M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Proof of the Covenant
17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am ·God Almighty [L El Shaddai]. ·Obey [L Walk before] me and ·do what is right [L be innocent/blameless; Job 1:1]. 2 I will make an ·agreement [covenant; treaty; 6:18] between ·us [L me and you], and I will make you ·the ancestor of many people [L exceedingly numerous].”
3 Then Abram ·bowed facedown on the ground [L fell on his face]. God said to him, 4 “I am making my ·agreement [covenant; treaty; 6:18] with you: I will make you the father of ·many [L a host/multitude of] nations. 5 I am changing your name from Abram [C meaning “exalted father”] to Abraham [C sounds like “father of a multitude” in Hebrew] because I am making you a father of ·many [L a host/multitude of] nations. 6 I will ·give you many descendants [L cause you to be exceedingly fruitful; 1:22]. ·New nations will be born from you [L I will make nations of you], and kings will come from you. 7 And I will make an ·agreement [covenant; treaty; 6:18] between me and you and all your ·descendants [L seed] ·from now on [or forever]: I will be your God and the God of all your descendants. 8 You live in the land of Canaan now as a ·stranger [sojourner; wanderer; resident alien], but I will give you and your ·descendants [L seed] all this land ·forever [L as a permanent possesssion]. And I will be the God of your ·descendants [L seed].”
9 Then God said to Abraham, “You and your ·descendants [seed] must ·keep [obey; guard] this ·agreement [covenant; treaty; 6:18] ·from now on [L throughout their generations]. 10 This is my ·agreement [covenant; treaty; 6:18] with you and all your ·descendants [L seed], which you must ·obey [keep; guard]: Every male among you must be circumcised [C the ritual of membership in the covenant/treaty]. 11 ·Cut away [Circumcise] [L the flesh of] your foreskin ·to show that you are prepared to follow the agreement [L as a sign of the covenant/treaty] between me and you. 12 ·From now on [L Throughout your generations] when a baby boy is eight days old, you will circumcise him. This includes any ·boy born among your people [L house-born slave] or any who is ·your slave [L bought with money from a foreigner], who is not one of your ·descendants [L seed]. 13 Circumcise every baby boy whether he is born in your ·family [L house] or bought ·as a slave [L with money from a foreigner]. ·Your bodies will be marked to show that you are part of my agreement [L …so that my covenant/treaty might be in your flesh as a covenant/treaty] that lasts forever. 14 Any [L uncircumcised] male ·who [L whose foreskin] is not circumcised will be cut off from his people, because he has broken my ·agreement [covenant; treaty; 6:18].”
Isaac—the Promised Son
15 God said to Abraham, “I will change the name of Sarai [C meaning “princess” in her native dialect; 11:29], your wife, to Sarah [C also meaning “princess,” but in a dialect of Canaan, signifying her transition to the Promised Land]. 16 I will bless her and give ·her a son, and you will be the father [L from her to you a son]. She will ·be the mother of [give rise to] many nations. Kings of nations will come from her.”
17 Abraham ·bowed facedown on the ground [L fell on his face] and laughed. He ·said to himself [thought; L said in his heart], “Can a man have a child when he is a hundred years old? Can Sarah give birth to a child when she is ninety?” 18 Then Abraham said to God, “Please let Ishmael ·be the son you promised [L live before you].”
19 God said, “·No, [or Yes, but] Sarah your wife will have a son, and you will name him Isaac [C related to the verb meaning “to laugh”]. I will make my ·agreement [covenant; treaty; 6:18] with him to be an ·agreement that continues forever [eternal covenant/treaty] with all his ·descendants [L seed].
20 “As for Ishmael, I have heard you. I will bless him and ·give him many descendants [L make him fruitful]. And I will cause their numbers to grow greatly. He will be the father of twelve great ·leaders [princes; chiefs; 25:16], and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But I will make my ·agreement [covenant; treaty; 6:18] with Isaac, the son whom Sarah will have at this same time next year.” 22 After ·God [L he] finished talking with Abraham, God ·rose and left him [L went up from Abraham].
23 Then Abraham ·gathered [L took] Ishmael, all the males ·born in his camp [L of his house], and ·the slaves he had bought [L those bought with money]. So that day Abraham circumcised [L the flesh of his foreskin of] every man and boy in his camp as God had told him to do. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he ·was circumcised [L circumcised the flesh of his foreskin]. 25 And Ishmael, his son, was thirteen years old when he was circumcised [L in the flesh of his foreskin]. 26 Abraham and his son were circumcised on the same day. 27 Also on that day all the men in Abraham’s camp were circumcised, including all those born in his ·camp [L house] and all ·the slaves he had bought from other nations [L all those bought of a stranger].
The Leaders Ask for a Miracle(A)
16 The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus, wanting to ·trick [test] him. So they asked him to show them a ·miracle [sign] from ·God [L heaven; C possibly a sign in the sky, but more likely a Jewish way of saying “from God”].
2 Jesus answered,[a] “·At sunset [In the evening] you say we will have good weather, because the sky is red. 3 And in the morning you say that it will be ·a rainy day [stormy; bad weather], because the sky is red and ·dark [threatening; overcast]. You see ·these signs in [the appearance of] the sky and know ·what they mean [how to interpret them]. ·In the same way [or However; On the other hand], you ·see the things that I am doing now, but you don’t know their meaning [L cannot interpret the signs of the times]. 4 ·Evil and sinful people [L An evil/wicked and adulterous generation] ·ask for [seek; demand] a miracle as a sign, but they will not be given any sign, except the sign of Jonah [see 12:40; Jon. 1:17].” Then Jesus left them and went away.
Guard Against Wrong Teachings(B)
5 Jesus’ ·followers [disciples] went ·across the lake [L to the other side], but they had forgotten to bring bread. 6 Jesus said to them, “·Be careful [Watch out]! Beware of the ·yeast [leaven] of the Pharisees and the Sadducees [C yeast or leaven refers here to the dangerous permeating power of their influence].”
7 ·His followers [L They] discussed the meaning of this, saying, “He said this because we forgot to bring bread.”
8 Knowing what they were talking about, Jesus asked them, “Why are you ·talking [discussing; arguing] about not having bread? ·Your faith is small [What little faith you have!; T You of little faith]. 9 Do you still not understand? Remember the five loaves of bread that fed the five thousand? And remember that you filled many baskets with the leftovers? 10 Or the seven loaves of bread that fed the four thousand and the many [large] baskets you filled then also? 11 Why don’t you understand that I was not talking to you about bread? I am telling you to beware of the ·yeast [leaven] of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” 12 Then ·the followers [L they] understood that Jesus was not telling them to beware of the ·yeast [leaven] used in bread but to beware of the teaching of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
Peter Says Jesus Is the Christ(C)
13 When Jesus came to the area of Caesarea Philippi [C 25 miles north of Lake Galilee near Mount Hermon], he asked his ·followers [disciples], “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14 They answered, “Some say you are John the Baptist. Others say you are Elijah [C some Jews expected Elijah to return in the end times; Mal. 4:5], and still others say you are Jeremiah or one of the prophets [Deut. 18:15].”
15 Then Jesus asked them, “·And [But] who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the ·Christ [Messiah], the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus answered, “You are blessed, Simon son of Jonah, because ·no person taught you that [L flesh and blood did not reveal this to you]. [L But; Rather] My Father in heaven ·showed you who I am [revealed it]. 18 So I tell you, you are Peter [C the Greek petros, like the Aramaic cephas, means “rock” or “stone”]. On this rock I will build my church, and the ·power of death [L gates of Hades/the underworld] will not be able to ·defeat [overpower; conquer; prevail against] it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; ·the things [and whatever] you ·don’t allow [forbid; L bind] on earth will be ·the things that God does not allow [forbidden/L bound in heaven], and ·the things [whatever] you ·allow [permit; L loose] on earth will be ·the things that God allows [permitted/L loosed in heaven].” 20 Then Jesus [sternly] warned his ·followers [disciples] not to tell anyone he was the ·Christ [Messiah].
Jesus Says that He Must Die(D)
21 From that time on Jesus began ·telling [showing; making it clear to] his ·followers [disciples] that he must go to Jerusalem, where the Jewish elders, the leading priests, and the ·teachers of the law [scribes] would make him suffer ·many things [greatly]. He told them he must be killed and then be raised from the dead on the third day.
22 Peter took Jesus aside and ·told him not to talk like that [L began to reprimand/rebuke him]. He said, “·God save you from those things [God forbid; May it never be; L (God) Be merciful], Lord! Those things ·will never [must certainly not] happen to you!”
23 Then Jesus turned and said to Peter, “·Go away from [Get behind] me, Satan! You are ·not helping [an obstacle/stumbling block to] me! You ·don’t care about [are not setting your mind on/thinking about] the things of God, but only ·about the things people think are important [on/about human concerns].”
24 Then Jesus said to his ·followers [disciples], “If ·people want [L anyone wants] to follow me, they must ·give up the things they want [deny themselves; turn from selfishness; set aside their own interests]. They must ·be willing even to give up their lives to [L take up their cross and] follow me. 25 Those who want to save their lives will ·give up true life [L lose their life/soul; C Greek psychē can mean “life” or “soul,” producing this play on words], and those who ·give up [lose; sacrifice] their lives for ·me [my sake] will ·have true life [find life]. 26 ·It is worthless [What good/profit/benefit is it…?] to ·have [gain] the whole world if they ·lose [forfeit] their souls. ·They could never pay enough [L Or what could they give…?] ·to buy back [in exchange for] their souls. 27 [L For] The Son of Man will come again with his Father’s glory and with his angels. At that time, he will ·reward [repay; give back; judge] them for what they have done [Ps. 62:12; Prov. 24:12]. 28 I tell you the truth, some people standing here will not ·die [L taste death] before they see the Son of Man [Dan. 7:13–14] coming with his kingdom.” [C This may refer to the Transfiguration which follows (17:1–8), Jesus’ resurrection, or the destruction of Jerusalem in ad 70.]
More Problems for Nehemiah
6 Then Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and our other enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that there was not one ·gap [breach] in it. But I had not yet set the doors in the gates. 2 So Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, Nehemiah, let’s meet together in ·Kephirim [or one of the villages] on the plain of Ono.”
But they were ·planning [plotting; scheming] to harm me. 3 So I sent messengers to them with this answer: “I am ·doing [engaged in] a great work, and I can’t come down. ·I don’t want the work to [L Why should the work…?] stop while I leave to meet you.” 4 Sanballat and Geshem sent the same message to me four times, and each time I sent back the same answer.
5 The fifth time Sanballat sent his ·helper [servant; assistant] to me, and in his hand was an ·unsealed [open] letter. 6 This is what was written:
A report is going around to all the nations, and ·Geshem [Gashmu; C the same person as in 2:19] says it is true, that you and the Jewish people are planning to ·turn against the king [rebel; revolt] and ·that [therefore] you are rebuilding the wall. They say you are ·going [intending; planning; wishing] to be their king 7 and that you have ·appointed [anointed; established] prophets to ·announce [proclaim] in Jerusalem: “There is a king of Judah!” The king will hear about ·this [these reports/rumors]. So come, let’s ·discuss this [confer; take counsel] together.
8 So I sent him back this answer: “·Nothing you are saying is really happening. [We are not doing what you are saying.] You are just ·making it up [inventing/imagining them] in your own ·mind [L heart].”
9 Our enemies were trying to ·scare [intimidate; terrorize] us, thinking, “They will get too ·weak [discouraged; L their hands will grow slack] to work. Then the wall will not be finished.”
·But I prayed [So now], “God, ·make me strong [L strengthen my hands].”
10 ·One day [Then] I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel. Shemaiah ·had to stay at [was confined to his; C perhaps related to a vow or to ritual uncleanness] home. He said, “Nehemiah, let’s meet in the ·Temple [L house] of God. Let’s go inside the Temple and ·close [bar] the doors, because men are coming at night to kill you.”
11 But I said, “Should a man like me [C in his position] run away? Should I run ·for [to save] my life into the Temple [C to seek asylum; Ex. 21:13–14; 1 Kin. 1:50–53; 2:28–34; 2 Chr. 26:16–20; 27:2]? I will not go.” 12 I ·knew [realized; perceived; recognized] that God had not sent him but that Tobiah and Sanballat had ·paid [hired] him to prophesy against me. 13 They ·paid [hired] him to ·frighten [intimidate; terrorize] me so I would do this and sin. Then they could ·give me a bad name to shame [accuse and discredit/blame] me.
14 I prayed, “My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat and what they have done. Also remember the prophetess Noadiah and the other prophets who have been trying to ·frighten [intimidate; terrorize] me.”
The Wall Is Finished
15 The wall of Jerusalem was completed on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Elul [C October 2, 515 bc]. It took fifty-two days to rebuild. 16 When all our enemies heard about it and all the nations around us saw it, they were ·shamed [disheartened; or amazed]. They ·understood [recognized; realized] that the work had been ·done [accomplished] with the help of our God.
17 Also in those days the ·important people [nobles] of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and he answered them. 18 Many ·Jewish people [L in Judah] ·had promised to be faithful [were under oath; had sworn allegiance] to Tobiah, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah. And Tobiah’s son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah. 19 ·These important people [L They] kept telling me about the good ·things [deeds] Tobiah was doing, and then they would tell Tobiah ·what I said about him [L my words]. So Tobiah sent letters to ·frighten [intimidate; terrorize] me.
Timothy Goes with Paul
16 Paul came to Derbe and Lystra [14:6], where a ·follower [disciple] named Timothy lived. Timothy’s mother was Jewish [C her name was Eunice (2 Tim. 1:5; 3:15)] and a believer, but his father was a Greek.
2 The ·believers [L brothers (and sisters)] in Lystra and Iconium [13:51] ·respected Timothy and ·said good things about [spoke well of; L testified about] him. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to travel with him, but all the people living in that area knew that Timothy’s father was Greek. So Paul circumcised Timothy ·to please his mother’s people [L because of the Jews in those places]. 4 ·Paul and those with him [L They] traveled from town to town and ·gave [delivered; passed on] the ·decisions [decrees] made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5 So the churches became stronger in the faith and grew larger every day.
Paul Is Called to Macedonia
6 ·Paul and those with him [L They] went through the areas of Phrygia [C a region in north central Asia Minor; 18:23] and Galatia [C either the Roman province of Galatia or the old kingdom of Galatia in its north] since the Holy Spirit ·did not let them [prohibited them to; C either through circumstances or divine revelation] ·preach the Good News [L speak the word] in Asia [C a Roman province, in present-day Turkey]. 7 When they came ·near [or opposite] the country of Mysia [C the northwest section of Asia Minor, present-day Turkey], they tried to go into Bithynia [C northern Asia Minor further east than Mysia], but the Spirit of Jesus did not let them. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went to Troas [C a city in northwest Asia Minor]. 9 That night Paul saw in a vision a man from Macedonia [C an area across the Aegean Sea in mainland Greece]. The man stood and ·begged [urged; encouraged], “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we [C the switch to first person plural (“we”) indicates that the author, Luke, joined them (see also 20:5—21:18; 27:1—28:16)] immediately ·prepared [made plans; attempted] to leave for Macedonia, ·understanding [or convinced] that God had called us to ·tell the Good News [preach the Gospel] to those people.
Lydia Becomes a Christian
11 We ·left [embarked/put out to sea from] Troas and sailed straight to the island of Samothrace [C a mountainous island in the north Aegean]. The next day we sailed to Neapolis [C city in Macedonia, the first city Paul visited on the continent of Europe]. 12 Then we went by land to Philippi, a Roman colony [C a town begun by Romans with Roman laws, customs, and privileges] and ·the leading city in that part [or one of the leading cities in that district; or a city in the first district] of Macedonia. We stayed there for several days.
13 On the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate to the river where we ·thought [expected] we would find a special place for prayer [C Philippi evidently had no synagogue because of its small Jewish population]. Some women had gathered there, so we sat down and talked with them. 14 One of the listeners was a woman named Lydia from the city of Thyatira [C in western Asia Minor] ·whose job was selling [who was a dealer/merchant in] purple cloth [C the most expensive type of material]. She was a worshiper of God [C a God-fearing Gentile; 10:2], and the Lord opened her ·mind [L heart] to pay attention to what Paul was saying. 15 She and ·all the people in her house [her household] were baptized. Then she ·invited us to her home [L urged us], saying, “If you ·think I am truly [L have judged me to be] ·a believer in [or faithful to] the Lord, then come stay in my house.” And she ·persuaded us [urged us strongly] to stay with her.
Paul and Silas in Jail
16 Once, while we were going to the place for prayer, a ·servant [slave] girl met us. She had a ·special spirit [spirit/demon of divination/prediction; L Python spirit; C Python was the serpent god that guarded the Delphic oracle; the term came to be used of the ability to predict the future] in her, and she earned a lot of money for her owners by telling fortunes. 17 This girl followed Paul and us, shouting, “These men are ·servants [slaves] of the Most High God. They are telling you ·how you can be saved [L the way/path of salvation].”
18 She kept this up for many days. This ·bothered [annoyed; exasperated] Paul, so he turned and said to the spirit, “By the ·power [L name] of Jesus Christ, I command you to come out of her!” ·Immediately, [L That very hour] the spirit came out.
19 When the owners of the ·servant [slave] girl saw that their ·source for making money [hope of profit] was gone, they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the ·city rulers [leaders; authorities] in the marketplace. 20 They brought Paul and Silas to the ·Roman rulers [magistrates] and said, “These men are Jews and are ·making trouble in [disturbing] our city. 21 They are ·teaching things [advocating customs] that are not ·right [permitted; lawful] for us as Romans to [L adopt/accept or to] do.”
22 The crowd joined the attack against them. The ·Roman officers [magistrates] ·tore [stripped off] the clothes of Paul and Silas and ·had [ordered] them beaten with rods [2 Cor. 11:25]. 23 After ·being severely beaten [L many blows were laid on them], ·Paul and Silas [L they] were thrown into ·jail [prison], and the jailer was ordered to guard them ·carefully [securely]. 24 When he heard this order, he put them far inside the ·jail [prison] and ·pinned [secured; fastened] their feet ·down between large blocks of wood [in stocks; L in wood].
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing ·songs [hymns; praise songs] to God as the other prisoners listened. 26 Suddenly, there was a ·strong [great; violent] earthquake that shook the foundation of the ·jail [prison]. Then all the doors of the ·jail [prison] broke open, and all the prisoners were freed from their chains. 27 The jailer woke up and saw that the ·jail [prison] doors were open. Thinking that the prisoners had already escaped, he got his sword and was about to kill himself [C being responsible, he would suffer punishment and shame for their escape]. 28 But [L with a great/loud voice] Paul shouted, “Don’t hurt yourself! We are all here.”
29 The jailer ·told someone to bring a light [L asked for lights]. Then he ·ran [rushed] inside and, shaking with fear, fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 He brought them outside and said, “·Men [L Lords; Sirs], what must I do to be saved?”
31 They said to him, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved—you and ·all the people in your house [your household].” 32 So ·Paul and Silas [L they] told the ·message [word] of the Lord to the jailer and all the people in his ·house [household]. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took Paul and Silas and washed their wounds. Then he and all his ·people [or family; household] were baptized immediately. 34 After this the jailer took Paul and Silas home and gave them food. He and his ·family [L household] ·were very happy [rejoiced; celebrated] because they now believed in God.
35 The next morning, the ·Roman officers [magistrates] sent the police to tell the jailer, “Let these men go free.”
36 The jailer ·said [L reported these words] to Paul, “The ·officers [magistrates] have sent an order to let you go free. You can leave now. Go in peace.”
37 But Paul said to ·the police [L them], “They beat us in public ·without a trial [L uncondemned], even though we are Roman citizens [C Roman law stated that citizens could not be beaten without a trial]. And they threw us in ·jail [prison]. Now they want to ·make us go away [get rid of us; throw us out] ·quietly [in secret]. No! Let them come themselves and bring us out.”
38 The police ·told [reported to] the ·Roman officers [magistrates] what Paul said. When ·the officers [L they] heard that ·Paul and Silas [L they] were Roman citizens, they were afraid. 39 So they came and ·told Paul and Silas they were sorry [apologized to them; appeased them] and took them out of ·jail [prison] and asked them to leave the city. 40 So when they came out of the ·jail [prison], they went to Lydia’s house where they saw some of the ·believers [L brothers (and sisters)] and encouraged them. Then they left.
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