M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Ish-bosheth Put to Death
4 Then [a]Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son heard that (A)Abner had died in Hebron. And [b](B)he lost courage, and all Israel was dismayed. 2 Now Saul’s son had two men who were commanders of bands: the name of the one was Baanah and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the sons of Benjamin (for (C)Beeroth is also considered (D)part of Benjamin, 3 and the Beerothites fled to (E)Gittaim and have been sojourners there until this day).
4 Now (F)Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the (G)report of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened that in her hurry to flee, he fell and became lame. And his name was [c](H)Mephibosheth.
5 So the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went forth and came to the house of (I)Ish-bosheth in the heat of the day while he was taking his midday rest. 6 [d]They came to the middle of the house as [e]if to get wheat, and (J)they struck him in the belly; and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. 7 Thus they came into the house, as he was lying on his bed in his bedroom, and they struck him and put him to death and beheaded him. And they took his head and (K)went on the way leading to the Arabah all night. 8 Then they brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Behold, the head of Ish-bosheth (L)the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life; thus Yahweh has given my lord the king vengeance this day on Saul and his seed.”
9 And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, “As Yahweh lives, (M)who has redeemed my life from all distress, 10 (N)when one told me, saying, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ and [f]thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. 11 How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now (O)require his blood from your hand and purge you from the earth?” 12 Then (P)David commanded the young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hung them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth (Q)and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.
David Anointed King over All Israel
5 (R)Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and [g]said, “Behold, we are (S)your bone and your flesh. 2 Previously, when Saul was king over us, (T)you were the one who led out and brought in Israel; and Yahweh said to you, ‘(U)You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be (V)a ruler over Israel.’” 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David (W)cut a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahweh; then (X)they anointed David king over Israel. 4 Now David was (Y)thirty years old when he became king, and (Z)he reigned forty years. 5 At Hebron (AA)he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.
6 (AB)Then the king and his men went to (AC)Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, and they said to [h]David, “You shall not come in here, but the blind and lame will turn you away”; [i]thinking, “David cannot enter here.” 7 Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, that is (AD)the city of David. 8 And David said on that day, “Whoever would strike down the Jebusites, let him reach the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul, through the water tunnel.” Therefore they say, “The blind or the lame shall not come into the house.” 9 Then David lived in the fortress and called it (AE)the city of David. And David built all around from the [j](AF)Millo and inward. 10 (AG)And David became greater and greater, and Yahweh, the God of hosts, was with him.
11 (AH)Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees and craftsmen of wood and craftsmen of stone walls; and (AI)they built a house for David. 12 Thus David knew that Yahweh had established him as king over Israel, and that He had lifted up his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.
Children Born to David in Jerusalem
13 And (AJ)David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron; and more sons and daughters were born to David. 14 Now (AK)these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.
David Goes Up Against the Philistines
17 Then the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, so (AL)all the Philistines went up to seek out David. And David heard of it and went down to the (AM)fortress. 18 Now the Philistines had come and spread themselves out in (AN)the valley of Rephaim. 19 Then (AO)David asked of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You give them into my hand?” And (AP)Yahweh said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.” 20 So David came to (AQ)Baal-perazim, and there David struck them down; and he said, “Yahweh has broken through my enemies before me, like the breakthrough of waters.” Therefore he named that place [k]Baal-perazim. 21 And they forsook their idols there; so (AR)David and his men carried them away.
22 Then (AS)the Philistines yet again came up and spread themselves out in the valley of Rephaim. 23 So (AT)David asked of Yahweh, and He said, “You shall not go directly up; circle around behind them and come at them in front of the [l]balsam trees. 24 And it will be that when (AU)you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the [m]balsam trees, then you shall act promptly, for then (AV)Yahweh will have gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” 25 Then David did so, just as Yahweh had commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from [n](AW)Geba [o]as far as (AX)Gezer.
The Resurrection of Christ
15 Now (A)I make known to you, brothers, the (B)gospel which I proclaimed as good news to you, which also you received, (C)in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, (D)if you hold fast [a]the word which I proclaimed to you as good news, (E)unless you believed for nothing.
3 For (F)I delivered to you [b]as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died (G)for our sins (H)according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was (I)raised on the third day (J)according to the Scriptures, 5 and that (K)He appeared to (L)Cephas, then (M)to the twelve. 6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some (N)have fallen asleep. 7 After that, He appeared to [c](O)James, then to (P)all the apostles, 8 and last of all, as [d]to one untimely born, (Q)He appeared to me also. 9 For I am (R)the least of the apostles, [e]and not worthy to be called an apostle, because I (S)persecuted the church of God. 10 But by (T)the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I (U)labored even more than all of them, yet (V)not I, but the grace of God with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
The Resurrection of the Dead
12 Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there (W)is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised. 14 And (X)if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. 15 Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we bore witness [f]against God that He (Y)raised [g]Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; (Z)you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who (AA)have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are (AB)of all men most to be pitied.
20 But now Christ (AC)has been raised from the dead, the (AD)first fruits of those who have (AE)fallen asleep. 21 For since (AF)by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For (AG)as in Adam all die, so also in [h]Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ (AH)the first fruits, after that (AI)those who are Christ’s at (AJ)His coming. 24 Then comes the end, when He hands over (AK)the kingdom to the (AL)God and Father, when He has abolished (AM)all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign (AN)until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy to be (AO)abolished is death. 27 For (AP)He has put all things in subjection under His feet. But when He says, “(AQ)All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. 28 And when (AR)all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that (AS)God may be all in all.
29 Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized [i]for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them? 30 Why are we also (AT)in danger every hour? 31 I affirm, brothers, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, (AU)I die daily. 32 If [j]from human motives I (AV)fought with wild beasts at (AW)Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, (AX)let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. 33 (AY)Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” 34 (AZ)Become righteously sober-minded, and stop sinning; for some have (BA)no knowledge of God. (BB)I speak this to your shame.
The Resurrection Body
35 But (BC)someone will say, “How are (BD)the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?” 36 (BE)You fool! That which you (BF)sow does not come to life unless it dies; 37 and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of [k]something else. 38 But God gives it a body just as He wished, and (BG)to each of the seeds a body of its own. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.
42 (BH)So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown [l](BI)a corruptible body, it is raised [m](BJ)an incorruptible body; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in (BK)glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a (BL)natural body, it is raised a (BM)spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So also it is written, “The first (BN)man, Adam, became a living soul.” The (BO)last Adam became a (BP)life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. 47 The first man is (BQ)from the earth, [n](BR)earthy; the second man is from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, (BS)so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And just as we have (BT)borne the image of the earthy, [o]we (BU)will also bear the image of the heavenly.
50 Now I say this, brothers, that (BV)flesh and blood cannot (BW)inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the corruptible inherit (BX)the incorruptible. 51 Behold, I tell you a (BY)mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be (BZ)changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For (CA)the trumpet will sound, and (CB)the dead will be raised incorruptible, and (CC)we will be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on (CD)the incorruptible, and this (CE)mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this corruptible puts on the incorruptible, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the word that is written, “(CF)Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 (CG)O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 Now the sting of (CH)death is sin, and (CI)the power of sin is the law; 57 but (CJ)thanks be to God, who gives us the (CK)victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
58 (CL)Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in (CM)the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
Yahweh’s Wrath Against Lying Prophets
13 Then the word of Yahweh came to me saying, 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the (A)prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy from their own heart, ‘(B)Hear the word of Yahweh! 3 Thus says Lord Yahweh, “Woe to the (C)wickedly foolish prophets who are walking after their own spirit and have (D)seen nothing. 4 O Israel, your prophets have been like foxes among waste places. 5 You have not (E)gone up into the (F)breaches, nor did you build the wall around the house of Israel to stand in the battle on the (G)day of Yahweh. 6 They behold (H)worthlessness and lying divination who are saying, ‘Yahweh declares,’ when Yahweh has not sent them; (I)yet they wait for the establishing of their word. 7 (J)Did you not see a worthless vision and speak a lying divination when you said, ‘Yahweh declares,’ but it is not I who have spoken?”’”
8 Therefore, thus says Lord Yahweh, “Because you have spoken worthlessness and beheld a lie, therefore behold, (K)I am against you,” declares Lord Yahweh. 9 “So My hand will be against the (L)prophets who see worthless visions and utter lying divinations. They will not be in the council of My people, (M)nor will they be written down in the register of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel, [a]that you may know that I am Lord Yahweh. 10 It is definitely because they have (N)misled My people by saying, ‘(O)Peace!’ when there is (P)no peace. And when anyone builds a wall, behold, they plaster it over with whitewash; 11 so tell those who plaster it over with whitewash that it will fall. A (Q)flooding rain will come, and you, O hailstones, will fall; and a stormy wind will break out. 12 Now behold, the wall will fall. Will it then not be said to you, ‘Where is the plaster with which you plastered it?’” 13 Therefore, thus says Lord Yahweh, “I will make a stormy wind break out in My wrath. There will also be in My anger a flooding rain and (R)hailstones to consume it in wrath. 14 So I will pull down the wall which you plastered over with whitewash and bring it down to the ground, so that its (S)foundation is laid bare; and it will fall, and you will be (T)consumed in its midst. And you will (U)know that I am Yahweh. 15 Thus I will spend My wrath on the wall and on those who have plastered it over with whitewash; and I will say to you, ‘The wall [b]is gone, and its plasterers are gone— 16 the prophets of Israel who prophesy to Jerusalem and who (V)see visions of peace for her when there is (W)no peace,’ declares Lord Yahweh.
17 “Now as for you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who are (X)prophesying (Y)from their own heart. Prophesy against them 18 and say, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “Woe to the women who sew magic bands on [c]all wrists and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature to (Z)hunt down [d]souls! Will you hunt down My people’s souls, but preserve your own souls? 19 (AA)For handfuls of barley and fragments of bread, you have profaned Me to My people to put to death souls who should not die and to (AB)keep other souls alive who should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies.”’”
20 Therefore, thus says Lord Yahweh, “Behold, I am against your magic bands by which you hunt souls there as [e]birds, and I will tear them from your arms; and I will let their souls go, the very souls whom you hunt as [f]birds. 21 I will also tear off your veils and (AC)deliver My people from your hands, and they will no longer be in your hands to be hunted; and you will know that I am Yahweh. 22 Because you (AD)disheartened the righteous with falsehood when I did not cause him grief, but have (AE)strengthened the hands of the wicked not to (AF)turn from his evil way and preserve his life, 23 therefore, you women will no longer see (AG)worthless visions or practice divination, and I will (AH)deliver My people out of your hand. Thus you will (AI)know that I am Yahweh.”
I Trust in the Lovingkindness of God
For the choir director. A [a]Maskil of David. [b]When Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul and said to him, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”
52 Why do you (A)boast in evil, O mighty man?
The (B)lovingkindness of God endures all day long.
2 Your tongue devises (C)destruction,
Like a (D)sharp razor, (E)O worker of deceit.
3 You (F)love evil more than good,
(G)Falsehood more than speaking what is right. [c]Selah.
4 You love all words that devour,
O (H)deceitful tongue.
5 [d]But God will break you down forever;
He will snatch you up and (I)tear you away from your tent,
And (J)uproot you from the (K)land of the living, Selah.
6 So that the righteous will (L)see and fear,
And will (M)laugh at him, saying,
7 “Behold, the man who would not set God as his strength,
But (N)trusted in the abundance of his riches
And (O)was strong in his destruction.”
8 But as for me, I am like a (P)green olive tree in the house of God;
I (Q)trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever.
9 I will (R)give You thanks forever, because You have done it,
And I will hope on Your name, (S)for it is good, in the presence of Your holy ones.
There Is No One Who Does Good
For the choir director. According to [e]Mahalath. A [f]Maskil of David.
53 (T)The wicked fool says in his heart, “There is no God,”
They act corruptly, and commit abominable injustice;
(U)There is no one who does good.
2 God looks down from heaven upon the sons of men
To see if there is (V)anyone who has insight,
Anyone who (W)seeks after God.
3 (X)Every one of them has turned back; together they have become [g]worthless;
There is no one who does good, not even one.
4 Do the workers of iniquity (Y)not know,
Who eat up my people as they eat bread
And do not call upon God?
5 There they were in great dread (Z)where no dread had been;
For God (AA)scattered the bones of [h]him who encamped against you;
You (AB)put them to shame, because (AC)God had rejected them.
6 Oh, that (AD)the salvation of Israel [i]would come out of Zion!
When God [j]restores His captive people,
[k]May Jacob rejoice, may Israel be glad.
God Is My Helper
For the choir director. With stringed instruments. A [l]Maskil of David. [m]When the Ziphites came and said to Saul, “Is not David hiding himself among us?”
54 O God, save me by (AE)Your name,
And render justice to me by (AF)Your might.
2 (AG)O God, hear my prayer;
(AH)Give ear to the words of my mouth.
3 For strangers have (AI)risen against me
And (AJ)ruthless men have (AK)sought my [n]life;
They have (AL)not set God before them. [o]Selah.
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