M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
22 Take a cluster of hyssop, dip it in the blood(A) that is in the basin, and brush the lintel and the two doorposts with some of the blood in the basin. None of you may go out the door of his house until morning. 23 When the Lord passes through to strike Egypt and sees the blood on the lintel and the two doorposts, he will pass over the door and not let the destroyer enter your houses to strike you.(B)
24 “Keep this command permanently as a statute for you and your descendants. 25 When you enter the land that the Lord will give you as he promised, you are to observe this ceremony. 26 When your children(C) ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ 27 you are to reply, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice(D) to the Lord, for he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt when he struck the Egyptians, and he spared our homes.’” So the people knelt low and worshiped. 28 Then the Israelites went and did this; they did just as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron.
The Exodus
29 Now at midnight the Lord struck every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the prisoner who was in the dungeon, and every firstborn of the livestock.(E) 30 During the night Pharaoh got up, he along with all his officials and all the Egyptians, and there was a loud wailing(F) throughout Egypt because there wasn’t a house without someone dead. 31 He summoned Moses and Aaron during the night and said, “Get out immediately from among my people, both you and the Israelites, and go, worship the Lord as you have said. 32 Take even your flocks and your herds as you asked and leave, and also bless me.”
33 Now the Egyptians pressured the people in order to send them quickly out of the country, for they said, “We’re all going to die!” (G) 34 So the people took their dough before it was leavened, with their kneading bowls wrapped up in their clothes on their shoulders.
35 The Israelites acted on Moses’s word and asked the Egyptians for silver and gold items and for clothing.(H) 36 And the Lord gave the people such favor with the Egyptians that they gave them what they requested. In this way they plundered the Egyptians.
37 The Israelites traveled from Rameses to Succoth,(I) about six hundred thousand(J) able-bodied men on foot, besides their families. 38 A mixed crowd also went up with them, along with a huge number of livestock, both flocks and herds. 39 The people baked the dough they had brought out of Egypt into unleavened loaves, since it had no yeast; for when they were driven(K) out of Egypt, they could not delay and had not prepared provisions for themselves.
40 The time that the Israelites lived in Egypt[a] was 430 years.(L) 41 At the end of 430 years, on that same day, all the Lord’s military divisions went out from the land of Egypt. 42 It was a night of vigil in honor of the Lord, because he would bring them out of the land of Egypt. This same night is in honor of the Lord, a night vigil for all the Israelites throughout their generations.(M)
Passover Instruction
43 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the statute of the Passover: no foreigner may eat it. 44 But any slave a man has purchased may eat it, after you have circumcised him. 45 A temporary resident or hired worker may not eat the Passover.(N) 46 It is to be eaten in one house. You may not take any of the meat outside the house, and you may not break any of its bones.(O) 47 The whole community of Israel must celebrate[b] it. 48 If an alien resides among you and wants to observe the Lord’s Passover, every male in his household must be circumcised, and then he may participate;[c] he will become like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat it. 49 The same law will apply to both the native and the alien who resides among you.”(P)
50 Then all the Israelites did this; they did just as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron. 51 On that same day the Lord brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt according to their military divisions.(Q)
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
15 All(A) the tax collectors(B) and sinners were approaching to listen to him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners(C) and eats with them.”
3 So he told them this parable:(D) 4 “What man among you, who has a hundred sheep and loses one of them,(E) does not leave the ninety-nine in the open field[a] and go after the lost one until he finds it? 5 When he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, 6 and coming home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’ 7 I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven(F) over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance.
The Parable of the Lost Coin
8 “Or what woman who has ten silver coins,[b][c] if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found the silver coin I lost!’ 10 I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels(G) over one sinner who repents.”
The Parable of the Lost Son
11 He also said, “A man had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets[d] to them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered(H) his estate in foolish living.(I) 14 After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing.[e] 15 Then he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.(J) 16 He longed to eat his fill from[f] the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one would give him anything. 17 When he came to his senses,[g] he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger![h] 18 I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned(K) against heaven(L) and in your sight. 19 I’m no longer worthy(M) to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired workers.”’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion.(N) He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed(O) him. 21 The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father told his servants, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe(P) and put it on him; put a ring(Q) on his finger and sandals(R) on his feet. 23 Then bring the fattened calf(S) and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead and is alive again;(T) he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his older son was in the field; as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he summoned one of the servants, questioning what these things meant. 27 ‘Your brother is here,’ he told him, ‘and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’[i]
28 “Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 But he replied to his father, ‘Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets[j] with prostitutes,(U) you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’
31 “‘Son,’[k] he said to him, ‘you are always with me,(V) and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
30 But now they mock(A) me,
men younger than I am,
whose fathers I would have refused to put
with my sheep dogs.
2 What use to me was the strength of their hands?
Their vigor had left them.
3 Emaciated from poverty and hunger,
they gnawed the dry land,
the desolate wasteland by night.
4 They plucked mallow[a](B) among the shrubs,
and the roots of the broom tree were their food.
5 They were banished from human society;
people shouted at them as if they were thieves.
6 They are living on the slopes of the wadis,
among the rocks and in holes in the ground.
7 They bray among the shrubs;
they huddle beneath the thistles.
8 Foolish(C) men, without even a name.
They were forced to leave the land.
9 Now I am mocked by their songs;(D)
I have become an object of scorn to them.
10 They despise me and keep their distance from me;(E)
they do not hesitate to spit(F) in my face.
11 Because God has loosened my[b] bowstring and oppressed me,
they have cast off restraint in my presence.(G)
12 The rabble[c] rise up at my right;
they trap[d] my feet
and construct their siege ramp[e] against me.(H)
13 They tear up my path;
they contribute to my destruction,(I)
without anyone to help them.
14 They advance as through a gaping breach;
they keep rolling in through the ruins.(J)
15 Terrors(K) are turned loose against me;
they chase my dignity away like the wind,
and my prosperity has passed by like a cloud.
16 Now my life is poured out before me,
and days of suffering(L) have seized me.
17 Night pierces my bones,
but my gnawing pains never rest.(M)
18 My clothing is distorted with great force;
he chokes me by the neck of my garment.[f]
19 He throws me into the mud,
and I have become like dust and ashes.(N)
20 I cry out to you for help, but you do not answer me;(O)
when I stand up, you merely look at me.
21 You have turned against me with cruelty;
you harass(P) me with your strong hand.
22 You lift me up on the wind and make me ride it;
you scatter me in the storm.(Q)
23 Yes, I know that you will lead me to death—
the place(R) appointed for all who live.
24 Yet no one would stretch out his hand
against a ruined person[g]
when he cries out to him for help
because of his distress.(S)
25 Have I not wept for those who have fallen on hard times?
Has my soul not grieved for the needy?(T)
26 But when I hoped for good, evil came;
when I looked for light, darkness(U) came.
27 I am churning within[h] and cannot rest;
days of suffering confront me.
28 I walk about blackened, but not by the sun.[i]
I stood in the assembly and cried out for help.
29 I have become a brother to jackals
and a companion of ostriches.
30 My skin blackens and flakes off,[j]
and my bones burn with fever.(V)
31 My lyre is used for mourning
and my flute for the sound of weeping.(W)
Collection for the Jerusalem Church
16 Now about the collection(A) for the saints: Do the same as I instructed the Galatian(B) churches. 2 On the first day of the week,(C) each of you is to set something aside and save in keeping with how he is prospering, so that no collections will need to be made when I come.(D) 3 When I arrive, I will send with letters(E) those you recommend to carry your gift to Jerusalem.(F) 4 If it is suitable for me to go as well, they will travel with me.
Paul’s Travel Plans
5 I will come to you after I pass through Macedonia(G)—for I will be traveling through Macedonia— 6 and perhaps I will remain with you or even spend the winter, so that you may send me on my way wherever I go. 7 I don’t want to see you now just in passing, since I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord allows.(H) 8 But I will stay in Ephesus(I) until Pentecost,(J) 9 because a wide door(K) for effective ministry has opened for me[a]—yet many oppose me. 10 If Timothy comes, see that he has nothing to fear while with you, because he is doing the Lord’s work,(L) just as I am. 11 So let no one look down(M) on him. Send him on his way in peace so that he can come to me, because I am expecting him with the brothers.
12 Now about our brother Apollos:(N) I strongly urged him to come to you with the brothers, but he was not at all willing to come now. However, he will come when he has an opportunity.
Final Exhortation
13 Be alert, stand firm in the faith,(O) be courageous,[b] be strong. 14 Do everything in love.(P)
15 Brothers and sisters, you know the household of Stephanas: They are the firstfruits(Q) of Achaia(R) and have devoted themselves to serving the saints. I urge you 16 also to submit to such people, and to everyone who works and labors with them. 17 I am delighted to have Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus present, because these men have made up for your absence. 18 For they have refreshed my spirit(S) and yours. Therefore recognize(T) such people.
Conclusion
19 The churches of Asia(U) send you greetings.(V) Aquila and Priscilla(W) send you greetings warmly in the Lord, along with the church that meets in their home.(X) 20 All the brothers and sisters send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.(Y)
21 This greeting is in my own hand(Z)—Paul. 22 If anyone does not love the Lord, a curse be on him. Our Lord, come![c] 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.(AA) 24 My love be with all of you in Christ Jesus.
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