M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
12 Then Jephthah sent men to the king of the people of Ammon, saying, “What do you have against me? Why have you come to fight against my land?” 13 The king of the people of Ammon said to these men of Jephthah, “Because Israel took away my land when they came from Egypt. They took my land from the Arnon as far as the Jabbok and the Jordan. So I ask you to return this land to me in peace.” 14 But Jephthah sent men to the king of the people of Ammon again, 15 saying, “Jephthah says, ‘Israel did not take away the land of Moab or the land of the people of Ammon. 16 Israel came out of Egypt, went through the desert to the Red Sea, and came to Kadesh. 17 Then Israel sent men to the king of Edom, saying, “We ask you to let us pass through your land.” But the king of Edom would not listen. They asked the king of Moab also. But he would not let them pass through. So Israel stayed at Kadesh. 18 ’Then Israel went through the desert and around the lands of Edom and Moab. They came to the east side of the land of Moab. There they set up their tents on the other side of the Arnon. But they did not go into the land of Moab. For the Arnon flowed along the side of Moab. 19 Israel sent men to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon, saying, “We ask you to let us pass through your land to our place.” 20 But Sihon did not trust Israel. He would not let them pass through his land. Sihon gathered all his people together. They set up their tents in Jahaz, and fought with Israel. 21 The Lord, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel. They won the war against Sihon. So Israel took all the land of the Amorites, the people of that country. 22 They took all the land of the Amorites, from the Arnon as far as the Jabbok, and from the desert as far as the Jordan.
23 ’So the Lord, the God of Israel, drove the Amorites away from His people Israel. Now are you to take the land for your own? 24 Do you not keep for your own what your god Chemosh gives you? We will keep the land of the people the Lord our God drove away for us. 25 Are you any better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever fight with Israel? Did he ever go to war against them? 26 While Israel lived in Heshbon and its towns and Aroer and its towns and in all the cities beside the Arnon for 300 years, why did you not take them again during that time? 27 I have not sinned against you. But you are doing wrong to me by making war against me. The Lord is the judge. May He decide today between the people of Israel and the people of Ammon.’” 28 But the king of the people of Ammon would not listen to what Jephthah said
29 The Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah. So he passed through Gilead and Manasseh and through Mizpah of Gilead. He went from Mizpah of Gilead to the people of Ammon. 30 Jephthah made a promise to the Lord and said, “You give the people of Ammon into my hand. 31 And I will give to the Lord whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the people of Ammon. I will give it to the Lord as a burnt gift.” 32 Then Jephthah crossed over to fight against the people of Ammon. And the Lord gave them into his hand. 33 He killed many of them from Aroer to Minnith, through twenty cities, as far as Abelkeramin. The people of Ammon were destroyed in front of the people of Israel.
Jephthah’s Daughter
34 Then Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah. His daughter came out to meet him with music and dancing. She was his one and only child. He had no other sons or daughters. 35 When he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “It is bad, my daughter! You have made me very sad. You have brought much trouble to me. For I have made a promise to the Lord, and I must keep it.” 36 She said to him, “My father, you have made a promise to the Lord. Do to me what you have promised you would do. Because the Lord has punished the people of Ammon, who fought against you. 37 But do this for me. Let me alone for two months. So I and my friends may go to the mountains and cry because I will never have a man.” 38 Jephthah said, “Go.” He sent her away for two months with her friends. And they cried on the mountains because she would never have a man. 39 She returned to her father after two months. And he did what he promised the Lord and she died without having a man. So it became the way in Israel 40 that the daughters of Israel went to have sorrow for the daughter of Jephthah for four days each year.
A Meeting of Church Leaders in Jerusalem
15 Some men came down from the country of Judea and started to teach the Christians. They said, “Unless you go through the religious act of becoming a Jew as Moses taught, you cannot be saved from the punishment of sin.” 2 Paul and Barnabas argued with them. Then Paul and Barnabas and some other men were chosen to go up to Jerusalem. They were to talk to the missionaries and church leaders about this teaching. 3 The church sent them on their way. They went through the countries of Phoenicia and Samaria and told how those who were not Jews were turning to God. This made the Christians very happy.
4 When they got to Jerusalem, the church and the missionaries and the church leaders were glad to see them. Paul and Barnabas told them what God had done through them.
5 Some of the Christians there had been proud religious law-keepers. They got up and said, “Doing the religious act of becoming a Jew and keeping the Law of Moses are two things that must be done.” 6 The missionaries and church leaders got together to talk about this. 7 After a long time of much talking, Peter got up and said to them, “Brothers, you know in the early days God was pleased to use me to preach the Good News to the people who are not Jews so they might put their trust in Christ. 8 God knows the hearts of all men. He showed them they were to have His loving-favor by giving them the Holy Spirit the same as He gave to us. 9 He has made no difference between them and us. They had their hearts made clean when they put their trust in Him also. 10 Why do you test God by putting too heavy a load on the back of the followers? It was too heavy for our fathers or for us to carry. 11 We believe it is by the loving-favor of the Lord Jesus that we are saved. They are saved from the punishment of sin the same way.”
12 All those who were gathered together said nothing. They listened to Paul and Barnabas who told of the powerful works God had done through them among the people who are not Jews.
God’s Call Is Also for the People Who Are Not Jews
13 When they finished speaking, James said, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simon Peter has told how God first visited the people who are not Jews. He was getting a people for Himself. 15 This agrees with what the early preacher said, 16 ’After this I will come back and build again the building of David that fell down. Yes, I will build it again from the stones that fell down. I will set it up again. 17 Then all the nations may look for the Lord, even all the people who are not Jews who are called by My name. The Lord said this. He does all these things. 18 God has made all His works known from the beginning of time.’ (A)
The People Who Are Not Jews Are Not Under the Law
19 “So we should not trouble these people who are not Jews who are turning to God. 20 We should write to them that they should keep away from everything that is given to gods. They should keep away from sex sins and not eat blood or meat from animals that have been killed in ways against the Law. 21 For the Law of Moses has been read in every city from the early days. It has been read in the Jewish places of worship on every Day of Rest.”
22 Then the missionaries and the church leaders and the whole church chose some men from among them. They were to be sent to the city of Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas Barsabbas and Silas. These men were leaders among the Christians.
23 They sent them with this letter: “The missionaries and church leaders and Christians greet the brothers who are not Jews in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. 24 We have heard that some from our group have troubled you and have put doubt in your minds. They said that you must go through the religious act of becoming a Jew and you must keep the Law of Moses. We did not tell them to say these things. 25 All of us have wanted to send men to you with our much-loved Paul and Barnabas. 26 Their lives have been in danger for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 So now we send Judas and Silas to you. They will tell you the same things. 28 It pleased the Holy Spirit and us to ask you to do nothing more than these things that have to be done. 29 You are to keep away from everything that is given to gods. Do not eat blood or meat from animals that have been killed in ways against the Law. Keep away from sex sins. If you keep yourselves free from these things you will do well. Good-by.”
The Missionaries Go Back to Antioch
30 When the meeting was finished, they went to Antioch. As soon as they gathered the people together, they gave them the letter. 31 When they read it, they were glad for the comfort and strength it brought them. 32 Judas and Silas were preachers also. They preached to the Christians and helped them to become stronger in the faith.
33 They were there for some time. Then they were sent back in peace to the missionaries who had sent them. 34 But Silas thought he should stay there. 35 Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch. With the help of many others, they preached and taught the Word of God.
Paul Starts Out the Second Time
36 After awhile, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the Christians in every city where we have preached the Word of God. Let us see how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them. 38 Paul did not think it was good to take him because he had left them while they were in Pamphylia. He had not helped them in the work. 39 They argued so much that they left each other. Barnabas took John Mark with him and went by ship to the island of Cyprus. 40 Paul chose Silas. After the Christians asked for the Lord’s favor to be on Paul and Silas, they went on their way. 41 They went through Syria and Cilicia making the churches stronger in the faith.
The Two Baskets of Figs
24 After King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took away Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and the leaders of Judah, together with the able workmen from Jerusalem, and brought them to Babylon, the Lord showed me two baskets of figs set in front of the house of the Lord. 2 One basket had very good figs, like figs just ready to eat. And the other basket had very bad figs, so bad that they could not be eaten. 3 Then the Lord said to me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” And I said, “Figs, the good figs very good, and the bad figs very bad, so bad that they cannot be eaten.”
4 Then the Word of the Lord came to me, saying, 5 “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘Like these good figs, so will I think of the people of Judah as being good, whom I have sent away from this place into the land of the Babylonians. 6 For I will keep My eyes on them for their good, and I will return them to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down. I will plant them and not pull them up by the roots. 7 And I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord. They will be My people and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.’
8 “But the Lord says, ‘Like the bad figs which are so bad they cannot be eaten, so I will give up Zedekiah king of Judah and his captains. And I will give up those left of Jerusalem who stay in this land, and those who live in the land of Egypt. 9 I will make them a cause of fear and trouble for all the nations of the earth. They will be a shame and a curse and spoken against in all the places where I will make them go. 10 And I will send the sword and hunger and disease upon them until they are destroyed from the land which I gave to them and their fathers.’”
Jesus Teaches about Divorce (A)
10 Jesus went away from the city of Capernaum. He came to the country of Judea and to the other side of the Jordan River. Again the people gathered around Him. He began to teach them as He had been doing.
2 The proud religious law-keepers came to Him. They tried to trap Him and asked, “Does the Law say a man can divorce his wife?” 3 He said to them, “What did the Law of Moses say?” 4 They said, “Moses allowed a man to divorce his wife, if he put it in writing and gave it to her.” 5 Jesus said to them, “Because of your hard hearts, Moses gave you this Law. 6 From the beginning of the world, God made them man and woman. 7 Because of this, a man is to leave his father and mother and is to live with his wife. 8 The two will become one. So they are no longer two, but one. 9 Let no man divide what God has put together.”
10 In the house the followers asked Jesus about this again. 11 He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another is not faithful to her and is guilty of a sex sin. 12 If a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she is not faithful to her husband and is guilty of a sex sin.”
Jesus Gives Thanks for Little Children (B)
13 They brought little children to Jesus that He might put His hand on them. The followers spoke sharp words to those who brought them. 14 Jesus saw this and was angry with the followers. He said, “Let the little children come to Me. Do not stop them. The holy nation of God is made up of ones like these. 15 For sure, I tell you, whoever does not receive the holy nation of God as a little child does not go into it.” 16 He took the children in His arms. He put His hands on them and prayed that good would come to them.
Jesus Teaches about Keeping the Law (C)
17 Jesus was going on His way. A man ran to Him and got down on his knees. He said, “Good Teacher, what must I do to have life that lasts forever?” 18 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? There is only One Who is good. That is God. 19 You know the Laws, ‘Do not be guilty of sex sins in marriage. Do not kill another person. Do not take things from people in wrong ways. Do not steal. Do not lie. Respect your father and mother.’” 20 The man said to Jesus, “Teacher, I have obeyed all these Laws since I was a boy.” 21 Jesus looked at him with love and said, “There is one thing for you to do yet. Go and sell everything you have and give the money to poor people. You will have riches in heaven. Then come and follow Me.” 22 When the man heard these words, he was sad. He walked away with sorrow because he had many riches here on earth.
The Danger of Riches
23 Jesus looked around Him. He said to His followers, “How hard it is for rich people to get into the holy nation of God!” 24 The followers were surprised and wondered about His words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children! How hard it is for those who put their trust in riches to get into the holy nation of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to go to heaven.”
26 They were very surprised and wondered, saying to themselves, “Then who can be saved from the punishment of sin?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “This cannot be done by men but God can do anything.”
28 Then Peter began to say to Him, “We have given up everything we had and have followed You.” 29 Jesus said, “For sure, I tell you, there are those who have given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands because of Me, and the Good News. 30 They will get back one hundred times as much now at this time in houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands. Along with this, they will have very much trouble. And they will have life that lasts forever in the world to come. 31 Many who are first will be last. Many who are last will be first.”
Jesus Tells of His Death the Third Time (D)
32 They were on their way to Jerusalem. Jesus walked in front of them. Those who followed were surprised and afraid. Then Jesus took the twelve followers by themselves. He told them what would happen to Him. 33 He said, “Listen, we are going to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the religious leaders of the Jews and to the teachers of the Law. They will say that He must be put to death. They will hand Him over to the people who are not Jews. 34 They will make fun of Him and will beat Him. They will spit on Him and will kill Him. But three days later He will be raised from the dead.”
James and John Ask Jesus Something Hard (E)
35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus. They said, “Teacher, we would like to have You do for us whatever we ask You.” 36 He said to them, “What would you like to have Me do for you?” 37 They said to Him, “Let one of us sit by Your right side and the other by Your left side when You receive Your great honor in heaven.” 38 Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Can you take the suffering I am about to take? Can you be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” 39 They said to Him, “Yes, we can.” Jesus said to them, “You will, for sure, suffer the way I will suffer. You will be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with. 40 But to sit on My right side or on My left side is not for Me to give. It will be given to those for whom it has been made ready.” 41 The other ten followers heard it. They were angry with James and John. 42 Jesus called them to Him and said, “You know that those who are made leaders over the nations show their power to the people. Important leaders use their power over the people. 43 It must not be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great among you, let him care for you. 44 Whoever wants to be first among you, must be the one who is owned and cares for all. 45 For the Son of Man did not come to be cared for. He came to care for others. He came to give His life so that many could be bought by His blood and be made free from sin.”
Healing of the Blind Man (F)
46 Then they came to the city of Jericho. When He was leaving the city with His followers and many people, a blind man was sitting by the road. He was asking people for food or money as they passed by. His name was Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus. 47 He heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. He began to speak with a loud voice, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, take pity on me!” 48 Many people spoke sharp words to the blind man telling him not to call out like that. But he spoke all the more. He said, “Son of David, take pity on me.” 49 Jesus stopped and told them to call the blind man. They called to him and said, “Take hope! Stand up, He is calling for you!” 50 As he jumped up, he threw off his coat and came to Jesus. 51 Jesus said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Lord, I want to see!” 52 Jesus said, “Go! Your faith has healed you.” At once he could see and he followed Jesus down the road.
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