M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Last Words of David
23 Now these are the last words of David:
The oracle of David, the son of Jesse,
the oracle of (A)the man who was raised on high,
(B)the anointed of the God of Jacob,
the sweet psalmist of Israel:[a]
2 (C)“The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me;
his word is on my tongue.
3 The God of Israel has spoken;
(D)the Rock of Israel has said to me:
When one rules justly over men,
ruling (E)in the fear of God,
4 he (F)dawns on them like the morning light,
like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning,
like rain[b] that makes grass to sprout from the earth.
5 “For does not my house stand so with God?
(G)For he has made with me an everlasting covenant,
ordered in all things and secure.
For will he not cause to prosper
all my help and my desire?
6 But worthless men[c] are all like thorns that are thrown away,
for they cannot be taken with the hand;
7 but the man who touches them
arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear,
and they are utterly consumed with fire.”[d]
David's Mighty Men
8 (H)These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: (I)Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite; he was chief of the three.[e] He wielded his spear[f] against eight hundred whom he killed at one time.
9 And next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar the son of (J)Dodo, son of (K)Ahohi. He was with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel withdrew. 10 He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword. And the Lord brought about a great victory that day, and the men returned after him only to strip the slain.
11 And next to him was Shammah, the son of Agee the (L)Hararite. The Philistines gathered together at Lehi,[g] where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the men fled from the Philistines. 12 But he took his stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and struck down the Philistines, and the Lord worked a great victory.
13 And three of the thirty chief men went down and came about harvest time to David at the (M)cave of Adullam, when a band of Philistines was encamped (N)in the Valley of Rephaim. 14 David was then (O)in the stronghold, and (P)the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. 15 And David said longingly, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” 16 Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and carried and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it. He poured it out to the Lord 17 and said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this. Shall I drink (Q)the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.
18 Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty.[h] And he wielded his spear against three hundred men[i] and killed them and won a name beside the three. 19 He was the most renowned of the thirty[j] and became their commander, but he did not attain to (R)the three.
20 And (S)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man[k] of (T)Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two ariels[l] of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. 21 And he struck down an Egyptian, a handsome man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear. 22 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and won a name beside the three mighty men. 23 He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard.
24 (U)Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25 (V)Shammah of Harod, Elika of Harod, 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh (W)of Tekoa, 27 Abiezer (X)of Anathoth, Mebunnai (Y)the Hushathite, 28 Zalmon (Z)the Ahohite, Maharai (AA)of Netophah, 29 Heleb the son of Baanah (AB)of Netophah, Ittai the son of Ribai of (AC)Gibeah of the people of Benjamin, 30 Benaiah (AD)of Pirathon, Hiddai of the brooks of (AE)Gaash, 31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth of (AF)Bahurim, 32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 33 (AG)Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, 34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai (AH)of Maacah, (AI)Eliam the son of (AJ)Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35 Hezro[m] (AK)of Carmel, Paarai the Arbite, 36 Igal the son of Nathan (AL)of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai (AM)of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, 38 (AN)Ira the (AO)Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39 (AP)Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.
By Faith, or by Works of the Law?
3 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? (A)It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly (B)portrayed as crucified. 2 Let me ask you only this: (C)Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by (D)hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? (E)Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by[a] the flesh? 4 (F)Did you suffer[b] so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and (G)works miracles among you do so (H)by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— 6 just as (I)Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?
7 Know then that it is (J)those of faith who are (K)the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that (L)God would justify[c] the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, (M)“In you shall all the nations be blessed.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
The Righteous Shall Live by Faith
10 For all who rely on works of the law are (N)under a curse; for it is written, (O)“Cursed be everyone who does not (P)abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident that (Q)no one is justified before God by the law, for (R)“The righteous shall live by faith.”[d] 12 But the law is not of faith, rather (S)“The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ (T)redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, (U)“Cursed is everyone who is hanged (V)on a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might (W)come to the Gentiles, so that (X)we might receive (Y)the promised Spirit[e] through faith.
The Law and the Promise
15 (Z)To give a human example, brothers:[f] (AA)even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. 16 Now (AB)the promises were made (AC)to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, (AD)“And to your offspring,” who is Christ. 17 This is what I mean: the law, which came (AE)430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as (AF)to make the promise void. 18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but (AG)God gave it to Abraham by a promise.
19 Why then the law? (AH)It was added because of transgressions, (AI)until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was (AJ)put in place through angels (AK)by an intermediary. 20 Now (AL)an intermediary implies more than one, but (AM)God is one.
21 Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For (AN)if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22 But the Scripture (AO)imprisoned everything under sin, so that (AP)the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given (AQ)to those who believe.
23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, (AR)imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, (AS)the law was our (AT)guardian until Christ came, (AU)in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus (AV)you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as (AW)were baptized (AX)into Christ have (AY)put on Christ. 28 (AZ)There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave[g] nor free, (BA)there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And (BB)if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, (BC)heirs according to promise.
A Lament for Egypt
30 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 (A)“Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus says the Lord God:
(B)“Wail, ‘Alas for the day!’
3 (C)For the day is near,
(D)the day of the Lord is near;
it will be (E)a day of clouds,
a time of doom for[a] the nations.
4 (F)A sword shall come upon Egypt,
(G)and anguish shall be in (H)Cush,
when the slain fall in Egypt,
and (I)her wealth[b] is carried away,
and (J)her foundations are torn down.
5 (K)Cush, and (L)Put, and Lud, and (M)all Arabia, and Libya,[c] and the people of the land that is in league,[d] shall fall with them by the sword.
6 “Thus says the Lord:
(N)Those who support Egypt shall fall,
and (O)her proud might shall come down;
(P)from Migdol to Syene
they shall fall within her by the sword,
declares the Lord God.
7 (Q)And they shall be desolated in the midst of desolated countries,
and their cities shall be in the midst of cities that are laid waste.
8 (R)Then they will know that I am the Lord,
when (S)I have set fire to Egypt,
and (T)all her helpers are broken.
9 “On that day (U)messengers shall go out from me in ships to terrify the unsuspecting (V)people of Cush, and (W)anguish shall come upon them on the day of Egypt's doom;[e] for, behold, it comes!
10 “Thus says the Lord God:
(X)“I will put an end to the wealth of Egypt,
by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.
11 He and his people with him, (Y)the most ruthless of nations,
shall be brought in to destroy the land,
(Z)and they shall draw their swords against Egypt
and fill the land with the slain.
12 And (AA)I will (AB)dry up the Nile
and will sell the land into the hand of (AC)evildoers;
(AD)I will bring desolation upon the land and everything in it,
by the hand of (AE)foreigners;
(AF)I am the Lord; I have spoken.
13 “Thus says the Lord God:
(AG)“I will destroy the idols
and put an end to the images in (AH)Memphis;
(AI)there shall no longer be a prince from the land of Egypt;
so (AJ)I will put fear in the land of Egypt.
14 I will make (AK)Pathros a desolation
and will set fire to (AL)Zoan
(AM)and will execute judgments on (AN)Thebes.
15 And I will pour out my wrath on Pelusium,
the stronghold of Egypt,
and cut off the multitude[f] of Thebes.
16 And I will set fire to Egypt;
Pelusium shall be in great agony;
Thebes shall be breached,
and (AO)Memphis shall face enemies[g] by day.
17 The young men of On and of Pi-beseth shall fall by the sword,
and the women[h] shall go into captivity.
18 At (AP)Tehaphnehes (AQ)the day shall be dark,
when I break there the yoke bars of Egypt,
and (AR)her proud might shall come to an end in her;
she shall be covered by a cloud,
and her daughters shall go into captivity.
19 Thus (AS)I will execute judgments on Egypt.
(AT)Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Egypt Shall Fall to Babylon
20 (AU)In the eleventh year, in the first month, on the seventh day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: 21 (AV)“Son of man, (AW)I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and behold, (AX)it has not been bound up, to heal it by binding it with a bandage, so that it may become strong to wield the sword. 22 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt and (AY)will break his arms, both the strong arm and the one that was broken, and I will make the sword fall from his hand. 23 (AZ)I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them through the countries. 24 And (BA)I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put (BB)my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan before him (BC)like a man mortally wounded. 25 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh shall fall. (BD)Then they shall know that I am the Lord, (BE)when I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he stretches it out against the land of Egypt. 26 And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
38 Yet he, being (A)compassionate,
(B)atoned for their iniquity
and did not destroy them;
he restrained his anger often
and did not stir up all his wrath.
39 He (C)remembered that they were but (D)flesh,
(E)a wind that passes and comes not again.
40 How often they (F)rebelled against him in the wilderness
and (G)grieved him in (H)the desert!
41 They (I)tested God again and again
and provoked (J)the Holy One of Israel.
42 They (K)did not remember his power[a]
or the day when he redeemed them from the foe,
43 (L)when he performed his (M)signs in Egypt
and his (N)marvels in (O)the fields of Zoan.
44 He (P)turned their rivers to blood,
so that they could not drink of their streams.
45 He sent among them swarms of (Q)flies, which devoured them,
and (R)frogs, which destroyed them.
46 He gave their crops to (S)the destroying locust
and the fruit of their labor to the locust.
47 He destroyed their vines with (T)hail
and their sycamores with frost.
48 He gave over their (U)cattle to the hail
and their flocks to thunderbolts.
49 He let loose on them his burning anger,
wrath, indignation, and distress,
a company of (V)destroying angels.
50 He made a path for his anger;
he did not spare them from death,
but gave their lives over to the plague.
51 He struck down every (W)firstborn in Egypt,
the firstfruits of their strength in the tents of (X)Ham.
52 Then he led out his people (Y)like sheep
and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
53 (Z)He led them in safety, so that they (AA)were not afraid,
but (AB)the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
54 And he brought them to his (AC)holy land,
(AD)to the mountain which his right hand had (AE)won.
55 He (AF)drove out nations before them;
he (AG)apportioned them for a possession
and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.
56 Yet they (AH)tested and (AI)rebelled against the Most High God
and did not keep his testimonies,
57 but turned away and acted treacherously like their fathers;
they twisted like (AJ)a deceitful bow.
58 For they (AK)provoked him to anger with their (AL)high places;
they (AM)moved him to jealousy with their (AN)idols.
59 When God heard, he was full of (AO)wrath,
and he utterly rejected Israel.
60 He (AP)forsook his dwelling at (AQ)Shiloh,
the tent where he dwelt among mankind,
61 and delivered his (AR)power to captivity,
his (AS)glory to the hand of the foe.
62 He (AT)gave his people over to the sword
and (AU)vented his wrath on his heritage.
63 (AV)Fire devoured their young men,
and their young women had no (AW)marriage song.
64 Their (AX)priests fell by the sword,
and their (AY)widows made no lamentation.
65 Then the Lord (AZ)awoke as from sleep,
like a strong man shouting because of wine.
66 And he (BA)put his adversaries to rout;
he put them to everlasting shame.
67 He rejected the tent of (BB)Joseph;
he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,
68 but he chose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion, which he (BC)loves.
69 He (BD)built his sanctuary like the high heavens,
like the earth, which he has founded forever.
70 He (BE)chose David his servant
and took him from the sheepfolds;
71 from (BF)following the nursing ewes he brought him
to (BG)shepherd Jacob his people,
Israel his (BH)inheritance.
72 With (BI)upright heart he shepherded them
and (BJ)guided them with his skillful hand.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.