M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
47 So Joseph went to Pharaoh.
Joseph (to Pharaoh): My father and brothers have arrived from the land of Canaan with their flocks and herds and the rest of their belongings. They are now waiting in the land of Goshen.
2 Now Joseph had chosen five of his brothers and brought them along to present to Pharaoh.
Pharaoh (to Joseph’s brothers): 3 What is your occupation?
Joseph’s Brothers: Your servants are shepherds. We tend sheep and goats as our ancestors did before us.
4 We’ve come to reside in this land as foreigners for a time because there is no place in the land of Canaan for us to pasture our flocks on account of the severity of the famine. Now please, allow your servants to settle in the land of Goshen until this famine is over.
Pharaoh (to Joseph): 5 Your father and brothers have come to you for help. 6 You have the entire land of Egypt at your disposal. Settle your family in the best areas of the land. Let them live in Goshen, and if you know of any who are particularly good at what they do, then put them in charge of my livestock.
7 Then Joseph brought his father, Jacob, and presented him to Pharaoh, and Jacob gave Pharaoh a blessing.
Jacob blesses Pharaoh. As we have seen, words spoken as a blessing have great meaning at this time. It may be no more than a greeting spoken, such as “shalom,” which means “peace.” However the story of Genesis prompts us to consider another possibility. In God’s plan to redeem and reclaim His creation, He chooses Abraham and his descendants to be a blessing to all the families on earth. Jacob, Abraham’s grandson and God’s covenant partner, speaks a blessing over Pharaoh that creates a new reality for Egypt and its king. Little does Pharaoh know that this humble nomadic family in need of his help will one day change the course of history.
Pharaoh (to Jacob): 8 How old are you now?
Jacob: 9 I have journeyed through life for 130 years. My life has been short and hard. But they don’t compare with the many years my ancestors traveled this earth.
10 Jacob gave Pharaoh a blessing for a second time and left his presence. 11 So Joseph settled his father and brothers on some of the best land in Egypt—granting them property of their own in a region known as Rameses, as Pharaoh had instructed. 12 And Joseph also provided them with food, according to the number of all of their dependents.
13 As time went on, the famine became more severe, and food became scarce in the lands of Egypt and Canaan. The people were starving. 14 Everyone from the lands of Egypt and Canaan spent all the money they had to buy grain. Joseph collected all the money and stored it in Pharaoh’s palace. 15 But when the people of Egypt and Canaan ran out of money, the Egyptians came to Joseph to plead with him.
Egyptians: Please, give us food! Why should we all die here in front of you? Our money is gone.
Joseph: 16 You can pay with livestock then. I will give you food in exchange for your livestock, if your money is gone.
17 So the people brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food in exchange for horses, flocks, herds, and donkeys. That year, he supplied them with food in exchange for livestock. 18 But when that year was over, they came to him the next year.
Egyptians: My lord, we cannot hide the fact that our money is all spent, and now the herds of livestock all belong to you. We have nothing left to exchange for food except our bodies and our lands. 19 Why should we and our land perish now right before your eyes? Buy us and our land in exchange for food. We will become slaves to Pharaoh. We will work the land for him. Just please give us seed, so that we can live and avoid dying of hunger and so that the land doesn’t become wild and deserted.
20 So Joseph agreed. He bought up all of the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. The Egyptians sold their fields because the famine was too severe for them to get by on their own, and so all of the land became the property of Pharaoh. 21 As for the people, he made slaves of them, from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 But he did not purchase the land belonging to the priests because they received an allowance from Pharaoh and were able to live off of it. So they didn’t have to sell their land.
Joseph (to the people): 23 See I have done what you asked. I have bought you and your lands for Pharaoh. Now here is the seed you need to sow the land. 24 When the harvest arrives, you will be required to give one-fifth of what you produce to Pharaoh; and four-fifths will be your own to plant the fields and feed your families, households, and children.
Egyptians: 25 You have saved our lives. If it pleases my lord, we are honored to serve as slaves to Pharaoh under these terms.
26 So Joseph made a law regarding the land of Egypt—which stands to this day—declaring Pharaoh is due one-fifth of all the land produces. Only the land of the priests remained personal property.
27 So this was how Israel and his descendants came to live in the land of Egypt, in the region known as Goshen. They acquired property in the area, had children, and their number increased rapidly. 28 Jacob lived another 17 years in the land of Egypt; he lived to be 147. 29 And when Israel was close to death, he called his son Joseph to his side.
Jacob (to Joseph): If I have found favor with you, I need a favor from you. Put your hand here under my thigh. Swear to deal kindly and faithfully with me by honoring my dying wish: please do not bury me in Egypt. 30 When I die let me lie with my ancestors. Take my body away from Egypt, and bury me where they are buried.
Joseph: I will do as you ask, Father.
Jacob: 31 Swear to me.
And Joseph took the oath. Then, Israel bowed down at the head of his bed.
In the time of Jesus, Jewish life is centered in the temple in Jerusalem. Priests are responsible for the temple’s activities—which include receiving religious pilgrims and their sacrifices (cattle, sheep, goats, and doves). Animal sacrifices may sound strange to a modern society, but in the ancient world, they are quite common. The slaughter of animals is a daily experience; it is part of any meal that includes meat. So this meal brings together the Jewish family from near and far, seeking to affirm their connections to the one true and living God. Their gift of animals is their contribution to the meal. (The priests, by the way, are authorized to use the meat for the sustenance of their families.)
The presentation of the blood and meat of these sacrifices is accompanied by a number of prescribed rituals, performed by priests wearing prescribed ornamental clothing, according to a prescribed schedule. As the story continues, these solemn rituals are interrupted in an unprecedented way.
1 1-3 For those who love God, several other people have already written accounts of what God has been bringing to completion among us, using the reports of the original eyewitnesses, those who were there from the start to witness the fulfillment of prophecy. Like those other servants who have recorded the messages, I present to you my carefully researched, orderly account of these new teachings. 4 I want you to know that you can fully rely on the things you have been taught about Jesus, God’s Anointed One.
5 To understand the life of Jesus, I must first give you some background history, events that occurred when Herod ruled Judea for the Roman Empire. Zacharias was serving as a priest in the temple in Jerusalem those days as his fathers had before him. He was a member of the priestly division of Abijah (a grandson of Aaron who innovated temple practices), and his wife, Elizabeth, was of the priestly lineage of Aaron, Moses’ brother. 6 They were good and just people in God’s sight, walking with integrity in the Lord’s ways and laws. 7 Yet they had this sadness. Due to Elizabeth’s infertility, they were childless, and at this time, they were both quite old—well past normal childbearing years.
8 One day Zacharias was chosen to perform his priestly duties in God’s presence, according to the temple’s normal schedule and routine. 9 He had been selected from all the priests by the customary procedure of casting lots for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enter the sacred precincts of the temple. There he burned sweet incense, 10 while outside a large crowd of people prayed. 11 Suddenly Zacharias realized he was not alone: a messenger of the Lord was there with him. The messenger stood just to the right of the altar of incense. 12 Zacharias was shocked and afraid, 13 but the messenger reassured him.
Messenger: Zacharias, calm down! Don’t be afraid!
Zacharias is a priest working in the temple, but priests don’t normally hear from God. Those who hear from God are called prophets, not priests. One becomes a priest by being born in a priestly family line. Prophets, on the other hand, arise unpredictably and have no special credentials except the message they carry. So Zacharias has no reason to believe his duties will be interrupted in this way. Often in the biblical story, when people receive a message from God—after getting over the initial shock—they start asking questions. They push back; they doubt.
Messenger: Zacharias, your prayers have been heard. Your wife is going to have a son, and you will name him John. 14 He will bring you great joy and happiness—and many will share your joy at John’s birth.
15 This son of yours will be a great man in God’s sight. He will not drink alcohol in any form;[a] instead of alcoholic spirits, he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the time he is in his mother’s womb. 16 Here is his mission: he will turn many of the children of Israel around to follow the path to the Lord their God. 17 Do you remember the prophecy about someone to come in the spirit and power of the prophet Elijah; someone who will turn the hearts of the parents back to their children;[b] someone who will turn the hearts of the disobedient to the mind-set of the just and good? Your son is the one who will fulfill this prophecy: he will be the Lord’s forerunner, the one who will prepare the people and make them ready for God.
Zacharias: 18 How can I be sure of what you’re telling me? I am an old man, and my wife is far past the normal age for women to bear children. This is hard to believe!
Messenger (sternly): 19 I am Gabriel, the messenger who inhabits God’s presence. I was sent here to talk with you and bring you this good news. 20 Because you didn’t believe my message, you will not be able to talk—not another word—until you experience the fulfillment of my words.
21 Meanwhile the crowd at the temple wondered why Zacharias hadn’t come out of the sanctuary yet. It wasn’t normal for the priest to be delayed so long. 22 When at last he came out, he was making signs with his hands to give the blessing, but he couldn’t speak. They realized he had seen some sort of vision. 23 When his time on duty at the temple came to an end, he went back home to his wife. 24 Shortly after his return, Elizabeth became pregnant. She avoided public contact for the next five months.
Elizabeth: 25 I have lived with the disgrace of being barren for all these years. Now God has looked on me with favor. When I go out in public with my baby, I will not be disgraced any longer.
26 Six months later in Nazareth, a city in the rural province of Galilee, the heavenly messenger Gabriel made another appearance. This time the messenger was sent by God 27 to meet with a virgin named Mary, who was engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David himself. 28 The messenger entered her home.
Messenger: Greetings! You are favored, and the Lord is with you! [Among all women on the earth, you have been blessed.][c]
29 The heavenly messenger’s words baffled Mary, and she wondered what type of greeting this was.
Messenger: 30 Mary, don’t be afraid. You have found favor with God. 31 Listen, you are going to become pregnant. You will have a son, and you must name Him “Savior,” or Jesus.[d] 32 Jesus will become the greatest among men. He will be known as the Son of the Highest God. God will give Him the throne of His ancestor David, 33 and He will reign over the covenant family of Jacob forever.
Mary: 34 But I have never been with a man. How can this be possible?
Messenger: 35 The Holy Spirit will come upon you. The Most High will overshadow you. That’s why this holy child will be known, as not just your son, but also as the Son of God. 36 It sounds impossible, but listen—you know your relative Elizabeth has been unable to bear children and is now far too old to be a mother. Yet she has become pregnant, as God willed it. Yes, in three months, she will have a son. 37 So the impossible is possible with God.
Mary (deciding in her heart): 38 Here I am, the Lord’s humble servant. As you have said, let it be done to me.
Luke is very interested in the ways that disadvantaged people of his day respond to God. Already there is a fascinating interplay between Zacharias’s response to God and Mary’s.
And the heavenly messenger was gone.
13 Job: Look. I’ve seen it all with my eyes,
heard and understood it with my ears.
2 What you know, I know, too;
don’t think I am so far beneath you!
3 Let our differences be clear; I am ready to speak to the Highest One,[a]
eagerly wanting to argue my case with God.
4 But you! You smear me with lies as if to help,
but as healers you are worthless.
5 Would that you were totally silent.
At least that would make you seem wise.
6 Please, just listen while I reason this out;
lean in to hear how my lips will plead.
7 Will you try to defend God’s cause by telling lies?
Be deceitful on His behalf?
8 Will you show partiality for Him?
Argue on His behalf?
9 How would you fare
if He searched your soul?
Do you think you might deceive Him
as you would any other person?
10 No. He would bring charges against you
even if you secretly show partiality.
11 Aren’t you horrified at the weight of His majesty?
Isn’t the dread of Him enough to drop you where you stand?
12 All your quoted proverbs turn to ash;
your clever comebacks crumble like brittle towers of clay.
Job will take his chances before God. He still trusts Him, even if God chooses to take his life.
13 So keep your mouths shut around me, and let me speak to God.
And whatever may come, let it come.
14 Why should I lay my body at the mercy of the words of my own mouth
or risk my life with only my own hands to defend me?
15 Look, He may well kill me,
but I will hope in Him.
Still I will be ready to argue my case before His very face.
16 In fact, this will become my salvation,
for the godless wouldn’t even dare to approach Him.
17 So then here is my account. Listen carefully!
Give me a chance to share my side of the story with you.
18 My case is prepared, and I am confident
I will be found righteous.
19 And yet who will meet me in court to argue the other side?
If I am out-argued, then I will stay mute until I die.
20 Lord, I ask only two concessions in this case;
if You grant them, I will not hide from Your face.
21 First, remove Your damaging hand from me;
second don’t intimidate me anymore with your terrifying presence.
22 Then send me Your summons, and I will reply,
or better yet, I will speak first and then You answer me.
23 How many counts do You have against me?
How many sins must I account for?
Spell out the nature of Your indictment against my rebellious ways.
24 Why do You hide Your face from me;
why is my name now “nemesis”[b] to You?
25 Would You waste Your energy to terrify a windblown leaf,
or chase down the dry chaff as it tumbles in the breeze?
26 For I see bitter accusations against me written in Your own hand;
You call me to account for the guilt of my youth.
27 You fasten shackles at my ankles but still keep close watch on where I walk,
marking the places where my feet may plant themselves.
28 This is how a person wastes away to nothing,
like something rotten, like moth-eaten clothing.
1 Paul, called out by God’s will to be an emissary[a] for Jesus the Anointed, along with brother Sosthenes, 2 to God’s church gathering in the city of Corinth. As people who are united with Jesus, the Anointed One, you have been set apart for service. You are all called into community to live as saints with all who invoke the name of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed
3 I pray that God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, will shower you with grace and peace.
4 I am continuously thanking my God for you when I think about the grace God has offered you in Jesus the Anointed. 5 In this grace, God is enriching every aspect of your lives by gifting you with the right words to say and everything you need to know. 6 In this way, your life story confirms the life story of the Anointed One, 7 so you are not ill-equipped or slighted on any necessary gifts as you patiently anticipate the day when our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, is revealed. 8 Until that final day, He will preserve you; and on that day, He will consider you faultless. 9 Count on this: God is faithful and in His faithfulness called you out into an intimate relationship with His Son, our Lord Jesus the Anointed.
10 My brothers and sisters, I urge you by the name of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed, to come together in agreement. Do not allow anything or anyone to create division among you. Instead, be restored, completely fastened together with one mind and shared judgment. 11 I have heard troubling reports from Chloe’s people that you, my siblings, are consumed by fighting and petty disagreements. 12 What I have heard is that each of you is taking sides, saying, “I am with Paul,” or “I am with Apollos,” or “I am with Cephas,” or “I am with the Anointed One.” 13 Has the Anointed One been split up into many small pieces? Do you think Paul was crucified for you? Were you ceremonially washed through baptism[b] into the name of Paul? Absolutely not!
Paul knows that if the work of Jesus’ gospel degenerates into a cult of personality, it will hardly resemble true Christianity. If the focus is on Paul, Cephas, Apollos, or any famous religious leader, then that distracts from the person and central message of Jesus. Any cult of personality is intoxicating, and it is often easier to claim to follow a person who can be seen and touched. But Christianity is founded upon the belief that Jesus is the head of the church and that all of His followers serve His will as a part of the royal priesthood.
14 Now I am thankful that I baptized[c] only Crispus and Gaius, 15 so none of you can falsely declare you were baptized in my name. 16 Now wait, as I think about it, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; if there are others in your community whom I baptized, I cannot recall at this moment. 17 The mission given to me by the Anointed One is not about baptism, but about preaching good news. The point is not to impress others by spinning an eloquent, intellectual argument; that type of rhetorical showboating would only nullify the cross of the Anointed.
18 For people who are stumbling toward ruin, the message of the cross is nothing but a tall tale for fools by a fool. But for those of us who are already experiencing the reality of being rescued and made right, it is nothing short of God’s power. 19 This is why the Scripture says:
I will put an end to the wisdom of the so-called wise,
and I will invalidate the insight of your so-called experts.[d]
20 So now, where is the philosopher? Where is the scholar? Where is the skilled debater, the best of your time? Step up, if you dare. Hasn’t God made fools out of those who count on the wisdom of this rebellious, broken world? 21 For in God’s deep wisdom, He made it so that the world could not even begin to comprehend Him through its own style of wisdom; in fact, God took immense pleasure in rescuing people of faith through the foolishness of the message we preach. 22 It seems the Jews are always asking for signs and the Greeks are always on the prowl for wisdom. 23 But we tell a different story. We proclaim a crucified Jesus, God’s Anointed. For Jews this is scandalous, for outsiders[e] this is moronic, 24 but for those of us living out God’s call—regardless of our Jewish or Greek heritage—we know the Anointed embodies God’s dynamic power and God’s deep wisdom. 25 You can count on this: God’s foolishness will always be wiser than mere human wisdom, and God’s weakness will always be stronger than mere human strength.
The cross challenges human values because no one expects to find freedom through capital punishment. Unlike most of the thousands who faced crucifixion before and after Jesus, He was clearly not a criminal. God uses this contradiction to reveal His power and wisdom: Jesus has offered Himself to death and has been raised to life to bring liberation to others. Those who truly follow this crucified king do not seek power and authority through the normal patterns of the world; they offer themselves in loving sacrifice for others. That is where God’s transforming power is truly revealed in the church.
26 Look carefully at your call, brothers and sisters. By human standards, not many of you are deemed to be wise. Not many are considered powerful. Not many of you come from royalty, right? 27 But celebrate this: God selected the world’s foolish to bring shame upon those who think they are wise; likewise, He selected the world’s weak to bring disgrace upon those who think they are strong. 28 God selected the common and the castoff, whatever lacks status, so He could invalidate the claims of those who think those things are significant. 29 So it makes no sense for any person to boast in God’s presence. 30 Instead, credit God with your new situation: you are united with Jesus the Anointed. He is God’s wisdom for us and more. He is our righteousness and holiness and redemption. 31 As the Scripture says: “If someone wants to boast, he should boast in the Lord.”[f]
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.