M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
King Josiah Celebrates the Passover(A)
35 Josiah celebrated the Passover for Yahweh in Jerusalem. The Passover lamb was slaughtered on the fourteenth day of the first month. 2 Josiah appointed the priests to their duties and encouraged them to serve in Yahweh’s temple. 3 He told the Levites, who instructed all Israel and performed ceremonies to make themselves holy to Yahweh, “Put the holy ark in the temple that Solomon, son of David and king of Israel, built. It shouldn’t be carried on your shoulders any longer. Serve Yahweh your Elohim and his people Israel. 4 Get yourselves ready with the family groups of your divisions, which are listed in the records of King David of Israel and the records of his son Solomon. 5 Stand in the holy place representing the family divisions of your relatives, the people of Israel. Let the Levites be considered a part of each family.[a] 6 Slaughter the Passover lamb, perform the ceremonies to make yourselves holy, and prepare the lambs for the other Israelites as Yahweh instructed us through Moses.”
7 Josiah provided the people with 33,000 sheep and goats to be sacrificed as Passover offerings for all who were present. In addition, he provided 3,000 bulls. (These animals were the king’s property.) 8 His officials also voluntarily gave animals to the people, priests, and Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, the men in charge of Elohim’s temple, gave the priests 2,600 sheep and goats and 300 bulls for Passover sacrifices. 9 Conaniah and his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, and Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad, the leaders of the Levites, gave the Levites 5,000 sheep and goats and 500 bulls as Passover sacrifices.
10 So the service was prepared. The priests took their positions with the Levites according to their divisions, as the king had ordered. 11 They slaughtered the Passover lambs. The priests sprinkled the blood with their hands while the Levites skinned the lambs. 12 They set aside the burnt offerings to give them to the laypeople according to their family divisions. The laypeople could then present them to Yahweh as written in the Book of Moses. The Levites did the same with the bulls. 13 They roasted the Passover lambs according to the directions. They boiled the holy offerings in pots, kettles, and pans and immediately served them to all the people. 14 Later, they prepared the animals for themselves and for the priests because the priests (Aaron’s descendants) were sacrificing the burnt offerings and the fat until that evening.
So the Levites prepared the animals for themselves and the priests. 15 The singers (Asaph’s descendants) were in their places as David, Asaph, Heman, and the king’s seer[b] Jeduthun had commanded. The gatekeepers were stationed at each gate. They didn’t need to leave their work, because their relatives, the Levites, prepared animals for them.
16 So everything was arranged that day for the worship of Yahweh. The Passover was celebrated, and the burnt offerings were sacrificed on Yahweh’s altar as King Josiah had commanded. 17 The Israelites who were present celebrated the Passover at that time. They also celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days.
18 Never had a Passover like this been celebrated in Israel during the time of the prophet Samuel or the kings of Israel. They did not celebrate the Passover as Josiah celebrated it with priests, Levites, all of Judah, the people of Israel who could be found, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 19 In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, this Passover was celebrated.
Josiah’s Sin Leads to His Death(B)
20 After all this, when Josiah had repaired the temple, King Neco of Egypt came to fight a battle at Carchemish at the Euphrates River. Josiah went to attack him. 21 But Neco sent messengers to Josiah to say, “What’s your quarrel with me, king of Judah? I’m not attacking you. I’ve come to fight those who are at war with me. Elohim told me to hurry. Elohim is with me, so stop now or else he will destroy you.”
22 But Josiah would not stop his attack. He disguised himself as he went into battle. He refused to listen to Neco’s words, which came from Elohim, and he went to fight in the valley of Megiddo.
23 Some archers shot King Josiah. The king told his officers, “Take me away because I’m badly wounded.”
24 His officers took him out of the chariot and brought him to Jerusalem in his other chariot. He died and was buried in the tombs of his ancestors. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. 25 Jeremiah sang a funeral song about Josiah. All the male and female singers still sing funeral songs about Josiah today. This became a tradition in Israel. They are written in the Book of the Funeral Songs.
26 Everything else about Josiah—including his devotion to God by following what is written in Yahweh’s Teachings 27 and his acts from first to last—are written in the records of the kings of Israel and Judah.
A New Heaven and a New Earth
21 I saw a new heaven and a new earth, because the first heaven and earth had disappeared, and the sea was gone. 2 Then I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, dressed like a bride ready for her husband. 3 I heard a loud voice from the throne say, “God lives with humans! God will make his home with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There won’t be any more death. There won’t be any grief, crying, or pain, because the first things have disappeared.”
5 The one sitting on the throne said, “I am making everything new.” He said, “Write this: ‘These words are faithful and true.’” 6 He said to me, “It has happened! I am the A and the Z,[a] the beginning and the end. I will give a drink from the fountain filled with the water of life to anyone who is thirsty. It won’t cost anything. 7 Everyone who wins the victory will inherit these things. I will be their God, and they will be my children. 8 But cowardly, unfaithful, and detestable people, murderers, sexual sinners, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will find themselves in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
A New Jerusalem
9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the last seven plagues came to me and said, “Come! I will show you the bride, the wife of the lamb.” 10 He carried me by his power away to a large, high mountain. He showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven. 11 It had the glory of God. Its light was like a valuable gem, like gray quartz, as clear as crystal. 12 It had a large, high wall with 12 gates. Twelve angels were at the gates. The names of the 12 tribes of Israel were written on the gates. 13 There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. 14 The wall of the city had 12 foundations. The 12 names of the 12 apostles of the lamb were written on them.
15 The angel who was talking to me had a gold measuring stick to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 The city was square. It was as wide as it was long. He measured the city with the stick. It was 12,000 stadia[b] long. Its length, width, and height were the same. 17 He measured its wall. According to human measurement, which the angel was using, it was 144 cubits.[c] 18 Its wall was made of gray quartz. The city was made of pure gold, as clear as glass. 19 The foundations of the city wall were beautifully decorated with all kinds of gems: The first foundation was gray quartz, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth red quartz, the seventh yellow quartz, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth green quartz, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The 12 gates were 12 pearls. Each gate was made of one pearl. The street of the city was made of pure gold, as clear as glass.
22 I did not see any temple in it, because the Lord God Almighty and the lamb are its temple. 23 The city doesn’t need any sun or moon to give it light because the glory of God gave it light. The lamb was its lamp. 24 The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25 Its gates will be open all day. They will never close because there won’t be any night there. 26 They will bring the glory and wealth of the nations into the holy city. 27 Nothing unclean,[d] no one who does anything detestable, and no liars will ever enter it. Only those whose names are written in the lamb’s Book of Life will enter it.
The Coming of the Messenger of the Promise
3 “I’m going to send my messenger, and he will clear the way ahead of me. Then the Adonay you are looking for will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the promise[a] will come. He is the one you want,” says Yahweh Tsebaoth.
2 But who will be able to endure the day he comes? Who will be able to survive on the day he appears? He is like a purifying fire and like a cleansing soap. 3 He will act like a refiner and a purifier of silver. He will purify Levi’s sons and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will bring acceptable offerings to Yahweh. 4 The offerings from Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to Yahweh as in the past, as in years long ago.
5 “I will come to judge you. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers, lying witnesses, and those who cheat workers out of their wages and oppress widows and orphans. I will also testify against those who deprive foreigners of their rights. None of them fear me,” says Yahweh Tsebaoth.
The People Are Cheating God
6 “I, Yahweh, never change. That is why you descendants of Jacob haven’t been destroyed yet. 7 Since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my laws and have not followed them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says Yahweh Tsebaoth.
“But you ask, ‘How can we return?’
8 “Can a person cheat Elohim? Yet, you are cheating me!
“But you ask, ‘How are we cheating you?’
“When you don’t bring a tenth of your income and other contributions. 9 So a curse is on you because the whole nation is cheating me!
10 “Bring one-tenth of your income into the storehouse so that there may be food in my house. Test me in this way,” says Yahweh Tsebaoth. “See if I won’t open the windows of heaven for you and flood you with blessings. 11 Then, for your sake, I will stop insects from eating your crops. They will not destroy the produce of your land. The vines in your fields will not lose their unripened grapes,” says Yahweh Tsebaoth. 12 “All nations will call you blessed because you will be a delightful land,” says Yahweh Tsebaoth.
13 “You have used harsh words against me,” says Yahweh.
“You ask, ‘How have we spoken against you?’
14 “You have said, ‘It’s pointless to serve Elohim. What do we gain if we meet his standards or if we walk around feeling sorry for what we’ve done? 15 So now we call arrogant people blessed. Not only are evildoers encouraged, they even test Elohim and get away with it.’”
16 Then those who feared Yahweh spoke to one another, and Yahweh paid attention and listened. A book was written in his presence to be a reminder to those who feared Yahweh and respected his name.
17 “They will be mine,” says Yahweh Tsebaoth. “On that day I will make them my special possession. I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him. 18 Then you will again see the difference between righteous people and wicked people, between the one who serves Elohim and the one who doesn’t serve him.
Jesus Comes Back to Life(A)
20 Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary from Magdala went to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb’s entrance. 2 So she ran to Simon Peter and the other disciple, whom Yeshua loved. She told them, “They have removed the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they’ve put him.”
3 So Peter and the other disciple headed for the tomb. 4 The two were running side by side, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and came to the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked inside the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there but didn’t go inside.
6 Simon Peter arrived after him and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there. 7 He also saw the cloth that had been on Yeshua’s head. It wasn’t lying with the strips of linen but was rolled up separately. 8 Then the other disciple, who arrived at the tomb first, went inside. He saw and believed. 9 They didn’t know yet what Scripture meant when it said that Yeshua had to come back to life. 10 So the disciples went back home.
Jesus Appears to Mary from Magdala
11 Mary, however, stood there and cried as she looked at the tomb. As she cried, she bent over and looked inside. 12 She saw two angels in white clothes. They were sitting where the body of Yeshua had been lying. One angel was where Yeshua’s head had been, and the other was where his feet had been. 13 The angels asked her why she was crying.
Mary told them, “They have removed my Lord, and I don’t know where they’ve put him.”
14 After she said this, she turned around and saw Yeshua standing there. However, she didn’t know that it was Yeshua. 15 Yeshua asked her, “Why are you crying? Who are you looking for?”
Mary thought it was the gardener speaking to her. So she said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I’ll remove him.”
16 Yeshua said to her, “Mary!”
Mary turned around and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (This word means “teacher.”)
17 Yeshua told her, “Don’t hold on to me. I have not yet gone to the Father. But go to my brothers and sisters and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
18 Mary from Magdala went to the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord.” She also told them what he had said to her.
Jesus Appears to the Disciples(B)
19 That Sunday evening, the disciples were together behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jews. Yeshua stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you!” 20 When he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were glad to see the Lord.
21 Yeshua said to them again, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” 22 After he had said this, he breathed on the disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 Whenever you forgive sins, they are forgiven. Whenever you don’t forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
Jesus Appears to Thomas
24 Thomas, one of the twelve apostles, who was called Didymus, wasn’t with them when Yeshua came. 25 The other disciples told him, “We’ve seen the Lord.”
Thomas told them, “I refuse to believe this unless I see the nail marks in his hands, put my fingers into them, and put my hand into his side.”
26 A week later Yeshua’s disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Yeshua stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then Yeshua said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Take your hand, and put it into my side. Stop doubting, and believe.”
28 Thomas responded to Yeshua, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Yeshua said to Thomas, “You believe because you’ve seen me. Blessed are those who haven’t seen me but believe.”
30 Yeshua performed many other miracles that his disciples saw. Those miracles are not written in this book. 31 But these miracles have been written so that you will believe that Yeshua is the Messiah, the Son of God, and so that you will have life by believing in him.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.