M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
33 Then the Lord said to Moses, “You and the people you brought out of Egypt must leave this place. Go to the land that I promised with an oath to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I said, ‘I will give that land to your descendants.’ 2 I will send an angel to lead you. And I will force these people out of the land: the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 3 Go up to the land where much food grows. But I will not go with you. This is because I might destroy you on the way. You are such a stubborn people.”
4 The people heard this bad news, and they became very sad. None of them put on jewelry. 5 This was because the Lord had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stubborn people. If I were to go with you even for a moment, I would destroy you. So take off all your jewelry. Then I will decide what to do with you.’” 6 So the people of Israel took off their jewelry at Mount Sinai.
The Meeting Tent
7 Moses used to take a tent and set it up a long way outside the camp. Moses called it the “Meeting Tent.” A person might want to ask the Lord about something. Then he would go to the Meeting Tent outside the camp. 8 Anytime Moses went out to the Tent, all the people would rise. They stood at the entrances of their tents and watched Moses until he entered the Meeting Tent. 9 When Moses went into the Tent, the pillar of cloud would always come down. It would stay at the entrance of the Tent while the Lord spoke with Moses. 10 The people saw the pillar of cloud at the entrance of the Tent. Then they stood and worshiped, each person at the entrance of his own tent.
11 The Lord spoke to Moses face to face as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp. But Moses’ young helper, Joshua son of Nun, did not leave the Tent.
12 Moses said to the Lord, “You have told me to lead these people. But you did not say whom you would send with me. You have said to me, ‘I know you very well. I am pleased with you.’ 13 If I have truly pleased you, show me your plans. Then I may know you and continue to please you. Remember that this nation is your people.”
14 The Lord answered, “I myself will go with you. And I will give you victory.”
15 Then Moses said to him, “If you yourself don’t go with us, then don’t send us away from this place. 16 If you don’t go with us, no one will know that you are pleased with me and your people. These people and I would be no different from any other people on earth.”
17 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will do what you ask. This is because I know you very well, and I am pleased with you.”
Moses and God’s Greatness
18 Then Moses said, “Now, please show me your greatness.”
19 The Lord answered, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you. I will announce my name, the Lord, so you can hear it. I will show kindness to anyone I want to show kindness. I will show mercy to anyone I want to show mercy. 20 But you cannot see my face. No one can see me and stay alive.
21 “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. 22 My greatness will pass that place. I will put you in a large crack in that rock. And I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back. But my face must not be seen.”
Jesus with Friends in Bethany
12 Six days before the Passover Feast, Jesus went to Bethany, where Lazarus lived. (Lazarus is the man Jesus raised from death.) 2 There they had a dinner for Jesus. Martha served the food. Lazarus was one of the people eating with Jesus. 3 Mary brought in a pint of very expensive perfume made from pure nard. She poured the perfume on Jesus’ feet, and then she wiped his feet with her hair. And the sweet smell from the perfume filled the whole house.
4 Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’ followers, was there. (He was the one who would later turn against Jesus.) Judas said, 5 “This perfume was worth an entire year’s wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.” 6 But Judas did not really care about the poor. He said this because he was a thief. He was the one who kept the money box, and he often stole money from it.
7 Jesus answered, “Let her alone. It was right for her to save this perfume for today—the day for me to be prepared for burial. 8 The poor will always be with you, but you will not always have me.”
The Plot Against Lazarus
9 A large crowd of Jews heard that Jesus was in Bethany. So they went there to see not only Jesus but also Lazarus. Lazarus was the one Jesus raised from death. 10 So the leading priests made plans to kill Lazarus, too. 11 Because of Lazarus many Jews were leaving them and believing in Jesus.
Jesus Enters Jerusalem
12 The next day a great crowd in Jerusalem heard that Jesus was coming there. These were the people who had come to the Passover Feast. 13 They took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Jesus. They shouted,
“Praise[a] God!
God bless the One who comes in the name of the Lord!
God bless the King of Israel!” Psalm 118:25-26
14 Jesus found a colt and sat on it. This was as the Scripture says,
15 “Don’t be afraid, people of Jerusalem!
Your king is coming.
He is sitting on the colt of a donkey.” Zechariah 9:9
16 The followers of Jesus did not understand this at first. But after Jesus was raised to glory, they remembered that this had been written about him. And they remembered that they had done these things to him.
People Tell About Jesus
17 There had been many people with Jesus when he raised Lazarus from death and told him to come out of the tomb. Now they were telling others about what Jesus did. 18 Many people went out to meet Jesus, because they had heard about this miracle. 19 So the Pharisees said to each other, “You can see that nothing is going right for us. Look! The whole world is following him.”
Jesus Talks About His Death
20 There were some Greek people, too, who came to Jerusalem to worship at the Passover Feast. 21 They went to Philip. (Philip was from Bethsaida, in Galilee.) They said, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip told Andrew. Then Andrew and Philip told Jesus.
23 Jesus said to them, “The time has come for the Son of Man to receive his glory. 24 I tell you the truth. A grain of wheat must fall to the ground and die. Then it makes many seeds. But if it never dies, it remains only a single seed. 25 The person who loves his life will give up true life. But the person who hates his life in this world will keep true life forever. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me. Then my servant will be with me everywhere I am. My Father will honor anyone who serves me.
27 “Now I am very troubled. What should I say? Should I say, ‘Father, save me from this time’? No, I came to this time so that I could suffer. 28 Father, bring glory to your name!”
Then a voice came from heaven, “I have brought glory to it, and I will do it again.”
29 The crowd standing there heard the voice. They said it was thunder.
But others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”
30 Jesus said, “That voice was for you, not for me. 31 Now is the time for the world to be judged. Now the ruler of this world will be thrown down. 32 I will be lifted up from the earth. And when this happens, I will draw all people toward me.” 33 Jesus said this to show how he would die.
34 The crowd said, “We have heard from the law that the Christ will live forever. So why do you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”
35 Then Jesus said, “The light will be with you for a little longer. So walk while you have the light. Then the darkness will not catch you. He who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 So believe in the light while you still have it. Then you will become sons of light.” When Jesus had said this, he left and hid himself from them.
Some Don’t Believe in Jesus
37 Though Jesus had done many miracles before the people, they still did not believe in him. 38 This was to make clear the full meaning of what Isaiah the prophet said:
“Lord, who believed the things we told them?
Who has seen the Lord’s power?” Isaiah 53:1
39 This is why the people could not believe: Isaiah also said,
40 “He has blinded their eyes.
He has closed their minds.
This is so that they will not see with their eyes
nor understand in their minds.
This is so they will not
come back to me and be forgiven.” Isaiah 6:10
41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.
42 But many people believed in Jesus, even many of the leaders. But because of the Pharisees, they did not say that they believed in him. They were afraid that they would be put out of the synagogue. 43 They loved praise from men more than praise from God.
44 Then Jesus cried out, “He who believes in me is really believing in the One who sent me. 45 He who sees me sees the One who sent me. 46 I have come as light into the world. I came so that whoever believes in me would not stay in darkness.
47 “If anyone hears my words and does not obey them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 There is a judge for the one who refuses to believe in me and does not accept my words. The word I have taught will be his judge on the last day. 49 The things I taught were not from myself. The Father who sent me told me what to say and what to teach. 50 And I know that eternal life comes from what the Father commands. So whatever I say is what the Father told me to say.”
Being Wise or Foolish
9 Wisdom has built her house.
She has made its seven columns.
2 She has prepared her food and wine.
She has set her table.
3 She has sent out her servant girls.
She calls out from the highest place in the city.
4 She says to those who are not wise,
“Come in here, you foolish people!
5 Come and eat my food.
And drink the wine I have prepared.
6 Stop your foolish ways, and you will live.
Be a person of understanding.
7 “If you correct someone who makes fun of wisdom, you will get insulted.
If you correct an evil person, you will get hurt.
8 Do not correct someone who makes fun of wisdom, or he will hate you.
But correct a wise man, and he will love you.
9 Teach a wise man, and he will become even wiser.
Teach a good man, and he will learn even more.
10 “Wisdom begins with respect for the Lord.
And understanding begins with knowing God, the Holy One.
11 If you live wisely, you will live a long time.
Wisdom will add years to your life.
12 The wise person is rewarded by his wisdom.
But a person who makes fun of wisdom will suffer for it.”
13 Foolishness is like a loud woman.
She does not have wisdom or knowledge.
14 She sits at the door of her house.
It is at the highest place in the city.
15 She calls out to those who are passing by.
They are minding their own business.
16 She says to those who are not wise,
“Come in here, you foolish people!
17 Stolen water is sweeter.
Stolen food tastes better.”
18 But these people don’t know that everyone dies who goes there.
They don’t realize that her guests are deep in the grave.
From Death to Life
2 In the past your spiritual lives were dead because of your sins and the things you did wrong against God. 2 Yes, in the past you lived the way the world lives. You followed the ruler of the evil powers that are above the earth. That same spirit is now working in those who refuse to obey God. 3 In the past all of us lived like them. We lived trying to please our sinful selves. We did all the things our bodies and minds wanted. We should have suffered God’s anger because we were sinful by nature. We were the same as all other people.
4 But God’s mercy is great, and he loved us very much. 5 We were spiritually dead because of the things we did wrong against God. But God gave us new life with Christ. You have been saved by God’s grace. 6 And he raised us up with Christ and gave us a seat with him in the heavens. He did this for those of us who are in Christ Jesus. 7 He did this so that for all future time he could show the very great riches of his grace. He shows that grace by being kind to us in Christ Jesus. 8 I mean that you have been saved by grace because you believe. You did not save yourselves. It was a gift from God. 9 You cannot brag that you are saved by the work you have done. 10 God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would do good works. God had planned in advance those good works for us. He had planned for us to live our lives doing them.
One in Christ
11 You were born non-Jews. You are the people the Jews call “uncircumcised.”[a] Those who call you “uncircumcised” call themselves “circumcised.” (Their circumcision is only something they themselves do on their bodies.) 12 Remember that in the past you were without Christ. You were not citizens of Israel. And you had no part in the agreements[b] with the promise that God made to his people. You had no hope, and you did not know God. 13 Yes, at one time you were far away from God. But now in Christ Jesus you are brought near to God through the blood of Christ’s death. 14 Because of Christ we now have peace. Christ made both Jews and non-Jews one people. They were separated as if there were a wall between them. But Christ broke down that wall of hate by giving his own body. 15 The Jewish law had many commands and rules. But Christ ended that law. Christ’s purpose was to make the two groups of people become one new people in him. By doing this Christ would make peace. 16 Through the cross Christ ended the hatred between the two groups. And after Christ made the two groups to be one body, he wanted to bring them back to God. Christ did this with his death on the cross. 17 Christ came and preached peace to you non-Jews who were far away from God. And he preached peace to those Jews who were near to God. 18 Yes, through Christ we all have the right to come to the Father in one Spirit.
19 So now you non-Jews are not visitors or strangers. Now you are citizens together with God’s holy people. You belong to God’s family. 20 You believers are like a building that God owns. That building was built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Christ Jesus himself is the most important stone[c] in that building. 21 That whole building is joined together in Christ. And Christ makes it grow and become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in Christ you, too, are being built together with the Jews. You are being built into a place where God lives through the Spirit.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.