M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Elijah Taken to Heaven
2 And it came about when the Lord was about to (A)take up Elijah by a [a]whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah went with (B)Elisha from (C)Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “(D)Stay here please, for the Lord has sent me as far as (E)Bethel.” But Elisha said, “(F)As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 Then (G)the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over [b]you today?” And he said, “Yes, I know; be still.”
4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please (H)stay here, for the Lord has sent me to (I)Jericho.” But he said, “(J)As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 (K)The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, “(L)Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over [c]you today?” And he [d]answered, “Yes, I know; be still.” 6 Then Elijah said to him, “Please (M)stay here, for the Lord has sent me to (N)the Jordan.” And he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.
7 Now (O)fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8 Elijah (P)took his mantle and folded it together and (Q)struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please, let a (R)double portion of your spirit be upon me.” 10 He said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you (S)see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” 11 As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared (T)a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a [e]whirlwind to heaven. 12 Elisha saw it and cried out, “(U)My father, my father, the [f]chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw [g]Elijah no more. Then (V)he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he also had (W)struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.
Elisha Succeeds Elijah
15 Now when (X)the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him. 16 They said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men, please let them go and search for your master; perhaps (Y)the Spirit of the Lord has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send.” 17 But when (Z)they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men; and they searched three days but did not find him. 18 They returned to him while he was staying at Jericho; and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”
19 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold now, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land [h]is unfruitful.” 20 He said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt [i]in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 He went out to the spring of water and (AA)threw salt [j]in it and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘I have [k]purified these waters; there shall not be from there death or [l]unfruitfulness any longer.’” 22 So the waters have been [m]purified to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.
23 Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the way, young lads came out from the city and (AB)mocked him and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!” 24 When he looked behind him and saw them, he (AC)cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two lads of [n]their number. 25 He went from there to (AD)Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.
Man of Lawlessness
2 Now we request you, (A)brethren, with regard to the [a](B)coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our (C)gathering together to Him, 2 that you not be quickly shaken from your [b]composure or be disturbed either by a (D)spirit or a [c](E)message or a (F)letter as if from us, to the effect that (G)the day of the Lord (H)has come. 3 (I)Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the [d](J)apostasy comes first, and the (K)man of lawlessness is revealed, the (L)son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above [e](M)every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, (N)displaying himself as being God. 5 Do you not remember that (O)while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6 And you know (P)what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. 7 For (Q)the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only (R)he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 8 Then that lawless one (S)will be revealed whom the Lord will slay (T)with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the (U)appearance of His [f]coming; 9 that is, the one whose [g]coming is in accord with the activity of (V)Satan, with all power and [h](W)signs and false wonders, 10 and with [i]all the deception of wickedness for (X)those who perish, because they did not receive the love of (Y)the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason (Z)God [j]will send upon them [k]a (AA)deluding influence so that they will believe [l]what is false, 12 in order that they all may be [m]judged who (AB)did not believe the truth, but [n](AC)took pleasure in wickedness.
13 (AD)But we should always give thanks to God for you, (AE)brethren beloved by the Lord, because (AF)God has chosen you [o]from the beginning (AG)for salvation [p](AH)through sanctification [q]by the Spirit and faith in the truth. 14 It was for this He (AI)called you through (AJ)our gospel, [r]that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brethren, (AK)stand firm and (AL)hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether (AM)by word of mouth or (AN)by letter [s]from us.
16 (AO)Now may our Lord Jesus Christ (AP)Himself and God our Father, who has (AQ)loved us and given us eternal comfort and (AR)good hope by grace, 17 (AS)comfort and (AT)strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.
Daniel Serves Darius
6 [a]It seemed good to Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, that they would be in charge of the whole kingdom, 2 and over them three commissioners (of whom (A)Daniel was one), that these satraps might be accountable to them, and that the king might not suffer (B)loss. 3 Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself [b]among the commissioners and satraps because [c]he possessed an (C)extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the (D)entire kingdom. 4 Then the commissioners and satraps began (E)trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to [d]government affairs; but they could find (F)no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the (G)law of his God.”
6 Then these commissioners and satraps came [e]by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: “King Darius, (H)live forever! 7 All the (I)commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have (J)consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall (K)be cast into the lions’ [f]den. 8 Now, O king, (L)establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, according to the (M)law of the Medes and Persians, which [g]may not be revoked.” 9 Therefore King Darius (N)signed the document, that is, the injunction.
10 Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open (O)toward Jerusalem); and he continued (P)kneeling on his knees three times a day, (Q)praying and (R)giving thanks before his God, [h]as he had been doing previously. 11 Then these men came [i](S)by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. 12 Then they approached and (T)spoke before the king about the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king replied, “The statement is true, according to the (U)law of the Medes and Persians, which [j]may not be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and spoke before the king, “(V)Daniel, who is one of the [k]exiles from Judah, pays (W)no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps making his petition three times a day.”
14 Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply (X)distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him. 15 Then these men came [l]by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Recognize, O king, that it is a (Y)law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”
Daniel in the Lions’ Den
16 Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and (Z)cast into the lions’ den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “[m](AA)Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.” 17 A (AB)stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel. 18 Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night (AC)fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his (AD)sleep fled from him.
19 Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions’ den. 20 When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has (AE)your God, whom you constantly serve, been (AF)able to deliver you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel spoke [n]to the king, “(AG)O king, live forever! 22 My God (AH)sent His angel and (AI)shut the lions’ mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as [o]I was found innocent before Him; and also [p]toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.” 23 Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and (AJ)no injury whatever was found on him, because he had (AK)trusted in his God. 24 The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had [q]maliciously accused Daniel, and they (AL)cast them, their (AM)children and their wives into the lions’ den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
25 Then Darius the king wrote to all the (AN)peoples, nations and men of every [r]language who were living in all the land: “(AO)May your [s]peace abound! 26 [t]I (AP)make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel;
For He is the (AQ)living God and (AR)enduring forever,
And (AS)His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed,
And His dominion will be [u]forever.
27 “He delivers and rescues and performs (AT)signs and wonders
In heaven and on earth,
Who has also delivered Daniel from the [v]power of the lions.”
28 So this (AU)Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of (AV)Cyrus the Persian.
Prosperity of the One Who Fears the Lord.
112 [a]Praise [b]the Lord!
How (A)blessed is the man who [c]fears the Lord,
Who greatly (B)delights in His commandments.
2 His [d](C)descendants will be mighty [e]on earth;
The generation of the (D)upright will be blessed.
3 (E)Wealth and riches are in his house,
And his righteousness endures forever.
4 Light arises in the darkness (F)for the upright;
He is (G)gracious and compassionate and righteous.
5 It is well with the man who (H)is gracious and lends;
He will [f]maintain his cause in judgment.
6 For he will (I)never be shaken;
The (J)righteous will be [g]remembered forever.
7 He will not fear (K)evil tidings;
His (L)heart is steadfast, (M)trusting in the Lord.
8 His (N)heart is upheld, he (O)will not fear,
Until he (P)looks with satisfaction on his adversaries.
9 [h]He (Q)has given freely to the poor,
His righteousness endures forever;
His (R)horn will be exalted in honor.
10 The (S)wicked will see it and be [i]vexed,
He will (T)gnash his teeth and (U)melt away;
The (V)desire of the wicked will perish.
The Lord Exalts the Humble.
113 [j]Praise [k]the Lord!
(W)Praise, O (X)servants of the Lord,
Praise the name of the Lord.
2 (Y)Blessed be the name of the Lord
From this time forth and forever.
3 (Z)From the rising of the sun to its setting
The (AA)name of the Lord is to be praised.
4 The Lord is (AB)high above all nations;
His (AC)glory is above the heavens.
5 (AD)Who is like the Lord our God,
Who (AE)is enthroned on high,
6 Who [l](AF)humbles Himself to behold
The things that are in heaven and in the earth?
7 He (AG)raises the poor from the dust
And lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8 To make them (AH)sit with [m]princes,
With the [n]princes of His people.
9 He (AI)makes the barren woman abide in the house
As a joyful mother of children.
[o]Praise [p]the Lord!
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