M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Amaziah King of Judah
14 Amaziah son of Joash became king of Judah. This was during the second year Jehoash son of Jehoahaz was king of Israel. 2 Amaziah was 25 years old when he became king. He ruled 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother was Jehoaddin. She was from Jerusalem. 3 Amaziah did what the Lord said was right. Amaziah did everything his father Joash had done. But he did not do as David his ancestor had done. 4 The places where false gods were worshiped were not removed. The people still sacrificed and burned incense there.
5 Amaziah took strong control of the kingdom. Then he put the officers to death who had killed his father the king. 6 But he did not put to death the children of the murderers. This is because of the rule written in the Book of the Teachings of Moses. The Lord had commanded: “Fathers must not be put to death when their children do wrong. And children must not be put to death when their fathers do wrong. Each person must die for his own sins.”[a]
7 Amaziah killed 10,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. In a battle Amaziah took the city of Sela. He called it Joktheel, and it is still called that today.
8 Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz. (Jehoahaz was the son of Jehu, king of Israel.) The message read, “Come, let’s meet face to face in battle.”
9 Then Jehoash king of Israel answered Amaziah king of Judah. Jehoash said, “A little thornbush in Lebanon sent a message to a big cedar tree in Lebanon. It said, ‘Let your daughter marry my son.’ But then a wild animal from Lebanon came by. It walked on and crushed the thornbush. 10 Yes, you have defeated Edom. But you have become proud because of your victory over Edom. Stay at home and brag! Don’t ask for trouble by fighting me. If you do, you and Judah will be defeated.”
11 But Amaziah would not listen. So Jehoash king of Israel went to attack. He and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other in battle at Beth Shemesh in Judah. 12 Israel defeated Judah. Every man of Judah ran away to his home. 13 At Beth Shemesh Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah. Amaziah was the son of Joash, who was the son of Ahaziah. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem. He broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate. This part of the wall was about 600 feet long. 14 Then he took all the gold and silver and everything in the Temple of the Lord. And he took the treasuries of the palace. He also took some hostages and returned to Samaria.
15 The other acts of Jehoash and his victories are written down. This includes his war against Amaziah king of Judah. All this is in the book of the history of the kings of Israel. 16 Jehoash died and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. And his son Jeroboam became king in his place.
17 Amaziah son of Joash was king of Judah. He lived 15 years after Jehoash king of Israel died. Jehoash was the son of Jehoahaz. 18 The other things Amaziah did as king are written down. They are in the book of the history of the kings of Judah. 19 The people made plans in Jerusalem against Amaziah. So he ran away to the town of Lachish. But they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him. 20 They brought his body back on horses. And he was buried with his ancestors in Jerusalem, the city of David.
21 Then all the people of Judah chose Azariah[b] to be king. He became king in place of his father Amaziah. Azariah was 16 years old. 22 He rebuilt the town of Elath and made it part of Judah again. He did this after Amaziah died.
Jeroboam King of Israel
23 Jeroboam son of Jehoash became king of Israel in Samaria. This was during the fifteenth year Amaziah was king of Judah. (Amaziah was the son of Joash.) And Jeroboam ruled 41 years. 24 He did what the Lord said was wrong. Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to sin. And Jeroboam son of Jehoash did not stop doing the same sins. 25 Jeroboam won back Israel’s border from Lebo Hamath to the Dead Sea. This happened as the Lord of Israel had said. He said it through his servant Jonah son of Amittai. He was the prophet from Gath Hepher. 26 The Lord had seen how the Israelites, both slave and free, were suffering terribly. No one was left who could help Israel. 27 But the Lord had not said that he would completely destroy Israel from the world. So he saved the Israelites through Jeroboam son of Jehoash.
28 Everything else Jeroboam did is written down. All his victories are recorded. He won back Damascus and Hamath for Israel. (They had belonged to Judah.) All this is written in the book of the history of the kings of Israel. 29 Jeroboam died and was buried with his ancestors, the kings of Israel. Jeroboam’s son Zechariah became king in his place.
4 Before God and Jesus Christ I give you a command. Christ Jesus is the One who will judge all who are living and all who have died. Jesus has a kingdom, and he is coming again. So I give you this command: 2 Preach the Good News. Be ready at all times. Tell people what they need to do, tell them when they are wrong, and encourage them. Do these things with great patience and careful teaching. 3 The time will come when people will not listen to the true teaching. They will find more and more teachers who are pleasing to them, teachers who say the things they want to hear. 4 They will stop listening to the truth. They will begin to follow the teaching in false stories. 5 But you should control yourself at all times. When troubles come, accept them. Do the work of telling the Good News. Do all the duties of a servant of God.
6 My life is being given as an offering to God. The time has come for me to leave this life. 7 I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. 8 Now, a crown is waiting for me. I will get that crown for being right with God. The Lord is the judge who judges rightly, and he will give me the crown on that Day.[a] He will give that crown not only to me but to all those who have waited with love for him to come again.
Personal Words
9 Do your best to come to me as soon as you can. 10 Demas loved this world too much. He left me and went to Thessalonica. Crescens went to Galatia. And Titus went to Dalmatia. 11 Luke is the only one still with me. Get Mark and bring him with you when you come. He can help me in my work here. 12 I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.
13 When I was in Troas, I left my coat there with Carpus. So when you come, bring it to me. Also, bring my books, particularly the ones written on parchment.[b]
14 Alexander the metalworker did many harmful things against me. The Lord will punish him for the things he did. 15 You should be careful that he does not hurt you too. He fought strongly against our teaching.
16 The first time I defended myself, no one helped me. Everyone left me. I pray that God will forgive them. 17 But the Lord stayed with me. He gave me strength so that I could fully tell the Good News to the non-Jews. The Lord wanted all the non-Jews to hear it. So I was saved from the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will save me when anyone tries to hurt me. The Lord will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. Glory forever and ever be the Lord’s. Amen.
Final Greetings
19 Greet Priscilla and Aquila and the family of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus stayed in Corinth. And I left Trophimus sick in Miletus. 21 Try as hard as you can to come to me before winter.
Eubulus sends greetings to you. Also Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers in Christ greet you.
22 The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.
7 I would like to heal Israel.
But their sin can be seen by everyone.
The wickedness of Israel is too well-known.
They cheat one another.
They break into other peoples’ houses.
There are robberies in the streets.
2 It never enters their minds
that I remember all their wicked deeds.
The bad things they do are all around,
and I can see their sins clearly.
Israel Destroys Her Rulers
3 “They make the king happy with their wickedness.
They make their rulers glad with their lies.
4 But all of them are traitors.
They are like an oven heated by a baker.
While he mixes the dough,
he does not stir up the flame.
5 They hold a festival day for the king.
On that day the rulers become drunk with wine.
The king joins in with those who had made evil plans.
6 They approach him with murder in mind.
Their hearts are like a hot oven.
All night long its fire is low.
When morning comes, it is fanned into flame.
7 So all these people are as hot as an oven.
Like a fire they destroy their rulers.
Their kings fall one after another.
And no one calls on me.
Israel and the Other Nations
8 “Israel mixes with other nations.
Israel is useless like a pancake cooked only on one side.
9 Foreign nations are using up Israel’s strength.
And Israel doesn’t even know it.
Israel is weak and feeble, like an old man.
And they don’t even know it.
10 Israel’s pride will cause their defeat.
They have had many troubles.
But they still do not turn to the Lord their God.
They do not look to him for help.
11 Israel has become like a silly pigeon.
The people have no understanding.
First they call to Egypt for help.
Then they run for help to Assyria.
12 When they go, I will catch them
as men catch birds in a net.
Then I will punish them
as I have warned them.
13 How terrible for them because they left me!
They will be destroyed because they turned against me.
I want to save them.
But they have spoken lies against me.
14 They do not call to me from their hearts.
They just lie on their beds and cry.
They come together to ask for grain and new wine.
But they really turn away from me.
15 I trained them and gave them strength.
But they have made evil plans against me.
16 They did not turn to the Most High God.
They are like a crooked bow that does not shoot straight.
Their leaders brag about their strength.
But they will be killed with swords.
Then the people in Egypt
will laugh at them.
A Prayer of Someone Far from Home
A song for going up to worship.
120 When I was in trouble, I called to the Lord.
And he answered me.
2 Lord, save me from liars
and from those who plan evil.
3 You who plan evil, what will God do to you?
How will he punish you?
4 He will punish you with the sharp arrows of a warrior
and with burning coals of wood.
5 How terrible it is to live in the land of Meshech.
I have to live among the people of Kedar.
6 I have lived too long
with people who hate peace.
7 I want peace and try to talk peace,
but they want war.
The Lord Guards His People
A song for going up to worship.
121 I look up to the hills.
But where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord.
He made heaven and earth.
3 He will not let you be defeated.
He who guards you never sleeps.
4 He who guards Israel
never rests or sleeps.
5 The Lord guards you.
The Lord protects you as the shade protects you from the sun.
6 The sun cannot hurt you during the day.
And the moon cannot hurt you at night.
7 The Lord will guard you from all dangers.
He will guard your life.
8 The Lord will guard you as you come and go,
both now and forever.
Happy People in Jerusalem
A song for going up to worship. Of David.
122 I was happy when they said to me,
“Let’s go to the Temple of the Lord.”
2 Jerusalem, we are standing
at your gates.
3 Jerusalem is built as a city
where friends can come together.
4 The people from the tribes go up there.
The tribes belong to the Lord.
It is the rule to praise
the Lord at Jerusalem.
5 There the descendants of David
set their thrones to judge the people.
6 Pray for peace in Jerusalem:
“May those who love her be safe.
7 May there be peace within her walls
and safety within her strong towers.”
8 To help my relatives and friends,
I repeat, “Let Jerusalem have peace.”
9 For the sake of the Temple of the Lord our God,
I wish good for her.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.