M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Elijah Flees from Jezebel
19 Now Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and [a](A)how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “(B)So may the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your [b]life as the [c]life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” 3 And he [d]was afraid and arose and ran for his [e]life and came to (C)Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. 4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a [f]juniper tree; and (D)he requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take my [g]life, for I am not better than my fathers.” 5 He lay down and slept under a [h]juniper tree; and behold, there was (E)an angel touching him, and he said to him, “Arise, eat.” 6 Then he looked and behold, there was at his head a bread cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again. 7 The angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise, eat, because the journey is too great for you.” 8 So he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food (F)forty days and forty nights to (G)Horeb, the mountain of God.
Elijah at Horeb
9 Then he came there to a cave and lodged there; and behold, (H)the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He said, “(I)I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, (J)torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And (K)I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”
11 So He said, “(L)Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by! And (M)a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire (N)a sound of a gentle blowing. 13 When Elijah heard it, (O)he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, (P)a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 Then he said, “(Q)I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”
15 The Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you have arrived, (R)you shall anoint Hazael king over Aram; 16 and (S)Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint king over Israel; and (T)Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. 17 It shall come about, the (U)one who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu (V)shall put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall put to death. 18 (W)Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not (X)kissed him.”
19 So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. And Elijah passed over to him and threw (Y)his mantle on him. 20 He left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Please (Z)let me kiss my father and my mother, then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” 21 So he returned from following him, and took the pair of oxen and sacrificed them and (AA)boiled their flesh with the implements of the oxen, and gave it to the people and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah and ministered to him.
Paul’s Ministry
2 For you yourselves know, brethren, that our [a](A)coming to you (B)was not in vain, 2 but after we had already suffered and been (C)mistreated in (D)Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God (E)to speak to you the (F)gospel of God amid much [b](G)opposition. 3 For our (H)exhortation does not come from (I)error or (J)impurity or [c]by way of (K)deceit; 4 (L)but just as we have been approved by God to be (M)entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, (N)not as pleasing men, but God who [d](O)examines our hearts. 5 For we never came [e]with flattering speech, as you know, nor with (P)a pretext for greed—(Q)God is witness— 6 nor did we (R)seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as (S)apostles of Christ [f]we might have [g]asserted our authority. 7 But we [h]proved to be [i](T)gentle [j]among you, (U)as a nursing mother [k]tenderly cares for her own children. 8 Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to (V)impart to you not only the (W)gospel of God but also our own [l]lives, because you had become [m]very dear to us.
9 For you recall, brethren, our (X)labor and hardship, how (Y)working night and day so as not to be a (Z)burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the (AA)gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and so is (AB)God, (AC)how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we [n]behaved toward you [o]believers; 11 just as you know how we were (AD)exhorting and encouraging and [p](AE)imploring each one of you as (AF)a father would his own children, 12 so that you would (AG)walk in a manner worthy of the God who (AH)calls you into His own kingdom and (AI)glory.
13 For this reason we also constantly (AJ)thank God that when you received the (AK)word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it (AL)not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, (AM)which also performs its work in you who believe. 14 For you, brethren, became (AN)imitators of (AO)the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are (AP)in Judea, for (AQ)you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, (AR)even as they did from the Jews, 15 (AS)who both killed the Lord Jesus and (AT)the prophets, and [q]drove us out. [r]They are not pleasing to God, [s]but hostile to all men, 16 (AU)hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles (AV)so that they may be saved; with the result that they always (AW)fill up the measure of their sins. But (AX)wrath has come upon them [t]to the utmost.
17 But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a [u]short while—(AY)in [v]person, not in [w]spirit—were all the more eager with great desire (AZ)to see your face. 18 [x]For (BA)we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, [y](BB)more than once—and yet (BC)Satan (BD)hindered us. 19 For who is our hope or (BE)joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His [z](BF)coming? 20 For you are (BG)our glory and joy.
The Choice Young Men
1 In the third year of the reign of (A)Jehoiakim king of Judah, (B)Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 The (C)Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the (D)vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of (E)Shinar, to the house of his [a]god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his [b](F)god.
3 Then the king [c]ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his [d]officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the [e]royal (G)family and of the nobles, 4 youths in whom was (H)no defect, who were good-looking, showing (I)intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and who had ability for [f]serving in the king’s [g]court; and he ordered him to teach them the [h]literature and (J)language of the (K)Chaldeans. 5 The king appointed for them a daily ration from the (L)king’s choice food and from the wine which he drank, and appointed that they should be [i]educated three years, at the end of which they were to [j](M)enter the king’s personal service. 6 Now among them from the sons of Judah were (N)Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7 Then the commander of the officials assigned new names to them; and to Daniel he assigned the name (O)Belteshazzar, to Hananiah (P)Shadrach, to Mishael (Q)Meshach and to Azariah (R)Abed-nego.
Daniel’s Resolve
8 But Daniel [k]made up his mind that he would not (S)defile himself with the (T)king’s choice food or with the (U)wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God granted Daniel [l](V)favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials, 10 and the commander of the officials said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces looking more haggard than the youths who are your own age? Then you would [m]make me forfeit my head to the king.” 11 But Daniel said to the overseer whom the commander of the officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days, and let us be (W)given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance be [n]observed in your presence and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king’s choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see.”
14 So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days their appearance seemed (X)better and [o]they were fatter than all the youths who had been eating the king’s choice food. 16 So the overseer continued to [p]withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and kept (Y)giving them vegetables.
17 As for these four youths, (Z)God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of [q]literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of (AA)visions and dreams.
18 Then at the end of the days which the king had [r]specified [s]for presenting them, the commander of the officials [t]presented them before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and out of them all not one was found like (AB)Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they [u](AC)entered the king’s personal service. 20 As for every matter of (AD)wisdom [v]and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them (AE)ten times (AF)better than all the [w](AG)magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm. 21 And Daniel [x]continued until the (AH)first year of Cyrus the king.
The Lord’s Wonderful Works in Behalf of Israel.
105 Oh (A)give thanks to the Lord, (B)call upon His name;
(C)Make known His deeds among the peoples.
2 Sing to Him, (D)sing praises to Him;
[a](E)Speak of all His [b]wonders.
3 [c]Glory in His holy name;
Let the (F)heart of those who seek the Lord be glad.
4 Seek the Lord and (G)His strength;
(H)Seek His face continually.
5 Remember His [d](I)wonders which He has done,
His marvels and the (J)judgments [e]uttered by His mouth,
6 O seed of (K)Abraham, His servant,
O sons of (L)Jacob, His (M)chosen ones!
7 He is the Lord our God;
His (N)judgments are in all the earth.
8 He has (O)remembered His covenant forever,
The word which He commanded to a (P)thousand generations,
9 The (Q)covenant which He made with Abraham,
And His (R)oath to Isaac.
10 Then He (S)confirmed it to Jacob for a statute,
To Israel as an everlasting covenant,
11 Saying, “(T)To you I will give the land of Canaan
As the [f](U)portion of your inheritance,”
12 When they were only a (V)few men in number,
Very few, and (W)strangers in it.
13 And they wandered about from nation to nation,
From one kingdom to another people.
14 He (X)permitted no man to oppress them,
And He (Y)reproved kings for their sakes:
15 “(Z)Do not touch My anointed ones,
And do My prophets no harm.”
16 And He (AA)called for a famine upon the land;
He (AB)broke the whole staff of bread.
17 He (AC)sent a man before them,
Joseph, who was (AD)sold as a slave.
18 They afflicted his (AE)feet with fetters,
[g]He himself was laid in irons;
19 Until the time that his (AF)word came to pass,
The word of the Lord [h](AG)tested him.
20 The (AH)king sent and released him,
The ruler of peoples, and set him free.
21 He (AI)made him lord of his house
And ruler over all his possessions,
22 To [i]imprison his princes [j](AJ)at will,
That he might teach his elders wisdom.
23 (AK)Israel also came into Egypt;
Thus Jacob (AL)sojourned in the land of Ham.
24 And He (AM)caused His people to be very fruitful,
And made them stronger than their adversaries.
25 He (AN)turned their heart to hate His people,
To (AO)deal craftily with His servants.
26 He (AP)sent Moses His servant,
And (AQ)Aaron, whom He had chosen.
27 They [k](AR)performed His wondrous acts among them,
And miracles in the land of Ham.
28 He (AS)sent darkness and made it dark;
And they did not (AT)rebel against His words.
29 He (AU)turned their waters into blood
And caused their fish to die.
30 Their land swarmed with (AV)frogs
Even in the (AW)chambers of their kings.
31 He spoke, and there came a (AX)swarm of flies
And (AY)gnats in all their territory.
32 He [l]gave them (AZ)hail for rain,
And flaming fire in their land.
33 He (BA)struck down their vines also and their fig trees,
And shattered the trees of their territory.
34 He spoke, and (BB)locusts came,
And young locusts, even without number,
35 And ate up all vegetation in their land,
And ate up the fruit of their ground.
36 He also (BC)struck down all the firstborn in their land,
The (BD)first fruits of all their vigor.
37 Then He brought them out with (BE)silver and gold,
And among His tribes there was not one who stumbled.
38 Egypt was (BF)glad when they departed,
For the (BG)dread of them had fallen upon them.
39 He spread a (BH)cloud for a [m]covering,
And (BI)fire to illumine by night.
40 [n]They (BJ)asked, and He brought (BK)quail,
And satisfied them with the [o](BL)bread of heaven.
41 He opened the [p]rock and (BM)water flowed out;
[q]It ran in the dry places like a river.
42 For He (BN)remembered His holy word
With Abraham His servant;
43 And He brought forth His people with joy,
His chosen ones with a joyful (BO)shout.
44 He (BP)gave them also the lands of the [r]nations,
That they (BQ)might take possession of the fruit of the peoples’ labor,
45 So that they might (BR)keep His statutes
And observe His laws,
[s]Praise [t]the Lord!
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.