M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Jacob’s Deception
27 Now it came about, when Isaac was old and (A)his eyes were too dim to see, that he called his (B)older son Esau and said to him, “My son.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” 2 Then [a](C)Isaac said, “Behold now, I am old and I do not know the day of my death. 3 Now then, please take your gear, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and (D)hunt game for me; 4 and prepare a delicious meal for me such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, so that (E)my soul may bless you before I die.”
5 Now Rebekah was listening while Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game to bring home, 6 (F)Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Behold, I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, saying, 7 ‘Bring me some game and prepare a delicious meal for me, so that I may eat, and bless you in the presence of the Lord before my death.’ 8 So now, my son, (G)listen to [b]me [c]as I command you. 9 Go now to the flock and [d]bring me two choice [e]young goats from there, so that I may prepare them as a delicious meal for your father, such as he loves. 10 Then you shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, so that he may bless you before his death.” 11 But Jacob said to his mother Rebekah, “Behold, my brother Esau is a (H)hairy man and I am a smooth man. 12 (I)Perhaps my father will touch me, then I will be like a [f]deceiver in his sight, and I will bring upon myself a curse and not a blessing.” 13 But his mother said to him, “Your curse be on me, my son; only (J)obey my voice, and go, get the goats for me.” 14 So he went and got them, and brought them to his mother; and his mother made a delicious meal such as his father loved. 15 Then Rebekah took the [g]best (K)garments of her elder son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob. 16 And she put the skins of the [h]young goats on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. 17 She also gave the delicious meal and the bread which she had made [i]to her son Jacob.
18 Then he came to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” 19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn; I have done as you told me. (L)Come now, sit and eat of my game, so that [j](M)you may bless me.” 20 Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have it so quickly, my son?” And he said, “(N)Because the Lord your God made it [k]come to me.” 21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come close, so that (O)I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.” 22 So Jacob came close to his father Isaac, and he touched him and said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23 And he did not recognize him, because his hands were (P)hairy like his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him. 24 And he said, “Are you really my son Esau?” And he said, “I am.” 25 So he said, “Bring it to me, and I will eat of my son’s game, that [l](Q)I may bless you.” And he brought it to him, and he ate; he also brought him wine and he drank. 26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Please come close and kiss me, my son.” 27 So he came close and kissed him; and when he smelled the smell of his garments, he (R)blessed him and said,
“See, (S)the smell of my son
Is like the smell of a field (T)which the Lord has blessed;
28 Now may (U)God give you of the dew of heaven,
And of the (V)fatness of the earth,
And an abundance of grain and new wine;
29 (W)May peoples serve you,
And nations bow down to you;
(X)Be master of your brothers,
(Y)And may your mother’s sons bow down to you.
(Z)Cursed be those who curse you,
And blessed be those who bless you.”
The Stolen Blessing
30 Now it came about, as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had hardly gone out from the presence of his father Isaac, that his brother Esau came in from his hunting. 31 Then he also made a delicious meal, and brought it to his father; and he said to his father, “(AA)Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that [m](AB)you may bless me.” 32 His father Isaac said to him, “(AC)Who are you?” And he said, “I am your son, (AD)your firstborn, Esau.” 33 Then Isaac [n]trembled violently, and said, “(AE)Who then was he who hunted game and brought it to me, so that I ate from all of it before you came, and blessed him? (AF)Yes, and he shall be blessed.” 34 When Esau heard the words of his father, (AG)he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me, me as well, my father!” 35 And he said, “(AH)Your brother came deceitfully and has taken away your blessing.” 36 Then Esau said, “[o]Is he not rightly named [p](AI)Jacob, for he has betrayed me these two times? He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” And he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” 37 But Isaac replied to Esau, “Behold, I have made him (AJ)your master, and I have given to him all his relatives [q]as servants; and with grain and new wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?” 38 Esau said to his father, “Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me, me as well, my father.” So Esau raised his voice and (AK)wept.
39 Then (AL)his father Isaac answered and said to him,
“Behold, [r](AM)away from the [s]fertility of the earth shall be your dwelling,
And [t]away from the dew of heaven from above.
40 And by your sword you shall live,
And (AN)you shall serve your brother;
But it shall come about (AO)when you become restless,
That you will [u]break his yoke from your neck.”
41 So Esau (AP)held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him; and Esau said [v]to himself, “(AQ)The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” 42 Now when the words of her elder son Esau were reported to Rebekah, she sent word and called her younger son Jacob, and said to him, “Behold your brother Esau is consoling himself concerning you by planning to kill you. 43 Now then, my son, (AR)obey my voice, and arise, [w]flee to (AS)Haran, to my brother (AT)Laban! 44 Stay with him (AU)a few days, until your brother’s fury [x]subsides, 45 until your brother’s anger [y]against you subsides and he forgets (AV)what you did to him. Then I will send word and get you from there. Why should I lose you both in one day?”
46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am tired of [z]living because of (AW)the daughters of Heth; (AX)if Jacob takes a wife from the daughters of Heth like these from the daughters of the land, what good will my life be to me?”
The Plot to Kill Jesus
26 (A)When Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples, 2 “(B)You know that after two days (C)the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be (D)handed over for crucifixion.”
3 (E)At that time the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in (F)the courtyard of the high priest named (G)Caiaphas; 4 and they (H)plotted together to arrest Jesus covertly and kill Him. 5 But they were saying, “Not during the festival, (I)otherwise a riot might occur among the people.”
The Precious Ointment
6 (J)Now when Jesus was in (K)Bethany, at the home of Simon [a]the Leper, 7 (L)a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very expensive perfume, and she poured it on His head as He was reclining at the table. 8 But the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said, “Why this waste? 9 For this perfume could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.” 10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you bothering the woman? For she has done a good deed for Me. 11 For you always have (M)the poor with you; but you do not always have Me. 12 For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it (N)to prepare Me for burial. 13 Truly I say to you, (O)wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.”
Judas’ Bargain
14 (P)Then one of the twelve, named (Q)Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What are you willing to give me [b]to [c](R)betray Him to you?” And (S)they set out for him thirty [d]pieces of silver. 16 And from then on he looked for a good opportunity to [e]betray [f]Jesus.
17 (T)Now on the first day of [g](U)Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and [h]asked, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?” 18 And He said, “Go into the city to (V)a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “(W)My time is near; I am keeping the Passover at your house with My disciples.”’” 19 The disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.
The Last Passover
20 (X)Now when evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the [i]twelve. 21 And as they were eating, He said, “(Y)Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me.” 22 Being deeply grieved, they began saying to Him, each one: “Surely it is not I, Lord?” 23 And He answered, “(Z)He who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl is the one who will betray Me. 24 The Son of Man is going away (AA)just as it is written about Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! (AB)It would have been good [j]for that man if he had not been born.” 25 And (AC)Judas, who was betraying Him, said, “Surely it is not I, (AD)Rabbi?” Jesus *said to him, “(AE)You have said it yourself.”
The Lord’s Supper Instituted
26 (AF)Now while they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and [k](AG)after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” 27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28 for (AH)this is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for (AI)many for forgiveness of sins. 29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it with you, new, in My Father’s kingdom.”
30 (AJ)And after singing a [l]hymn, they went out to (AK)the Mount of Olives.
31 Then Jesus *said to them, “You will all [m](AL)fall away because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘(AM)I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be (AN)scattered.’ 32 But after I have been raised, (AO)I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” 33 But Peter replied to Him, “Even if they all [n]fall away because of You, I will never fall away!” 34 Jesus said to him, “(AP)Truly I say to you that (AQ)this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 35 Peter *said to Him, “(AR)Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” All the disciples said the same thing as well.
The Garden of Gethsemane
36 (AS)Then Jesus *came with them to a place called [o](AT)Gethsemane, and *told His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 And He took (AU)Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him, and began to be grieved and distressed. 38 Then He *said to them, “(AV)My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and (AW)keep watch with Me.”
39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let (AX)this cup pass from Me; (AY)yet not as I will, but as You will.” 40 And He *came to the disciples and *found them sleeping, and He *said to Peter, “So, you men could not (AZ)keep watch with Me for one hour? 41 (BA)Keep watching and praying, so that you do not come into temptation; (BB)the spirit is [p]willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cup (BC)cannot pass away unless I drink from it, (BD)Your will be done.” 43 Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. 45 Then He *came to the disciples and *said to them, “[q]Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, (BE)the hour [r]is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Get up, let’s go; behold, the one who is betraying Me is near!”
Jesus’ Betrayal and Arrest
47 (BF)And while He was still speaking, behold, (BG)Judas, one of the twelve, came [s]accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48 Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign previously, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; arrest Him.” 49 And immediately Judas went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, (BH)Rabbi!” and kissed Him. 50 But Jesus said to him, “(BI)Friend, do what you have come for.” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested Him.
51 And behold, (BJ)one of those who were with Jesus [t]reached and drew his (BK)sword, and struck the (BL)slave of the high priest and [u]cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus *said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for (BM)all those who take up the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve [v](BN)legions of (BO)angels? 54 How then would (BP)the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?”
55 At that time Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a man inciting a revolt? (BQ)Every day I used to sit within the temple grounds teaching, and you did not arrest Me. 56 But all this has taken place so that (BR)the Scriptures of the prophets will be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left Him and fled.
Jesus before Caiaphas
57 (BS)Those who had arrested Jesus led Him away to (BT)Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together. 58 But (BU)Peter was following Him at a distance, as far as the (BV)courtyard of the high priest, and he came inside and sat down with the [w](BW)officers to see the outcome.
59 Now the chief priests and the entire [x](BX)Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death. 60 They did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on (BY)two came forward, 61 and said, “This man stated, ‘(BZ)I am able to destroy the [y]temple of God and to rebuild it [z]in three days.’” 62 The high priest stood up and said to Him, “Do You offer no answer for what these men are testifying against You?” 63 But (CA)Jesus kept silent. (CB)And the high priest said to Him, “I (CC)place You under oath by (CD)the living God, to tell us whether You are the [aa]Christ, (CE)the Son of God.” 64 Jesus *said to him, “(CF)You have said it yourself. But I tell you, from now on you will see (CG)the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and (CH)coming on the clouds of heaven.”
65 Then the high priest (CI)tore his [ab]robes and said, “He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? See, you have now heard the blasphemy; 66 what do you think?” They answered, “(CJ)He deserves death!”
67 (CK)Then they (CL)spit in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others [ac]slapped Him, 68 and said, “(CM)Prophesy to us, You [ad]Christ; who is the one who hit You?”
Peter’s Denials
69 (CN)Now Peter was sitting outside in the (CO)courtyard, and a slave woman came to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.” 71 When he had gone out to the gateway, another slave woman saw him and *said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 And again he denied it, with an oath: “I do not know the man.” 73 A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “You really are one of them as well, (CP)since even the way you talk [ae]gives you away.” 74 Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know the Man!” And immediately a rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the statement that Jesus had [af]made: “(CQ)Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.
Haman’s Plot against the Jews
3 After these events King Ahasuerus (A)honored Haman, the son of Hammedatha (B)the Agagite, and (C)promoted him and [a]established his authority over all the officials who were with him. 2 All the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and paid [b]homage to Haman; for so the king had commanded regarding him. But (D)Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid [c]homage. 3 Then the king’s servants who were at (E)the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “(F)Why are you violating the king’s command?” 4 Now it was when they had spoken daily to him and he would not listen to them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai’s reason would [d]stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5 When Haman saw that (G)Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid [e]homage to him, Haman was filled with rage. 6 But he [f]considered it beneath his dignity to [g]kill Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; so Haman (H)sought to annihilate all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were found throughout the kingdom of Ahasuerus.
7 In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, [h]Pur, that is the lot, was (I)cast before Haman from day to day and from month to month, [i]until the twelfth month, that is (J)the month Adar. 8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; (K)their laws are different from those of all other people and they do not [j]comply with the king’s laws, so it is not in the king’s interest to let them remain. 9 If it is pleasing to the king, let it be [k]decreed that they be eliminated, and I will pay [l]ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who carry out the king’s business, to put into the king’s treasuries.” 10 Then (L)the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha (M)the Agagite, (N)the enemy of the Jews. 11 And the king said to Haman, “The silver is [m]yours, and the people also, to do with them as you please.”
12 (O)Then the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written just as Haman commanded to (P)the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province and to the officials of each people, each province according to its script, each people according to its language, being written (Q)in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13 Letters were sent by (R)couriers to all the king’s provinces (S)to annihilate, kill, and destroy all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, (T)in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to (U)seize their possessions as plunder. 14 (V)A copy of the edict to be [n]issued as law in every province was published to all the peoples so that they would be ready for this day. 15 The couriers went out, speeded by the king’s [o]order while the decree was [p]issued at the citadel in Susa; and while the king and Haman sat down to drink, (W)the city of Susa was agitated.
Paul’s Defense before Agrippa
26 (A)Now Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” Then Paul extended his hand and proceeded to make his defense:
2 “Regarding all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today, 3 [a]especially because you are an expert in all (B)customs and [b]questions among the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4 “So then, all Jews know (C)my way of life since my youth, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and in Jerusalem, 5 since they have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a (D)Pharisee (E)according to the strictest (F)sect of our religion. 6 And now I am standing trial (G)for the hope of (H)the promise made by God to our fathers; 7 the promise (I)to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. For this (J)hope, O king, I am being (K)accused by Jews. 8 Why is it considered incredible among you people (L)if God raises the dead?
9 “So (M)I thought to myself that I had to act in strong opposition to (N)the name of Jesus [c]of Nazareth. 10 And this is [d]just what I (O)did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the [e]saints in prisons, after (P)receiving authority from the chief priests, but I also (Q)cast my vote against them when they were being put to death. 11 And (R)as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and since I was (S)extremely enraged at them, I kept pursuing them (T)even to [f]foreign cities.
12 “[g]While so engaged, (U)as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, 13 at midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, [h]brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who were journeying with me. 14 And when we had (V)all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the [i](W)Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? [j]It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But get up and (X)stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to (Y)appoint you as a (Z)servant and (AA)a witness not only to the things in which you have seen Me, but also to the things in which I will appear to you, 17 (AB)rescuing you (AC)from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, 18 to (AD)open their eyes so that they may turn from (AE)darkness to light, and from the [k]power of (AF)Satan to God, that they may receive (AG)forgiveness of sins and an (AH)inheritance among those who have been sanctified by (AI)faith in Me.’
19 “For that reason, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but continually proclaimed (AJ)to those in Damascus first, and (AK)in Jerusalem, and then all the region of Judea, and even (AL)to the Gentiles, that they are to (AM)repent and turn to God, performing deeds (AN)consistent with repentance. 21 For these reasons some Jews (AO)seized me in the temple and tried (AP)to murder me. 22 So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day (AQ)testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what (AR)the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place, 23 as to (AS)whether the [l]Christ was [m]to suffer, and whether, as (AT)first from the resurrection of the dead, He would proclaim (AU)light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”
24 While [n]Paul was stating these things in his defense, Festus *said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! [o]Your great (AV)learning is [p]driving you insane.” 25 But Paul *said, “I am not insane, (AW)most excellent Festus; on the contrary, I am speaking out with [q]truthful and rational words. 26 For the king [r](AX)knows about these matters, and I also speak to him with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a [s]corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you believe.” 28 Agrippa replied to Paul, “[t]In a short time you are going to persuade me to [u]make a (AY)Christian of myself.” 29 And Paul said, “I would [v]wish to God that even [w]in a short or long time not only you, but also all who hear me this day would become such as I myself am, except for these (AZ)chains.”
30 (BA)The king stood up and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them, 31 and when they had gone out, they began talking to one another, saying, “(BB)This man is not doing anything deserving death or [x]imprisonment.” 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been (BC)set free if he had not (BD)appealed to Caesar.”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.