This Bible reading plan takes you through most of the Holy Scriptures each weekday of the year. Each day has three Bible readings:
You're welcome to read one, two, or all three of the readings every weekday. And if you fall behind, don't worry! You can either use the weekends to catch up or you can simply dive in to the reading for that day, even if you've missed a few days, weeks, or even months!
You can download a foldable bookmark here: 2026
10:1 Brothers,1 my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.2
5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. 6 But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?3 And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
18 But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for
“Their voice has gone out to all the earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.”
19 But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says,
“I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation;
with a foolish nation I will make you angry.”
20 Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,
“I have been found by those who did not seek me;
I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”
21 But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”
[1] 10:1
[2] 10:4
[3] 10:14
(ESV)
The past couple days have been extremely frustrating for me. I am a cyclist. I love to watch bike races, and while there are some exciting times of strategic maneuvering, aggressive attacks or unexpected crashes during the race, most of the excitement is usually reserved for the end of the race, the last kilometer or so.
Consequently, on Tuesday when I watched the Tour of California I cannot express my degree of indignation when just a couple of kilometers (about 2 minutes worth of riding) from the end of the race Versus switched over to the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Arghhhh!) I didn't get to see whether the peloton was able to catch the breakaway of the three top riders, Dave Zabriskie, Michael Rogers and Levi Leipheimer, or who won the stage. Then last night I was watching the race on my DVR when the recording ended just one kilometer from the finish in Modesto. This time, I actually screamed in frustration at not being able to see if any of the other sprinters would be able to beat the fastest man in the world, Mark Cavendish.
Why is the end of the race most important? It's obvious. If you want to win, you must finish the course first. In Romans 10:4 Paul writes: "Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes." When we hear those words we might be tempted to think that they mean Christ has done away with God's Law, declared it null and void, or thrown it out. Actually, what Paul means is much closer to the end of a race, than to something being removed.
The Greek word "telos" is the first word in Paul's sentence, showing us that the emphasis is on that word. Although it is translated "end" in the NIV, telos actually has a much deeper meaning. "Telos" means end or goal, and includes the idea of fulfillment, completion, even perfection.
What Paul means to tell us then, is not that Christ has done away with the Law, but rather that he has completed or fulfilled it on our behalf. He did what we cannot do. He ran the perfect race, fulfilling every command of God without fault or defect. His fulfillment of the Law even included taking the punishment decreed by the Law (death) on our behalf.
As a result, we are no longer under the Law's condemnation. We can now look to God's Law for guidance and direction as to how to live righteous lives that will please God and honor Him. Since we have been declared righteous, through faith in Christ Jesus, we now have his power and strength to fulfill the Law in our own lives. But we don't have to worry about being perfect. Jesus already achieved perfection for us. He won the race in our place. When it came to "the end" he was perfect!
8 “‘“But if any nation or kingdom will not serve this Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, declares the LORD, until I have consumed it by his hand. 9 So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your fortune-tellers, or your sorcerers, who are saying to you, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon.’ 10 For it is a lie that they are prophesying to you, with the result that you will be removed far from your land, and I will drive you out, and you will perish. 11 But any nation that will bring its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will leave on its own land, to work it and dwell there, declares the LORD.”’”
12 To Zedekiah king of Judah I spoke in like manner: “Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people and live. 13 Why will you and your people die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, as the LORD has spoken concerning any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? 14 Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are saying to you, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon,’ for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you. 15 I have not sent them, declares the LORD, but they are prophesying falsely in my name, with the result that I will drive you out and you will perish, you and the prophets who are prophesying to you.”
16 Then I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, “Thus says the LORD: Do not listen to the words of your prophets who are prophesying to you, saying, ‘Behold, the vessels of the LORD’s house will now shortly be brought back from Babylon,’ for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you. 17 Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon and live. Why should this city become a desolation? 18 If they are prophets, and if the word of the LORD is with them, then let them intercede with the LORD of hosts, that the vessels that are left in the house of the LORD, in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem may not go to Babylon. 19 For thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the pillars, the sea, the stands, and the rest of the vessels that are left in this city, 20 which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take away, when he took into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem—21 thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that are left in the house of the LORD, in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem: 22 They shall be carried to Babylon and remain there until the day when I visit them, declares the LORD. Then I will bring them back and restore them to this place.”
(ESV)
Jeremiah warned the people of Jerusalem that their only hope was in subjugating themselves to Babylon. Rebellion would only bring punishment by pestilence, sword and famine. Jeremiah told the people "do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your fortune-tellers, or your sorcerers." If they would be subject to Babylon they could remain in their land. Likewise, Jeremiah told King Zedekiah to submit to Babylon, and ignore what the false prophets were telling him. The false prophets offered a false hope, promising that the vessels of the temple, which had been taken to Babylon, would soon be returned. Instead, Jeremiah told them to ask the false prophets to intercede with the LORD so that the vessels that remained might not also be taken up to Babylon. However, Jeremiah made God's will clear. Those vessels too would be carried away to Babylon, and would not return "until the day when I visit them, declares the LORD." This promise of future mercy and deliverance offered real hope to the faithful few who trusted that the LORD spoke through Jeremiah. God promised that in His perfect time, "I will bring them back and restore them to this place." He would do so in order to bring about the New Covenant through the coming Messiah, God's Son, Jesus Christ.
77:1 I cry aloud to God,
aloud to God, and he will hear me.
2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;
my soul refuses to be comforted.
3 When I remember God, I moan;
when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah
4 You hold my eyelids open;
I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5 I consider the days of old,
the years long ago.
6 I said,1 “Let me remember my song in the night;
let me meditate in my heart.”
Then my spirit made a diligent search:
7 “Will the Lord spurn forever,
and never again be favorable?
8 Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
Are his promises at an end for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah
[1] 77:6
(ESV)