M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Chapter 18
Meeting with Jethro. 1 Now Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for his people Israel: how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2 So his father-in-law Jethro took along Zipporah, Moses’ wife—now this was after Moses had sent her back—[a] 3 and her two sons. One of these was named Gershom;(A) for he said, “I am a resident alien in a foreign land.” 4 The other was named Eliezer; for he said, “The God of my father is my help; he has rescued me from Pharaoh’s sword.” 5 Together with Moses’ wife and sons, then, his father-in-law Jethro came to him in the wilderness where he was encamped at the mountain of God,[b] 6 and he sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you, along with your wife and her two sons.”
7 Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and then kissed him. Having greeted each other, they went into the tent. 8 Moses then told his father-in-law of all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for the sake of Israel, and of all the hardships that had beset them on their journey, and how the Lord had rescued them. 9 Jethro rejoiced over all the goodness that the Lord had shown Israel in rescuing them from the power of the Egyptians. 10 “Blessed be the Lord,” he said, “who has rescued you from the power of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh. 11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods; for he rescued the people from the power of the Egyptians when they treated them arrogantly.” 12 Then Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, brought a burnt offering[c] and sacrifices for God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to share with Moses’ father-in-law in the meal before God.
Appointment of Minor Judges. 13 The next day Moses sat in judgment for the people, while they stood around him from morning until evening. 14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he asked, “What is this business that you are conducting for the people? Why do you sit alone while all the people have to stand about you from morning till evening?” 15 Moses answered his father-in-law, “The people come to me to consult God. 16 Whenever they have a disagreement, they come to me to have me settle the matter between them and make known to them God’s statutes and instructions.”
17 “What you are doing is not wise,” Moses’ father-in-law replied. 18 “You will surely wear yourself out, both you and these people with you. The task is too heavy for you;(B) you cannot do it alone. 19 [d]Now, listen to me, and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. Act as the people’s representative before God, and bring their disputes to God. 20 Enlighten them in regard to the statutes and instructions, showing them how they are to conduct themselves and what they are to do. 21 But you should also look among all the people for able and God-fearing men, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain, and set them over the people as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.(C) 22 Let these render decisions for the people in all routine cases. Every important case they should refer to you, but every lesser case they can settle themselves. Lighten your burden by letting them bear it with you! 23 If you do this, and God so commands you,[e] you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people, too, will go home content.”
24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did all that he had said. 25 He picked out able men from all Israel and put them in charge of the people as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. 26 They rendered decisions for the people in all routine cases. The more difficult cases they referred to Moses, but all the lesser cases they settled themselves. 27 Then Moses said farewell to his father-in-law, who went off to his own country.
Chapter 21
The Poor Widow’s Contribution.[a] 1 (A)When he looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury 2 and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. 3 He said, “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; 4 for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.”
The Destruction of the Temple Foretold.(B) 5 [b]While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, he said, 6 “All that you see here—the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.”(C)
The Signs of the End. 7 (D)Then they asked him, “Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?” 8 He answered, “See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’[c] Do not follow them!(E) 9 When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.” 10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.(F) 11 There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.
The Coming Persecution. 12 (G)“Before all this happens,[d] however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name.(H) 13 It will lead to your giving testimony. 14 Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, 15 (I)for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking[e] that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. 16 (J)You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death.(K) 17 You will be hated by all because of my name, 18 but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.(L) 19 By your perseverance you will secure your lives.(M)
The Great Tribulation.[f] 20 (N)“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, know that its desolation is at hand.(O) 21 Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. Let those within the city escape from it, and let those in the countryside not enter the city,(P) 22 for these days are the time of punishment when all the scriptures are fulfilled. 23 Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days, for a terrible calamity will come upon the earth and a wrathful judgment upon this people.(Q) 24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken as captives to all the Gentiles; and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles[g] are fulfilled.(R)
The Coming of the Son of Man.(S) 25 “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.(T) 26 People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens[h] will be shaken.(U) 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.(V) 28 But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.”(W)
The Lesson of the Fig Tree.(X) 29 He taught them a lesson. “Consider the fig tree and all the other trees. 30 When their buds burst open, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near; 31 in the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.(Y) 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.(Z)
Exhortation to Be Vigilant. 34 “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise(AA) 35 like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. 36 Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.”(AB)
Ministry in Jerusalem. 37 During the day, Jesus was teaching in the temple area, but at night he would leave and stay at the place called the Mount of Olives.(AC) 38 And all the people would get up early each morning to listen to him in the temple area.
Chapter 36
1 Elihu continued and said:
2 Wait a little and I will instruct you,
for there are still words to be said for God.
3 I will assemble arguments from afar,
and for my maker I will establish what is right.
4 For indeed, my words are not a lie;
one perfect in knowledge is before you.
5 Look, God is great, not disdainful;
his strength of purpose is great.
He does not preserve the life of the wicked.
6 He establishes the right of the poor;(A)
he does not divert his eyes from the just
7 But he seats them upon thrones
with kings, exalted forever.(B)
8 If they are bound with fetters,
held fast by bonds of affliction,
9 He lets them know what they have done,
and how arrogant are their sins.
10 He opens their ears to correction
and tells them to turn back from evil.
11 If they listen and serve him,
they spend their days in prosperity,
their years in happiness.
12 But if they do not listen, they pass to the grave,
they perish for lack of knowledge.
13 The impious in heart lay up anger;
they do not cry for help when he binds them;
14 They will die young—
their life[a] among the reprobate.
15 But he saves the afflicted through their affliction,
and opens their ears through oppression.
16 [b]He entices you from distress,
to a broad place without constraint;
what rests on your table is rich food.
17 Though you are full of the judgment of the wicked,
judgment and justice will be maintained.
18 Let not anger at abundance entice you,
nor great bribery lead you astray.
19 Will your wealth equip you against distress,
or all your exertions of strength?
20 Do not long for the night,
when peoples vanish in their place.
21 Be careful; do not turn to evil;
for this you have preferred to affliction.
22 [c]Look, God is exalted in his power.
What teacher is there like him?
23 Who prescribes for him his way?
Who says, “You have done wrong”?(C)
24 Remember, you should extol his work,
which people have praised in song.
25 All humankind beholds it;
everyone views it from afar.
26 See, God is great beyond our knowledge,
the number of his years past searching out.
27 He holds in check the waterdrops
that filter in rain from his flood,
28 Till the clouds flow with them
and they rain down on all humankind.
29 [d]Can anyone understand the spreading clouds,
the thunderings from his tent?
30 Look, he spreads his light over it,
it covers the roots of the sea.
31 For by these he judges the nations,
and gives food in abundance.
32 In his hands he holds the lightning,
and he commands it to strike the mark.
33 His thunder announces him
and incites the fury of the storm.
Chapter 6
The Experience of the Ministry. 1 [a]Working together,(A) then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.[b] 2 For he says:
Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 (C)We cause no one to stumble[d] in anything, in order that no fault may be found with our ministry; 4 [e]on the contrary, in everything we commend ourselves as ministers of God, through much endurance,[f] in afflictions, hardships, constraints,(D) 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, vigils, fasts;(E) 6 [g]by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, in a holy spirit, in unfeigned love,(F) 7 in truthful speech, in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness at the right and at the left;(G) 8 through glory and dishonor, insult and praise. We are treated as deceivers and yet are truthful;[h] 9 as unrecognized and yet acknowledged; as dying and behold we live; as chastised and yet not put to death;(H) 10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; as having nothing and yet possessing all things.(I)
11 [i]We have spoken frankly to you, Corinthians; our heart is open wide. 12 You are not constrained by us; you are constrained by your own affections.(J) 13 As recompense in kind (I speak as to my children), be open yourselves.(K)
Call to Holiness. 14 [j]Do not be yoked with those who are different, with unbelievers.[k] For what partnership do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Beliar? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? 16 (L)What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said:
“I will live with them and move among them,[l]
and I will be their God
and they shall be my people.
17 Therefore, come forth from them
and be separate,” says the Lord,
“and touch nothing unclean;
then I will receive you(M)
18 and I will be a father to you,
and you shall be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty.”(N)
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.