M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Bread from Heaven
16 The whole congregation of the Israelites set out from Elim and came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt.(A) 2 The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.(B) 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and ate our fill of bread, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”(C)
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not.(D) 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.”(E) 6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaining against the Lord. For what are we, that you complain against us?”(F) 8 And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him—what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the Lord.”
9 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites: ‘Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.’ ”(G) 10 And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.(H) 11 The Lord spoke to Moses, 12 “I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ”
13 In the evening quails came up and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.(I) 14 When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground.(J) 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?”[a] For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.(K) 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: Gather as much of it as each of you needs, an omer per person according to the number of persons, all providing for those in their own tents.” 17 The Israelites did so, some gathering more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, those who gathered much had nothing over, and those who gathered little had no shortage; they gathered as much as each of them needed.(L) 19 And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over until morning.”(M) 20 But they did not listen to Moses; some left part of it until morning, and it became wormy and rotten. And Moses was angry with them. 21 Morning by morning they gathered it, as much as each needed, but when the sun grew hot, it melted.
22 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much food, two omers apiece. When all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses,(N) 23 he said to them, “This is what the Lord has commanded: Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord; bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil, and all that is left over put aside to be kept until morning.”(O) 24 So they put it aside until morning, just as Moses commanded them, and it did not rot, and there were no maggots in it.(P) 25 Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none.”
27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, and they found none. 28 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and instructions?(Q) 29 See! The Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you food for two days; each of you stay where you are; do not leave your place on the seventh day.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
31 The Israelites called it manna; it was like white coriander seed, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.(R) 32 Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: Let an omer of it be kept throughout your generations in order that they may see the food with which I fed you in the wilderness when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.” 33 And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the Lord, to be kept throughout your generations.”(S) 34 Just as the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the covenant, for safekeeping.(T) 35 The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a habitable land; they ate manna, until they came to the border of the land of Canaan.(U) 36 (An omer is a tenth of an ephah.)
Jesus and Zacchaeus
19 He entered Jericho and was passing through it.(A) 2 A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way.(B) 5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. 7 All who saw it began to grumble and said, “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.”(C) 8 Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.”(D) 9 Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham.(E) 10 For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.”
The Parable of the Ten Pounds
11 As they were listening to this, he went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately.(F) 12 So he said, “A nobleman went to a distant region to receive royal power for himself and then return.(G) 13 He summoned ten of his slaves and gave them ten pounds and said to them, ‘Do business with these until I come back.’ 14 But the citizens of his country hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to rule over us.’ 15 When he returned, having received royal power, he ordered these slaves to whom he had given the money to be summoned so that he might find out what they had gained by doing business. 16 The first came forward and said, ‘Lord, your pound has made ten more pounds.’ 17 He said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been trustworthy in a very small thing, take charge of ten cities.’(H) 18 Then the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your pound has made five pounds.’ 19 He said to him, ‘And you, rule over five cities.’ 20 Then the other came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your pound. I wrapped it up in a piece of cloth, 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man; you take what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow.’(I) 22 He said to him, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked slave! You knew, did you, that I was a harsh man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow?(J) 23 Why, then, did you not put my money into the bank? Then when I returned, I could have collected it with interest.’ 24 He said to the bystanders, ‘Take the pound from him and give it to the one who has ten pounds.’ 25 (And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten pounds!’) 26 ‘I tell you, to all those who have, more will be given, but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.(K) 27 But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to rule over them—bring them here and slaughter them in my presence.’ ”
Jesus’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
28 After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.(L)
29 When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ” 32 So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them.(M) 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 They said, “The Lord needs it.” 35 Then they brought it to Jesus, and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road.(N) 37 Now as he was approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38 saying,
“Blessed is the king
who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven,
and glory in the highest heaven!”(O)
39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.”(P) 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”(Q)
Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem
41 As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it,(R) 42 saying, “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 Indeed, the days will come upon you when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you and hem you in on every side.(S) 44 They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave within you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.”[a](T)
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
45 Then he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling things[b] there, 46 and he said, “It is written,
‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’
but you have made it a den of robbers.”(U)
47 Every day he was teaching in the temple. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people kept looking for a way to kill him,(V) 48 but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were spellbound by what they heard.
Elihu Proclaims God’s Justice
34 Then Elihu continued and said:
2 “Hear my words, you wise men,
and give ear to me, you who know,
3 for the ear tests words
as the palate tastes food.(A)
4 Let us choose what is right;
let us determine among ourselves what is good.(B)
5 For Job has said, ‘I am innocent,
and God has taken away my right;
6 in spite of being right I am counted a liar;
my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’(C)
7 Who is there like Job,
who drinks up scoffing like water,(D)
8 who goes in company with evildoers
and walks with the wicked?(E)
9 For he has said, ‘It profits one nothing
to take delight in God.’(F)
10 “Therefore, hear me, you who have sense;
far be it from God that he should do wickedness
and from the Almighty[a] that he should do wrong.(G)
11 For according to their deeds he will repay them,
and according to their ways he will make it befall them.(H)
12 Of a truth, God will not do wickedly,
and the Almighty[b] will not pervert justice.(I)
13 Who gave him charge over the earth,
and who laid on him[c] the whole world?(J)
14 If he should take back his spirit[d] to himself
and gather to himself his breath,(K)
15 all flesh would perish together,
and all mortals return to dust.(L)
16 “If you have understanding, hear this;
listen to what I say.
17 Shall one who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn one who is righteous and mighty,(M)
18 who says to a king, ‘You scoundrel!’
and to princes, ‘You wicked men!’;(N)
19 who shows no partiality to nobles,
nor regards the rich more than the poor,
for they are all the work of his hands?(O)
20 In a moment they die;
at midnight the people are shaken and pass away,
and the mighty are taken away by no human hand.(P)
21 “For his eyes are upon the ways of mortals,
and he sees all their steps.(Q)
22 There is no gloom or deep darkness
where evildoers may hide themselves.(R)
23 For he has not appointed a time[e] for anyone
to go before God in judgment.
24 He shatters the mighty without investigation
and sets others in their place.(S)
25 Thus, knowing their works,
he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.(T)
26 He strikes them for their wickedness
while others look on,(U)
27 because they turned aside from following him
and had no regard for any of his ways,(V)
28 so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him,
and he heard the cry of the afflicted—(W)
29 When he is quiet, who can condemn?
When he hides his face, who can behold him?
Whether nation or person, it is the same—(X)
30 so that the godless should not reign
or those who ensnare the people.(Y)
31 “For has anyone said to God,
‘I have endured punishment; I will not offend any more;
32 teach me what I do not see;
if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?(Z)
33 Will he then pay back to suit you
because you reject it?
For you must choose and not I;
therefore declare what you know.[f]
34 Those who have sense will say to me,
and the wise who hear me will say,
35 ‘Job speaks without knowledge;
his words are without insight.’(AA)
36 Would that Job were tried to the limit,
because his answers are those of the wicked.(AB)
37 For he adds rebellion to his sin;
he claps his hands among us
and multiplies his words against God.”
Treasure in Clay Jars
4 Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart.(A) 2 We have renounced the shameful, underhanded ways; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.(B) 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.(C) 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing clearly the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.(D) 5 For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’s sake.(E) 6 For it is the God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.(F)
7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.(G) 8 We are afflicted in every way but not crushed, perplexed but not driven to despair, 9 persecuted but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed, 10 always carrying around in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies.(H) 11 For we who are living are always being handed over to death for Jesus’s sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us but life in you.
13 But just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture—“I believed, and so I spoke”—we also believe, and therefore we also speak,(I) 14 because we know that the one who raised Jesus[a] will also raise us with Jesus and will present us with you in his presence.(J) 15 Indeed, everything is for your sake, so that grace, when it has extended to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
Living by Faith
16 So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.(K) 17 For our slight, momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure,(L) 18 because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen, for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.(M)
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.