M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife
39 Now Joseph was taken down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there.(A) 2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man; he was in the house of his Egyptian master.(B) 3 His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to prosper in his hands.(C) 4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him; he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had.(D) 5 From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field.(E) 6 So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge, and with him there he had no concern for anything but the food that he ate.
Now Joseph was handsome and good-looking. 7 And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.”(F) 8 But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, with me here, my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my hand. 9 He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great wickedness and sin against God?”(G) 10 And although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not consent to lie beside her or to be with her. 11 One day, however, when he went into the house to do his work, and while no one else was in the house, 12 she caught hold of his garment, saying, “Lie with me!” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and ran outside.(H) 13 When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled outside, 14 she called out to the members of her household and said to them, “See, my husband[a] has brought among us a Hebrew to insult us! He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice, 15 and when he heard me raise my voice and cry out, he left his garment beside me and fled outside.” 16 Then she kept his garment by her until his master came home, 17 and she told him the same story, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to insult me,(I) 18 but as soon as I raised my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled outside.”
19 When his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, saying, “This is the way your servant treated me,” he became enraged.(J) 20 And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined; he remained there in prison.(K) 21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love; he gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer.(L) 22 The chief jailer committed to Joseph’s care all the prisoners who were in the prison, and whatever was done there, he was the one who did it.(M) 23 The chief jailer paid no heed to anything that was in Joseph’s care because the Lord was with him, and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper.(N)
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The Transfiguration
2 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them,(B) 3 and his clothes became dazzling bright, such as no one[b] on earth could brighten them.(C) 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us set up three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”(D) 6 He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7 Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved;[c] listen to him!”(E) 8 Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.
The Coming of Elijah
9 As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead could mean. 11 Then they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 12 He said to them, “Elijah is indeed coming first to restore all things. How then is it written about the Son of Man, that he is to go through many sufferings and be treated with contempt? 13 But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written about him.”
The Healing of a Boy with a Spirit
14 When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them and some scribes arguing with them. 15 When the whole crowd saw him, they were immediately overcome with awe, and they ran forward to greet him. 16 He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17 Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak, 18 and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid, and I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they could not do so.” 19 He answered them, “You faithless generation, how much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me.” 20 And they brought the boy[d] to him. When the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy,[e] and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 Jesus[f] asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 It has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you are able to do anything, help us! Have compassion on us!” 23 Jesus said to him, “If you are able! All things can be done for the one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out,[g] “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You spirit that keeps this boy from speaking and hearing, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!” 26 After crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he was able to stand. 28 When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”(F) 29 He said to them, “This kind can come out only through prayer.”[h]
Jesus Again Foretells His Death and Resurrection
30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it, 31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.”(G) 32 But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.(H)
Who Is the Greatest?
33 Then they came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” 34 But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest.(I) 35 He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.”(J) 36 Then he took a little child and put it among them, and taking it in his arms he said to them,(K) 37 “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”(L)
Another Exorcist
38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name,[i] and we tried to stop him because he was not following us.”(M) 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 Whoever is not against us is for us.(N) 41 For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.(O)
Temptations to Sin
42 “If any of you cause one of these little ones who believe in me[j] to sin,[k] it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea.(P) 43 If your hand causes you to sin,[l] cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell,[m] to the unquenchable fire.[n](Q) 45 And if your foot causes you to sin,[o] cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell.[p][q](R) 47 And if your eye causes you to sin,[r] tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell,[s](S) 48 where their worm never dies and the fire is never quenched.(T)
49 “For everyone will be salted with fire.[t](U) 50 Salt is good, but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it?[u] Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”(V)
Job Is Corrected by God
5 “Call now; is there anyone who will answer you?
To which of the holy ones will you turn?(A)
2 Surely vexation kills the fool,
and jealousy slays the simple.(B)
3 I have seen fools taking root,
but suddenly I cursed their dwelling.(C)
4 Their children are far from safety,
they are crushed in the gate,
and there is no one to deliver them.(D)
5 The hungry eat their harvest,
and they take it even out of the thorns,[a]
and the thirsty[b] pant after their wealth.(E)
6 For misery does not come from the earth,
nor does trouble sprout from the ground,
7 but humans are born to trouble
just as sparks[c] fly upward.(F)
8 “As for me, I would seek God,
and to God I would commit my cause.(G)
9 He does great things and unsearchable,
marvelous things without number.(H)
10 He gives rain on the earth
and sends waters on the fields;(I)
11 he sets on high those who are lowly,
and those who mourn are lifted to safety.(J)
12 He frustrates the devices of the crafty,
so that their hands achieve no success.(K)
13 He takes the wise in their own craftiness,
and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end.
14 They meet with darkness in the daytime
and grope at noonday as in the night.(L)
15 But he saves the needy from the sword of their mouth,
from the hand of the mighty.(M)
16 So the poor have hope,
and injustice shuts its mouth.(N)
17 “How happy is the one whom God reproves;
therefore do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.[d](O)
18 For he wounds, but he binds up;
he strikes, but his hands heal.(P)
19 He will deliver you from six troubles;
in seven no harm shall touch you.(Q)
20 In famine he will redeem you from death
and in war from the power of the sword.(R)
21 You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue
and shall not fear destruction when it comes.(S)
22 At destruction and famine you shall laugh
and shall not fear the wild animals of the earth.(T)
23 For you shall be in league with the stones of the field,
and the wild animals shall be at peace with you.(U)
24 You shall know that your tent is safe;
you shall inspect your fold and miss nothing.(V)
25 You shall know that your descendants will be many
and your offspring like the grass of the earth.(W)
26 You shall come to your grave in ripe old age,
as a shock of grain comes up to the threshing floor in its season.(X)
27 See, we have searched this out; it is true.
Hear, and know it for yourself.”
God’s Election of Israel
9 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit(A)— 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own brothers and sisters, my own flesh and blood.(B) 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises;(C) 5 to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Christ, who is over all, God blessed forever.[a] Amen.(D)
6 It is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all those descended from Israel are Israelites,(E) 7 and not all of Abraham’s children are his descendants, but “it is through Isaac that descendants shall be named for you.”(F) 8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants. 9 For the word of the promise is this: “About this time I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.”(G) 10 Nor is that all; something similar happened to Rebecca when she had conceived children by one husband, our ancestor Isaac:(H) 11 even before they had been born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose of election might continue, 12 not by works but by his call) she was told, “The elder shall serve the younger.”(I) 13 As it is written,
“I have loved Jacob,
but I have hated Esau.”(J)
14 What then are we to say? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means!(K) 15 For he says to Moses,
“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”(L)
16 So it depends not on human will or exertion but on God who shows mercy. 17 For the scripture says to Pharaoh, “I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I may show my power in you and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.”(M) 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he chooses, and he hardens the heart of whomever he chooses.
God’s Wrath and Mercy
19 You will say to me then, “Why then does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?”(N) 20 But who indeed are you, a human, to argue with God? Will what is molded say to the one who molds it, “Why have you made me like this?”(O) 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one object for special use and another for ordinary use?(P) 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience the objects of wrath that are made for destruction,(Q) 23 and what if he has done so in order to make known the riches of his glory for the objects of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— 24 including us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the gentiles? 25 As he also says in Hosea,
“Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’
and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’ ”(R)
26 “And in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’
there they shall be called children of the living God.”(S)
27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though the number of the children of Israel were like the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved,(T) 28 for the Lord will execute his sentence on the earth quickly and decisively.”[b] 29 And as Isaiah predicted,
“If the Lord of hosts had not left descendants to us,
we would have fared like Sodom
and been made like Gomorrah.”(U)
Israel’s Unbelief
30 What then are we to say? Gentiles, who did not strive for righteousness, have attained it, that is, righteousness through faith,(V) 31 but Israel, who did strive for the law of righteousness, did not attain that law.(W) 32 Why not? Because they did not strive for it on the basis of faith but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone,(X) 33 as it is written,
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.