M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Saul’s Search
9 Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was (A)Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of [a]valor. 2 He had a son whose name was Saul, a (B)choice and handsome man, and there was not a more handsome person than he among the sons of Israel; (C)from his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people.
3 Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. So Kish said to his son Saul, “Take now with you one of the servants, and arise, go search for the donkeys.” 4 He passed through (D)the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of (E)Shalishah, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of (F)Shaalim, but they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them.
5 When they came to the land of (G)Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, and let us return, (H)or else my father will cease to be concerned about the donkeys and will become anxious for us.” 6 He said to him, “Behold now, there is (I)a man of God in this city, and the man is held in honor; (J)all that he says surely comes true. Now let us go there, (K)perhaps he can tell us about our journey on which we have set out.” 7 Then Saul said to his servant, “But behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is gone from our sack and there is (L)no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?” 8 The servant answered Saul again and said, “Behold, I have in my hand a fourth of a shekel of silver; I will give it to the man of God and he will (M)tell us our way.” 9 (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he used to say, “Come, and let us go to the seer”; for he who is called a prophet now was formerly called (N)a seer.) 10 Then Saul said to his servant, “Well said; come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.
11 As they went up the slope to the city, (O)they found young women going out to draw water and said to them, “Is the seer here?” 12 They answered them and said, “He is; [b]see, he is ahead of you. Hurry now, for he has come into the city today, for (P)the people have a sacrifice on (Q)the high place today. 13 As soon as you enter the city you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat, for the people will not eat until he comes, because (R)he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now therefore, go up for you will find him at once.” 14 So they went up to the city. As they came into the city, behold, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the high place.
God’s Choice for King
15 Now a day before Saul’s coming, (S)the Lord had [c]revealed this to Samuel saying, 16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and (T)you shall anoint him to be prince over My people Israel; and he will deliver My people from the hand of the Philistines. For (U)I have regarded My people, because their cry has come to Me.” 17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord [d]said to him, “(V)Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you! This one shall rule over My people.” 18 Then Saul approached Samuel in the gate and said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.” 19 Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today; and in the morning I will let you go, and will tell you all that is on your mind. 20 (W)As for your donkeys which were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And (X)for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father’s household?” 21 Saul replied, “(Y)Am I not a Benjamite, of (Z)the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the [e]tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me in this way?”
22 Then Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall and gave them a place at the head of those who were invited, who were about thirty men. 23 Samuel said to the cook, “[f]Bring the portion that I gave you, concerning which I said to you, ‘Set it [g]aside.’” 24 Then the cook (AA)took up the leg with what was on it and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, “Here is what has been reserved! Set it before you and eat, because it has been kept for you until the appointed time, [h]since I said I have invited the people.” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25 When they came down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul (AB)on the [i]roof. 26 And they arose early; and at daybreak Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying, “Get up, that I may send you away.” So Saul arose, and both he and Samuel went out into the street. 27 As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Say to the servant that he might go ahead of us and pass on, but you remain standing now, that I may proclaim the word of God to you.”
Believers United to Christ
7 Or do you not know, (A)brethren (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives? 2 For (B)the married woman is bound by law to her [a]husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law [b]concerning the husband. 3 So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man.
4 Therefore, my brethren, you also were (C)made to die (D)to the Law (E)through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. 5 For while we were (F)in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were (G)aroused by the Law, were at work (H)in [c]the members of our body to bear fruit for death. 6 But now we have been (I)released from the Law, having (J)died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in (K)newness of (L)the [d]Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.
7 (M)What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? (N)May it never be! On the contrary, (O)I would not have come to know sin except [e]through the Law; for I would not have known about [f]coveting if the Law had not said, “(P)You shall not [g]covet.” 8 But sin, (Q)taking opportunity (R)through the commandment, produced in me [h]coveting of every kind; for (S)apart [i]from the Law sin is dead. 9 I was once alive apart [j]from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died; 10 and this commandment, which was [k](T)to result in life, proved [l]to result in death for me; 11 for sin, (U)taking an opportunity (V)through the commandment, (W)deceived me and through it killed me. 12 (X)So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
13 Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? (Y)May it never be! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful.
The Conflict of Two Natures
14 For we know that the Law is (Z)spiritual, but I am (AA)of flesh, (AB)sold [m](AC)into bondage to sin. 15 For what I am doing, (AD)I do not understand; for I am not practicing (AE)what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. 16 But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with (AF)the Law, confessing that the Law is good. 17 So now, (AG)no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my (AH)flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 19 For (AI)the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, (AJ)I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.
21 I find then (AK)the [n]principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God [o]in (AL)the inner man, 23 but I see (AM)a different law in [p]the members of my body, waging war against the (AN)law of my mind and making me a prisoner [q]of (AO)the law of sin which is in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from [r](AP)the body of this (AQ)death? 25 (AR)Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh (AS)the law of sin.
Defeat of Pharaoh Foretold
46 That which came as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet (A)concerning the nations.
2 To (B)Egypt, concerning the army of (C)Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt, which was by the Euphrates River at (D)Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated in the (E)fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah:
3 “(F)Line up the shield and [a]buckler,
And draw near for the battle!
4 “Harness the horses,
And [b]mount the steeds,
And take your stand with helmets on!
(G)Polish the spears,
Put on the (H)scale-armor!
5 “Why have I seen it?
They are terrified,
They are (I)drawing back,
And their (J)mighty men are defeated
And have taken refuge in flight,
Without facing back;
[c](K)Terror is on every side!”
Declares the Lord.
6 Let not the (L)swift man flee,
Nor the mighty man escape;
In the north beside the river Euphrates
They have (M)stumbled and fallen.
7 Who is this that (N)rises like the Nile,
Like the rivers whose waters surge about?
8 Egypt rises like the Nile,
Even like the rivers whose waters surge about;
And He has said, “I will (O)rise and cover that land;
I will surely (P)destroy the city and its inhabitants.”
9 Go up, you horses, and [d](Q)drive madly, you chariots,
That the mighty men may [e]march forward:
Ethiopia and [f](R)Put, that handle the shield,
And the [g](S)Lydians, that handle and bend the bow.
10 For (T)that day belongs to the Lord [h]God of hosts,
A day of (U)vengeance, so as to avenge Himself on His foes;
And the (V)sword will devour and be satiated
And [i]drink its fill of their blood;
For there will be a (W)slaughter for the Lord [j]God of hosts,
In the land of the north by the river Euphrates.
11 Go (X)up to Gilead and obtain balm,
(Y)O virgin daughter of Egypt!
In vain have you multiplied [k]remedies;
There is (Z)no healing for you.
12 The nations have heard of your (AA)shame,
And the earth is full of your (AB)cry of distress;
For one (AC)warrior has stumbled over [l]another,
And both of them have fallen down together.
13 This is the [m]message which the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the (AD)coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to (AE)smite the land of Egypt:
14 “Declare in Egypt and proclaim in (AF)Migdol,
Proclaim also in Memphis and (AG)Tahpanhes;
Say, ‘Take your stand and get yourself ready,
For the (AH)sword has devoured those around you.’
15 “Why have your (AI)mighty ones become prostrate?
They do not stand because the Lord has (AJ)thrust them down.
16 “They have repeatedly (AK)stumbled;
Indeed, they have fallen one against another.
Then they said, ‘Get up! And (AL)let us go back
To our own people and our native land
Away from the [n](AM)sword of the oppressor.’
17 “[o]They cried there, ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is but (AN)a big noise;
He has let the appointed time pass by!’
18 “As I live,” declares the (AO)King
Whose name is the Lord of hosts,
“Surely one shall come who looms up like (AP)Tabor among the mountains,
Or like (AQ)Carmel by the sea.
19 “Make your baggage ready for (AR)exile,
O (AS)daughter dwelling in Egypt,
For (AT)Memphis will become a desolation;
It will even be burned down and [p]bereft of inhabitants.
20 “Egypt is a pretty (AU)heifer,
But a [q]horsefly is coming (AV)from the north—it is coming!
21 “Also her (AW)mercenaries in her midst
Are like [r]fattened (AX)calves,
For even they too have turned back and have fled away together;
They did not stand their ground.
For the day of their calamity has come upon them,
The time of their (AY)punishment.
22 “Its sound moves along like a serpent;
For they move on [s]like an army
And come to her as woodcutters with axes.
23 “They have cut down her (AZ)forest,” declares the Lord;
“Surely it will no more be found,
Even though [t]they are now more numerous than (BA)locusts
And are without number.
24 “The daughter of Egypt has been put to shame,
Given over to the [u]power of the (BB)people of the north.”
25 The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, says, “Behold, I am going to punish Amon of (BC)Thebes, and (BD)Pharaoh, and Egypt along with her (BE)gods and her kings, even Pharaoh and those who (BF)trust in him. 26 I shall give them over to the [v]power of those who are (BG)seeking their lives, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of his [w]officers. (BH)Afterwards, however, it will be inhabited as in the days of old,” declares the Lord.
27 “But as for you, O Jacob My servant, (BI)do not fear,
Nor be dismayed, O Israel!
For, see, I am going to (BJ)save you from afar,
And your descendants from the land of their captivity;
And Jacob will return and be (BK)undisturbed
And secure, with no one making him tremble.
28 “O Jacob My servant, do not fear,” declares the Lord,
“For (BL)I am with you.
For I will make a full end of all the nations
Where I have driven you,
Yet I will (BM)not make a full end of you;
But I will (BN)correct you properly
And by no means leave you unpunished.”
A Cry of Anguish and a Song of Praise.
For the choir director; upon [a]Aijeleth Hashshahar. A Psalm of David.
22 (A)My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?
[b](B)Far from my deliverance are the words of my [c](C)groaning.
2 O my God, I (D)cry by day, but You do not answer;
And by night, but [d]I have no rest.
3 Yet (E)You are holy,
O You who [e]are enthroned upon (F)the praises of Israel.
4 In You our fathers (G)trusted;
They trusted and You (H)delivered them.
5 To You they cried out and were delivered;
(I)In You they trusted and were not [f]disappointed.
6 But I am a (J)worm and not a man,
A (K)reproach of men and (L)despised by the people.
7 All who see me [g](M)sneer at me;
They [h]separate with the lip, they (N)wag the head, saying,
8 “[i]Commit yourself to the Lord; (O)let Him deliver him;
Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him.”
9 Yet You are He who (P)brought me forth from the womb;
You made me trust when upon my mother’s breasts.
10 Upon You I was cast (Q)from [j]birth;
You have been my God from my mother’s womb.
11 (R)Be not far from me, for [k]trouble is near;
For there is (S)none to help.
12 Many (T)bulls have surrounded me;
Strong bulls of (U)Bashan have encircled me.
13 They (V)open wide their mouth at me,
As a ravening and a roaring (W)lion.
14 I am (X)poured out like water,
And all my (Y)bones are out of joint;
My (Z)heart is like wax;
It is melted within [l]me.
15 My (AA)strength is dried up like a potsherd,
And (AB)my tongue cleaves to my jaws;
And You (AC)lay me [m]in the dust of death.
16 For (AD)dogs have surrounded me;
[n]A band of evildoers has encompassed me;
[o]They (AE)pierced my hands and my feet.
17 I can count all my bones.
(AF)They look, they stare at me;
18 They (AG)divide my garments among them,
And for my clothing they cast lots.
19 But You, O Lord, (AH)be not far off;
O You my help, (AI)hasten to my assistance.
20 Deliver my [p]soul from (AJ)the sword,
My (AK)only life from the [q]power of the dog.
21 Save me from the (AL)lion’s mouth;
From the horns of the (AM)wild oxen You (AN)answer me.
22 I will (AO)tell of Your name to my brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
23 (AP)You who fear the Lord, praise Him;
All you [r]descendants of Jacob, (AQ)glorify Him,
And (AR)stand in awe of Him, all you [s]descendants of Israel.
24 For He has (AS)not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted;
Nor has He (AT)hidden His face from him;
But (AU)when he cried to Him for help, He heard.
25 From You comes (AV)my praise in the great assembly;
I shall (AW)pay my vows before those who fear Him.
26 The [t]afflicted will eat and (AX)be satisfied;
Those who seek Him will (AY)praise the Lord.
Let your (AZ)heart live forever!
27 All the (BA)ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord,
And all the (BB)families of the nations will worship before [u]You.
28 For the (BC)kingdom is the Lord’s
And He (BD)rules over the nations.
29 All the [v](BE)prosperous of the earth will eat and worship,
All those who (BF)go down to the dust will bow before Him,
Even he who [w](BG)cannot keep his soul alive.
30 [x](BH)Posterity will serve Him;
It will be told of the Lord to (BI)the coming generation.
31 They will come and (BJ)will declare His righteousness
To a people (BK)who will be born, that He has performed it.
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