M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
David Organizes the Levites
23 When David was old and had lived a long life, he made his son Solomon king over Israel. 2 He gathered together all the officials and officers of Israel, along with the priests and the Levites. 3 The Levites who were thirty years old and over were counted, and their total number, man by man,[a] was thirty-eight thousand. 4 David said, “Of these, twenty-four thousand are to oversee the work of the Lord’s house, six thousand are to be officers and judges, 5 four thousand are to be gatekeepers, and four thousand are to praise the Lord with the musical instruments that I made for giving praise.”
David’s Divisions of the Levites
6 David assigned them to divisions based on their descent from the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon,[b] Kohath, and Merari.
Divisions of the Gershonites
7 The Gershonites were descended from Ladan and Shimei.
8 The sons of Ladan were Jehiel, who was the head, then Zetham[c] and Joel, three in all.
9 The sons of Shimei[d] were Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran, three in all. These were the heads of the fathers’ households of Ladan.
10 The sons of Shimei were Jahath, Ziza,[e] Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei. 11 Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second, but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons. That is why they were counted as only one father’s house.[f]
Divisions of the Kohathites
12 The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four in all.
Descendants of Amram
13 The sons of Amram were Aaron and Moses.
Aaron was set apart to consecrate the most holy things. He and his sons received a permanent assignment to burn incense before the Lord, to minister to him, and to bless his name forever.
14 The sons of Moses, the man of God, however, were classified along with the rest of the tribe of Levi. 15 The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer.
16 The son of Gershom was Shebuel the head.
17 The son of Eliezer was Rehabiah the head.
Eliezer had no other sons, but Rehabiah had very many sons.
Descendants of Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel
18 The son of Izhar was Shelomith the head.
19 The sons of Hebron were Jeriah the head, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.
20 The sons of Uzziel were Micah the head, and Ishiah the second.
Divisions of the Merarites
21 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi.
The sons of Mahli were Eleazar and Kish. 22 Eleazar died, and he had no sons but only daughters, so their cousins the sons of Kish took them as wives.
23 The sons of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth, three in all.
24 These were the descendants of Levi who were registered by their fathers’ houses. They were listed under the heads of their fathers’ houses. All those twenty years old and older were counted man by man and registered by name to perform the work for the service of the Lord’s house. 25 For David had said, “The Lord, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people, and he dwells in Jerusalem forever, 26 so the Levites will no longer need to carry the Dwelling and all the vessels and utensils for its service.”
27 So according to the last directions given by David, the descendants of Levi twenty years old and older were counted. 28 Their work was to assist the descendants of Aaron in the service of the Lord’s house, in the courtyards, in the storage rooms, and in the purification of all the holy things, that is, in all the work of the service of God’s house. 29 Their responsibilities included the bread that was to be set out and the fine flour for the grain offerings (whether for unleavened wafers, or for offerings baked in a pan, or those soaked in oil). They also did all of the measuring and mixing.
30 They also were to stand and thank and praise the Lord every morning, and likewise in the evening, 31 and to offer all burnt offerings to the Lord on the sabbaths, on the new moons, and on the prescribed festivals. They were to serve continually before the Lord, in the number specified by the regulations, 32 so that they would diligently carry out their duties for the Tent of Meeting, their duties for the Holy Place, and their duties with their brothers, the descendants of Aaron, for the service of the Lord’s house.
Do Not Join in Immorality
4 Therefore, because Christ suffered in flesh,[a] arm yourselves with the same mindset, because the one who has suffered in flesh is done with sin. 2 Do this so that you no longer live the rest of your time in the flesh for human desires but for God’s will. 3 Indeed, you have already spent enough time in the past doing what the Gentiles want to do: living in unbridled immorality, lusts, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and disgusting idolatry.
4 For this reason, they are surprised that you do not plunge into the same overflowing river of filth with them, and they slander you. 5 They will have to give an account to the one who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 In fact, it was for this reason that the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, so that they might be judged the way people are judged in flesh and that they might live the way God lives in spirit.
Love for Others in the End Times
7 The end of all things is near. So have sound judgment and be self-controlled for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, love each other constantly, because love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaining.
Gifts Meant for Service
10 Serve one another, each according to the gift he has received, as good stewards of the many forms of God’s grace. 11 If anyone speaks, let him do it as one speaking the messages of God. If anyone serves, let him do it as one serving with the strength God supplies so that God may be glorified in every way through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.
Sharing in the Sufferings of Christ
12 Dear friends, do not be surprised by the fiery trial that is happening among you to test you, as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead rejoice whenever you are sharing in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
14 If you are insulted in connection with the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory[b] and of God rests on you.[c] 15 Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, a thief, a criminal, or as a meddler. 16 But if you suffer for being a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God in connection with this name.[d] 17 For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God. Now if it begins with us, what will be the end for those who disobey the gospel of God? 18 And if it is hard for the righteous to be saved, where will the ungodly sinner end up? 19 So let those who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to their faithful Creator while doing what is good.
Woe to Those Who Plan Wickedness
2 Woe to those who plan wickedness,
who make preparations for evil while lying on their beds.
By the morning light they carry it out,
because it is in the power of their hands to do so.
2 They covet fields and seize them.
They covet houses and take them away.
They deprive a person of his house,
and a man of his inheritance.
3 Therefore this is what the Lord says:
Look, I am making plans against this family of clans,
plans for a disaster from which you cannot save your necks.
You will not be able to hold your heads high,
because it will be an evil time.
4 On that day a saying will arise about you.
People will moan this sad song:
“We have been completely devastated.
My people’s portion in the land is divided up.
He takes it from me and assigns our fields to traitors.”[a]
5 Because of this, there will be no one to measure off an allotted inheritance for you in the assembly of the Lord.
Lying Prophets
6 “Stop preaching,” they preach.[b] “Do not preach about these things,”
but these charges will not be turned away.[c]
7 Should the house of Jacob say,
“Is the Spirit of the Lord impatient?
Would he really do these things?”
Will my words fail to accomplish good things for people who walk uprightly?
8 But lately my people have stood up like an enemy.
You strip off the splendid robe from those who pass by
as they return safely from battle.[d]
9 You drive the women among my people out of their comfortable houses.
You take away my splendor from their children forever.
10 Get up and leave,
for this will not be a place to rest,
because the impurity that destroys it will bring painful destruction.
11 If a man full of bluster and lies comes and says,
“I will preach for you about wine and beer,”
he would be just the preacher for these people.
A Promise for the Remnant
12 I will surely assemble all of you, Jacob.
I will surely gather together the surviving remnant of Israel.
I will establish them like a flock in its fold,
like a herd in its pasture,
like a happy crowd of noisy people.[e]
13 The one who breaks through the siege line[f] will go up ahead of them.
They too will break out and pass through the gate,
and their king will cross over in front of them,
with the Lord as their head.
The Lord’s Prayer
11 On another occasion, Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.”
2 He said to them, “When you pray, say, ‘Our Father in heaven,[a] hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.[b] 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 Forgive us our sins, as we also forgive everyone who sins against us.[c] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’”[d]
Keep Praying
5 He said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and tell him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine who is on a journey has come to me, and I do not have anything to set before him.’ 7 And the one inside replies, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give it to you.’ 8 I tell you, even if he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his bold persistence, he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
9 “I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives. The one who seeks finds. And to the one who knocks, it will be opened.
11 “What father among you, if your son asks for bread, would give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, would give him a snake instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, would give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”
Jesus Drives Out Demons
14 Jesus drove out a demon, which was mute. After the demon had gone out, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed. 15 But some of them said, “He drives out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” 16 Others were testing him by demanding of him a sign from heaven. 17 But he knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed. And a house divided against itself falls. 18 If Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? You say that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19 But if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? So they will be your judges. 20 Yet if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger attacks him and defeats him, he takes away that man’s full armor, in which he had trusted, and divides up his plunder.
23 “The one who is not with me is against me. The one who does not gather with me scatters. 24 When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places, seeking rest, but does not find any. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house, the one I left.’ 25 When it returns, it finds the house swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and dwell there. The last condition of that man becomes worse than the first.”
The Sign of Jonah
27 While he was saying these things, a woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that carried you, and the breasts at which you nursed!”
28 But he said, “Even more blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”
29 As the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation. It is seeking a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation. 31 The Queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. But look, one greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. But look, one greater than Jonah is here.
A Lamp and a Lampstand
33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a hidden place or under a basket, but on a stand so that those who come in may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of the body. When your eye is good, your whole body is full of light. But when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. 35 Therefore, see to it that the light that is in you is not darkness. 36 So if your whole body is full of light, without any dark part, it will be completely full of light, as when a lamp shines on you with bright light.”
Woes and Warnings
37 After Jesus spoke, a Pharisee invited him to have a meal with him. He went in and reclined at the table. 38 When the Pharisee saw this, he was amazed that he did not first wash[e] before the meal. 39 But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 Fools! Didn’t the one who made the outside also make the inside? 41 But give those things that are inside as a gift to the poor, and see, everything will be clean for you. 42 But woe to you Pharisees, because you give a tenth of mint and rue and every herb, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have done these things without neglecting the others. 43 Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the best seat in the synagogues and the greetings in the marketplaces. 44 Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without realizing it.”
45 One of the legal experts answered him, “Teacher, by saying these things you are insulting us too.”
46 But Jesus said, “Woe to you legal experts too, because you load people down with burdens too difficult to carry, and you yourselves do not touch these burdens with one of your fingers. 47 Woe to you because you build monuments for the prophets, but your fathers killed them. 48 So you are witnesses and agree with what your fathers did, because they killed them, and you build their monuments. 49 For this reason the wisdom of God also said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles. Some of them they will kill and persecute, 50 so that this generation may be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed from the foundation of the world, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary.’ Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against this generation. 52 Woe to you legal experts, because you took away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not enter, and you hindered those who were trying to enter.”
53 When he went away from there, the experts in the law and the Pharisees began to oppose him fiercely and to question him closely about many things. 54 They were plotting against him to trap him in something he said.[f]
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.