M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
A Levite’s Concubine Degraded
19 Now it came about in those days, when (A)there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite [a]staying in the remote part of the hill country of Ephraim, who took a concubine for himself from Bethlehem in Judah. 2 But his concubine played the harlot against him, and she went away from him to her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah, and was there for a period of four months. 3 Then her husband arose and went after her to (B)speak [b]tenderly to her in order to bring her back, [c]taking with him his servant and a pair of donkeys. So she brought him into her father’s house, and when the girl’s father saw him, he was glad to meet him. 4 His father-in-law, the girl’s father, detained him; and he remained with him three days. So they ate and drank and lodged there. 5 Now on the fourth day they got up early in the morning, and he [d]prepared to go; and the girl’s father said to his son-in-law, “(C)Sustain [e]yourself with a piece of bread, and afterward you may go.” 6 So both of them sat down and ate and drank together; and the girl’s father said to the man, “Please be willing to spend the night, and (D)let your heart be merry.” 7 Then the man arose to go, but his father-in-law urged him so that he spent the night there again. 8 On the fifth day he arose to go early in the morning, and the girl’s father said, “Please sustain [f]yourself, and wait until [g]afternoon”; so both of them ate. 9 When the man arose to go along with his concubine and servant, his father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, “Behold now, the day has drawn [h]to a close; please spend the night. Lo, the day is [i]coming to an end; spend the night here that your heart may be merry. Then tomorrow you may arise early for your journey so that you may go [j]home.”
10 But the man was not willing to spend the night, so he arose and departed and came to a place opposite (E)Jebus (that is, Jerusalem). And there were with him a pair of saddled donkeys; his concubine also was with him. 11 When they were near Jebus, the day was almost gone; and (F)the servant said to his master, “Please come, and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites and spend the night in it.” 12 However, his master said to him, “We will not turn aside into the city of foreigners who are not of the sons of Israel; but we will go on as far as Gibeah.” 13 He said to his servant, “Come and let us approach one of these places; and we will spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah.” 14 So they passed along and went their way, and the sun set on them near Gibeah which belongs to Benjamin. 15 They turned aside there in order to enter and lodge in Gibeah. When [k]they entered, [l]they sat down in the open square of the city, for no one took them into his house to spend the night.
16 Then behold, an old man was coming out of the field from his work at evening. Now the man was from (G)the hill country of Ephraim, and he was [m]staying in Gibeah, but the men of the place (H)were Benjamites. 17 And he lifted up his eyes and saw the traveler in the open square of the city; and the old man said, “Where are you going, and where do you come from?” 18 He said to him, “We are passing from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote part of the hill country of Ephraim, for I am from there, and I went to Bethlehem in Judah. But I am now going to [n]my house, and no man will take me into his house. 19 Yet there is both straw and fodder for our donkeys, and also bread and wine for me, [o]your maidservant, and (I)the young man who is with your servants; there is no lack of anything.” 20 The old man said, “(J)Peace to you. Only let me take care of all your needs; however, do not spend the night in the open square.” 21 (K)So he took him into his house and gave the donkeys fodder, and they washed their feet and ate and drank.
22 While they were [p]celebrating, behold, (L)the men of the city, certain [q](M)worthless fellows, surrounded the house, pounding the door; and they spoke to the owner of the house, the old man, saying, “Bring out the man who came into your house that we may have [r]relations with him.” 23 Then the man, the owner of the house, went out to them and said to them, “No, my fellows, please do not act so wickedly; since this man has come into my house, (N)do not commit this act of folly. 24 (O)Here is my virgin daughter and his concubine. Please let me bring them out that you may ravish them and do to them [s]whatever you wish. But do not commit such an act of folly against this man.” 25 But the men would not listen to him. So the man seized his concubine and brought her out to them; and they raped her and abused her all night until morning, then let her go at the approach of dawn. 26 [t]As the day began to dawn, the woman came and fell down at the doorway of the man’s house where her master was, until full daylight.
27 When her master arose in the morning and opened the doors of the house and went out to go on his way, then behold, his concubine was lying at the doorway of the house with her hands on the threshold. 28 He said to her, “Get up and let us go,” (P)but there was no answer. Then he placed her on the donkey; and the man arose and went to his [u]home. 29 When he entered his house, he took a knife and laid hold of his concubine and (Q)cut her in twelve pieces, limb by limb, and sent her throughout the territory of Israel. 30 All who saw it said, “Nothing like this has ever happened or been seen from the day when the sons of Israel came up from the land of Egypt to this day. Consider it, (R)take counsel and speak up!”
Paul before the Council
23 Paul, looking intently at (A)the [a]Council, said, “(B)Brethren, (C)I have [b]lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day.” 2 The high priest (D)Ananias commanded those standing beside him (E)to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, (F)you whitewashed wall! Do you (G)sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law order me to be struck?” 4 But the bystanders said, “Do you revile God’s high priest?” 5 And Paul said, “I was not aware, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, ‘(H)You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”
6 But perceiving that one group were (I)Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in (J)the [c]Council, “(K)Brethren, (L)I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for (M)the hope and resurrection of the dead!” 7 As he said this, there occurred a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 For (N)the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. 9 And there occurred a great uproar; and some of (O)the scribes of the Pharisaic party stood up and began to argue heatedly, saying, “(P)We find nothing wrong with this man; (Q)suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 10 And as a great dissension was developing, the [d]commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them and ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force, and bring him into (R)the barracks.
11 But on (S)the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, “(T)Take courage; for (U)as you have (V)solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.”
A Conspiracy to Kill Paul
12 When it was day, (W)the Jews formed a [e]conspiracy and (X)bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. 13 There were more than forty who formed this plot. 14 They came to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have (Y)bound ourselves under a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. 15 Now therefore, you [f]and (Z)the [g]Council notify the [h]commander to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case by a more thorough investigation; and we for our part are ready to slay him before he comes near the place.”
16 But the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush, [i]and he came and entered (AA)the barracks and told Paul. 17 Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Lead this young man to the [j]commander, for he has something to report to him.” 18 So he took him and led him to the [k]commander and *said, “Paul (AB)the prisoner called me to him and asked me to lead this young man to you since he has something to tell you.” 19 The [l]commander took him by the hand and stepping aside, began to inquire of him privately, “What is it that you have to report to me?” 20 And he said, “(AC)The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to (AD)the [m]Council, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more thoroughly about him. 21 So do not [n]listen to them, for more than forty of them are (AE)lying in wait for him who have (AF)bound themselves under a curse not to eat or drink until they slay him; and now they are ready and waiting for the promise from you.” 22 So the [o]commander let the young man go, instructing him, “Tell no one that you have notified me of these things.”
Paul Moved to Caesarea
23 And he called to him two of the centurions and said, “Get two hundred soldiers ready by [p]the third hour of the night to proceed to (AG)Caesarea, [q]with seventy horsemen and two hundred [r]spearmen.” 24 They were also to provide mounts to put Paul on and bring him safely to (AH)Felix the governor. 25 And he wrote a letter having this form:
26 “Claudius Lysias, to the (AI)most excellent governor Felix, (AJ)greetings.
27 “When this man was arrested by the Jews and was about to be slain by them, (AK)I came up to them with the troops and rescued him, (AL)having learned that he was a Roman. 28 “And (AM)wanting to ascertain the charge for which they were accusing him, I (AN)brought him down to their [s](AO)Council; 29 and I found him to be accused over (AP)questions about their Law, but [t]under (AQ)no accusation deserving death or [u]imprisonment.
30 “When I was (AR)informed that there would be (AS)a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, also instructing (AT)his accusers to [v]bring charges against him before you.”
31 So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. 32 But the next day, leaving (AU)the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to (AV)the barracks. 33 When these had come to (AW)Caesarea and delivered the letter to (AX)the governor, they also presented Paul to him. 34 When he had read it, he asked from what (AY)province he was, and when he learned that (AZ)he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, “I will give you a hearing after your (BA)accusers arrive also,” giving orders for him to be (BB)kept in Herod’s [w]Praetorium.
Restoration Promised
33 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the second time, while he was still [a](A)confined in the court of the guard, saying, 2 “Thus says (B)the Lord who made [b]the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it, the (C)Lord is His name, 3 ‘(D)Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you (E)great and mighty things, (F)which you do not know.’ 4 For thus says the Lord God of Israel concerning the (G)houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah which are broken down to make a defense against the (H)siege ramps and against the sword, 5 ‘While they are coming to (I)fight with the Chaldeans and to fill them with the corpses of men whom I have slain in My anger and in My wrath, and I have (J)hidden My face from this city because of all their wickedness: 6 Behold, I will bring to it (K)health and healing, and I will heal them; and I will reveal to them an (L)abundance of peace and truth. 7 I will (M)restore the [c]fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel and will (N)rebuild them as they were at first. 8 I will (O)cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned against Me and by which they have transgressed against Me. 9 [d]It will be to Me a (P)name of joy, praise and glory before (Q)all the nations of the earth which will hear of all the (R)good that I do for them, and they will (S)fear and tremble because of all the good and all the peace that I make for it.’
10 “Thus says the Lord, ‘Yet again there will be heard in this place, of which you say, “It is a (T)waste, without man and without beast,” that is, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem that are (U)desolate, without man and without inhabitant and without beast, 11 the voice of (V)joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who say,
“(W)Give thanks to the Lord of hosts,
For the Lord is good,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting”;
and of those who bring a (X)thank offering into the house of the Lord. For I will restore the [e]fortunes of the land as they were at first,’ says the Lord.
12 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘There will again be in this place which is waste, (Y)without man or beast, and in all its cities, a [f]habitation of shepherds who rest their (Z)flocks. 13 In the (AA)cities of the hill country, in the cities of the lowland, in the cities of the Negev, in the land of Benjamin, in the environs of Jerusalem and in the cities of Judah, the flocks will again (AB)pass under the hands of the one who numbers them,’ says the Lord.
The Davidic Kingdom
14 ‘Behold, (AC)days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will (AD)fulfill the good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 15 In those days and at that time I will cause a (AE)righteous Branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute (AF)justice and righteousness on the earth. 16 In those days (AG)Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell in safety; and this is the name by which she will be called: the (AH)Lord is our righteousness.’ 17 For thus says the Lord, ‘[g]David shall (AI)never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel; 18 [h]and the (AJ)Levitical priests shall never lack a man before Me to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to (AK)prepare sacrifices [i]continually.’”
19 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, 20 “Thus says the Lord, ‘If you can (AL)break My covenant for the day and My covenant for the night, so that day and night will not be at their appointed time, 21 then (AM)My covenant may also be broken with David My servant so that he will not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levitical priests, My ministers. 22 As the (AN)host of heaven cannot be counted and the (AO)sand of the sea cannot be measured, so I will (AP)multiply the [j]descendants of David My servant and the (AQ)Levites who minister to Me.’”
23 And the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, 24 “Have you not observed what this people have spoken, saying, ‘The (AR)two families which the Lord chose, He has (AS)rejected them’? Thus they (AT)despise My people, no longer are they as a nation [k]in their sight. 25 Thus says the Lord, ‘If My (AU)covenant for day and night stand not, and the [l]fixed patterns of heaven and earth I have (AV)not established, 26 then I would (AW)reject the [m]descendants of Jacob and David My servant, [n]not taking from his [o]descendants (AX)rulers over the [p]descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But I will (AY)restore their [q]fortunes and will have (AZ)mercy on them.’”
Morning Prayer of Trust in God.
A Psalm of David, when [a]he fled from Absalom his son.
3 O Lord, how (A)my adversaries have increased!
Many are rising up against me.
2 Many are saying [b]of my soul,
“There is no [c](B)deliverance for him in God.” [d]Selah.
3 But You, O Lord, are (C)a shield about me,
My (D)glory, and the One who (E)lifts my head.
4 I was crying to the Lord with my voice,
And He (F)answered me from (G)His holy [e]mountain. Selah.
5 [f]I (H)lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the Lord sustains me.
6 I will (I)not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have (J)set themselves against me round about.
7 (K)Arise, O Lord; (L)save me, O my God!
For You [g]have (M)smitten all my enemies on the [h]cheek;
You [i]have (N)shattered the teeth of the wicked.
8 [j](O)Salvation belongs to the Lord;
Your (P)blessing [k]be upon Your people! Selah.
Evening Prayer of Trust in God.
[l]For the choir director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.
4 (Q)Answer me when (R)I call, O God [m]of my righteousness!
You have [n](S)relieved me in my distress;
Be (T)gracious to me and (U)hear my prayer.
2 O sons of men, how long will (V)my [o]honor become (W)a reproach?
How long will you love (X)what is worthless and aim at (Y)deception? [p]Selah.
3 But know that the Lord has [q](Z)set apart the (AA)godly man for Himself;
The Lord (AB)hears when I call to Him.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.