M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Jotham, King of Judah(A)
27 Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began as king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok. 2 And he did what was correct in the eyes of the Lord just as his father Uzziah had done. However, he did not enter the temple of the Lord. But the people continued acting corruptly. 3 And he built the Upper Gate of the house of the Lord, and he built much on the wall of Ophel. 4 And he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and on the wooded heights he built citadels and towers.
5 He made war with the king of the Ammonites and prevailed against them. That year the Ammonites gave to him one hundred talents[a] of silver, ten thousand kors[b] of wheat, and ten thousand kors[c] of barley. The Ammonites paid him the same amount in the second and third years as well.
6 So Jotham was strengthened because he established his ways before the Lord his God.
7 And the remainder of the acts of Jotham, all his wars and ways, are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. 8 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he was king for sixteen years in Jerusalem. 9 And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. And Ahaz his son reigned in his place.
Ahaz, King of Judah(B)
28 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he was king in Jerusalem for sixteen years. And he did not do what was correct in the eyes of the Lord as David his father. 2 And he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and he cast images for Baal worship. 3 And he made sacrifices in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, and he burned his sons in the fire according to the detestable acts of the nations that the Lord had displaced before the sons of Israel. 4 He even made sacrifices and offered incense on the high places of the hills and under every green tree.
Judah Defeated
5 So the Lord his God gave him into the hand of the king of Aram. They struck Ahaz and took captive many prisoners and brought them to Damascus.
He was even given into the hand of the king of Israel, and he attacked Ahaz with a great slaughter. 6 And Pekah the son of Remaliah killed one hundred and twenty thousand in Judah in one day, and they were all strong men, but they abandoned the Lord God of their fathers. 7 And Zikri, a mighty warrior from Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the son of the king, and Azrikam the official of the palace, and Elkanah second to the king. 8 And the sons of Israel took captive two hundred thousand of their kin, women, sons, and daughters. They also took much plunder and brought the plunder to Samaria.
9 And there was a prophet there whose name was Oded, and he went out to the army as it approached Samaria and said to them, “See that the anger of the Lord God of your fathers is against Judah, and He gave them into your hand, and you all have killed them in a rage that has reached even to heaven. 10 And now you are planning to subdue for yourselves the people of Judah and Jerusalem as male and female slaves. Do you all not surely have among you guilt before the Lord your God? 11 And now listen to me. Return the captives whom you have taken captive from your relatives because the burning wrath of the Lord is on you all.”
12 And some men who were heads of the people of Ephraim rose up before those coming from the war: Azariah the son of Jehohanan, Berekiah the son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai. 13 And they said, “You will not bring the captives here, for guilt from the Lord will be on us, and you plan to add to our sin and guilt. Our guilt is great, and there is already a burning anger against Israel.”
14 So the soldiers left the captives and spoil before the officials and all the assembly. 15 Then the men who were designated by name took the captives and clothed those who were naked from the plunder. So they clothed them, gave them sandals, offered them food and drink, anointed them with oil, and led them on donkeys, even all those who stumbled. They brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, which was near their kinsmen. Then the officials returned to Samaria.
16 At that time King Ahaz sent to the king of Assyria for help. 17 The Edomites continually came and struck Judah and carried off captives. 18 Even the Philistines made raids on the cities of the lowlands of the Shephelah and the Negev of Judah. And they captured Beth Shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soko and its villages, Timnah and its villages, and Gimzo and its villages; and they settled there. 19 For the Lord humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Judah, for he allowed depravity to spread in Judah and continually transgressed against the Lord. 20 So Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came against him, but he brought him distress and not strength. 21 For Ahaz took a portion from the house of the Lord and palace of the king and the officials, and he gave it to the king of Assyria, but the king did not help Ahaz.
The Death of Ahaz
22 And at the time that he was oppressed he increased in unfaithfulness against the Lord. 23 So he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus that had devastated him, for he said, “Because the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so that they might help me.” But they were his downfall in Judah and the downfall for all of Israel.
24 And Ahaz gathered the vessels from the house of God, and he cut up the vessels. Then he shut the doors of the house of the Lord, and he made altars in every corner of Jerusalem. 25 Then in every city in Judah he made high places to make offerings to other gods. So he provoked the Lord God of his fathers.
26 Now the remainder of the acts and all his ways, from first to last, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 27 So Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of Jerusalem because they did not bring him to the tombs of the kings of Israel. Then Hezekiah his son was king in his place.
The Lamb and the 144,000
14 Then I looked. The Lamb was standing on Mount Zion and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand having His Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of a great thunder. I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. 3 They sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn that song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. 4 These are those who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, as first fruits to God and to the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths, for they are without fault before the throne of God.
The Messages of the Three Angels
6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the eternal gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth, to every nation and tribe and tongue and people. 7 He said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give Him glory, for the hour of His judgment has come. Worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
8 Another angel followed, saying, “ ‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon, that Great City,’[a] because she made all the nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her sexual immorality.”
9 A third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out in full strength into the cup of His anger. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 The smoke of their torment will ascend forever and ever. They have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image and whoever receives the mark of his name.” 12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”
“Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their works follow them.”
The Harvest of the Earth
14 I looked. And there was a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like a Son of Man, having on his head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 15 Then another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap. The time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust His sickle on the earth, and the earth was harvested.
17 Another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven. He also had a sharp sickle. 18 Yet another angel who had authority over fire came out from the altar. He cried with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” 19 The angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vintage of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 The winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one hundred and eighty-six miles.[b]
The Restoration of Judah and Israel
10 Ask for rain from the Lord
during the season of the latter spring rains.
And the Lord will make the storm winds;
and He will give them showers of rain;
all will have vegetation in the field.
2 For the household Teraphim idols speak wickedness,
and the diviners envision lies.
They utter false dreams,
and provide comfort that does not last.
So the people wander about like sheep;
they are afflicted because there is no shepherd.
3 My anger burns against the shepherds,
and I will visit judgment on the male goats.
For the Lord of Hosts will visit His flock, the house of Judah,
and will make them like His majestic horse in battle.
4 From him comes the cornerstone,
and from him the tent peg.
From him comes the bow for battle,
and from him every ruler goes out, all these together.
5 And they will be as mighty men,
who trample down in the muddy streets in battle.
They will fight because the Lord is with them,
and He will put to shame those riding on horses.
6 I will make strong the house of Judah,
and will deliver the house of Joseph.
I will restore them
because I have compassion on them.
They will be like
I had never rejected them;
for I am the Lord their God,
and I will respond to them.
7 Then Ephraim shall be like a mighty man,
and their hearts shall rejoice as with wine.
Their children shall see this and be glad;
their hearts shall rejoice in the Lord.
8 I will whistle to them
and gather them in,
for I have ransomed them;
they will be numerous as they were numerous before.
9 When I scatter them among the nations,
they will remember Me in the distant lands;
they will live with their children
and then return.
10 I will bring them home from the land of Egypt,
and gather them from Assyria.
I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon,
until there is no room for them.
11 He will pass through the sea of distress,
and will put down the waves in the sea:
All the depths of the Nile will be dried up;
and the arrogance of Assyria will be brought down,
and the scepter of Egypt will turn away.
12 I will make them strong in the Lord,
and they will go to and fro in His name,
says the Lord.
Washing the Disciples’ Feet
13 Now before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that His hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
2 Now supper being concluded, the devil had put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him. 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands and that He came from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper, laid aside His garments, and took a towel and wrapped Himself. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was wrapped.
6 Then He came to Simon Peter, and Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?”
7 Jesus answered him, “You do not understand what I am doing now. But later you will understand.”
8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!”
Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”
9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”
10 Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For He knew who would betray Him. Therefore He said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12 So when He had washed their feet, and put on His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord. You speak accurately, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
18 “I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen, but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’[a]
19 “Now I tell you before it happens, that when it does happen, you may believe that I am He. 20 Truly, truly I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me. And he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”
Jesus Foretells His Betrayal(A)
21 When Jesus had said this, He was troubled in spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me.”
22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom He spoke. 23 Now there was leaning against Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples whom Jesus loved. 24 Therefore Simon Peter motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke.
25 Leaning back against Jesus’ bosom, he said to Him, “Lord, who is it?”
26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” When He had dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27 After receiving the piece of bread, Satan entered him.
Then Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” 28 But no one at the table knew why He said this to him. 29 Since Judas had the moneybox, some thought that Jesus said to him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 Having received the piece of bread, he then left immediately. And it was night.
The New Commandment
31 When he had gone out, Jesus then said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and in Him God is glorified. 32 If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself and will immediately glorify Him.
33 “Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek Me. And as I said to the Jews, so now I tell you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’
34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Peter’s Denial Foretold(B)
36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?”
Jesus answered him, “Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now. But you shall follow Me afterward.”
37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.”
38 Jesus answered Him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Truly, truly I say to you, the rooster shall not crow until you have denied Me three times.”
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.