M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Genealogy from Issachar
7 Now the sons of Issachar were four: Tola, [a]Puah, [b]Jashub and Shimron. 2 The sons of Tola were Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam and Samuel, heads of their fathers’ households. The sons of Tola were mighty men of valor in their generations; (A)their number in the days of David was 22,600. 3 The [c]son of Uzzi was Izrahiah. And the sons of Izrahiah were Michael, Obadiah, Joel, Isshiah; all five of them were (B)chief men. 4 With them by their generations according to their fathers’ households were 36,000 [d]troops of the army for war, for they had many wives and sons. 5 Their [e]relatives among all the families of Issachar were mighty men of valor, enrolled by genealogy, in all 87,000.
Descendants of Benjamin
6 (C)The sons of Benjamin were three: Bela and Becher and Jediael. 7 The sons of Bela were five: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth and Iri. They were heads of fathers’ households, mighty men of valor, and were 22,034 enrolled by genealogy. 8 The sons of Becher were Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth and Alemeth. All these were the sons of Becher. 9 They were enrolled by genealogy, according to their generations, heads of their fathers’ households, 20,200 mighty men of valor. 10 The [f]son of Jediael was Bilhan. And the sons of Bilhan were Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Chenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish and Ahishahar. 11 All these were sons of Jediael, according to the heads of their fathers’ households, 17,200 mighty men of valor, who were [g]ready to go out with the army to war. 12 [h]Shuppim and [i]Huppim were the sons of [j]Ir; Hushim was the [k]son of [l]Aher.
Sons of Naphtali
13 The sons of Naphtali were [m]Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and [n]Shallum, the sons of Bilhah.
Descendants of Manasseh
14 The sons of Manasseh were Asriel, whom his Aramean concubine bore; she bore Machir the father of Gilead. 15 Machir took a wife for Huppim and Shuppim, [o]whose sister’s name was Maacah. And the name of the second was Zelophehad, and Zelophehad had daughters. 16 Maacah the wife of Machir bore a son, and she named him Peresh; and the name of his brother was Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rakem. 17 The [p]son of Ulam was Bedan. These were the sons of Gilead the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh. 18 His sister Hammolecheth bore Ishhod and [q]Abiezer and Mahlah. 19 The sons of Shemida were Ahian and Shechem and Likhi and Aniam.
Descendants of Ephraim
20 (D)The sons of Ephraim were Shuthelah and [r]Bered his son, Tahath his son, Eleadah his son, Tahath his son, 21 Zabad his son, Shuthelah his son, and Ezer and Elead whom the men of Gath who were born in the land killed, because they came down to take their livestock. 22 Their father Ephraim (E)mourned many days, and his relatives (F)came to comfort him. 23 Then he went in to his wife, and she conceived and bore a son, and he named him [s]Beriah, because misfortune had come upon his house. 24 His daughter was Sheerah, (G)who built lower and upper Beth-horon, also Uzzen-sheerah. 25 Rephah was his son along with Resheph, Telah his son, Tahan his son, 26 Ladan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son, 27 [t]Non his son and (H)Joshua his son.
28 (I)Their possessions and settlements were Bethel with its towns, and to the east [u]Naaran, and to the west Gezer with its towns, and Shechem with its towns as far as [v]Ayyah with its towns, 29 and along the borders of the sons of Manasseh, Beth-shean with its towns, Taanach with its towns, Megiddo with its towns, Dor with its towns. In these lived the (J)sons of Joseph the son of Israel.
Descendants of Asher
30 (K)The sons of Asher were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah, and Serah their sister. 31 The sons of Beriah were Heber and Malchiel, who was the father of Birzaith. 32 Heber [w]became the father of Japhlet, [x]Shomer and Hotham, and Shua their sister. 33 The sons of Japhlet were Pasach, Bimhal and Ashvath. These were the sons of Japhlet. 34 The sons of [y]Shemer were Ahi and Rohgah, Jehubbah and Aram. 35 The [z]sons of his brother Helem were Zophah, Imna, Shelesh and Amal. 36 The sons of Zophah were Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri and 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 the sons of Asher, heads of the fathers’ houses, choice and mighty men of valor, heads of the princes. And the number of them enrolled by genealogy for service in war was 26,000 men.
Genealogy from Benjamin
8 And (L)Benjamin [aa]became the father of Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, (M)Aharah the third, 2 Nohah the fourth and Rapha the fifth. 3 Bela had sons: [ab]Addar, Gera, Abihud, 4 Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, 5 Gera, Shephuphan and Huram. 6 These are the sons of Ehud: these are the heads of fathers’ households of the inhabitants of Geba, and they carried them into exile to Manahath, 7 namely, Naaman, Ahijah and Gera—he carried them into exile; and he became the father of Uzza and Ahihud. 8 Shaharaim became the father of children in the [ac]country of Moab after he had [ad]sent away Hushim and Baara his wives. 9 By Hodesh his wife he became the father of Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, 10 Jeuz, Sachia, Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of fathers’ households. 11 By Hushim he became the father of Abitub and Elpaal. 12 The sons of Elpaal were Eber, Misham, and Shemed, who built Ono and Lod, with its towns; 13 and Beriah and Shema, who were heads of fathers’ households of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who put to flight the inhabitants of Gath; 14 and [ae]Ahio, 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 [af]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 heads of the fathers’ households according to their generations, chief men [ag]who lived in Jerusalem.
29 (N)Now in Gibeon, Jeiel, the father of Gibeon lived, and his wife’s name was Maacah; 30 and his firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Nadab, 31 Gedor, Ahio and [ah]Zecher. 32 Mikloth became the father of [ai]Shimeah. And they also lived with their [aj]relatives in Jerusalem opposite their other [ak]relatives.
Genealogy from King Saul
33 (O)Ner became the father of Kish, and Kish became the father of Saul, and Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchi-shua, [al]Abinadab and [am]Eshbaal. 34 The son of Jonathan was [an]Merib-baal, and Merib-baal became the father of Micah. 35 The sons of Micah were Pithon, Melech, [ao]Tarea and Ahaz. 36 Ahaz became the father of [ap]Jehoaddah, and Jehoaddah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth and Zimri; and Zimri became the father of Moza. 37 Moza became the father of Binea; [aq]Raphah was his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son. 38 Azel had six sons, and these were their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel. 39 The sons of Eshek his brother were Ulam his firstborn, Jeush the second and Eliphelet the third. 40 The sons of Ulam were mighty men of valor, archers, and had many sons and grandsons, 150 of them. All these were of the sons of Benjamin.
The Triumphs of Faith
11 Now faith is the [a](A)assurance of things [b](B)hoped for, the [c]conviction of (C)things not seen. 2 For by it the (D)men of old [d](E)gained approval.
3 By faith we understand that the [e](F)worlds were prepared (G)by the word of God, so that what is seen (H)was not made out of things which are visible. 4 By faith (I)Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he (J)obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying [f]about his (K)gifts, and through [g]faith, though (L)he is dead, he still speaks. 5 By faith (M)Enoch was taken up so that he would not (N)see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who (O)comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. 7 By faith (P)Noah, being (Q)warned by God about (R)things not yet seen, [h](S)in reverence (T)prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of (U)the righteousness which is according to faith.
8 By faith (V)Abraham, when he was called, obeyed [i]by going out to a place which he was to (W)receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he lived as an alien in (X)the land of promise, as in a foreign land, (Y)dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, (Z)fellow heirs of the same promise; 10 for he was looking for (AA)the city which has (AB)foundations, (AC)whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith even (AD)Sarah herself received [j]ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him (AE)faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore there was born even of one man, and (AF)him as good as dead [k]at that, as many descendants (AG)as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.
13 (AH)All these died in faith, (AI)without receiving the promises, but (AJ)having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and (AK)having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. 15 And indeed if they had been [l]thinking of that country from which they went out, (AL)they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a (AM)heavenly one. Therefore (AN)God is not [m]ashamed to be (AO)called their God; for (AP)He has prepared a city for them.
17 By faith (AQ)Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had (AR)received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; 18 it was he to whom it was said, “(AS)In Isaac your [n]descendants shall be called.” 19 [o]He considered that (AT)God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back [p]as a (AU)type. 20 By faith (AV)Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come. 21 By faith (AW)Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and (AX)worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith (AY)Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.
23 By faith (AZ)Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the (BA)king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, (BB)when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to (BC)endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 (BD)considering the reproach of [q]Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the (BE)reward. 27 By faith he (BF)left Egypt, not (BG)fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as (BH)seeing Him who is unseen. 28 By faith he [r](BI)kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that (BJ)he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. 29 By faith they (BK)passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were [s]drowned.
30 By faith (BL)the walls of Jericho fell down (BM)after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith (BN)Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies [t]in peace.
32 And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of (BO)Gideon, (BP)Barak, (BQ)Samson, (BR)Jephthah, of (BS)David and (BT)Samuel and the prophets, 33 who by faith (BU)conquered kingdoms, (BV)performed acts of righteousness, (BW)obtained promises, (BX)shut the mouths of lions, 34 (BY)quenched the power of fire, (BZ)escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, (CA)became mighty in war, (CB)put foreign armies to flight. 35 (CC)Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their [u]release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; 36 and others [v]experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also (CD)chains and imprisonment. 37 They were (CE)stoned, they were (CF)sawn in two, [w]they were tempted, they were (CG)put to death with the sword; they went about (CH)in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, (CI)ill-treated 38 (men of whom the world was not worthy), (CJ)wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes [x]in the ground.
39 And all these, having [y](CK)gained approval through their faith, (CL)did not receive [z]what was promised, 40 because God had [aa]provided (CM)something better for us, so that (CN)apart from us they would not be made perfect.
“Seek Me that You May Live”
5 Hear this word which I take up for you as a (A)dirge, O house of Israel:
2 She has fallen, she will (B)not rise again—
The (C)virgin Israel.
She lies neglected on her land;
There is (D)none to raise her up.
3 For thus says the Lord [a]God,
“The city which goes forth a thousand strong
Will have a (E)hundred left,
And the one which goes forth a hundred strong
Will have (F)ten left to the house of Israel.”
4 For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel,
“(G)Seek Me (H)that you may live.
5 “But do not [b]resort to (I)Bethel
And do not come to (J)Gilgal,
Nor cross over to (K)Beersheba;
For Gilgal will certainly go into captivity
And Bethel will [c]come to trouble.
6 “(L)Seek the Lord that you may live,
Or He will break forth like a (M)fire, [d]O house of Joseph,
And it will consume with none to quench it for Bethel,
7 For those who turn (N)justice into wormwood
And [e]cast righteousness down to the earth.”
8 He who made the (O)Pleiades and Orion
And (P)changes deep darkness into morning,
[f]Who also (Q)darkens day into night,
Who (R)calls for the waters of the sea
And pours them out on the surface of the earth,
The (S)Lord is His name.
9 It is He who (T)flashes forth with destruction upon the strong,
So that (U)destruction comes upon the fortress.
10 They hate him who (V)reproves in the [g]gate,
And they (W)abhor him who speaks with integrity.
11 Therefore because you [h]impose heavy rent on the poor
And exact a tribute of grain from them,
Though you have built (X)houses of well-hewn stone,
Yet you will not live in them;
You have planted pleasant vineyards, yet you will (Y)not drink their wine.
12 For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great,
You who (Z)distress the righteous and accept bribes
And [i]turn aside the poor in the [j]gate.
13 Therefore at [k]such a time the prudent person (AA)keeps silent, for it is an evil time.
14 Seek good and not evil, that you may live;
And thus may the Lord God of hosts be with you,
(AB)Just as you have said!
15 (AC)Hate evil, love good,
And establish justice in the [l]gate!
Perhaps the Lord God of hosts
(AD)May be gracious to the (AE)remnant of Joseph.
16 Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts, the Lord,
“There is (AF)wailing in all the plazas,
And in all the streets they say, ‘Alas! Alas!’
They also call the (AG)farmer to mourning
And [m](AH)professional mourners to lamentation.
17 “And in all the (AI)vineyards there is wailing,
Because I will pass through the midst of you,” says the Lord.
18 Alas, you who are longing for the (AJ)day of the Lord,
For what purpose will the day of the Lord be to you?
It will be (AK)darkness and not light;
19 As when a man (AL)flees from a lion
And a bear meets him,
[n]Or goes home, leans his hand against the wall
And a snake bites him.
20 Will not the day of the Lord be (AM)darkness instead of light,
Even gloom with no brightness in it?
21 “I hate, I (AN)reject your festivals,
Nor do I [o](AO)delight in your solemn assemblies.
22 “Even though you (AP)offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
And I will not even look at the (AQ)peace offerings of your fatlings.
23 “Take away from Me the noise of your songs;
I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.
24 “But let (AR)justice roll down like waters
And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
25 “[p](AS)Did you present Me with sacrifices and grain offerings in the wilderness for forty years, O house of Israel? 26 (AT)You also carried along [q]Sikkuth your king and [r]Kiyyun, your images, [s]the star of your gods which you made for yourselves. 27 Therefore, I will make you go into exile beyond Damascus,” says the Lord, whose name is the God of hosts.
Introduction
1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things [a](A)accomplished among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who (B)from the beginning [b]were (C)eyewitnesses and [c](D)servants of (E)the [d]word, 3 it seemed fitting for me as well, (F)having [e]investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you (G)in consecutive order, (H)most excellent (I)Theophilus; 4 so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been [f](J)taught.
Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
5 (K)In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named [g]Zacharias, of the (L)division of [h]Abijah; and he had a wife [i]from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 They were both (M)righteous in the sight of God, walking (N)blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in [j]years.
8 Now it happened that while (O)he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot (P)to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer (Q)outside at the hour of the incense offering. 11 And (R)an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and (S)fear [k]gripped him. 13 But the angel said to him, “(T)Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and (U)you will [l]give him the name John. 14 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; and he will (V)drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit [m]while yet in his mother’s womb. 16 And he will (W)turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17 It is he who will (X)go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of (Y)Elijah, (Z)to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to (AA)make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
18 Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? For (AB)I am an old man and my wife is advanced in [n]years.” 19 The angel answered and said to him, “I am (AC)Gabriel, who [o](AD)stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”
21 The people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he (AE)kept [p]making signs to them, and remained mute. 23 When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home.
24 After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she [q]kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, 25 “This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to (AF)take away my disgrace among men.”
Jesus’ Birth Foretold
26 Now in the sixth month the angel (AG)Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called (AH)Nazareth, 27 to (AI)a virgin [r]engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, (AJ)of the [s]descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was [t]Mary. 28 And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, [u]favored one! The Lord [v]is with you.” 29 But she (AK)was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. 30 The angel said to her, “(AL)Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you (AM)shall name Him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of (AN)the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him (AO)the throne of His father David; 33 (AP)and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, (AQ)and His kingdom will have no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How [w]can this be, since I [x]am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered and said to her, “(AR)The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of (AS)the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason (AT)the [y]holy Child shall be called (AU)the Son of God. 36 And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and [z]she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37 For [aa](AV)nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, the [ab]bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.