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Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading
June 15 - Bible-in-a-Year
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2 Samuel 4-5
Chapter 4
Ish-bosheth Murdered
1 Now when (F1)Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, heard that (C1)Abner had died in Hebron, (F2)(C2)his courage failed, and all Israel was horrified.2 And Saul's son had two men who were commanders of troops: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the sons of Benjamin (for (C1)Beeroth is also considered (C2)part of Benjamin,3 and the Beerothites fled to (C1)Gittaim and have lived there as strangers until this day).
4 Now (C1)Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son who was disabled in both feet. He was five years old when the (C2)news of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse picked him up and fled. But it happened that in her hurry to flee, he fell and could no longer walk. And his name was (F1)(C3)Mephibosheth.
5 So the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, departed and came to the house of (C1)Ish-bosheth in the heat of the day, while he was taking his midday rest.6 (F1)And they came to the interior of the house as if (F2)to get wheat, and (C1)they struck him in the belly; and Rechab and his brother Baanah escaped.7 Now when they had come into the house, as he was lying on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and killed him, and they beheaded him. And they took his head and (F1)(C1)traveled by way of the Arabah all night.8 Then they brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron, and said to the king, "Behold, the head of Ish-bosheth (C1)the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life; so the LORD has given my lord the king vengeance this day on Saul and his (F1)descendants."
9 But David replied to Rechab and his brother Baanah, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, "As the LORD lives, (C1)who has redeemed my life from all distress,10 (C1)when the one who informed me, saying, 'Behold, Saul is dead,' also (F1)viewed himself as the bearer of good news, I seized him and killed him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news.11 "How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now (C1)require his blood from your hands and eliminate you both from the earth?"12 Then (C1)David commanded the young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet, and hung them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth (C2)and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.
Chapter 5
David King over All Israel
1 (C1)Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and (F1)said, "Behold, we are (C2)your bone and your flesh.2 "Previously, when Saul was king over us, (C1)you were the one who led Israel (F1)out and in. And the LORD said to you, '(C2)You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be (C3)a leader over Israel.'"3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David (C1)made a covenant with them before the LORD in Hebron; then (C2)they anointed David king over Israel.4 David was (C1)thirty years old when he became king, and (C2)he reigned for forty years.5 At Hebron (C1)he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned for thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.
6 (C1)Now the king and his men went to (C2)Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land; and they said to (F1)David, "You shall not come in here, but even those who are blind and those who limp will turn you away," (F2)thinking, "David cannot enter here."7 Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Zion, that is, (C1)the city of David.8 And David said on that day, "Whoever strikes the Jebusites is to reach those who limp and those who are blind, who are hated by David's soul, through the water tunnel." For that reason they say, "People who are blind and people who limp shall not come into the house."9 So David lived in the stronghold, and called it (C1)the city of David. And David built all around from the (F1)(C2)Millo and inward.10 (C1)David became greater and greater, for the LORD God of armies was with him.
11 (C1)Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees, carpenters, and (F1)stonemasons; and they built a house for David.12 And David realized that the LORD had appointed him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.
13 Meanwhile (C1)David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron; and more sons and daughters were born to David.14 Now (C1)these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
War with the Philistines
17 Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, (C1)all the Philistines went up to seek out David; and when David heard about it, he went down to the (C2)stronghold.18 Now the Philistines came and overran (C1)the Valley of Rephaim.19 So (C1)David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You hand them over to me?" And (C2)the LORD said to David, "Go up, for I will certainly hand the Philistines over to you."20 Then David came to (C1)Baal-perazim and (F1)defeated them there; and he said, "The LORD has broken through my enemies before me like the breakthrough of waters." Therefore he named that place (F2)Baal-perazim.21 And the Philistines abandoned their idols there, so (C1)David and his men carried them away.
22 Now (C1)the Philistines came up once again and overran the Valley of Rephaim.23 So (C1)David inquired of the LORD, but He said, "You shall not go directly up; circle around behind them and come at them in front of the baka-shrubs.24 "And it shall be, when (C1)you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the baka-shrubs, then you shall (F1)act promptly, for then (C2)the LORD will have gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines."25 Then David did so, just as the LORD had commanded him; he struck and killed the Philistines from (F1)(C1)Geba (F2)as far as (C2)Gezer.
Daniel 2:24-49
Chapter 2
24 Thereupon, Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to kill the wise men of Babylon; he went and said this to him: "(C1)Do not kill the wise men of Babylon! Take me (F1)into the king's presence, and I will declare the interpretation to the king."
25 Then Arioch hurriedly (C1)brought Daniel (F1)into the king's presence and spoke to him as follows: "I have found a man among the (F2)(C2)exiles from Judah who can make the interpretation known to the king!"26 The king said to Daniel, whose name was (C1)Belteshazzar, "Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen and its interpretation?"27 Daniel answered before the king and said, "As for the secret about which the king has inquired, neither (C1)wise men, sorcerers, soothsayer priests, nor diviners are able to declare it to the king.28 "However, there is a (C1)God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the (F1)(C2)latter days. This was your dream and the (C3)visions (F2)in your mind while on your bed.29 "As for you, O king, while on your bed your thoughts (F1)turned to what would take place (F2)in the future; and (C1)He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will take place.30 "But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me (F1)for any (C1)wisdom (F2)residing in me more than in any other living person, but for the purpose of making the interpretation known to the king, and that you may understand the (C2)thoughts of your (F3)mind.
The King's Dream
31 "You, O king, were watching and behold, there was a single great statue; that statue, which was large and (F1)of extraordinary radiance, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was (F2)(C1)awesome.32 "The (C1)head of that statue was made of fine gold, its chest and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze,33 its legs of iron, and its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.34 "You (F1)continued watching until a (C1)stone was broken off (C2)without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and (C3)crushed them.35 "Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed to pieces (F1)all at the same time, and they were (C1)like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that (C2)not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great (C3)mountain and filled the entire earth.
The Interpretation—Babylon the First Kingdom
36 "This was the dream; and now we will tell (C1)its interpretation before the king.37 "You, O king, are the (C1)king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the (F1)kingdom, the (C2)power, the strength, and the honor;38 and wherever the sons of mankind live, or the (C1)animals of the field, or the birds of the sky, He has handed them over to you and has made you ruler over them all. You are the head of gold.
Medo-Persia and Greece
39 "And after you another kingdom will arise inferior to you, then another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth.Rome
40 "Then there will be a (C1)fourth kingdom as strong as iron; just as iron smashes and crushes everything, so, like iron that crushes, it will smash and crush all these things.41 "And in that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have within it some of the toughness of iron, since you saw the iron mixed with (F1)common clay.42 "And just as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong, and part of it will be fragile.43 "In that you saw the iron mixed with (F1)common clay, they will combine with one another (F2)in (F3)their descendants; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not combine with pottery.The Divine Kingdom
44 "And in the days of those kings the (C1)God of heaven will (C2)set up a (C3)kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be (F1)left for another people; it will (C4)crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.45 "Just as you saw that a (C1)stone was broken off from the mountain without hands, and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold, the (C2)great God has made known to the king what (C3)will take place (F1)in the future; so the dream is certain and its interpretation is trustworthy."Daniel Promoted
46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and paid (C1)humble respect to Daniel, and gave orders to present to him an offering and (C2)incense.47 The king responded to Daniel and said, "(C1)Your God truly is a (C2)God of gods and a Lord of kings and a (C3)revealer of secrets, since you have been able to reveal this secret."48 Then the king (F1)(C1)promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and he made him ruler over the entire (C2)province of Babylon, and chief (F2)prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.49 And Daniel made a request of the king, and he (C1)appointed (C2)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego over the administration of the province of Babylon, while Daniel was at the king's (F1)(C3)court.
Mark 2
Chapter 2
The Paralyzed Man Healed
1 When Jesus came back to Capernaum a few days later, it was heard that He was at home.2 And (C1)many were gathered together, so that there was no longer space, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them.3 (C1)And some people (*)came, bringing to Him a man who was (C2)paralyzed, carried by four men.4 And when they were unable to (F1)get to Him because of the crowd, they (C1)removed the roof (F2)above Him; and after digging an opening, they let down the pallet on which the (C2)paralyzed man was lying.5 And Jesus, seeing their faith, (*)said to the paralyzed man, "Son, (C1)your sins are forgiven."6 But some of the scribes were sitting there and thinking it over in their hearts,7 "Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming! (C1)Who can forgive sins except God alone?"8 Immediately Jesus, aware (F1)in His spirit that they were thinking that way within themselves, (*)said to them, "Why are you thinking about these things in your hearts?9 "Which is easier, to say to the (C1)paralyzed man, 'Your sins are forgiven'; or to say, 'Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk'?10 "But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"—He (*)said to the paralyzed man,11 "I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet, and go home."12 And he got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and (C1)were glorifying God, saying, "(C2)We have never seen anything like this!"
13 And He went out again by the seashore; and (C1)all the (F1)people were coming to Him, and He was teaching them.
Levi (Matthew) Called
14 (C1)As He passed by, He saw (F1)(C2)Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting in the tax office, and He (*)said to him, "(C3)Follow Me!" And he got up and followed Him.15 And it (*)happened that He was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and (F1)sinners were (F2)dining with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many of them, and they were following Him.16 When (C1)the scribes of the Pharisees saw that He was eating with the (F1)sinners and tax collectors, they said to His disciples, "(C2)Why is He eating with tax collectors and (F1)sinners?"17 And hearing this, Jesus (*)said to them, "(C1)It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
18 (C1)John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and they (*)came and (*)said to Him, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?"19 And Jesus said to them, "While the groom is with them, (F1)the attendants of the groom cannot fast, can they? As long as they have the groom with them, they cannot fast.20 "But the (C1)days will come when the groom is taken away from them, and then they will fast, on that day.
21 "No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; otherwise, (F1)the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear results.22 "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins as well; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins."
Question of the Sabbath
23 (C1)And it happened that He was passing through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples began to make their way along while (C2)picking the heads of grain.24 The Pharisees were saying to Him, "Look, (C1)why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?"25 And He (*)said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions became hungry;26 how he entered the house of God in the (F1)time of (C1)Abiathar the high priest, and ate the (F2)consecrated bread, which (C2)is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests, and he also gave it to those who were with him?"27 Jesus said to them, "(C1)The Sabbath (F1)was made (F2)for man, and (C2)not man (F2)for the Sabbath.28 "So the Son of Man is Lord, even of the Sabbath."
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995,2020 by The Lockman Foundation
