M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
26 And there was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. Therefore, Isaac went to Abimelech, King of the Philistines, to Gerar.
2 For the LORD appeared to him, and said, “Do not go down into Egypt. Remain in the land which I shall show you.
3 “Dwell in this land; and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and to your seed I will give all these countries. And I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham, your father.
4 “Also, I will cause your seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give to your seed all these countries. And in your seed shall all the nations of the Earth be blessed;
5 because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My Ordinance, My Commandments, My Statutes, and My Laws.”
6 So Isaac dwelt in Gerar.
7 And the men of the place asked him of his wife. And he said, “She is my sister.” For he feared to say, ‘She is my wife’, “Lest,” said he, “the men of the place should kill me because of Rebekah” (for she was beautiful to the eye).
8 So, after he had been there a long time, Abimelech, King of the Philistines, looked out a window. And lo, he saw Isaac, flirting with Rebekah, his wife.
9 Then Abimelech called Isaac, and said, “Lo, she is certainly your wife. And why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?” To which Isaac answered, “Because I thought ‘It may be that I shall die for her.’”
10 Then Abimelech said, “Why have you done this to us? One of the people had almost lain with your wife. So would you have brought sin upon us.”
11 Then Abimelech charged all his people, saying, “He who touches this man, or his wife, shall die the death.”
12 Afterward, Isaac sowed in that land and found in the same year a hundredfold by estimation. And so, the LORD blessed him.
13 And the man grew mightily and continued to increase, until he was exceedingly great.
14 For he had flocks of sheep, and herds of cattle, and a mighty household. Therefore, the Philistines envied him,
15 insomuch that the Philistines stopped and filled with earth all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in his father Abraham’s time.
16 Then Abimelech said to Isaac, “Get away from us. For you are a great deal mightier than we.”
17 Therefore, Isaac departed from there and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar and dwelt there.
18 And Isaac, returning, dug the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham, his father. For the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham. And he gave them the same names that his father had given them.
19 Isaac’s servants then dug in the valley and found there a well of living water.
20 But the herdsmen of Gerar strove with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” Therefore, he called the name of the well “Esek”, because they strove with him.
21 Afterward, they dug another well, and strove for that also; and he called the name of it “Sitnah”.
22 Then he left there and dug another well for which they did not strive. Therefore, he called the name of it “Rehoboth”, and said, “Because the LORD has now made us room, we shall increase upon the Earth.”
23 So he went up from there to Beersheba.
24 And the LORD appeared to him the same night, and said, “I am the God of Abraham, your father. Do not fear. I am with you and will bless you and multiply your seed for My servant, Abraham’s, sake.”
25 Then he built an altar there and called upon the Name of the LORD and spread his tent there (where also Isaac’s servants had dug a well).
26 Then Abimelech came to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath (one of his friends), and Phichol, the captain of his army.
27 To whom Isaac said, “Why do you come to me, seeing you hate me and have put me away from you?”
28 Who answered, “We saw that the LORD was certainly with you; and we thought, ‘Let there now be an oath between us — between us and you — and let us make a covenant with you,
29 ‘that you shall do us no harm (as we have not touched you and as we have done nothing but good to you and sent you away in peace).’ You, now, are the blessed of the LORD.”
30 Then he made them a feast; and they ate and drank.
31 And they rose up early in the morning and swore, one to another. Then Isaac let them go. And they departed from him in peace.
32 And that same day, Isaac’s servants came and told him of a well which they had dug, and said to him, “We have found water.”
33 So he called it “Shebah”. Therefore, the name of the city is called “Beersheba” to this day.
34 Now when Esau was forty years old, he took Judith for his wife (the daughter of Beeri, a Hittite, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon, a Hittite).
35 And they were a grief of mind to Isaac and to Rebekah.
25 “Then the Kingdom of Heaven shall be likened to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2 “And five of them were wise, and five foolish.
3 “The foolish took their lamps but took no oil with them.
4 “But the wise took oil in their flasks with their lamps.
5 “Now, while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6 “And at midnight there was a cry made, ‘Behold, the bridegroom comes! Go out to meet him!’
7 “Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
8 “And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil. For our lamps are out.’
9 “But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, for there will not be enough for us and you. Rather, go to the market and buy some for yourselves.
10 “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came. And those who were ready went in with him to the wedding. And the gate was shut.
11 “Afterwards the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord! Lord! Open up for us!’
12 “But he answered, and said, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’
13 “Therefore, watch. For you know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of Man will come.
14 “For the Kingdom of Heaven is as a man who, going into a strange country, called his servants and handed over his goods to them.
15 “And to one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one, each according to his own ability. And immediately he left home.
16 “Then the one who had received the five talents, went and traded with them, and gained another five talents.
17 “Likewise also, the one who received two, gained another two.
18 “But the one who received the one, went and buried it in the earth, and hid his master’s money.
19 “But after a long season, the master of those servants came and settled with them.
20 “Then the one who had received five talents came, and brought another five talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents. Behold, I have gained another five more talents with them.’
21 “Then his master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in little. I will make you ruler over much. Enter into your master’s joy.’
22 “Also, the one who had received two talents came, and said, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents. Behold, I have gained another two talents more.’
23 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in little. I will make you ruler over much. Enter into your master’s joy.’
24 “Then the one who had received the one talent came, and said, ‘Master, I knew that you were a hard man, who reaps where you do not sow, and gathers where you do not scatter.
25 ‘Therefore, I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the earth. Behold, you have what is yours.’
26 “And his master answered, and said to him, ‘You evil and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I did not scatter.
27 “‘Therefore, you ought to have put my money in the bank. And then at my coming I would have received my own with interest.
28 “‘Therefore, take the talent from him and give it to him who has ten talents.
29 “‘For to everyone who has, it shall be given, and he shall have abundance. But from the one who has not, even that he has shall be taken away.
30 “‘Therefore, cast that unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
31 “And when the Son of Man comes in His Glory and all the holy angels with Him, then He shall sit upon the throne of His Glory,
32 “And all nations shall be gathered before Him, and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
33 “And He shall set the sheep on his right hand and the goats on the left.
34 “Then the King shall say to those on his right hand, ‘Come you blessed of My Father. Take the inheritance of the Kingdom, prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35 “‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me food. I thirsted, and you gave Me drink. I was a stranger, and you took Me in to you.
36 “‘I was naked, and you clothed Me. I was sick, and you visited Me. I was in prison, and you came to Me.’
37 “Then the righteous shall answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You; or thirsty and give You drink?
38 “‘And when did we see You as a stranger and take You in to us; or naked and clothe You?
39 “‘Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’
40 “And the king shall answer, and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these, My brothers, you have done it to Me.’
41 “Then He shall say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me you cursed, into everlasting fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels.
42 “‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me no food. I thirsted, and you gave Me no drink.
43 “‘I was a stranger, and you did not take Me in to you. I was naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’
44 “Then they shall answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry; or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to You?’
45 “Then He shall answer them, and say, ‘Truly I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’
46 “And these shall go into everlasting pain, and the righteous into life eternal.”
2 After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what was decreed against her.
2 And the king’s servants who ministered to him, said, “Let them seek beautiful young virgins for the king.
3 “And let the king appoint officers through all the provinces of his kingdom. And let them gather all the beautiful young virgins to the palace of Shushan, into the house of the women, under the hand of Hegai (the king’s eunuch, keeper of the women), to give them their things for purification.
4 “And the maid who shall please the king, let her reign in the place of Vashti.” And this pleased the king; and he did so.
5 In the city of Shushan, there was a certain Jew whose name was Mordecai (the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a man of Benjamin),
6 who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity that was carried away with Jeconiah, King of Judah (whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel had carried away).
7 And he nourished Hadassah (that is, Esther), his uncle’s daughter; for she had neither father nor mother. And the maid was fair and beautiful to look on. And after the death of her father and her mother, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.
8 And when the king’s commandment and his decree were published, and many maids were brought together to the palace of Shushan under the hand of Hegai, Esther was also brought to the king’s house under the hand of Hegai, the keeper of the women.
9 And the maid pleased him; and she found favor in his sight. Therefore, he caused her things for purification to be given to her speedily, as well as her things and seven comely maids to be given to her out of the king’s house. And he gave her and her maids charge of the best in the house of the women.
10 But Esther did not reveal her people and her kindred. For Mordecai had told her that she should not tell it.
11 And Mordecai walked before the court of the women’s house every day, to find out if Esther did well, and what would become of her.
12 And after she had completed twelve months of the purification process (including six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors), every maid came, in turn, to go in to King Ahasuerus.
13 And thus went the maids to the king. Whatever she required was given to her (when she would go from the women’s house to the king’s house).
14 In the evening, she went. And the next day, she returned to the second house of the women, under the hand of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch, who kept the concubines. If she did not please the king, was no longer called by name nor came in to the king.
15 Now, when the turn of Esther (the daughter of Abihail, the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his own daughter) came to go in to the king, she desired nothing but what Hegai, the king’s eunuch, the keeper of the women said. And Esther found favor in the sight of all those who looked on her.
16 So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into his house royal, in the tenth month (which is the month Tebeth), in the seventh year of his reign.
17 And the king loved Esther above all the women; and she found grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set the crown of the kingdom upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.
18 Then the king made a great feast for all his princes and his servants (which was the “Feast of Esther”) and gave rest to the provinces, and gifts, according to the power of a king.
19 And when the virgins were gathered a second time, then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate.
20 Esther had not yet revealed her kindred nor her people, as Mordecai had charged her; for Esther obeyed Mordecai, as when she was brought up by him.
21 In those days when Mordecai sat in the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh (who kept the door) were angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.
22 And the thing was known to Mordecai; and he told it to Queen Esther. And Esther told the king thereof in Mordecai’s name. And when inquisition was made, it was found to be so. Therefore, they were both hanged on a tree. And it was written in the Book of the Chronicles, before the king.
25 Three days after Festus had come into the province, he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.
2 Then the High Priest and the chief of the Jews appeared before him against Paul. And they pleaded with him,
3 and asked (as a favor) if he would summon him to Jerusalem, so they could make an ambush and kill him along the way.
4 But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea. And that he himself would go there shortly.
5 “Therefore, let those among you who are able come down,” he said, “And if there is any fault in the man, let them accuse him."
6 Now, after he had stayed among them no more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and the next day sat in the judgment seat, and commanded Paul to be brought.
7 And when he had come, the Jews who had come from Jerusalem, stood around him and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul (of which they could present no plain proof),
8 to which he answered that he had not offended in anything - either against the Law of the Jews, or against the Temple, or against Caesar.
9 Yet Festus, wanting to curry favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, “Will you go up to Jerusalem and be judged of these things before me there?”
10 Then Paul said, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you very well know.
11 “For if I have done wrong, or committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is nothing in these things of which they accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.”
12 Then, when Festus had spoken with the Council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go.”
13 And after some days, King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea to greet Festus.
14 And when they had stayed there many days, Festus stated Paul’s cause to the king, saying, “There is a certain man left in prison by Felix.
15 “When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews informed me of him and asked for a judgment against him.
16 “To whom I answered that it is not the custom of the Romans to deliver any man to the death before the accused has faced his accusers and has a place to defend himself concerning the crime.
17 “Therefore, when they had come here, I sat on the judgment seat the following day (without delay) and commanded the man to be brought forth.
18 “When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such crimes as I suspected.
19 “But they had certain questions against him about their own religion, and about a certain Jesus (Who was dead, but Whom Paul affirmed to be alive).
20 “And because I was perplexed by such questions, I asked him if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and be judged there about these things.
21 “But because Paul had appealed to be put under guard until the examination of Augustus, I commanded that he be jailed until I could send him to Caesar.”
22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would also like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”
23 And the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come (with great pomp) and had entered into the Common Hall with the chief captains and chief men of the city, Paul was brought forth at Festus’ commandment.
24 And Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all men who are present with us, you see this man about whom all the multitude of the Jews have petitioned me (both at Jerusalem and here) crying that he ought not to live any longer.
25 “But, I have found nothing he has done to be worthy of death. And seeing that he has appealed to Augustus, I have decided to send him.
26 “I have no certain thing to write to my lord concerning him. Therefore, I have brought him forth to you, and especially to you, King Agrippa, so that after examination, I might have something to write.
27 “For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner and not signify the charges against him.”
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