M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The King and the Shunammite Woman
8 Elisha talked to the woman whose son he had brought back to life. He said, “You and your family should move to another country, because the Lord has decided that there will be a famine here. It will last for seven years.”
2 So the woman did what the man of God said. She went with her family to stay in the land of the Philistines for seven years. 3 After seven years she returned from the land of the Philistines.
She went to speak with the king to ask him to help her get back her house and land.
4 The king was talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God. The king said to Gehazi, “Please tell me all the great things Elisha has done.”
5 Gehazi was telling the king about Elisha bringing a dead person back to life. At that same time the woman whose son Elisha brought back to life went to the king. She wanted to ask him to help her get back her house and land. Gehazi said, “My lord and king, this is the woman, and this is the son who Elisha brought back to life.”
6 The king asked the woman what she wanted, and she told him.
Then the king chose an officer to help her. The king said, “Give to the woman all that belongs to her. And give her all the harvest of her land from the day she left the country until now.”
Ben-Hadad Sends Hazael to Elisha
7 Elisha went to Damascus. King Ben-Hadad of Aram was sick. Someone told Ben-Hadad, “The man of God has come here.”
8 Then the King Ben-Hadad said to Hazael, “Take a gift and go meet the man of God. Ask him to ask the Lord if I will get well from my sickness.”
9 So Hazael went to meet Elisha. Hazael brought a gift with him. He brought all kinds of good things from Damascus. It took 40 camels to carry everything. Hazael came to Elisha and said, “Your follower,[a] King Ben-Hadad of Aram, sent me to you. He asks if he will get well from his sickness.”
10 Then Elisha said to Hazael, “Go and tell Ben-Hadad, ‘You will live.’ But really the Lord told me, ‘He will die.’”
Elisha Makes a Prophecy About Hazael
11 Elisha began to stare. He stared for an embarrassingly long time. Then the man of God began to cry. 12 Hazael said, “Sir, why are you crying?”
Elisha answered, “I am crying because I know the bad things you will do to the Israelites. You will burn their strong cities and kill their young men with swords. You will kill their babies and split open their pregnant women.”
13 Hazael said, “I am not a powerful man![b] How can I do these great things?”
Elisha answered, “The Lord showed me that you will be king over Aram.”
14 Then Hazael left Elisha and went to his king.[c] Ben-Hadad said to Hazael, “What did Elisha say to you?”
He answered, “Elisha told me that you will live.”
Hazael Murders Ben-Hadad
15 But the next day Hazael took a thick cloth and dipped it in water. Then he held it on Ben-Hadad’s face until he died. Then Hazael became the new king.
Jehoram Begins His Rule
16 Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat was the king of Judah. He began to rule in the fifth year that Joram son of Ahab was king of Israel.[d] 17 Jehoram was 32 years old when he began to rule. He ruled eight years in Jerusalem. 18 But Jehoram lived as the kings of Israel and did what the Lord saw as evil. He lived as the people from Ahab’s family, because his wife was Ahab’s daughter. 19 But the Lord would not destroy Judah because of the promise to his servant David. He had promised David that someone from his family would always be king.
20 In Jehoram’s time Edom broke away from Judah’s rule. The people of Edom chose a king for themselves.
21 Then Jehoram and all his chariots went to Zair. The Edomite army surrounded them, but Jehoram and his officers attacked them and escaped. Jehoram’s soldiers all ran away and went home. 22 So the Edomites broke away from the rule of Judah. And they have been free from the rule of Judah until today.
At the same time Libnah also broke away from Judah’s rule.
23 All the things Jehoram did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Judah.
24 Jehoram died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Jehoram’s son Ahaziah became the new king.
Ahaziah Begins His Rule
25 Ahaziah son of Jehoram became the king of Judah in the 12th year that Joram son of Ahab was king of Israel. 26 Ahaziah was 22 years old when he began to rule. He ruled one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah. She was the daughter of King Omri of Israel. 27 Ahaziah did what the Lord said was wrong. He did many bad things, just as the people from Ahab’s family had done. He lived like this because his wife was from Ahab’s family.
Joram Is Hurt in the War Against Hazael
28 Joram was from Ahab’s family. Ahaziah went with Joram to fight against King Hazael of Aram at Ramoth Gilead. The Arameans wounded Joram. 29 King Joram went back to Israel so that he could get well from those wounds. He went to the area of Jezreel. Ahaziah son of Jehoram was the king of Judah. Ahaziah went to Jezreel to see Joram.
5 Don’t speak angrily to an older man. But talk to him as if he were your father. Treat the younger men like brothers. 2 Treat the older women like mothers. And treat the younger women with respect like sisters.
Taking Care of Widows
3 Take care of widows who really need help. 4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, the first thing they need to learn is this: to show their devotion to God by taking care of their own family. They will be repaying their parents, and this pleases God. 5 A widow who really needs help is one who has been left all alone. She trusts God to take care of her. She prays all the time, night and day, and asks God for help. 6 But the widow who uses her life to please herself is really dead while she is still living. 7 Tell the believers there to take care of their family so that no one can say they are doing wrong. 8 Everyone should take care of all their own people. Most important, they should take care of their own family. If they do not do that, then they do not accept what we believe. They are worse than someone who does not even believe in God.
9 To be added to your list of widows, a woman must be 60 years old or older. She must have been faithful to her husband.[a] 10 She must be known for the good she has done: raising children, welcoming travelers into her home, serving the needs[b] of God’s people, helping those in trouble, and using her life to do all kinds of good.
11 But don’t put younger widows on that list. When their strong physical needs pull them away from their commitment to Christ, they will want to marry again. 12 Then they will be guilty of not doing what they first promised to do. 13 Also, these younger widows begin to waste their time going from house to house. They also begin to gossip and try to run other people’s lives. They say things they should not say. 14 So I want the younger widows to marry, have children, and take care of their homes. If they do this, our enemy will not have any reason to criticize them. 15 But some of the younger widows have already turned away to follow Satan.
16 If any woman who is a believer has widows in her family, she[c] should take care of them herself. Then the church will not have that burden and will be able to care for the widows who have no one else to help them.
More About Elders and Other Matters
17 The elders who lead the church in a good way should receive double honor[d]—in particular, those who do the work of counseling and teaching. 18 As the Scriptures say, “When a work animal is being used to separate grain, don’t keep it from eating the grain.”[e] And the Scriptures also say, “A worker should be given his pay.”[f]
19 Don’t listen to someone who accuses an elder. You should listen to them only if there are two or three others who can say what the elder did wrong. 20 Tell those who sin that they are wrong. Do this in front of the whole church so that the others will have a warning.
21 Before God and Jesus Christ and the chosen angels, I tell you to make these judgments without any prejudice. Treat every person the same.
22 Think carefully before you lay your hands on anyone to make him an elder. Don’t share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
23 Timothy, stop drinking only water, and drink a little wine. This will help your stomach, and you will not be sick so often.
24 The sins of some people are easy to see. Their sins show that they will be judged. But the sins of some others are seen only later. 25 It is the same with the good things people do. Some are easy to see. But even if they are not obvious now, none of them will stay hidden forever.
12 “Daniel, at that time the great prince Michael will stand up. Michael is in charge of your people. There will be a time of much trouble, the worst time since nations have been on earth. But Daniel, at that time every one of your people whose name is found written in the book of life will be saved. 2 There are many who are dead and buried.[a] Some of them will wake up and live forever, but others will wake up to shame and disgrace forever. 3 The wise people will shine as bright as the sky. Those who teach others to live right will shine like stars forever and ever.[b]
4 “But you, Daniel, keep this message a secret. You must close the book and keep this secret until the time of the end. Many people will go here and there looking for true knowledge, and the true knowledge will increase.”
5 Then I, Daniel, noticed two other men. One man was standing on my side of the river, and the other was standing on the other side. 6 The man who was dressed in linen was standing over the water in the river. One of the two men said to him, “How long will it be before these amazing things come true?”
7 The man dressed in linen and standing over the water lifted his right and left hands toward heaven. And I heard him make a promise using the name of God who lives forever. He said, “It will be for three and one-half years.[c] The power of the holy people will be broken, and then all these things will finally come true.”
8 I heard the answer, but I really didn’t understand. So I asked, “Sir, what will happen after all this comes true?”
9 He answered, “Go on about your life Daniel. The message is hidden. It will be a secret until the time of the end. 10 Many people will be made pure—they will make themselves clean. But evil people will continue to be evil. And those wicked people will not understand these things, but the wise people will understand them.
11 “The daily sacrifice will be stopped. There will be 1290 days from that time until the time that the terrible thing that destroys is set up. 12 The one who waits for and comes to the end of the 1335 days will be very happy.
13 “As for you, Daniel, go and live your life until the end. You will get your rest. At the end you will rise from death and receive your share of the promise.”
Zain
49 Remember your promise to me, your servant.
It gives me hope.
50 You comfort me in my suffering,
because your promise gives me new life.
51 People full of pride are always making fun of me,
but I have not stopped following your teachings.
52 I remember the laws you gave us long ago, Lord,
and they bring me comfort.
53 I am overcome with anger when I see wicked people,
who have stopped following your teachings.
54 Your laws are the songs I sing
wherever I am living.
55 Lord, in the night I remembered your name,
and I obeyed your teachings.
56 This happened because I carefully obey your instructions.
Heth
57 Lord, I decided that my duty is to obey your commandments.
58 I beg you with all my heart,
be kind to me, as you promised.
59 I thought very carefully about my life,
and I decided to follow your rules.
60 Without wasting any time,
I hurried back to obey your commands.
61 The wicked tried to trap me,
but I have not forgotten your teachings.
62 In the middle of the night, I get up to thank you
because your laws are so fair.
63 I am a friend to everyone who worships you.
I am a friend to everyone who obeys your instructions.
64 Lord, your faithful love fills the earth.
Teach me your laws.
Teth
65 Lord, you did good things for me, your servant.
You did what you promised to do.
66 Give me the knowledge to make wise decisions.
I trust your commands.
67 Before I suffered, I did many wrong things.
But now I carefully obey everything you say.
68 You are good, and you do good things.
Teach me your laws.
69 People full of pride made up lies about me.
But I keep obeying your instructions with all my heart.
70 Those people are so stupid that they care for nothing,
but I enjoy studying your teachings.
71 Suffering was good for me;
I learned your laws.
72 Your teachings are worth more to me
than a thousand pieces of silver and gold.
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International