M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Tribe of Issachar
7 The sons of Issachar were Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron, four in all.
2 The sons of Tola were Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Samuel, heads of their fathers’ houses. In the days of David the number of powerful warriors written in the genealogies of the family of Tola was 22,600.
3 The son of Uzzi was Izrahiah. The sons of Izrahiah were Michael, Obadiah, Joel, and Ishiah, five,[a] all of them head men. 4 According to the genealogical records of their fathers’ houses, because they had many wives and sons, they had with them 36,000 men in divisions available for battle. 5 Their brothers among all the families of Issachar, powerful warriors, who were listed in the genealogy, were 87,000 in all.
The Tribe of Benjamin
6 The sons of Benjamin were Bela, Beker, and Jediael, three in all.
7 The sons of Bela were Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri, five, all heads of their fathers’ houses. Their powerful warriors listed in the genealogical records were 22,034.
8 The sons of Beker were Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alemeth. All these were the sons of Beker.
9 They were listed in the genealogical records as heads of their fathers’ houses, along with 20,200 powerful warriors.
10 The son of Jediael was Bilhan.
The sons of Bilhan were Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Kena’anah, Zethan, Tarshish, and Ahishahar. 11 All these were sons[b] of Jediael, the heads of their fathers’ houses, listed along with 17,200 powerful warriors, who were able to go out to war with the army.
12 Shuppim and Huppim were the sons of Ir. The Hushim were the sons of Aher.[c]
The Tribe of Naphtali
13 The sons of Naphtali were Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, Shallum. They were the grandsons of Bilhah.
The Tribe of Manasseh
14 The first son of Manasseh was Asriel, born to his Aramean concubine. She also gave birth to Makir, the father of Gilead. 15 Makir took a wife from Huppim and Shuppim.[d] His sister’s name was Ma’akah. The name of Manasseh’s second son was Zelophehad, but Zelophehad had only daughters. 16 Ma’akah, the wife of Makir,[e] gave birth to a son, and she named him Peresh. The name of his brother was Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rakem. 17 The son of Ulam was Bedan.
These were the sons of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh. 18 His sister Hammoleketh gave birth to Ishhod, Abiezer, and Mahlah. 19 The sons of Shemida were Ahian, Shechem, Likhi, and Aniam.
The Tribe of Ephraim
20 The descendants of Ephraim were Shuthelah, his son Bered, his son Tahath, his son Eleadah, his son Tahath, 21 his son Zabad, his son Shuthelah, and also Ezer and Elead.
These two were killed by the native men of Gath, because they came down to take away their livestock. 22 Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brothers came to comfort him. 23 He went to his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to a son, and he named him Beriah, because there was trouble with his house.[f] 24 His daughter was She’erah, who built lower and upper Beth Horon and Uzzen She’erah.
25 Rephah was his son, and Resheph his son,[g] and Telah his son, Tahan his son, 26 Ladan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son, 27 Nun his son, and Joshua his son. 28 Their possessions and settlements were Bethel and its towns, and Na’aran on the east, and Gezer on the west with its towns, also Shechem and its towns, as far as Ayyah and its towns. 29 Along the borders of the people of Manasseh they received Beth Shean and its towns, Ta’anach and its towns, Megiddo and its towns, and Dor and its towns. The descendants of Joseph, the son of Israel, lived in these towns.
The Tribe of Asher
30 The sons of Asher were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah. Serah was their sister.
31 The sons of Beriah were Heber and Malkiel, who was the father
of Birzaith.
32 Heber became the father of Japhlet, Shomer, Hotham, and their sister Shua.
33 The sons of Japhlet were Pasak, Bimhal, and Ashvath. These are the sons of Japhlet.
34 The sons of Shemer[h] were Ahi, Rohgah, Jehubbah,[i] and Aram.
35 The sons of his brother Helem[j] were Zophah, Imna, Shelesh, and Amal.
36 The sons of Zophah were Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah, 37 Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Be’era.
38 The sons of Jether were Jephunneh, Pispah, and Ara.
39 The sons of Ulla were Arah, Hanniel, and Rizia.
40 All these were the sons of Asher, heads of the houses of their fathers, elite soldiers, powerful warriors, heads of the tribal leaders. The number of them listed in the genealogies for service in war was 26,000 men.
The Tribe of Benjamin
8 Benjamin became the father of Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, Aharah the third, 2 Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth.
3 Bela had sons: Addar, Gera, Abihud, 4 Abishua, Na’aman, Ahoah, 5 Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram.
6 These are the sons of Ehud. They are the heads of fathers’ households for the inhabitants of Geba who were exiled to Manahath, 7 namely, Na’aman, Ahijah, and Gera, who led them into exile,[k] and he became the father of Uzza and Ahihud.
8 Shaharaim became a father in the territory of Moab, after he had sent away his wives Hushim and Ba’ara. 9 By his wife Hodesh he became the father of Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malkam, 10 Jeuz, Shakia, and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of the houses of their fathers. 11 By Hushim, he became the father of Abitub and Elpa’al. 12 The sons of Elpa’al were Eber, Misham, and Shemed, who built Ono and Lod, with its towns.
13 Also Beriah and Shema, who were heads of houses of the fathers of the inhabitants of Aijalon. They put to flight the inhabitants of Gath.
14 Also Ahio, Shashak, Jeremoth, 15 Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, 16 Michael, Ishpah, Joha, who were the sons of Beriah.
17 Also Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber, 18 Ishmerai, Izliah, Jobab, the sons of Elpa’al.
19 Also Jakim, Zikri, Zabdi, 20 Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, 21 Adaiah, Beraiah, Shimrath, the sons of Shimei.
22 Also Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, 23 Abdon, Zikri, Hanan, 24 Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, 25 Iphdeiah, Penuel, the sons of Shashak.
26 Also Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah, 27 Ja’areshiah, Elijah, Zikri, and the sons of Jeroham. 28 These were heads of fathers’ households throughout their generations, head men. These lived in Jerusalem.
29 Jeiel,[l] the father of Gibeon, whose wife’s name was Ma’akah, lived in Gibeon 30 with his firstborn son Abdon. Other sons were Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner,[m] Nadab, 31 Gedor, Ahio, and Zeker. 32 Mikloth became the father of Shimeah. They also lived near their brothers in Jerusalem, with their brothers.
33 Ner became the father of Kish.
Kish became the father of Saul.
Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malkishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.[n]
34 The son of Jonathan was Meribbaal.[o]
Meribbaal became the father of Micah.
35 The sons of Micah were Pithon, Melek, Tarea, and Ahaz.
36 Ahaz became the father of Jehoaddah.
Jehoaddah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri.
Zimri became the father of Moza.
37 Moza became the father of Binea. Raphah was his son, Eleasah his son, and Azel his son.
38 Azel had six sons, whose names are Azrikam, Bokeru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel.
39 The sons of Eshek his brother were Ulam his firstborn, Jeush his second, and Eliphelet his third.
40 The sons of Ulam were powerful warriors, who were archers. They had many sons and grandsons, one hundred fifty. All these were of the descendants of Benjamin.
Faith
11 Faith is being sure about what we hope for, being convinced about things we do not see. 2 For by this faith the ancients were commended in Scripture.[a]
3 By faith we know that the universe was created by God’s word, so that what is seen did not come from visible things.
4 By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice to God than Cain did. By faith he was commended in Scripture as righteous; God testified favorably about his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
5 By faith Enoch was taken up, so that he would not experience death, and he was not found because God took him away.[b] In fact, before he was taken away, he was commended in Scripture as one who “pleased God.”[c] 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God. Indeed, it is necessary for the one who approaches God to believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
7 By faith Noah, when he was warned about things that had not been seen before, built an ark, in reverent fear, in order to save his family. By it he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that is by faith.
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go to a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance, and he left without knowing where he was going.
9 By faith he lived as a stranger in the Promised Land, as if it did not belong to him, dwelling in tents along with Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11 By faith Abraham also received the ability to conceive children, even though Sarah herself was barren and he was past the normal age, because he considered him faithful who made the promise.[d] 12 And so from one man, and he as good as dead, descendants were born as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand along the seashore.
13 One by one, all of these died in faith, without having received the things that were promised, but they saw and welcomed them from a distance. They confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 Indeed, people who say things like that make it clear that they are looking for a land of their own. 15 And if they were remembering the land they had come from, they would have had an opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better land—a heavenly one. For that reason, God is not ashamed to be called their God, because he prepared a city for them.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered Isaac. This man, who received the promises, was ready to offer his only son, 18 about whom it was said, “Through Isaac your offspring will be traced.”[e] 19 He reasoned that God also had the ability to raise him from the dead, and in a figurative sense, Abraham did receive him back from the dead.
20 By faith Isaac also blessed Jacob and Esau about things that were going to happen.
21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and worshipped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
22 By faith Joseph, as he neared the end of his life, mentioned[f] the Exodus of the sons of Israel and gave instructions about his bones.
23 By faith Moses was hidden by his parents for three months after he was born, because they saw he was a special child, and they were not afraid of the king’s order.
24 By faith Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter when he grew up. 25 He chose to be mistreated with God’s people rather than enjoy sin for a little while. 26 He considered disgrace for the sake of Christ as greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
27 By faith he left Egypt without fearing the king’s wrath, because he persevered as one who sees him who is invisible.
28 By faith he celebrated the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not strike them down.
29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea, as if going through on dry ground. When the Egyptians tried it, they were drowned.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell after the people marched around them for seven days.
31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with the unbelievers, because she welcomed the spies in peace.
32 And what more should I say? There would not be enough time for me to continue to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. 33 By faith they conquered kingdoms, carried out justice, obtained things that were promised, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edges of the sword, were made powerful after being weak, became mighty in battle, and caused foreign armies to flee. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. And others who were tortured did not accept their release, so that they may take part in a better resurrection. 36 Still others experienced mocking and lashes, in addition to chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were tempted;[g] they were killed with the sword; they went around in sheepskins and goatskins, needy, afflicted, and mistreated. 38 The world was not worthy of them as they wandered in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.
39 All of these were commended in Scripture by faith, yet they did not receive what was promised, 40 because God had planned something better for us, namely, that they would not reach the goal apart from us.
Mourning for Fallen Israel
5 Listen to this word that I am raising against you as a lament,[a] O house of Israel:
2 Virgin Israel has fallen, and she will not rise again.
She is abandoned on her own soil.
There is no one to lift her up.
3 For this is what the Lord God says:
A city that marches out with a thousand will have a hundred left.
A city that marches out with a hundred will have ten left for the house of Israel.
Seek the Lord and Live!
4 Listen, this is what the Lord says to the house of Israel:
Seek me and live!
5 But do not seek Bethel.
Do not go to Gilgal.
Do not travel to Beersheba,
because Gilgal surely will go into exile,
and Bethel will become nothing.
6 Seek the Lord and live,
or he will rush upon the house of Joseph like fire.
The fire will consume, and no one will extinguish it for Bethel.
7 There are some who turn justice into wormwood,[b]
who throw righteousness to the ground.
8 There is one who made the Pleiades and Orion,
who turns the shadow of death into morning,
who darkens day into night,
who summons the waters of the seas,
who pours them out upon the face of the earth—
the Lord is his name.
9 He causes destruction to flash against a stronghold,
and destruction comes upon a fortress.
10 There are those who hate an arbitrator[c] in the city gate.[d]
They despise anyone who speaks honestly.
11 That is why you trample on the poor,
and you collect taxes on their grain.
You have built houses of cut stones,
but you will not live in them.
You have planted choice vineyards,
but you will not drink their wine.
12 For I know that your rebellious deeds are many,
and your sins are numerous,
you who are enemies of a righteous man,
you who take bribes.
They thrust away needy people in the city gate.
13 That is why a prudent man will be silent in that time,
because it is an evil time.
14 Seek good and not evil, so that you may live,
and then it will be like this for you:
The Lord, the God of Armies, will be with you, as you claim.
15 Hate evil and love good.
Establish justice in the city gate.
Perhaps the Lord, the God of Armies,
will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
16 Therefore, this is what the Lord says,
the God of Armies, who is the Lord:
In the city squares there will be grief,
and in the streets they will say, “Woe, woe!”
They will summon the farmer to mourn
and the professional mourners to sing laments.
17 In all the vineyards there will be grief,
because I will pass through your midst, says the Lord.
The Day of the Lord Brings Darkness
18 Woe to those who long for the Day of the Lord!
What good will the Day of the Lord be for you?
It will be darkness and not light.
19 It will be as if a man flees from a lion,
but a bear meets him,
or he enters a house and rests his hand on a wall,
but a snake bites him.
20 Will not the Day of the Lord be darkness and not light,
gloom without a trace of brightness?
The Lord Hates Faithless Worship
21 I hate, I reject, your festivals!
I do not delight in the aroma of the sacrifices at your sacred convocations.
22 Even if you offer up to me your whole burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them.
I will not pay any attention to your fellowship offerings of fattened calves.
23 Get the noise of your songs away from me!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.
24 But let justice roll like the waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
25 Did you bring me sacrifices and grain offerings in the wilderness for forty years, O house of Israel?
26 You lifted up images of Sakkuth, your king,
and of Kiyyun, your star god, which you made for yourselves.[e]
27 So I will exile you beyond Damascus,
says the Lord, whose name is the God of Armies.
Introduction
1 Many have undertaken to compile an account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, 2 an account like those handed down to us by those who were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word from the beginning. 3 For this reason, it seemed good to me also, since I followed everything closely from the beginning, to write an orderly account to you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you were taught.
The Angel Gabriel Appears to Zechariah
5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a certain priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah. His wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and righteous decrees of the Lord. 7 They did not have a child because Elizabeth was unable to bear children, and they were both well along in years. 8 On one occasion, while Zechariah was serving as priest before God and his division was on duty, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 The whole crowd of people were praying outside the temple during the hour of the incense offering.
11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and overcome by fear. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear a son for you, and you are to name him John. 14 You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 because he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to drink wine or beer. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 He will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17 He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, to turn the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to prepare a people who are ready for the Lord.”
18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this, because I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years?”
19 The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God and was sent to speak to you in order to tell you this good news. 20 Now listen, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things happen, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at the proper time.”
21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering what was taking him so long in the temple. 22 When he did come out, he was unable to speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. He kept making signs to them and remained unable to speak.
23 When the days of his priestly service were completed, he went back to his home.
24 After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived. She kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, 25 “The Lord has done this for me in the days when he looked with favor on me and took away my disgrace among the people.”
The Angel Gabriel Appears to the Virgin Mary
26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.”[a]
29 But she was greatly troubled by the statement and was wondering what kind of greeting this could be. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, because you have found favor with God. 31 Listen, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end.”
34 Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Listen, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age even though she was called barren, and this is her sixth month. 37 For nothing will be impossible for God.”
38 Then Mary said, “See, I am the Lord’s servant. May it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.