M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Miracle of the Ax Head
6 One day the Guild of Prophets told Elisha, “Notice how the place where we are living is too small for us. 2 Let’s go to the Jordan River,[a] fashion some rafters,[b] and build a place for us so we can live there.”
So he said, “Go!”
3 Someone asked, “Would you be willing to come with your servants?”
“I’m willing,” he replied. 4 So he accompanied them, and when they came to the Jordan River,[c] they cut down some trees.
5 It happened that as one of them was felling a beam, his axe head fell into the water. He cried out, “Oh no! Master! The axe was on loan to me!”
6 The man of God asked, “Where did it fall?” When he was shown the place, he cut off a branch, tossed it there, and made the iron axe head float. 7 Then Elisha said, “Pick it up!” So the young man reached out and picked it[d] up.
The Arameans Attack
8 Eventually the king of Aram went to war against Israel, taking counsel with his advisors and concluding, “In such and such a place I’ll build my encampment.”
9 So the man of God sent a message[e] to the king of Israel, warning him, “Keep an eye on that area, because the Arameans are going to be there!” 10 The king of Israel confirmed the matter[f] about which the man of God had warned him. Having been forewarned, he was able to protect himself there on more than one or two occasions.
11 The king of Aram flew into a rage over this, so he called in his advisors and asked them, “Will you please tell me which of us has joined the king of Israel?”
12 “No, your majesty,” one of his servants said. “Elisha the prophet, who lives in Israel, tells the king of Israel what you talk about in your bedroom!”
13 So the king[g] ordered, “Go and discover where he is, so I may send men[h] to take him into custody.”
Later somebody told him, “Look! He’s in Dothan!”
14 So the king of Aram[i] sent out horses, chariots, and an elite force, and they arrived during the night and surrounded the city. 15 Meanwhile, the attendant to the man of God got up early in the morning and went outside, and there were the elite forces, surrounding the city, accompanied by horses and chariots! So Elisha’s attendant cried out to him, “Oh no! Master! What will we do!?”
16 Elisha[j] replied, “Stop being afraid, because there are more with us than with them!” 17 Then Elisha prayed, asking the Lord, “Please make him able to really see!” And so when the Lord enabled the young man to see, he looked, and there was the mountain, filled with horses and fiery chariots surrounding Elisha!
18 When the army approached him, Elisha spoke to the Lord, asking him, “Lord, I’m asking you please to afflict this group of people with blindness!” So he afflicted them with blindness, just as Elisha had asked.
19 Then Elisha told the army, “This isn’t the way, and this isn’t the city! Follow me, and I’ll bring you to the man you’re seeking.” Then he led them to Samaria. 20 When they arrived in Samaria, Elisha asked the Lord, “Enable them to see again.” So the Lord did so, and there they were—right in the middle of Samaria!
21 When the king of Israel saw Elisha, he asked him, “Shall I execute them, my father?”
22 But he replied, “No! You’re not to kill them! Would you execute those whom you’ve taken captive at the point of a sword or with your bow? Give them food and water so they can eat and drink. Then send them back to their master!” 23 So he prepared a large festival for them, and when they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them back to their master, and marauding gangs of Arameans never came into the territory of Israel again.
Ben-hadad Attacks Samaria
24 Some time later, King Ben-hadad from Aram mustered his army, invaded the land,[k] and attacked Samaria 25 until there was a great famine throughout Samaria. The siege lasted until a donkey’s head cost[l] 80 silver coins[m] and one quarter of a unit[n] of dove’s dung cost[o] five silver coins.[p]
26 While the king of Israel was walking along the city[q] wall, a woman cried out to him. “Help me, your majesty!”[r] she said.
27 He replied, “No! Since the Lord won’t give you victory, how will I be able to deliver you? From the threshing floor? From the wine press?” 28 Then the king asked her, “What’s bothering[s] you?”
She said, “This woman told me, ‘Give up your son, and we’ll eat him today, and we’ll eat my son tomorrow.’” 29 So we boiled my son and ate him. The next day, I told her, ‘Give me your son so we can eat him!’ But she has hidden her son!”
30 When the king heard what the woman said, he ripped his garments as he continued walking along the city[t] wall. As the people watched, all of a sudden they noticed he was wearing sackcloth underneath his clothes, inside next to his flesh! 31 He said, “May God do to me—and more also!—if the head of Shaphat’s son Elisha remains on his shoulders[u] today!”
32 Meanwhile, Elisha was sitting in his house, along with the elders, when the king[v] sent a man to kill him,[w] but before the messenger arrived, Elisha[x] told the elders, “Are you watching how this descendant of murderers has ordered my head be cut off? Look, when the messenger arrives, shut the door and hold it to shut them out! Don’t you hear the sound of his master’s feet right behind him?”
33 While he was still talking with them, the messenger arrived to see him and delivered the king’s message to Elisha,[y] “Look! This evil has come from the Lord! Why should I wait for the Lord anymore?”
Qualifications for Leaders in the Church
3 This is a trustworthy saying:[a]
The one who would an elder be,
a noble task desires he.
2 Therefore, an elder must be blameless, the husband of one wife,[b] stable, sensible, respectable, hospitable to strangers, and teachable.[c] 3 He must not drink excessively or be a violent person, but instead be gentle. He must not be argumentative or love money. 4 He must manage his own family well and have children who are submissive and respectful in every way. 5 For if a man does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, so that he won’t become arrogant and fall into the Devil’s condemnation. 7 He must be well thought of by outsiders, so he doesn’t[d] fall into disgrace and the trap set for him by[e] the Devil.
8 Deacons,[f] too, must be serious. They must not be two-faced,[g] addicted to wine, or greedy for money. 9 They must hold firmly to the secret of the faith with clear consciences. 10 But they must first be tested. Then, if they prove to be blameless, let them serve in ministry.[h] 11 Their wives[i] must also be serious. They must not be gossips, but instead be stable and trustworthy in everything. 12 Deacons[j] must be husbands of one wife[k] and must manage their children and their families well. 13 Those who serve well in ministry[l] gain an excellent reputation for themselves and will have great assurance by their faith in the Messiah[m] Jesus.
14 I hope to come to you soon. However, I’m writing this to you 15 in case I am delayed, so that you may know how to behave in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. 16 By common confession, the secret of our godly worship is great:[n]
Daniel’s Vision
10 In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar). The message was trustworthy and concerned a great conflict. He understood it and had insight concerning the vision.
2 “At that time I, Daniel, had been mourning for three straight weeks.[a] 3 I ate no fancy foods—neither meat nor wine entered my mouth. Furthermore, I didn’t use any ointment until the end of the entire three weeks.[b] 4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, while I was beside the bank of the great Tigris[c] River, 5 I lifted up my eyes to look, and to my surprise, there was a certain man dressed in linen, whose waist was encircled with gold from Uphaz! 6 His body was like beryl,[d] his face flashed like lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and legs were like polished bronze, and his speech roared[e] like that of a crowd.
7 “Now I, Daniel, was the only one to receive the vision—the men who were with me didn’t see it.[f] However, an enormous fear overwhelmed them, so they ran away to hide, 8 and I was left alone to observe this magnificent vision. Nevertheless, no strength remained in me—my face lost its color, and I became weak. 9 As I listened to the sound of his words, I fell down on my face unconscious, with my face to the ground.”
Daniel is Given Understanding
10 “All of a sudden, a hand touched me and lifted me upon my hands and knees. 11 He told me, ‘Daniel, man highly regarded, understand the message that I’m about to relate to you. Stand up, because I’ve been sent to you.’ When he spoke this statement to me, I stood there trembling.
12 “‘Don’t be afraid, Daniel,’ he told me, ‘because from the first day that you committed yourself to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. I’ve come in answer to[g] your prayers. 13 However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for 21 days. Then all of a sudden, Michael, one of the chief angels,[h] came to assist me! I had been detained there near the kings of Persia. 14 Now I’ve come to help you understand what will happen to your people in the days to come, because the vision pertains to those days.’
15 “After he had spoken to me like this, I bowed my face to the ground, unable to speak. 16 But suddenly someone who resembled a human being touched my lips, so addressing the one who was standing in front of me, I opened my mouth and said, ‘Sir,[i] I’m overwhelmed with anguish by this vision. I have no strength left.[j] 17 So how can a servant of my lord talk with someone like you, sir?[k] And as for me, there’s no strength left in me, and I can hardly breathe.’
18 “Then this person who looked like a man touched me again and strengthened me 19 and said, ‘Don’t be afraid, man highly regarded. Be at peace, and be strong.’
“As soon as he spoke to me, I gained strength and replied, ‘Sir, please[l] speak, now that you’ve strengthened me.’
20 “Then he said, ‘Do you understand why I came to you? Soon I’ll return to fight the prince of Persia. I’m going forth to war—and take note—the prince of Greece[m] is coming! 21 I’ll inform you about what has been recorded in the Book of Truth. No one stands firmly with me against these opponents,[n] except Michael your prince.
Alef [a]
Living in the Law of God
119 How blessed are those whose life[b] is blameless,
who walk in the Law of the Lord!
2 How blessed are those who observe his decrees,
who seek him with all of their heart,
3 who practice no evil
while they walk in his ways.
4 You have commanded concerning your precepts,
that they be guarded with diligence.
5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast,
so I may keep your statutes.
6 Then I will not be ashamed,
since my eyes will be fixed on all of your commands.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart,
as I learn your righteous decrees.
8 I will keep your statutes;
do not ever abandon me.
Bet
The Benefits of the Word
9 How can a young man keep his behavior pure?
By guarding it in accordance with your word.
10 I have sought you with all of my heart;
do not let me drift away from your commands.
11 I have stored what you have said[c] in my heart,
so I won’t sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, Lord!
Teach me your statutes.
13 I have spoken with my lips
about all your decrees that you have announced.[d]
14 I find joy in the path of your decrees,
as if I owned all kinds of riches.
15 I will meditate on your precepts,
and I will respect your ways.
16 I am delighted with your statutes;
I will not forget your word.[e]
Gimmel
Living and Keeping God’s Word
17 Deal kindly with your servant
so I may live and keep your word.[f]
18 Open my eyes
so that I will observe amazing things from your instruction.[g]
19 Since I am a stranger on the earth,
do not hide your commands from me.
20 My soul is consumed with longing
for your decrees at all times.
21 You rebuke the accursed ones,
who wander from your commands.
22 Remove scorn and disrespect from me,
for I observe your decrees.
23 Though nobles take their seat and gossip about me,
your servant will meditate on your statutes.
24 I take joy in your decrees,
for they are my counselors.
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.