M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Chapter 3
Preparations for Crossing the Jordan. 1 Early the next morning, Joshua and all the Israelites moved from Shittim and came to the Jordan, where they stayed before crossing over. 2 (A)Three days later the officers went through the camp 3 (B)and issued these commands to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord, your God, which the levitical priests will carry, you must break camp and follow it, 4 that you may know the way to take, for you have not gone over this road before. But let there be a space of two thousand cubits between you and the ark: do not come nearer to it.” 5 Joshua also said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will perform wonders among you.” 6 And he told the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and cross ahead of the people”; so they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.
7 (C)Then the Lord said to Joshua: Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.(D) 8 Now command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant, “When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, there take your stand.”
9 So Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord, your God.” 10 He continued: “By this you will know that there is a living God in your midst: he will certainly dispossess before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites.(E) 11 The ark of the covenant of the Lord of the whole earth will cross the Jordan before you. 12 Now choose twelve men,(F) one from each of the tribes of Israel. 13 When the soles of the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the Lord, the Lord of the whole earth, touch the waters of the Jordan, it will cease to flow; the water flowing down from upstream will halt in a single heap.”[a]
The Crossing Begun. 14 The people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan, with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant ahead of them. 15 When those bearing the ark came to the Jordan and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were immersed in the waters of the Jordan—which overflows all its banks during the entire season of the harvest—[b] 16 the waters flowing from upstream halted, standing up in a single heap(G) for a very great distance indeed, from Adam, a city in the direction of Zarethan; those flowing downstream toward the Salt Sea of the Arabah disappeared entirely.[c] Thus the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17 The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood on dry ground in the Jordan riverbed(H) while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until the whole nation had completed the crossing of the Jordan.
Psalm 126[a]
The Reversal of Zion’s Fortunes
1 A song of ascents.
I
When the Lord restored the captives of Zion,(A)
we thought we were dreaming.
2 Then our mouths were filled with laughter;
our tongues sang for joy.(B)
Then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord had done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us;
Oh, how happy we were!
4 Restore our captives, Lord,
like the dry stream beds of the Negeb.[b]
II
5 Those who sow in tears
will reap with cries of joy.(C)
6 Those who go forth weeping,
carrying sacks of seed,
Will return with cries of joy,
carrying their bundled sheaves.
Psalm 127[c]
The Need of God’s Blessing
1 A song of ascents. Of Solomon.
I
Unless the Lord build the house,
they labor in vain who build.
Unless the Lord guard the city,
in vain does the guard keep watch.
2 It is vain for you to rise early
and put off your rest at night,
To eat bread earned by hard toil—
all this God gives to his beloved in sleep.(D)
II
3 Certainly sons are a gift from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb, a reward.(E)
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the sons born in one’s youth.
5 Blessed is the man who has filled his quiver with them.
He will never be shamed
for he will destroy his foes at the gate.[d]
Psalm 128[e]
The Blessed Home of the Just
1 A song of ascents.
I
Blessed are all who fear the Lord,
and who walk in his ways.(F)
2 What your hands provide you will enjoy;
you will be blessed and prosper:(G)
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your home,
Your children like young olive plants
around your table.(H)
4 Just so will the man be blessed
who fears the Lord.
II
Chapter 63
The Divine Warrior[a]
1 Who is this that comes from Edom,
in crimsoned garments, from Bozrah?
Who is this, glorious in his apparel,
striding in the greatness of his strength?
“It is I, I who announce vindication,
mighty to save.”(A)
2 Why is your apparel red,
and your garments like one who treads the wine press?(B)
3 “The wine press I have trodden alone,
and from the peoples no one was with me.
I trod them in my anger,
and trampled them down in my wrath;
Their blood spurted on my garments,
all my apparel I stained.
4 For a day of vindication was in my heart,
my year for redeeming had come.(C)
5 I looked about, but there was no one to help,
I was appalled that there was no one to lend support;
So my own arm brought me victory
and my own wrath lent me support.(D)
6 I trampled down the peoples in my anger,
I made them drunk in my wrath,
and I poured out their blood upon the ground.”
Prayer for the Return of God’s Favor
7 [b]The loving deeds of the Lord I will recall,
the glorious acts of the Lord,
Because of all the Lord has done for us,
the immense goodness to the house of Israel,
Which he has granted according to his mercy
and his many loving deeds.(E)
8 He said: “They are indeed my people,
children who are not disloyal.”
So he became their savior
9 in their every affliction.
It was not an envoy or a messenger,
but his presence that saved them.
Because of his love and pity
the Lord redeemed them,
Lifting them up and carrying them
all the days of old.(F)
10 But they rebelled
and grieved his holy spirit;
So he turned to become their enemy,
and warred against them.(G)
11 Then they remembered the days of old, of Moses, his servant:
Where is the one who brought up out of the sea
the shepherd of his flock?
Where is the one who placed in their midst
his holy spirit,(H)
12 Who guided Moses by the hand,
with his glorious arm?
Where is the one who divided the waters before them—
winning for himself an everlasting renown—
13 Who guided them through the depths,
like horses in open country?
14 As cattle going down into the valley,
they did not stumble.
The spirit of the Lord guided them.
Thus you led your people,
to make for yourself a glorious name.
15 Look down from heaven and regard us
from your holy and glorious palace!
Where is your zealous care and your might,
your surge of pity?(I)
Your mercy hold not back!
16 For you are our father.
Were Abraham not to know us,
nor Israel to acknowledge us,
You, Lord, are our father,
our redeemer you are named from of old.
17 Why do you make us wander, Lord, from your ways,
and harden our hearts so that we do not fear you?[c]
Return for the sake of your servants,
the tribes of your heritage.
18 Why have the wicked invaded your holy place,
why have our enemies trampled your sanctuary?
19 [d]Too long have we been like those you do not rule,
on whom your name is not invoked.
Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down,
with the mountains quaking before you,(J)
Chapter 11
1 When Jesus finished giving these commands to his twelve disciples,[a] he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns.
IV. Opposition from Israel
The Messengers from John the Baptist. 2 [b](A)When John heard in prison[c] of the works of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to him 3 [d]with this question, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” 4 Jesus said to them in reply, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 [e]the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.(B) 6 And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”
Jesus’ Testimony to John.[f] 7 As they were going off, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind?(C) 8 Then what did you go out to see? Someone dressed in fine clothing? Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces. 9 Then why did you go out? To see a prophet?[g] Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written:
‘Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way before you.’(D)
11 Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.[h] 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence,[i] and the violent are taking it by force.(E) 13 All the prophets and the law[j] prophesied up to the time of John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come.(F) 15 Whoever has ears ought to hear.
16 (G)“To what shall I compare this generation?[k] It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another, 17 ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.’ 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’(H) 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is vindicated by her works.”(I)
Reproaches to Unrepentant Towns. 20 (J)Then he began to reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon,[l] they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes.(K) 22 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 [m]And as for you, Capernaum:
‘Will you be exalted to heaven?(L)
You will go down to the netherworld.’
For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”(M)
The Praise of the Father. 25 (N)At that time Jesus said in reply,[n] “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. 26 Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.(O)
The Gentle Mastery of Christ. 28 [o]“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,[p] and I will give you rest. 29 [q](P)Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.