Lord.

²² And the tidings came to the ears of the church that was at Jerusalem, touching these things: and they sent Barnabas as far as Antioch.

²³ Who, when he was come, and had seen the grace of God, rejoiced: and he exhorted them all with purpose of heart to continue in the Lord.

²⁴ For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith. And a great multitude was added to the Lord.

²⁵ And Barnabas went to Tarsus to seek Saul: whom, when he had found, he brought to Antioch.

²⁶ And they conversed there in the church a whole year; and they taught a great multitude, so that at Antioch the disciples were first named Christians.

²⁷ And in these days there came prophets from Jerusalem to Antioch:

²⁸ And one of them named Agabus, rising up, signified by the Spirit, that there should be a great famine over the whole world, which came to pass under Claudius.

²⁹ And the disciples, every man according to his ability, purposed to send relief to the brethren who dwelt in Judea:

³⁰ Which also they did, sending it to the ancients, by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

20 Now Phassur the son of Emmur, the priest, who was appointed chief in the house of the Lord, heard Jeremias prophesying these words.

² And Phassur struck Jeremias the prophet, and put him in the stocks, that were in the upper gate of Benjamin, in the house of the Lord.

³ And when it was light the next day, Phassur brought Jeremias out of the stocks. And Jeremias said to him: The Lord hath not called thy name Phassur, but fear on every side.

⁴ For thus saith the Lord: Behold I will deliver thee up to fear, thee and all thy friends: and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thy eyes shall see it, and I will give all Juda into the hand of the king of Babylon: and he shall strike them with the sword.

⁵ And I will give all the substance of this city, and all its labour, and every precious thing thereof, and all the treasures of the kings of Juda will I give into the hands of their enemies: and they shall pillage them, and take them away, and carry them to Babylon.

⁶ But thou, Phassur, and all that dwell in thy house, shall go into captivity, and thou shalt go to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and there thou shalt be buried, thou and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied a lie.

⁷ Thou hast deceived me, O Lord, and I am deceived: thou hast been stronger than I, and thou hast prevailed. I am become a laughing-stock all the day, all scoff at me.

⁸ For I am speaking now this long time, crying out against iniquity, and I often proclaim devastation: and the word of the Lord is made a reproach to me, and a derision all the day.

⁹ Then I said: I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name: and there came in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was wearied, not being able to bear it.

¹⁰ For I heard the reproaches of many, and terror on every side: Persecute him, and let us persecute him: from all the men that were my familiars, and continued at my side: if by any means he may be deceived, and we may prevail against him, and be revenged on him.

¹¹ But the Lord is with me as a strong warrior: therefore they that persecute me shall fall, and shall be weak: they shall be greatly confounded, because they have not understood the everlasting reproach, which never shall be effaced.

¹² And thou, O Lord of hosts, prover of the just, who seest the reins and the heart: let me see, I beseech thee, thy vengeance on them: for to thee I have laid open my cause.

¹³ Sing ye to the Lord, praise the Lord: because he hath delivered the soul of the poor out of the hand of the wicked.

¹⁴ Cursed be the day wherein I was borne: let not the day in which my mother bore me, be blessed.

¹⁵ Cursed be the man that brought the tidings to my father, saying: A man child is born to thee: and made him greatly rejoice.

¹⁶ Let that man be as the cities that the Lord hath overthrown, and hath not repented: let him hear a cry in the morning, and howling at noontide:

¹⁷ Who slew me not from the womb, that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb an everlasting conception.

¹⁸ Why came I out of the womb, to see labour and sorrow, and that my days should be spent in confusion?

6 And going out from thence, he went into his own country; and his disciples followed him.

² And when the sabbath was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were in admiration at his doctrine, saying: How came this man by all these things? and what wisdom is this that is given to him, and such mighty works as are wrought by his hands?

³ Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joseph, and Jude, and Simon? are not also his sisters here with us? And they were scandalized in regard of him.

⁴ And Jesus said to them: A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and in his own house, and among his own kindred.

⁵ And he could not do any miracles there, only that he cured a few that were sick, laying his hands upon them.

⁶ And he wondered because of their unbelief, and he went through the villages round about teaching.

⁷ And he called the twelve; and began to send them two and two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.

⁸ And he commanded them that they should take nothing for the way, but a staff only: no scrip, no bread, nor money in their purse,

⁹ But to be shod with sandals, and that they should not put on two coats.

¹⁰ And he said to them: Wheresoever you shall enter into an house, there abide till you depart from that place.

¹¹ And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you; going forth from thence, shake off the dust from your feet for a testimony to them.

¹² And going forth they preached that men should do penance:

¹³ And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.

¹⁴ And king Herod heard, (for his name was made manifest,) and he said: John the Baptist is risen again from the dead, and therefore mighty works shew forth themselves in him.

¹⁵ And others said: It is Elias. But others said: It is a prophet, as one of the prophets.

¹⁶ Which Herod hearing, said: John whom I beheaded, he is risen again from the dead.

¹⁷ For Herod himself had sent and apprehended John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias the wife of Philip his brother, because he had married her.

¹⁸ For John said to Herod: It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.

¹⁹ Now Herodias laid snares for him: and was desirous to put him to death, and could not.

²⁰ For Herod feared John, knowing him to be a just and holy man: and kept him, and when he heard him, did many things: and he heard him willingly.

²¹ And when a convenient day was come, Herod made a supper for his birthday, for the princes, and tribunes, and chief men of Galilee.

²² And when the daughter of the same Herodias had come in, and had danced, and pleased Herod, and them that were at table with him, the king said to the damsel: Ask of me what thou wilt, and I will give it thee.

²³ And he swore to her: Whatsoever thou shalt ask I will give thee, though it be the half of my kingdom.

²⁴ Who when she was gone out, said to her mother, What shall I ask? But she said: The head of John the Baptist.

²⁵ And when she was come in immediately with haste to the king, she asked, saying: I will that forthwith thou give me in a dish, the head of John the Baptist.

²⁶ And the king was struck sad. Yet because of his oath, and because of them that were with him at table, he would not displease her:

²⁷ But sending an executioner, he commanded that his head should be brought in a dish.

²⁸ And he beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head in a dish: and gave it to the damsel, and the damsel gave it to her mother.

²⁹ Which his disciples hearing came, and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.

³⁰ And the apostles coming together unto Jesus, related to him all things that they had done and taught.

³¹ And he said to them: Come apart into a desert place, and rest a little. For there were many coming and going: and they had not so much as time to eat.

³² And going up into a ship, they went into a desert place apart.

³³ And they saw them going away, and many knew: and they ran flocking thither on foot from all the cities, and were there before them.

³⁴ And Jesus going out saw a great multitude: and he had compassion on them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things.

³⁵ And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came to him, saying: This is a desert place, and the hour is now past:

³⁶ Send them away, that going into the next villages and towns, they may buy themselves meat to eat.

³⁷ And he answering said to them: Give you them to eat. And they said to him: Let us go and buy bread for two hundred pence, and we will give them to eat.

³⁸ And he saith to them: How many loaves have you? go and see. And when they knew, they say: Five, and two fishes.

³⁹ And he commanded them that they should make them all sit down by companies upon the green grass.

⁴⁰ And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds and by fifties.

⁴¹ And when he had taken the five loaves, and the two fishes: looking up to heaven, he blessed, and broke the loaves, and gave to his disciples to set before them: and the two fishes he divided among them all.

⁴² And they all did eat, and had their fill.

⁴³ And they took up the leavings, twelve full baskets of fragments, and of the fishes.

⁴⁴ And they that did eat, were five thousand men.

⁴⁵ And immediately he obliged his disciples to go up into the ship, that they might go before him over the water to Bethsaida, whilst he dismissed the people.

⁴⁶ And when he had dismissed them, he went up to the mountain to pray.

⁴⁷ And when it was late, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and himself alone on the land.

⁴⁸ And seeing them labouring in rowing, (for the wind was against them,) and about the fourth watch of the night, he cometh to them walking upon the sea, and he would have passed by them.

⁴⁹ But they seeing him walking upon the sea, thought it was an apparition, and they cried out.

⁵⁰ For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he spoke with them, and said to them: Have a good heart, it is I, fear ye not.

⁵¹ And he went up to them into the ship, and the wind ceased: and they were far more astonished within themselves:

⁵² For they understood not concerning the loaves; for their heart was blinded.

⁵³ And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Genezareth, and set to the shore.

⁵⁴ And when they were gone out of the ship, immediately they knew him:

⁵⁵ And running through that whole country, they began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.

⁵⁶ And whithersoever he entered, into towns or into villages or cities, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch but the hem of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.