M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

Chapter 7

Issachar. ^1 [a]The sons of Issachar were Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron: four.^{(A) 2} The sons of Tola were Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Shemuel, heads of the ancestral houses of Tola, mighty warriors in their generations. In the time of David they numbered twenty-two thousand six hundred.^{(B) 3} The sons of Uzzi: Izarahiah. The sons of Izarahiah were Michael, Obadiah, Joel, and Isshiah. All five of these were chiefs. ⁴ Along with them, in their generations, according to ancestral houses, were thirty-six thousand men in organized military troops, since they had more wives and children ⁵ than their fellow tribesmen. In all the clans of Issachar there was a total of eighty-seven thousand warriors listed in their family records.

Benjamin. ⁶ The sons of Benjamin were Bela, Becher, and Jediael—three.^{(C) 7} The sons of Bela were Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri—five. They were heads of their ancestral houses and warriors. Their family records listed twenty-two thousand and thirty-four. ⁸ The sons of Becher were Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alemeth—all these were sons of Becher.^{(D) 9} Their family records listed twenty thousand two hundred of their kindred who were heads of their ancestral houses and warriors. ¹⁰ The sons of Jediael: Bilhan. The sons of Bilhan were Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Chenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish, and Ahishahar. ¹¹ All these were sons of Jediael, heads of ancestral houses and warriors. They numbered seventeen thousand two hundred men fit for military service…^{[b] 12} Shupham and Hupham.^(E)

Dan, Naphtali and Manasseh. The sons of Dan: Hushim. ¹³ The sons of Naphtali were Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shallum. These were sons of Bilhah.^{(F) 14} The sons of Manasseh, whom his Aramean concubine bore:^(G) she bore Machir, the father of Gilead.^{(H) 15} Machir took a wife whose name was Maacah; his sister’s name was Molecheth. Manasseh’s second son was named Zelophehad, who had only daughters.^{(I) 16} Maacah, Machir’s wife, bore a son whom she named Peresh. He had a brother named Sheresh, whose sons were Ulam and Rakem. ¹⁷ The sons of Ulam: Bedan. These were the sons of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh. ¹⁸ His sister Molecheth bore Ishhod, Abiezer, and Mahlah. ¹⁹ The sons of Shemida were Ahian, Shechem, Likhi, and Aniam.

Ephraim. ^20 (J)The sons of Ephraim: Shuthelah, whose son was Bered, whose son was Tahath, whose son was Eleadah, whose son was Tahath, ²¹ whose son was Zabad. Ephraim’s son Shuthelah, and Ezer and Elead, who were born in the land, were killed by the inhabitants of Gath because they had gone down to take away their livestock. ²² Their father Ephraim mourned a long time, but after his relatives had come and comforted him, ²³ he had relations with his wife, who conceived and bore a son whom he named Beriah, since evil^[c] had befallen his house.^{(K) 24} He had a daughter, Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth-horon and Uzzen-sheerah. ²⁵ Zabad’s son was Rephah, whose son was Resheph, whose son was Telah, whose son was Tahan, ²⁶ whose son was Ladan, whose son was Ammihud, whose son was Elishama,^{(L) 27} whose son was Nun, whose son was Joshua.

²⁸ Their property and their dwellings were in Bethel and its towns, Naaran to the east, Gezer and its towns to the west, and also Shechem and its towns as far as Ayyah and its towns.^{(M) 29} Manasseh, however, had possession of Beth-shean and its towns, Taanach and its towns, Megiddo and its towns, and Dor and its towns. In these dwelt the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel.^(N)

Asher. ³⁰ The sons of Asher were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah; their sister was Serah.^{(O) 31} Beriah’s sons were Heber and Malchiel, who was the father of Birzaith. ³² Heber became the father of Japhlet, Shomer, Hotham, and their sister Shua. ³³ The sons of Japhlet were Pasach, Bimhal, and Ashvath; these were the sons of Japhlet. ³⁴ The sons of Shomer were Ahi, Rohgah, Jehubbah, and Aram. ³⁵ The sons of his brother Hotham were Zophah, Imna, Shelesh, and Amal. ³⁶ The sons of Zophah were Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah, ³⁷ Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera. ³⁸ The sons of Jether were Jephunneh, Pispa, and Ara. ³⁹ The sons of Ulla were Arah, Hanniel, and Rizia. ⁴⁰ All these were sons of Asher, heads of ancestral houses, distinguished men, warriors, and chiefs among the princes. Their family records numbered twenty-six thousand men fit for military service.

Chapter 8

Benjamin. ^1 [d]Benjamin became the father of Bela, his firstborn, Ashbel, the second son, Aharah, the third,^{(P) 2} Nohah, the fourth, and Rapha, the fifth. ³ The sons of Bela were Addar and Gera, the father of Ehud. ⁴ The sons of Ehud were Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah,^{(Q) 5} Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram. ⁶ These were the sons of Ehud, family heads over those who dwelt in Geba and were deported to Manahath. ⁷ Also Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera. The last, who led them into exile, became the father of Uzza and Ahihud. ⁸ Shaharaim became a father on the Moabite plateau after he had put away his wives Hushim and Baara. ⁹ By his wife Hodesh he begot Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, ¹⁰ Jeuz, Sachia, and Mirmah. These were his sons, family heads. ¹¹ By Hushim he begot Abitub and Elpaal. ¹² The sons of Elpaal were Eber, Misham, Shemed (who built Ono and Lod with its nearby towns),^{(R) 13} and Beriah, and Shema. They were family heads of those who dwelt in Aijalon, and they put the inhabitants of Gath to flight. ¹⁴ Their relatives were Elpaal, Shashak, and Jeremoth. ¹⁵ Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, ¹⁶ Michael, Ishpah, and Joha were the sons of Beriah. ¹⁷ Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber, ¹⁸ Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal. ¹⁹ Jakim, Zichri, Zabdi, ²⁰ Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, ²¹ Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath were the sons of Shimei. ²² Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, ²³ Abdon, Zichri, Hanan, ²⁴ Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, ²⁵ Iphdeiah, and Penuel were the sons of Shashak. ²⁶ Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah, ²⁷ Jaareshiah, Elijah, and Zichri were the sons of Jeroham. ²⁸ These were family heads in their generations, chiefs who dwelt in Jerusalem.

^29 (S)In Gibeon dwelt Jeiel, the founder of Gibeon, whose wife’s name was Maacah; ³⁰ also his firstborn son, Abdon, and Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, ³¹ Gedor, Ahio, Zecher, and Mikloth. ³² Mikloth became the father of Shimeah. These, too, dwelt with their relatives in Jerusalem, opposite their fellow tribesmen. ^33 (T)Ner became the father of Kish, and Kish became the father of Saul. Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.^{(U) 34} The son of Jonathan was Meribbaal, and Meribbaal became the father of Micah.^{(V) 35} The sons of Micah were Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz. ³⁶ Ahaz became the father of Jehoaddah, and Jehoaddah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri became the father of Moza.^{(W) 37} Moza became the father of Binea, whose son was Raphah, whose son was Eleasah, whose son was Azel. ³⁸ Azel had six sons, whose names were Azrikam, his firstborn, Ishmael, Sheariah, Azariah, Obadiah, and Hanan; all these were the sons of Azel.^{(X) 39} The sons of Eshek, his brother, were Ulam, his firstborn, Jeush, the second son, and Eliphelet, the third. ⁴⁰ The sons of Ulam were warriors, skilled with the bow, and they had many sons and grandsons: one hundred and fifty. All these were the sons of Benjamin.

V. Examples, Discipline, Disobedience

Chapter 11^[a]

Faith of the Ancients. ¹ Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence^[b] of things not seen.^{(A) 2} Because of it the ancients were well attested. ^3 (B)By faith we understand that the universe was ordered by the word of God,^[c] so that what is visible came into being through the invisible. ^4 [d]By faith Abel offered to God a sacrifice greater than Cain’s. Through this he was attested to be righteous, God bearing witness to his gifts, and through this, though dead, he still speaks.^{(C) 5} By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and “he was found no more because God had taken him.” Before he was taken up, he was attested to have pleased God.^{(D) 6 [e]}But without faith it is impossible to please him,^(E) for anyone who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. ⁷ By faith Noah, warned about what was not yet seen, with reverence built an ark for the salvation of his household. Through this he condemned the world and inherited the righteousness that comes through faith.^(F)

⁸ By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go.^{(G) 9} By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise;^{(H) 10} for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and maker is God.^{(I) 11} By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal age—and Sarah herself was sterile—for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy.^{(J) 12} So it was that there came forth from one man, himself as good as dead, descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sands on the seashore.^(K)

¹³ All these died in faith. They did not receive what had been promised but saw it and greeted it from afar and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth,^{(L) 14} for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland. ¹⁵ If they had been thinking of the land from which they had come, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.^(M)

¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son,^{(N) 18} of whom it was said, “Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name.”^{(O) 19 [f]}He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead,^(P) and he received Isaac back as a symbol. ²⁰ By faith regarding things still to come Isaac^[g] blessed Jacob and Esau.^{(Q) 21} By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and “bowed in worship, leaning on the top of his staff.”^{(R) 22} By faith Joseph, near the end of his life, spoke of the Exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions about his bones.^(S)

^23 (T)By faith Moses was hidden by his parents for three months after his birth, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. ^24 [h]By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;^{(U) 25} he chose to be ill-treated along with the people of God rather than enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin. ²⁶ He considered the reproach of the Anointed greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the recompense. ²⁷ By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s fury, for he persevered as if seeing the one who is invisible.^{(V) 28} By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.^{(W) 29} By faith they crossed the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted it they were drowned.^{(X) 30} By faith the walls of Jericho fell after being encircled for seven days.^{(Y) 31} By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish with the disobedient, for she had received the spies in peace.^(Z)

³² What more shall I say? I have not time to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets,^{(AA) 33} who by faith conquered kingdoms, did what was righteous, obtained the promises; they closed the mouths of lions,^{(AB) 34} put out raging fires, escaped the devouring sword; out of weakness they were made powerful, became strong in battle, and turned back foreign invaders.^{(AC) 35} Women received back their dead through resurrection. Some were tortured and would not accept deliverance, in order to obtain a better resurrection.^{(AD) 36} Others endured mockery, scourging, even chains and imprisonment.^{(AE) 37} They were stoned, sawed in two, put to death at sword’s point; they went about in skins of sheep or goats, needy, afflicted, tormented.^{(AF) 38} The world was not worthy of them. They wandered about in deserts and on mountains, in caves and in crevices in the earth.^(AG)

³⁹ Yet all these, though approved because of their faith, did not receive what had been promised. ⁴⁰ God had foreseen something better for us, so that without us they should not be made perfect.^[i]

Chapter 5

Third Summons^[a]

IV. Three Woes

First Woe

Second Woe

I. The Prologue^[a]

Chapter 1

¹ Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us,^{(A) 2} just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us,^{(B) 3} I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, ⁴ so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received.

II. The Infancy Narrative^[b]

Announcement of the Birth of John. ⁵ In the days of Herod, King of Judea,^[c] there was a priest named Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah; his wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.^{(C) 6} Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. ⁷ But they had no child,^[d] because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years.^{(D) 8} Once when he was serving as priest in his division’s turn before God, ⁹ according to the practice of the priestly service, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense.^{(E) 10} Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, ¹¹ the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. ¹² Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him. ¹³ But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid,^[e] Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John.^{(F) 14} And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, ¹⁵ for he will be great in the sight of [the] Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink.^[f] He will be filled with the holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb,^{(G) 16} and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah^[g] to turn the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord.”^{(H) 18} Then Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” ¹⁹ And the angel said to him in reply, “I am Gabriel,^[h] who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news.^{(I) 20} But now you will be speechless and unable to talk^[i] until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”^(J)

²¹ Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. ²² But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was gesturing to them but remained mute. ²³ Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home. ²⁴ After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she went into seclusion for five months, saying, ²⁵ “So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others.”^(K)

Announcement of the Birth of Jesus.^{[j] 26} In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.^{(L) 28} And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.”^{(M) 29} But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰ Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ^31 (N)Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. ^32 (O)He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,^[k] and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, ³³ and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”^{(P) 34} But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”^{[l] 35} And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.^{(Q) 36} And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived^[m] a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; ³⁷ for nothing will be impossible for God.”^{(R) 38} Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.