M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Spies Sent to Jericho
2 Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two men as spies(A) from the Acacia Grove,[a] saying, “Go and scout the land, especially Jericho.” So they left, and they came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab,(B) and stayed there.
2 The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelite men have come here tonight to investigate the land.” 3 Then the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab and said, “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house,(C) for they came to investigate the entire land.”
4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them.(D) So she said, “Yes, the men did come to me, but I didn’t know where they were from. 5 At nightfall, when the city gate was about to close, the men went out, and I don’t know where they were going. Chase after them quickly, and you can catch up with them!” 6 But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them(E) among the stalks of flax that she had arranged on the roof. 7 The men pursued them along the road to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as they left to pursue them, the city gate was shut.
The Promise to Rahab
8 Before the men fell asleep, she went up on the roof 9 and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land(F) and that the terror of you has fallen on us,(G) and everyone who lives in the land is panicking because of you.[b](H) 10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt,(I) and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings you completely destroyed(J) across the Jordan. 11 When we heard this, we lost heart,(K) and everyone’s courage failed[c] because of you,(L) for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below.(M) 12 Now please swear to me by the Lord that you will also show kindness to my father’s family, because I showed kindness to you.(N) Give me a sure sign[d] 13 that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them, and save us from death.”
14 The men answered her, “We will give our lives for yours. If you don’t report our mission, we will show kindness and faithfulness to you when the Lord gives us the land.”
15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, since she lived in a house that was built into the wall of the city. 16 “Go to the hill country so that the men pursuing you won’t find you,” she said to them. “Hide there for three days until they return; afterward, go on your way.”
17 The men said to her, “We will be free from this oath you made us swear, 18 unless, when we enter the land, you tie this scarlet cord to the window through which you let us down. Bring your father, mother, brothers, and all your father’s family into your house. 19 If anyone goes out the doors of your house, his death will be his own fault,(O) and we will be innocent. But if anyone with you in the house should be harmed, his death will be our fault. 20 And if you report our mission, we are free from the oath you made us swear.”
21 “Let it be as you say,” she replied, and she sent them away. After they had gone, she tied the scarlet cord to the window.
22 So the two men went into the hill country and stayed there three days until the pursuers had returned. They searched all along the way, but did not find them. 23 Then the men returned, came down from the hill country, and crossed the Jordan. They went to Joshua son of Nun and reported everything that had happened to them. 24 They told Joshua, “The Lord has handed over the entire land to us. Everyone who lives in the land is also panicking because of us.”[e]
Psalm 123
Looking for God’s Favor
A song of ascents.
1 I lift my eyes to you,
the one enthroned in heaven.(A)
2 Like a servant’s eyes on his master’s hand,
like a servant girl’s eyes on her mistress’s hand,
so our eyes are on the Lord our God
until he shows us favor.(B)
3 Show us favor, Lord, show us favor,
for we’ve had more than enough contempt.(C)
4 We’ve had more than enough
scorn from the arrogant
and contempt from the proud.(D)
Psalm 124
The Lord Is on Our Side
A song of ascents. Of David.
1 If the Lord had not been on our side—
let Israel say—
2 if the Lord had not been on our side(E)
when people attacked us,(F)
3 then they would have swallowed us alive
in their burning anger against us.(G)
4 Then the water would have engulfed us;
the torrent would have swept over us;
5 the raging water would have swept over us.(H)
6 Blessed be the Lord,
who has not let us be ripped apart by their teeth.(I)
7 We have escaped like a bird from the hunter’s net;
the net is torn, and we have escaped.(J)
8 Our help is in the name of the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.(K)
Psalm 125
Israel’s Stability
A song of ascents.
1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion.
It cannot be shaken; it remains forever.(L)
2 The mountains surround Jerusalem
and the Lord surrounds his people,
both now and forever.(M)
3 The scepter of the wicked will not remain
over the land allotted to the righteous,
so that the righteous will not apply their hands to injustice.(N)
4 Do what is good, Lord, to the good,
to those whose hearts are upright.(O)
5 But as for those who turn aside to crooked ways,
the Lord will banish them with the evildoers.(P)
Peace be with Israel.(Q)
Zion’s Restoration
62 I will not keep silent because of Zion,
and I will not keep still because of Jerusalem,(A)
until her righteousness shines like a bright light(B)
and her salvation, like a flaming torch.
2 Nations will see your righteousness(C)
and all kings, your glory.
You will be given a new name
that the Lord’s mouth will announce.(D)
3 You will be a glorious crown in the Lord’s hand,
and a royal diadem in the palm of your God’s hand.(E)
4 You will no longer be called Deserted,(F)
and your land will not be called Desolate;
instead, you will be called My Delight Is in Her,[a]
and your land Married;[b](G)
for the Lord delights in you,
and your land will be married.
5 For as a young man marries a young woman,
so your sons will marry you;
and as a groom rejoices over his bride,
so your God will rejoice over you.(H)
6 Jerusalem,
I have appointed watchmen on your walls;(I)
they will never be silent, day or night.
There is no rest for you,
who remind the Lord.
7 Do not give him rest
until he establishes and makes Jerusalem
the praise of the earth.(J)
8 The Lord has sworn with his right hand
and his strong arm:
I will no longer give your grain
to your enemies for food,(K)
and foreigners will not drink the new wine
for which you have labored.
9 For those who gather grain will eat it
and praise the Lord,
and those who harvest the grapes will drink the wine
in my holy courts.
10 Go out, go out through the city gates;
prepare a way for the people!
Build it up, build up the highway;(L)
clear away the stones!
Raise a banner for the peoples.(M)
11 Look, the Lord has proclaimed
to the ends of the earth,
“Say to Daughter Zion:(N)
Look, your salvation is coming,
his wages are with him,(O)
and his reward accompanies him.”
12 And they will be called[c] the Holy People,(P)
the Lord’s Redeemed;
and you will be called Cared For,
A City Not Deserted.
Commissioning the Twelve
10 Summoning his twelve disciples,(A) he gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every[a] disease and sickness.[b](B) 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles:(C) First, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;[c] 4 Simon the Zealot,[d] and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.(D)
5 Jesus sent out these twelve after giving them instructions: “Don’t take the road that leads to the Gentiles, and don’t enter any Samaritan(E) town. 6 Instead, go to the lost sheep(F) of the house of Israel.(G) 7 As you go, proclaim, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’(H) 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with leprosy,[e] drive out demons.(I) Freely you received, freely give. 9 Don’t acquire gold, silver, or copper for your money-belts.(J) 10 Don’t take a traveling bag for the road, or an extra shirt, sandals, or a staff, for the worker(K) is worthy of his food. 11 When you enter any town or village, find out who is worthy, and stay there until you leave. 12 Greet a household when you enter it,(L) 13 and if the household is worthy, let your peace be on it; but if it is unworthy, let your peace return to you.(M) 14 If anyone does not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet(N) when you leave that house or town. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment(O) for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.(P)
Persecutions Predicted
16 “Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves.(Q) 17 Beware of them, because they will hand you over to local courts[f] and flog you in their synagogues.(R) 18 You will even be brought before governors and kings because of me, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles.(S) 19 But when they hand you over, don’t worry about how or what you are to speak.(T) For you will be given what to say at that hour, 20 because it isn’t you speaking, but the Spirit(U) of your Father is speaking through you.(V)
21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.(W) 22 You will be hated by everyone because of my name.(X) But the one who endures to the end will be saved.(Y) 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to another.(Z) For truly I tell you, you will not have gone through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 24 A disciple[g] is not above his teacher, or a slave above his master.(AA) 25 It is enough for a disciple to become like his teacher and a slave like his master. If they called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much more the members of his household!(AB)
Fear God
26 “Therefore,(AC) don’t be afraid of them, since there is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered and nothing hidden that won’t be made known.(AD) 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light. What you hear in a whisper,[h] proclaim on the housetops.(AE) 28 Don’t fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; (AF) rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.(AG) 29 Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny?[i] Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s(AH) consent.[j] 30 But even the hairs of your head have all been counted.(AI) 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.(AJ)
Acknowledging Christ
32 “Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge me before others, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.(AK) 33 But whoever denies me before others,(AL) I will also deny him before my Father in heaven. 34 Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.(AM) 35 For I came to turn
a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
36 and a man’s enemies will be
the members of his household.[k](AN)
37 The one who loves a father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; (AO) the one who loves a son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Anyone who finds his life will lose it,(AP) and anyone who loses his life because of me will find it.(AQ)
A Cup of Cold Water
40 “The one who welcomes you welcomes me,(AR) and the one who welcomes me welcomes him who sent me.(AS) 41 Anyone who welcomes a prophet(AT) because he is a prophet[l] will receive a prophet’s reward. And anyone who welcomes a righteous person because he’s righteous[m] will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And whoever gives(AU) even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple,[n](AV) truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”
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