M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Jacob Meets Esau
32 When Jacob also went his way, the ·angels [messengers] of God met him. 2 When he saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim [C sounds like “two camps” in Hebrew; a city in the hill country of Gilead; Josh. 13:26, 30].
3 Jacob’s brother Esau was living in the area called Seir in the country of Edom [14:6]. Jacob sent messengers to Esau, 4 telling them, “Give this message to my ·master [lord] Esau: ‘This is what Jacob, your servant, says: I have ·lived [sojourned; lived as an alien] with Laban and have ·remained [or been detained] there until now. 5 I have cattle, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants. I send this message to ·you [my master/lord] ·and ask you to accept us [L to find grace in your eyes].’ ”
6 The messengers returned to Jacob and said, “We went to your brother Esau. He is coming to meet you and has four hundred men with him.”
7 Then Jacob was very afraid and ·worried [distressed]. He divided the people who were with him and all the flocks, herds, and camels into two camps. 8 Jacob thought, “Esau might come and ·destroy [strike; attack] one camp, but the ·other camp can run away and [L the camp that is left] ·be saved [escape].”
9 Then Jacob said, “God of my father Abraham! God of my father Isaac! Lord, ·you told [did you not tell…?] me to return to my country and my family. You said that you would treat me well. 10 I am not worthy of the ·kindness [loyalty; covenant love] and ·continual goodness [faithfulness] you have shown ·me [L your servant]. The first time I traveled across the Jordan River, I had only my walking stick, but now I own enough to have two camps. 11 Please ·save [rescue; deliver] me from [L the hand of] my brother Esau. I am afraid he will come and ·kill [strike; attack] all of us, even the mothers with the children. 12 You said to me, ‘I will treat you well and will make your ·children [L seed] as many as the sand of the seashore [22:17]. There will be too many to count.’ ”
13 Jacob stayed there for the night and prepared ·a gift [or tribute] for Esau from what he had with him: 14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ·female sheep [ewes] and twenty ·male sheep [rams], 15 thirty female camels and their young, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys, and ten male donkeys. 16 Jacob gave each separate flock of animals to one of his servants and said to them, “·Go [Pass] ahead of me and keep some space between each herd.” 17 Jacob gave them their orders. To the servant with the first group of animals he said, “My brother Esau will come to you and ask, ‘·Whose servant are you [L To whom do you belong]? Where are you going and whose ·animals are these [L are these ahead of you]?’ 18 Then you will answer, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. He sent them as a ·gift [or tribute] to you, my ·master [lord] Esau, and he also is coming behind us.’ ”
19 Jacob ordered the second servant, the third servant, and all the ·other servants [L others who followed the droves of animals] to do the same thing. He said, “Say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. 20 Say, ‘Your servant Jacob is coming behind us.’ ” Jacob thought, “If I send ·these gifts [or this tribute] ahead of me, maybe ·Esau will forgive me [L I will appease/propitiate him]. Then when I see ·him [L his face], perhaps he will accept me.” 21 So Jacob ·sent [passed ahead of him] the ·gifts [or tribute] to Esau, but he himself stayed that night in the camp.
Jacob Wrestles with God
22 During the night Jacob rose and crossed the Jabbok River [C a tributary of the Jordan about 15 miles north of the Dead Sea in the Transjordan] at the crossing, taking with him his two wives, his two slave girls, and his eleven sons. 23 He sent his family and everything he had across the ·river [wadi; ravine]. 24 So Jacob was alone, and a man came and wrestled with him until ·the sun came up [daybreak]. 25 When the man saw he could not defeat Jacob, he struck Jacob’s ·hip [hip socket] and put it out of joint [L as he wrestled with him]. 26 Then he said to Jacob, “Let me go. ·The sun is coming up [Daybreak is coming].”
But Jacob said, “I will ·let you go if you will [L not let you go unless you] bless me.”
27 The man said to him, “What is your name?”
And he answered, “Jacob.”
28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob. Your name will now be Israel [C sounds like “he wrestled/fought/strove with God” in Hebrew], because you have ·wrestled [fought; strove] with God and with people, and you have ·won [prevailed].”
29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.”
But ·the man [L he] said, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed Jacob there.
30 So Jacob named that place Peniel [C sounds like “face of God” in Hebrew], saying, “I have seen God face to face, but my life was ·saved [spared].” 31 Then the sun rose as he was leaving that place, and Jacob was limping because of his ·leg [hip]. 32 So even today the people of Israel do not eat the muscle that is on the hip joint of animals [C the sciatic muscle], because Jacob was touched there.
Jesus Heals a Man’s Hand(A)
3 Another time when Jesus went into a synagogue, a man with a ·crippled [paralyzed; deformed; shriveled] hand was there. 2 ·Some people [L They; C probably the Pharisees; see 2:24, 27] watched Jesus closely to see if he would heal the man on the Sabbath day so they could accuse him.
3 Jesus said to the man with the crippled hand, “Stand up here in ·the middle [front] of everyone.”
4 Then Jesus asked ·the people [L them; C probably the Pharisees], “Which is lawful [C according to the law of Moses] on the Sabbath day: to do good or to do evil, to save a life or to kill?” But they ·said nothing to answer him [remained silent].
5 Jesus was angry as he looked at them, and he felt very ·sad [distressed; grieved] because ·they were stubborn [of their hard hearts]. Then he said to the man, “·Hold out [stretch out] your hand.” The man ·held out [stretched out] his hand and it was ·healed [restored]. 6 Then the Pharisees left and [immediately] began ·making plans [plotting] with the Herodians [C a political group that supported king Herod and his family] about a way to ·kill [destroy] Jesus.
Many People Follow Jesus(B)
7 Jesus left with his ·followers [disciples] for the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed him. 8 Also many people came from Judea, from Jerusalem, from Idumea [C located to the south], from the lands across the Jordan River, and from the area of Tyre and Sidon [C located to the north]. When they heard what Jesus was doing, many people came to him. 9 When Jesus saw the crowds, he told his ·followers [disciples] to get a boat ready for him to keep people from ·crowding against [crushing] him. 10 He had healed many people, so all the sick were pushing toward him to touch him. 11 When ·evil [defiling; L unclean; see 1:23] spirits [within people] saw Jesus, they fell down before him and shouted, “You are the Son of God!” 12 But Jesus strongly ·warned [rebuked; ordered] them not to tell who he was.
Jesus Chooses His Twelve Apostles(C)
13 Then Jesus went up ·on a mountain [to the hills] and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 Jesus ·chose [appointed] twelve [C paralleling the twelve tribes of Israel] and called them apostles[a] [C “apostle” means a messenger, or someone sent with a commission]. He wanted them to be with him, and he wanted to send them out to preach 15 and to have the authority to ·force [drive; cast] demons out of people. 16 These are the twelve he ·chose [appointed]: Simon (Jesus named him Peter), 17 James and John, the sons of Zebedee (Jesus named them Boanerges, which [C in Aramaic] means “Sons of Thunder”), 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot [C either religiously zealous, or a (former) member of the revolutionary movement known as Zealots], 19 and Judas Iscariot [C Iscariot probably means “man of Kerioth”], who later ·turned against [betrayed] Jesus.
Some People Say Jesus Is Possessed by an Evil Spirit(D)
20 Then Jesus went ·home [into a house], but again a crowd gathered. There were so many people that Jesus and his followers could not eat. 21 When his ·family [own people] heard this, they went to ·get [seize; take charge of] him because they thought he was out of his mind. 22 But the ·teachers of the law [scribes] from Jerusalem were saying, “·Beelzebul [C another name for Satan] is ·living inside [possessing] him! He uses power from the ·ruler [prince] of demons to ·force [drive; cast] demons out of people.”
23 So Jesus called the people together and ·taught them with stories [L spoke to them in parables; C Greek parabolē, which can mean stories and analogies of various kinds]. He said, ·“Satan will not force himself out of people. [L “How can Satan drive out Satan?] 24 A kingdom that is ·divided [at war with itself] cannot ·continue [stand], 25 and a ·family [household; L house] that is divided cannot ·continue [stand]. 26 And if Satan ·is [rises; rebels] against himself and ·fights against his own people [is divided], he cannot ·continue [stand]; that is the end of Satan. 27 No one can enter a strong man’s house and ·steal [seize; plunder] his things unless he first ·ties up [binds] the strong man [Is. 49:24–25]. Then he can ·steal [seize; plunder] things from the house. [C Satan is the strong man and his possessions are the people Jesus is freeing from Satan’s power.] 28 I tell you the truth, all sins that people do and all ·the things people say against God [blasphemies] can be forgiven. 29 But anyone who ·speaks against [blasphemes] the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of ·a sin that continues forever [a sin with eternal consequences; L an eternal sin].”
30 Jesus said this because the teachers of the law said that he had an ·evil [defiling; L unclean] spirit inside him.
Jesus’ True Family(E)
31 Then Jesus’ mother and ·brothers [or brothers and sisters; C the Greek word can mean “siblings”; cf. 6:3] arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to tell him to come out. 32 Many people were sitting around Jesus, and they said to him, “Your mother and brothers[b] are ·waiting [looking; asking] for you outside.”
33 Jesus asked, “Who are my mother and my brothers [and sisters]?” 34 Then he looked at those sitting around him and said, “·Here are [Look; T Behold,] my mother and my brothers [and sisters]! 35 My true brother and sister and mother are those who do ·what God wants [the will of God].”
The King Helps the Jews
8 That same day King ·Xerxes [L Ahasuerus] gave Queen Esther ·everything belonging to [the estate of; L the house of] Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came in to see the king, because Esther had ·told [disclosed/revealed to] the king how he was related to her. 2 Then the king took off his signet ring that he had taken back from Haman, and he gave it to Mordecai. Esther put Mordecai ·in charge of everything belonging to [L over the house of] Haman.
3 Once again Esther spoke to the king. She fell at the king’s feet and ·cried [wept] and ·begged [implored] him to stop the evil ·plan [plot] that Haman the Agagite had ·planned [devised] against the Jews [C Esther wisely did not implicate the king in the plan]. 4 The king ·held out [extended] the gold scepter to Esther. So Esther got up and stood in front of him.
5 She said, “My king, if ·you are pleased with me [L I have found favor in the king’s sight], and if it ·pleases [seems good to] you to do this, if you think it is the right thing to do, and if ·you are happy with me [I am pleasing/attractive to you], let an ·order [edict; decree] be written to ·cancel [revoke; rescind] the ·letters [dispatches; scrolls] Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite ·wrote [devised] to destroy the Jews in all of your ·kingdom [L provinces]. 6 ·I could not stand [L How could I endure…?] to see that ·terrible thing [calamity; disaster] ·happen to [L fall on] my people. ·I could not stand [L How could I endure…?] to see my ·family [relatives; L kindred] ·killed [destroyed].”
7 King ·Xerxes [L Ahasuerus] answered Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, “Because Haman was against the Jews, I have given his ·things [estate; property] to Esther, and my soldiers have ·hanged [impaled] him on the ·platform [gallows; pole]. 8 Now, in the king’s name, write another ·order [edict; decree] ·to [concerning] the Jews as seems ·best [appropriate] to you. Then seal the ·order [edict; decree] with the king’s signet ring, because no ·letter [dispatch] written in the king’s name and sealed with his signet ring can be ·canceled [revoked; rescinded].”
9 At that time the king’s ·secretaries [scribes] were called. This was the twenty-third day of the third month [C June 25], which is Sivan. The secretaries wrote out all of Mordecai’s ·orders [commands] ·to [concerning] the Jews, to the governors, to the ·captains of the soldiers [high officials] in each ·state [province], and to the ·important men [nobles] of the one hundred twenty-seven ·states [provinces] that reached from India to Cush [1:1]. They wrote in the ·writing [script] of each ·state [province] and in the language of each people. They also wrote to the Jews in their own ·writing [script] and language. 10 Mordecai wrote ·orders [edicts; decrees] in the name of King ·Xerxes [L Ahasuerus] and sealed the ·letters [dispatches; scrolls] with the king’s signet ring. Then he sent the king’s ·orders [edicts; decrees] by ·messengers [couriers] on fast horses, horses that were ·raised [bred] ·just [especially] for the king.
11 These were the king’s ·orders [edicts; decrees]: The Jews in every city have the right to ·gather together [assemble] to ·protect themselves [defend their lives]. They may destroy, kill, and ·completely wipe out [annihilate] the army of any ·state [province] or ·people [nation] who attack them [C the king could not cancel his previous unalterable decree, but he could allow the Jews to defend themselves and attack], including their women and children. They may also ·take by force [plunder; confiscate] the property of their enemies. 12 The one day set for the Jews to do this in all the ·empire [provinces] of King ·Xerxes [L Ahasuerus] was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month [C March 7, about twelve months after Haman devised his plot], the month of Adar. 13 A copy of the king’s ·order [edict; decree] was to be ·sent out [issued; presented] as a law in every ·state [province]. It was to be made known to ·the people of every nation living in the kingdom [L all the peoples] so the Jews would be ready on that set day to ·strike back at [avenge themselves on] their enemies.
14 The ·messengers [couriers] hurried out, riding on the royal horses, urged on by the king’s command. And the ·order [edict; decree] was also given in the ·palace [citadel; fortress; 1:2] at Susa.
15 Mordecai left the king’s presence wearing royal ·clothes [garments] of blue and white and a large gold crown. He also had a purple ·robe [mantle] made of the best linen. And the people of Susa shouted for joy. 16 It was a time of ·happiness [L light], joy, gladness, and honor for the Jews. 17 As the king’s ·order [edict; decree] went to every ·state [province] and city, there was joy and gladness among the Jews. In every ·state [province] and city to which the king’s ·order [edict; decree] went, they were having ·feasts [banquets] and ·celebrating [holidays]. And many ·people through all the empire [L peoples of the land] ·became [professed/pretended to be] Jews, because ·they were afraid of the Jews [L dread of the Jews had fallen on them].
3 So what advantage does a Jew have? [L Or] Is there ·anything special [any benefit/advantage] about being circumcised? 2 Yes, there are great benefits in ·every way [or all different ways]. ·The most important thing is this [L First]: God ·trusted [entrusted] the Jews with his ·teachings [revelation; oracles]. 3 ·If [L What if] some Jews were not faithful to him, will their unfaithfulness ·stop God from doing what he promised [L nullify God’s faithfulness]? 4 ·No [Absolutely not; May it never be]! ·God will continue to be true even when every person is false [L Let God be true and every person a liar]. As the Scriptures say:
“So you will be ·shown to be right [justified] ·when you speak [L in your words],
and you will ·win your case in court [L prevail when you are judged; or prevail when you judge (sin); Ps. 51:4].”
5 But if ·what we do wrong [our unrighteousness] ·shows more clearly [highlights] ·that God is right [God’s righteousness], ·how can we say [L what shall we say?] that God is ·wrong [unrighteous; unjust] to ·punish [L inflict wrath on] us? (I am talking ·as people might talk [or in limited human terms].) 6 ·No [Absolutely not; May it never be; v. 4]! If God could not punish us, ·he could not [L how could he…?] judge the world.
7 A person might say, “When I lie, it really ·gives him [L increases his] glory, because my lie shows God’s truth. So why am I ·judged [condemned as] a sinner?” 8 It would be the same to say, “We should do evil so that good will come.” Some people ·find fault with [slander] us and say we teach this, but ·they are wrong and deserve the punishment they will receive [L their condemnation is just].
All People Are Guilty
9 ·So [L What then?] ·are we Jews [or are we Christians; L are we] ·better than others [or making excuses for ourselves]? ·No [L Not at all]! We have already ·said [charged; made the accusation] that Jews and Gentiles alike are all ·guilty of [or under the power of; L under] sin. 10 As the Scriptures say:
“There is no one who ·always does what is right [L is righteous],
not even one.
11 There is no one who understands.
There is no one who ·looks to God for help [L seeks God].
12 All have turned away.
Together, everyone has become ·useless [worthless].
There is no one who ·does anything good [or shows kindness];
there is not even one [Ps. 14:1–3].”
13 “Their throats are like open graves [C either their words are like rotting corpses, or their speech is murderous];
they use their tongues ·for telling lies [to deceive; Ps. 5:9].”
“·Their words are like snake poison [L Asp/Viper venom is on their lips; Ps. 140:3].”
14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and ·hate [bitterness; Ps. 10:7].”
15 “·They [L Their feet] are ·always ready [eager; quick] to ·kill people [L shed blood].
16 ·Everywhere they go [L Along their paths/ways] they cause ·ruin [destruction; havoc] and misery.
17 They don’t know ·how to live in [L the way of] peace [Is. 59:7–8].”
18 “They have no fear of God [Ps. 36:1].”
19 We know that ·the law’s commands [L what the law says] are for those who ·have [are under/subject to; L are in] the law. This ·stops all excuses [L silences every mouth] and brings the whole world under God’s judgment, 20 because no one can be ·made right [justfied; declared righteous] with God [Ps. 143:2] ·by following [L through the works of] the law. [L For] The law only ·shows us our [brings awareness of] sin.
How God Makes People Right
21 But now ·God’s way to make people right with him [L the righteousness of God] ·without [apart from] the law has been ·shown to us [revealed; made known], a way ·told to us [testified to; attested] by the law and the prophets. 22 ·God makes people right with himself [L This righteousness comes] through ·their faith in [or the faithfulness of] Jesus Christ. This is true for all who believe in Christ, because ·all people are the same [there is no distinction/difference; C between Jews and Gentiles]: 23 [L For; Because] Everyone has sinned and ·fallen short [or is not worthy] of God’s ·glorious standard [or glorious presence; L glory], 24 and all need to be ·made right with God [justfied; declared righteous] as a free gift by his grace, ·by being set free from sin [L through the redemption that is] ·through [or in] Jesus Christ. 25 God ·sent [or appointed; or presented] him ·to die in our place to take away our sins [as a sacrifice of atonement; or as the mercy seat; T as a propitiation; C the Greek term could mean the place where sacrificial blood was dripped (the mercy seat) or the sacrifice itself; it implies an atoning sacrifice that turns away divine wrath]. We receive forgiveness through faith in ·the blood of Jesus’ death [L his blood]. This showed ·that God always does what is right and fair [L his righteousness], as in the past when he was patient and ·did not punish people for their sins [L passed over/delayed punishment for previously committed sins]. 26 And God gave Jesus to show ·today [or at this present time (of salvation)] ·that he does what is right [L his righteousness/justice]. God did this so he could ·judge rightly [or be shown to be just/righteous] and so he could ·make right [declare righteous; justify] any person ·who has faith in Jesus [or on the basis of Jesus’ faithfulness; see v. 22]. [C Christ’s sacrificial death shows that God is both just (sin is justly punished) and merciful (God saves undeserving sinners).]
27 ·So do we have a reason to brag about ourselves? No! [L Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded.] ·And why not [L By what law/principle]? It is the ·way [law; principle] of faith that stops all ·bragging [boasting], not the ·way [law; principle] of ·trying to obey the law [L works]. 28 For we ·conclude [maintain; assert] a person is ·made right with God [justified; declared righteous] through faith, not through ·obeying [L the works of] the law. 29 [L Or] Is God only the God of the Jews? Is he not also the God of the Gentiles? 30 Of course he is, because ·there is only one God [or God is one; Deut. 6:4]. He will ·make Jews right with him [L justify/make righteous the circumcised] by their faith, and he will also ·make Gentiles right with him [L justify/declare righteous the uncircumcised] through their faith. 31 So do we ·destroy [nullify; annul] the law by ·following the way of faith [L faith]? ·No [Absolutely not; May it never be; v. 6]! ·Faith causes us to be what the law truly wants [L We uphold/establish/support the law; C living by faith captures the true spirit and purpose of the law; the law pointed out sin and the need for grace, thereby pointing to Christ].
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