M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Chapter 20
The Ten Commandments.[a] 1 God spoke all these words:
2 “I am the Lord, your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of that place of slavery. 3 You shall not have other gods instead of me. 4 You shall not make idols or any image of things that are in the heavens above or that are upon the earth or that are in the waters under the earth. 5 You shall not bow before them nor shall you serve them. I, the Lord, am your God, a jealous God, who punishes the sins of fathers upon their sons until the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, 6 but I will show my favor for a thousand generations of those who love me and observe my commandments.
7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain, for the Lord will not leave unpunished those who use his name in vain.
8 “Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath in honor of the Lord your God. You shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male slave, nor your female slave, nor your animals, nor the foreigner who dwells with you. 11 The Lord made the heavens and the earth and the seas and that which is in them in six days, but he rested the seventh day. Thus, the Lord blessed the Sabbath and declared it to be sacred.
12 “Honor your father and your mother so that your days may be lengthened in the land that the Lord your God, will give you.
13 “You shall not kill.
14 “You shall not commit adultery.
15 “You shall not steal.
16 “You shall not give false witness against your neighbor.
17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male slave, nor his female slave, nor his oxen, nor his donkey, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
18 Moses, Intermediary of the Covenant. All the people heard the thunder and saw the lightning. They heard the sound of the trumpet and saw the mountain smoking. They were filled with fear and kept their distance.
19 They said to Moses, “You speak to us and we will listen, but do not let God speak to us or we will die.”
20 Moses spoke to the people saying, “Do not be afraid. God has come to put you to the test so that you may always be filled with fear of him and not sin.”
21 The people kept their distance while Moses approached the dark cloud where God was found.
The Book of the Covenant[b]
Norms for Constructing an Altar to the Lord.22 The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the children of Israel: ‘You have seen that I have spoken to you from the heavens. 23 Do not make gods from silver or from gold instead of me. You will not make them for yourselves.
24 “ ‘Make an altar for me in the land and upon it offer your burnt offerings and your communion sacrifices, your sheep and your oxen. In all the places where I cause my name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you.
25 “ ‘If you make an altar out of stone for me, do not build it out of cut stone. If you use a chisel upon it, it will be considered to be unclean. 26 Do not go up to the altar by steps, lest your nakedness be seen.’[c]
Chapter 23
Jesus before Pilate.[a] 1 Then the entire assembly rose and brought Jesus before Pilate. 2 They began to accuse him, saying, “We charge this man with subverting our nation, opposing the payment of taxes to Caesar, and claiming that he is the Christ, a king.” 3 Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He replied, “You have said so.”
4 Pilate then said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no evidence of a crime in this man.” 5 But they continued to insist, saying, “He is stirring up the people by his teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee, where he started, all the way to here.”
6 When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was a Galilean, 7 and upon learning that he came under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
Jesus before Herod.[b] 8 Herod was delighted when he saw Jesus, for he had heard about him and had been hoping for some time to see him and perhaps to witness him perform some sign. 9 He questioned him at length, but Jesus gave him no reply.
10 The chief priests and the scribes meanwhile were present, and they vehemently made accusations against him. 11 Herod and his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then Herod had him clothed in an elegant robe and sent him back to Pilate. 12 That very day Herod and Pilate became friends, although previously they had been enemies.
13 Jesus before Pilate Again.[c]Pilate then summoned the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought this man before me and accused him of inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him here in your presence and have not found him guilty of any of the charges you have brought against him. 15 Nor did Herod, for he has sent him back to us. It is clear that he has done nothing deserving of death. 16 Therefore, I will have him scourged and then release him.”
Jesus Is Condemned to Death. [17 Now Pilate was obliged to release one man to them at the time of the festival.][d] 18 And then the crowd all shouted in unison, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!” 19 (He had been imprisoned for an insurrection that had occurred in the city as well as for murder.) 20 In his desire to release Jesus, Pilate again pleaded with them, 21 but, they continued to shout, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” 22 A third time he addressed them: “Why? What evil has he done? I have not found in him any crime that deserves death. Therefore, I will have him scourged and let him go.”
23 However, with loud shouts they continued to insist that he should be crucified, and their voices prevailed. 24 Pilate ordered that what they wanted was to be granted. 25 He released the man they asked for, who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, and he handed over Jesus to them to deal with as they wished.
26 The Way of the Cross.[e] As they led him away, they seized a man from Cyrene named Simon, who was returning from the country. They put the cross on his back and forced him to carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large number of people followed Jesus, among them many women who were mourning and lamenting over him.
28 But he turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me. Weep rather for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore children and the breasts that never nursed.’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ 31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
32 Jesus Is Crucified.[f] There were also two others, both criminals, who were led away to be executed with him. 33 When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified[g] Jesus there along with the two criminals, one on his right and the other on his left. 34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”[h] And they cast lots to divide his garments.
35 The people stood there watching.[i] Meanwhile, the rulers jeered at him and said, “He saved others. Let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.” 36 Even the soldiers mocked him. As they came forward to offer him sour wine, 37 they said, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription above his head that said, “This is the King of the Jews.”
39 One of the criminals hanging there taunted Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, “Have you no fear of God, since you are under the same sentence? 41 In our case, we have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds. But this man has committed no wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 Jesus said to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”[j]
44 Jesus Dies on the Cross.[k] It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45 for the sun was darkened. Then the veil of the temple was torn in two. 46 He cried out, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” And with these words he breathed his last.[l]
47 On seeing what had taken place, the centurion praised God and said, “Surely, this man was innocent.” 48 When all the people who had gathered there to witness the spectacle saw what had happened, they returned home beating their breasts.[m] 49 However, all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance and watched all these events.
50 Jesus Is Buried.[n] Now there was a good and upright man named Joseph[o] who was a member of the council. 51 However, he had not agreed to their plan and the action they had taken. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea, and he was awaiting the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and requested the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen shroud, and laid him in a tomb that had been hewn out of rock in which no one had ever been interred. 54 It was the Day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was about to begin.
55 The women who had accompanied Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph. They saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. But on the Sabbath they rested in obedience to the commandment.
The Intervention of God[a]
The Lord’s First Speech
Chapter 38
Gird Up Your Loins.[b] 1 Then from the heart of the storm the Lord answered Job:
2 “Who is this who obscures my intentions
with words devoid of knowledge?
3 Gird up your loins now like a man.
I will ask you questions,
and you will give me the answers.
A1: The Mysteries of the Cosmos
Where Were You When I Laid the Earth’s Foundations?
4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundations?
Tell me, if you have understanding.
5 Who determined its measurements? Do you know?
Who stretched out the measuring line over it?
6 What supports the pillars at its bases?
Who laid its cornerstone
7 while the morning stars sang in unison
and the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 “Who shut up the sea behind doors
when it burst forth from the womb,
9 when I made the clouds its garment
and wrapped it in thick darkness,
10 when I established bounds for it
and set its barred doors in place,
11 when I said, ‘This far may you come, but no farther;
here is where your proud waves must halt’?
Have You Ever Commanded the Morning?[c]
12 “During your entire life have you ever commanded the morning to appear
or caused the dawn to rise in the east
13 so that it might grasp the ends of the earth
and shake the wicked from its surface?
14 She turns it like clay under a seal
and dyes it as though it were a garment.
15 But light[d] is withheld from the wicked,
and their raised arm is broken.
Have You Ever Walked at the Bottom of the Abyss?
16 “Have you ever descended to the depths of the sea
and walked at the bottom of the abyss?
17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you
or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 Have you comprehended the vast expanse of the earth?
Tell me if you know all this.
19 “Can you point out the way to the dwelling of light
and show the abode of darkness,
20 so that you may assign each to its designated boundary
and escort them on their homeward paths?
21 Surely you must know this,
for you had already been born
and the years of your life are beyond numbering!
Have You Entered the Place Where the Snow Is Stored?[e]
22 [f]“Have you entered the place where the snow is stored,
or seen the storehouses of the hail,
23 which I have reserved for times of distress,
for the times of war and battle?
24 Can you show me the place where lightning is dispersed
or where the east wind is scattered over the earth?
25 “Who has cut a channel for the downpour of rain
and cleared a path for the thunderstorm
26 so that rain may fall on uninhabited lands,
on the wilderness devoid of human life,
27 and thus reinvigorate the wastes and the desolate land,
enabling grass to sprout on the thirsty ground?
28 “Does the rain have a father?
Who has begotten the drops of dew?
29 Whose womb brings forth the ice?
Who gives birth to the frost of heaven,
30 causing a layer of stone to cover the waters
and the surface of the earth to congeal?
Do You Know the Ordinances of the Heavens?
31 “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades
or loosen the bonds of Orion?
32 Can you bring forth the constellations in their season
or indicate which way to go to the Bear[g] and its cubs?
33 Do you know the ordinances of the heavens?
Can you put into effect their rule on the earth?
34 “Can you raise up your voice to command the clouds
to envelop you in a deluge of rain?
35 Will flashes of lightning come forth at your command
and say to you, ‘Here we are’?
36 Who has endowed the heart with wisdom
and given understanding to the mind?
37 Who can number all the rain clouds
and empty the cisterns of the heavens
38 so that the dust solidifies into a thick mass
and the clods of earth cling together?
A2: The Astonishing World of the Animals[h]
The Lion and the Raven
39 “Can you hunt prey for the lioness
or satisfy the hunger of young lions
40 while they crouch in their dens
or lie in wait in the bushes?
41 Who provides the raven with prey
when its little ones cry out to God
in their need for sustenance?
The Collection for the Christians of Jerusalem[a]
Chapter 8
Example of Christians of Macedonia. 1 Now we want you to know, brethren, about the grace of God that has been bestowed on the Churches of Macedonia. 2 In a period of severe affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in rich generosity on their part. 3 I can testify that they contributed to the limit of their resources, and even beyond, 4 begging us insistently for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.
5 Far exceeding our expectations, they gave themselves first to the Lord, and then, by the will of God, to us. 6 As a result, we urged Titus that, inasmuch as he had already begun this work of charity, he should bring this enterprise to a successful completion among you.
The Example of Christ. 7 Now, inasmuch as you excel in everything—in your faith, your eloquence, your knowledge, your concern for others, and your love for us[b]—so we want you also to excel in this generous undertaking.
8 I am not saying this to you as a command, but rather I am testing the genuine character of your love by the concern you show for others. 9 For you are well aware of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Although he was rich, he became poor for your sake so that by his poverty you might become rich.[c]
10 I will now give you my advice about what I believe is appropriate in this matter. Last year, you were the first not only to engage in this good work but also to do so willingly. 11 Now finish it, so that your eagerness may be matched by completing it according to your means. 12 As long as the goodwill is present, the gift will be acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.
13 I am not suggesting that others should have relief while you are reduced to difficult straits. Rather, there should be an equitable balance. 14 Your surplus at the present time should relieve the needs of others, so that at another time their surplus may relieve your needs, and in this way there will be equality. 15 As it is written,
“The one who gathered much did not have too much,
and the one who gathered less did not have too little.”
16 Paul Recommends the Delegates. Thanks be to God for putting into the heart of Titus a concern for you that is the equal of mine. 17 For he not only welcomed our request, but, because of his great concern, he is coming to you of his own accord. 18 Together with him, we are sending the brother who is praised by all the Churches for his proclamation of the gospel.[d] 19 In addition, he has also been appointed by the Churches to be our traveling companion as we engage in our charitable work for the glory of the Lord and to show our eagerness to be of service.
20 In this way, we want to ensure that no one will be able to criticize us for our handling of this generous collection. 21 For we intend to do what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of others.
22 And with them, we are also sending our brother[e] whose dedication we have tested in many ways and found to be exemplary. Now he is even more dedicated than before because of his great confidence in you.
23 As for Titus, he is my partner and coworker in your service. And as for the others, they are the apostles of the Churches and the glory of Christ. 24 Therefore, show these men, and all the Churches, the proof of your love and the legitimacy of our boasting about you.
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