M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Ephraim’s Jealousy
12 The men of Ephraim were summoned to fight. They crossed the Jordan River to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why did you fight against Ammon without inviting us to go with you? Now we’re going to burn your house down with you in it.”
2 Jephthah answered, “My people and I were involved in a legal dispute with Ammon. I asked you for help, but you didn’t rescue me from them. 3 When I saw that you would not rescue me, I risked my life and went to fight the people of Ammon. Yahweh handed them over to me. So why did you come to fight against me today?”
4 Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought Ephraim. The men of Gilead defeated Ephraim. They did this because Ephraim had said, “You people from Gilead are nothing but fugitives from Ephraim and Manasseh.”
5 The men of Gilead captured the shallow crossings of the Jordan River leading back to Ephraim. Whenever a fugitive from Ephraim said, “Let me cross,” the men of Gilead would ask, “Are you from Ephraim?” If he answered, “No,” 6 they would tell him, “Say the word shibboleth.” If the fugitive would say sibboleth, because he couldn’t pronounce the word correctly, they would grab him and kill him at the shallow crossings of the Jordan River. At that time 42,000 men from Ephraim died.
7 Jephthah judged Israel for six years. Then Jephthah of Gilead died and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.
Ibzan Serves as Judge
8 After Jephthah, Ibzan from Bethlehem judged Israel. 9 He had 30 sons and 30 daughters. His sons and daughters married people from outside their own families. He judged Israel for seven years. 10 When Ibzan died, he was buried in Bethlehem.
Elon Serves as Judge
11 After Ibzan, Elon from the tribe of Zebulun judged Israel. He judged Israel for ten years. 12 When Elon died, he was buried in Aijalon in the territory of Zebulun.
Abdon Serves as Judge
13 After Elon, Abdon, son of Hillel, from Pirathon judged Israel. 14 He had 40 sons and 30 grandsons who rode on 70 donkeys. He judged Israel for eight years. 15 When Abdon died, he was buried in Pirathon, in the territory of Ephraim, in the mountains of Amalek.
Timothy Joins Paul in Lystra
16 Paul arrived in the city of Derbe and then went to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived. Timothy’s mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was Greek. 2 The believers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of Timothy. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to go with him. So he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in those places and because he knew that Timothy’s father was Greek.
4 As they went through the cities, they told people about the decisions that the apostles and spiritual leaders[a] in Jerusalem had made for the people. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew in numbers every day.
Paul Has a Vision
6 Paul and Silas went through the regions of Phrygia and Galatia because the Holy Spirit kept them from speaking the word in the province of Asia. 7 They went to the province of Mysia and tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Yeshua wouldn’t allow this. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went to the city of Troas.
9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia. The man urged Paul, “Come to Macedonia to help us.”
10 As soon as Paul had seen the vision, we immediately looked for a way to go to Macedonia. We concluded that God had called us to tell the people of Macedonia about the Good News.
Paul and Silas in Philippi
11 So we took a ship from Troas and sailed straight to the island of Samothrace. The next day we sailed to the city of Neapolis, 12 and from there we went to the city of Philippi. Philippi is a leading city in that part of Macedonia, and it is a Roman colony. We were in this city for a number of days.
13 On the day of worship we went out of the city to a place along the river where we thought Jewish people gathered for prayer. We sat down and began talking to the women who had gathered there. 14 A woman named Lydia was present. She was a convert to Judaism from the city of Thyatira and sold purple dye for a living. She was listening because the Lord made her willing to pay attention to what Paul said. 15 When Lydia and her family were baptized, she invited us to stay at her home. She said, “If you’re convinced that I believe in the Lord, then stay at my home.” She insisted. So we did.
16 One day when we were going to the place of prayer, a female servant met us. She was possessed by an evil spirit that told fortunes. She made a lot of money for her owners by telling fortunes. 17 She used to follow Paul and shout, “These men are servants of the Most High God. They’re telling you how you can be saved.” 18 She kept doing this for many days. Paul became annoyed, turned to the evil spirit, and said, “I command you in the name of Yeshua Christ to come out of her!”
As Paul said this, the evil spirit left her. 19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them to the authorities in the public square. 20 In front of the Roman officials, they said, “These men are stirring up a lot of trouble in our city. They’re Jews, 21 and they’re advocating customs that we can’t accept or practice as Roman citizens.”
22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas. Then the officials tore the clothes off Paul and Silas and ordered the guards to beat them with sticks. 23 After they had hit Paul and Silas many times, they threw them in jail and ordered the jailer to keep them under tight security. 24 So the jailer followed these orders and put Paul and Silas into solitary confinement with their feet in leg irons.
25 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God. The other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly, a violent earthquake shook the foundations of the jail. All the doors immediately flew open, and all the prisoners’ chains came loose.
27 The jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open. Thinking the prisoners had escaped, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself. 28 But Paul shouted as loudly as he could, “Don’t hurt yourself! We’re all here!”
29 The jailer asked for torches and rushed into the jail. He was trembling as he knelt in front of Paul and Silas. 30 Then he took Paul and Silas outside and asked, “Sirs, what do I have to do to be saved?”
31 They answered, “Believe in the Lord Yeshua, and you and your family will be saved.” 32 They spoke the Lord’s word to the jailer and everyone in his home.
33 At that hour of the night, the jailer washed Paul and Silas’ wounds. The jailer and his entire family were baptized immediately. 34 He took Paul and Silas upstairs into his home and gave them something to eat. He and his family were thrilled to be believers in God.
35 In the morning the Roman officials sent guards who told the jailer, “You can release those men now.”
36 The jailer reported this order to Paul by saying, “The officials have sent word to release you. So you can leave peacefully now.”
37 But Paul told the guards, “Roman officials have had us beaten publicly without a trial and have thrown us in jail, even though we’re Roman citizens. Now are they going to throw us out secretly? There’s no way they’re going to get away with that! Have them escort us out!”
38 The guards reported to the officials what Paul had said. When the Roman officials heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were afraid. 39 So the officials went to the jail and apologized to Paul and Silas. As the officials escorted Paul and Silas out of the jail, they asked them to leave the city.
40 After Paul and Silas left the jail, they went to Lydia’s house. They met with the believers, encouraged them, and then left.
Judgment on Judah and the Nations
25 Yahweh spoke his word to Jeremiah about all the people of Judah when Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, was in his fourth year as king. (This was the first year that Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon.) 2 The prophet Jeremiah spoke to all the people of Judah and to everyone who lived in Jerusalem. He said, 3 “For 23 years, from the time that Josiah, son of Amon, was in his thirteenth year as king of Judah until today, Yahweh continued to speak his word to me. So I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened.
4 “Even though Yahweh has sent all his servants the prophets to you, you haven’t listened or paid attention to them. 5 The prophets said, ‘Turn from your evil ways and the evil you have done, and live in the land that Yahweh permanently gave to you and your ancestors. 6 Don’t follow other gods to serve and worship them. Don’t make me furious about the idols your hands have shaped. Then I won’t harm you. 7 But you haven’t listened to me, declares Yahweh. You have made me furious about the idols your hands have shaped and have brought harm upon yourselves.’
8 “This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says: You did not listen to my words, 9 so I’m going to send for all the families from the north. I will also send for my servant King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, declares Yahweh. I will bring the families from the north to attack this land, its people, and all these surrounding nations. I’m going to destroy them and turn them into something terrible, something ridiculed, and something permanently ruined. 10 I will take from them the sounds of joy and happiness, the sounds of brides and grooms, the sound of mills, and the light of lamps. 11 This whole land will be ruined and become a wasteland. These nations will serve the king of Babylon for 70 years.
12 “When the 70 years are over, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation for their crimes, declares Yahweh. I will turn Babylon into a permanent wasteland. 13 I will bring on that land all the disasters I threatened to do to it, everything that Jeremiah prophesied against all the nations, everything written in this book. 14 Many nations and great kings will make slaves of the people of Babylon, and I will pay them back for what they have done.”
15 This is what Yahweh Elohim of Israel said to me: Take from my hand this cup filled with the wine of my fury, and make all the nations to whom I’m sending you drink from it. 16 When they drink from it, they will stagger and go insane because of the wars that I’m going to send them.
17 So I took the cup from Yahweh’s hand. I made all the nations to whom Yahweh sent me drink from it: 18 Jerusalem and the cities of Judah as well as its kings and officials. When they drank from it, they became wastelands and ruins, something ridiculed and cursed, until today.
19 I also made these people drink from it: Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, officials, all his people, 20 and all the foreign people living among them; all the kings of the land of Uz; all the kings of Philistia, those from the cities of Ashkelon, Gaza, and Ekron, and the people left in Ashdod; 21 Edom, Moab, and the people of Ammon; 22 all the kings of Tyre and Sidon, and the kings on the seacoast; 23 Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all who shave the hair on their foreheads; 24 all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the foreign people living in the desert; 25 all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of Media; 26 all the kings of the north, near and far, one after another—all the kingdoms of the earth. Last of all, the king of Sheshach will drink from the cup.
27 The Lord said, “Say to them, ‘This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth, the Elohim of Israel, says: Drink, get drunk, vomit, fall down, and don’t get up because of the wars that I’m going to send you.’ 28 But if they refuse to take the cup from your hand and drink from it, say to them, ‘This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says: You must drink from it! 29 I am going to bring disaster on the city that is named after me. Do you think you’ll go unpunished? You will not go unpunished! I’m declaring war on all those who live on earth, declares Yahweh Tsebaoth.’
30 “That is why you will prophesy all these things to them and say,
‘Yahweh roars from above.
He thunders from his holy dwelling place.
He roars against his land.
He shouts like those who stomp grapes.
He shouts against all those who live on earth.
31 The sound is echoing to the ends of the earth
because Yahweh has brought charges against the nations.
He will judge all humans.
He will kill the wicked, declares Yahweh.’
32 “This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says:
Disaster is spreading from nation to nation.
A great storm is brewing from the distant corners of the earth.”
33 On that day those killed by Yahweh will stretch from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned, taken away, or buried. They will become like manure on the ground.
34 Mourn, you shepherds, and cry.
Roll in the dust, you leaders of the flock.
The time has come for you to be slaughtered.
The time has come for you to be scattered,
and you will break like fine pottery.
35 There will be no place for the shepherds to flee,
no escape for the leaders of the flock.
36 The shepherds are crying
and the leaders of the flock are mourning
because Yahweh is stripping their pasture.
37 The peaceful pastures are destroyed by Yahweh’s burning anger.
38 He has left his lair like a lion.
Their land has been ruined
because of the heat of the oppressor,
because of the fury of his anger.
The King Comes to Jerusalem(A)
11 When they came near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Yeshua sent two of his disciples ahead of him. 2 He said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you. As you enter it, you will find a young donkey tied there. No one has ever sat on it. Untie it, and bring it. 3 If anyone asks you what you are doing, say that the Lord needs it. That person will send it here at once.”
4 The disciples found the young donkey in the street. It was tied to the door of a house. As they were untying it, 5 some men standing there asked them, “Why are you untying that donkey?” 6 The disciples answered them as Yeshua had told them. So the men let them go.
7 They brought the donkey to Yeshua, put their coats on it, and he sat on it. 8 Many spread their coats on the road. Others cut leafy branches in the fields and spread them on the road. 9 Those who went ahead and those who followed him were shouting,
“Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
10 Blessed is our ancestor David’s kingdom that is coming!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
11 Yeshua came into Jerusalem and went into the temple courtyard, where he looked around at everything. Since it was already late, he went out with the twelve apostles to Bethany.
Jesus Curses the Fig Tree(B)
12 The next day, when they left Bethany, Yeshua became hungry. 13 In the distance he saw a fig tree with leaves. He went to see if he could find any figs on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves because it wasn’t the season for figs. 14 Then he said to the tree, “No one will ever eat fruit from you again!” His disciples heard this.
Jesus Throws Out the Moneychangers(C)
15 When they came to Jerusalem, Yeshua went into the temple courtyard and began to throw out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the moneychangers’ tables and the chairs of those who sold pigeons. 16 He would not let anyone carry anything across the temple courtyard.
17 Then he taught them by saying, “Scripture says, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a gathering place for thieves.”
18 When the chief priests and the experts in Moses’ Teachings heard him, they looked for a way to kill him. They were afraid of him because he amazed all the crowds with his teaching.
19 (Every evening Yeshua and his disciples would leave the city.)
The Fig Tree Dries Up(D)
20 While Yeshua and his disciples were walking early in the morning, they saw that the fig tree had dried up. 21 Peter remembered what Yeshua had said, so he said to Yeshua, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has dried up.”
22 Yeshua said to them, “Have faith in God! 23 I can guarantee this truth: This is what will be done for someone who doesn’t doubt but believes what he says will happen: He can say to this mountain, ‘Be uprooted and thrown into the sea,’ and it will be done for him. 24 That’s why I tell you to have faith that you have already received whatever you pray for, and it will be yours. 25 Whenever you pray, forgive anything you have against anyone. Then your Father in heaven will forgive your failures.”[a]
Jesus’ Authority Challenged(E)
27 Yeshua and his disciples returned to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple courtyard, the chief priests, the experts in Moses’ Teachings, and the leaders came to him. 28 They asked him, “What gives you the right to do these things? Who told you that you could do this?”
29 Yeshua said to them, “I’ll ask you a question. Answer me, and then I’ll tell you why I have the right to do these things. 30 Did John’s right to baptize come from heaven or from humans? Answer me!”
31 They discussed this among themselves. They said, “If we say, ‘from heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 32 But if we say, ‘from humans,’ then what will happen?” They were afraid of the people. All the people thought of John as a true prophet. 33 So they answered Yeshua, “We don’t know.”
Yeshua told them, “Then I won’t tell you why I have the right to do these things.”
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.