M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

Zebah and Zalmunna

8 Now the Ephraimites asked Gideon,^(A) “Why have you treated us like this? Why didn’t you call us when you went to fight Midian?^(B)”^(C) And they challenged him vigorously.^(D)

² But he answered them, “What have I accomplished compared to you? Aren’t the gleanings of Ephraim’s grapes better than the full grape harvest of Abiezer?^{(E) 3} God gave Oreb and Zeeb,^(F) the Midianite leaders, into your hands. What was I able to do compared to you?” At this, their resentment against him subsided.

⁴ Gideon and his three hundred men, exhausted yet keeping up the pursuit, came to the Jordan^(G) and crossed it. ⁵ He said to the men of Sukkoth,^(H) “Give my troops some bread; they are worn out,^(I) and I am still pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna,^(J) the kings of Midian.”

⁶ But the officials of Sukkoth^(K) said, “Do you already have the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna in your possession? Why should we give bread^(L) to your troops?”^(M)

⁷ Then Gideon replied, “Just for that, when the Lord has given Zebah and Zalmunna^(N) into my hand, I will tear your flesh with desert thorns and briers.”

⁸ From there he went up to Peniel^[a](O) and made the same request of them, but they answered as the men of Sukkoth had. ⁹ So he said to the men of Peniel, “When I return in triumph, I will tear down this tower.”^(P)

¹⁰ Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with a force of about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of the armies of the eastern peoples; a hundred and twenty thousand swordsmen had fallen.^{(Q) 11} Gideon went up by the route of the nomads east of Nobah^(R) and Jogbehah^(S) and attacked the unsuspecting army. ¹² Zebah and Zalmunna, the two kings of Midian, fled, but he pursued them and captured them, routing their entire army.

¹³ Gideon son of Joash^(T) then returned from the battle by the Pass of Heres.^{(U) 14} He caught a young man of Sukkoth and questioned him, and the young man wrote down for him the names of the seventy-seven officials of Sukkoth,^(V) the elders^(W) of the town. ¹⁵ Then Gideon came and said to the men of Sukkoth, “Here are Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you taunted me by saying, ‘Do you already have the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna in your possession? Why should we give bread to your exhausted men?^(X)’” ¹⁶ He took the elders of the town and taught the men of Sukkoth a lesson^(Y) by punishing them with desert thorns and briers. ¹⁷ He also pulled down the tower of Peniel^(Z) and killed the men of the town.^(AA)

¹⁸ Then he asked Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men did you kill at Tabor?^(AB)”

“Men like you,” they answered, “each one with the bearing of a prince.”

¹⁹ Gideon replied, “Those were my brothers, the sons of my own mother. As surely as the Lord lives,^(AC) if you had spared their lives, I would not kill you.” ²⁰ Turning to Jether, his oldest son, he said, “Kill them!” But Jether did not draw his sword, because he was only a boy and was afraid.

²¹ Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Come, do it yourself. ‘As is the man, so is his strength.’” So Gideon stepped forward and killed them, and took the ornaments^(AD) off their camels’ necks.

Gideon’s Ephod

²² The Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us—you, your son and your grandson—because you have saved us from the hand of Midian.”

²³ But Gideon told them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule^(AE) over you.” ²⁴ And he said, “I do have one request, that each of you give me an earring^(AF) from your share of the plunder.^(AG)” (It was the custom of the Ishmaelites^(AH) to wear gold earrings.)

²⁵ They answered, “We’ll be glad to give them.” So they spread out a garment, and each of them threw a ring from his plunder onto it. ²⁶ The weight of the gold rings he asked for came to seventeen hundred shekels,^[b] not counting the ornaments, the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian or the chains^(AI) that were on their camels’ necks. ²⁷ Gideon made the gold into an ephod,^(AJ) which he placed in Ophrah,^(AK) his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare^(AL) to Gideon and his family.^(AM)

Gideon’s Death

²⁸ Thus Midian was subdued before the Israelites and did not raise its head^(AN) again. During Gideon’s lifetime, the land had peace^(AO) forty years.

²⁹ Jerub-Baal^(AP) son of Joash^(AQ) went back home to live. ³⁰ He had seventy sons^(AR) of his own, for he had many wives. ³¹ His concubine,^(AS) who lived in Shechem, also bore him a son, whom he named Abimelek.^{(AT) 32} Gideon son of Joash died at a good old age^(AU) and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

³³ No sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals.^(AV) They set up Baal-Berith^(AW) as their god^{(AX) 34} and did not remember^(AY) the Lord their God, who had rescued them from the hands of all their enemies on every side. ³⁵ They also failed to show any loyalty to the family of Jerub-Baal^(AZ) (that is, Gideon) in spite of all the good things he had done for them.^(BA)

Peter’s Miraculous Escape From Prison

12 It was about this time that King Herod^(A) arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. ² He had James, the brother of John,^(B) put to death with the sword.^{(C) 3} When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews,^(D) he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread.^{(E) 4} After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.^(F)

⁵ So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.^(G)

⁶ The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains,^(H) and sentries stood guard at the entrance. ⁷ Suddenly an angel^(I) of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.^(J)

⁸ Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. ⁹ Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision.^{(K) 10} They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself,^(L) and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

¹¹ Then Peter came to himself^(M) and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me^(N) from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”

¹² When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark,^(O) where many people had gathered and were praying.^{(P) 13} Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door.^{(Q) 14} When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed^(R) she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!”

¹⁵ “You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”^(S)

¹⁶ But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. ¹⁷ Peter motioned with his hand^(T) for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James^(U) and the other brothers and sisters^(V) about this,” he said, and then he left for another place.

¹⁸ In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. ¹⁹ After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed.^(W)

Herod’s Death

Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea^(X) and stayed there. ²⁰ He had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon;^(Y) they now joined together and sought an audience with him. After securing the support of Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they depended on the king’s country for their food supply.^(Z)

²¹ On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. ²² They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.” ²³ Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel^(AA) of the Lord struck him down,^(AB) and he was eaten by worms and died.

²⁴ But the word of God^(AC) continued to spread and flourish.^(AD)

Barnabas and Saul Sent Off

²⁵ When Barnabas^(AE) and Saul had finished their mission,^(AF) they returned from^[a] Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.^(AG)

God Rejects Zedekiah’s Request

21 The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord when King Zedekiah^(A) sent to him Pashhur^(B) son of Malkijah and the priest Zephaniah^(C) son of Maaseiah. They said: ² “Inquire^(D) now of the Lord for us because Nebuchadnezzar^[a](E) king of Babylon^(F) is attacking us. Perhaps the Lord will perform wonders^(G) for us as in times past so that he will withdraw from us.”

³ But Jeremiah answered them, “Tell Zedekiah, ⁴ ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I am about to turn^(H) against you the weapons of war that are in your hands, which you are using to fight the king of Babylon and the Babylonians^[b] who are outside the wall besieging^(I) you. And I will gather them inside this city. ⁵ I myself will fight^(J) against you with an outstretched hand^(K) and a mighty arm^(L) in furious anger and in great wrath. ⁶ I will strike^(M) down those who live in this city—both man and beast—and they will die of a terrible plague.^{(N) 7} After that, declares the Lord, I will give Zedekiah^(O) king of Judah, his officials and the people in this city who survive the plague,^(P) sword and famine, into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon^(Q) and to their enemies^(R) who want to kill them.^(S) He will put them to the sword;^(T) he will show them no mercy or pity or compassion.’^(U)

⁸ “Furthermore, tell the people, ‘This is what the Lord says: See, I am setting before you the way of life^(V) and the way of death. ⁹ Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague.^(W) But whoever goes out and surrenders^(X) to the Babylonians who are besieging you will live; they will escape with their lives.^{(Y) 10} I have determined to do this city harm^(Z) and not good, declares the Lord. It will be given into the hands^(AA) of the king of Babylon, and he will destroy it with fire.’^(AB)

¹¹ “Moreover, say to the royal house^(AC) of Judah, ‘Hear the word of the Lord. ¹² This is what the Lord says to you, house of David:

That Which Defiles^(A)

7 The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus ² and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled,^(B) that is, unwashed. ³ (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders.^{(C) 4} When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.^[a])^(D)

⁵ So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders^(E) instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”

⁶ He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

⁸ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”^(G)

⁹ And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe^[c] your own traditions!^{(H) 10} For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’^[d](I) and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’^{[e](J) 11} But you say^(K) that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— ¹² then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. ¹³ Thus you nullify the word of God^(L) by your tradition^(M) that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

¹⁴ Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. ¹⁵ Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” ^[16] [f]

¹⁷ After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him^(N) about this parable. ¹⁸ “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? ¹⁹ For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods^(O) clean.)^(P)

²⁰ He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. ²¹ For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, ²² adultery, greed,^(Q) malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. ²³ All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

Jesus Honors a Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith^(R)

²⁴ Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre.^[g](S) He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. ²⁵ In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit^(T) came and fell at his feet. ²⁶ The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

²⁷ “First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

²⁸ “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

²⁹ Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.”

³⁰ She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

Jesus Heals a Deaf and Mute Man^(U)

³¹ Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre^(V) and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee^(W) and into the region of the Decapolis.^{[h](X) 32} There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk,^(Y) and they begged Jesus to place his hand on^(Z) him.

³³ After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit^(AA) and touched the man’s tongue. ³⁴ He looked up to heaven^(AB) and with a deep sigh^(AC) said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). ³⁵ At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.^(AD)

³⁶ Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone.^(AE) But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. ³⁷ People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”