M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Jacob Cheats Esau out of the Blessing
27 When[a] Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he was almost blind,[b] he called his older[c] son Esau and said to him, “My son!” “Here I am!” Esau[d] replied. 2 Isaac[e] said, “Since[f] I am so old, I could die at any time.[g] 3 Therefore, take your weapons—your quiver and your bow—and go out into the open fields and hunt down some wild game[h] for me. 4 Then prepare for me some tasty food, the kind I love, and bring it to me. Then[i] I will eat it so that I may bless you[j] before I die.”
5 Now Rebekah had been listening while Isaac spoke to his son Esau.[k] When Esau went out to the open fields to hunt down some wild game and bring it back,[l] 6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Look, I overheard your father tell your brother Esau, 7 ‘Bring me some wild game and prepare for me some tasty food. Then I will eat[m] it and bless you[n] in the presence of the Lord[o] before I die.’ 8 Now then, my son, do exactly[p] what I tell you![q] 9 Go to the flock and get me two of the best young goats. I’ll prepare[r] them in a tasty way for your father, just the way he loves them. 10 Then you will take[s] it to your father. Thus he will eat it[t] and[u] bless you before he dies.”
11 “But Esau my brother is a hairy man,” Jacob protested to his mother Rebekah, “and I have smooth skin![v] 12 My father may touch me! Then he’ll think I’m mocking him[w] and I’ll bring a curse on myself instead of a blessing.” 13 So his mother told him, “Any curse against you will fall on me,[x] my son! Just obey me![y] Go and get them for me!”
14 So he went and got the goats[z] and brought them to his mother. She[aa] prepared some tasty food, just the way his father loved it. 15 Then Rebekah took her older son Esau’s best clothes, which she had with her in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob. 16 She put the skins of the young goats[ab] on his hands[ac] and the smooth part of his neck. 17 Then she handed[ad] the tasty food and the bread she had made to her son Jacob.
18 He went to his father and said, “My father!” Isaac[ae] replied, “Here I am. Which are you, my son?”[af] 19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your firstborn. I’ve done as you told me. Now sit up[ag] and eat some of my wild game so that you can bless me.”[ah] 20 But Isaac asked his son, “How in the world[ai] did you find it so quickly,[aj] my son?” “Because the Lord your God brought it to me,”[ak] he replied.[al] 21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come closer so I can touch you,[am] my son, and know for certain if you really are my son Esau.”[an] 22 So Jacob went over to his father Isaac, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s, but the hands are Esau’s.” 23 He did not recognize him because his hands were hairy, like his brother Esau’s hands. So Isaac blessed Jacob.[ao] 24 Then he asked, “Are you really my son Esau?” “I am,” Jacob[ap] replied. 25 Isaac[aq] said, “Bring some of the wild game for me to eat, my son.[ar] Then I will bless you.”[as] So Jacob[at] brought it to him, and he ate it. He also brought him wine, and Isaac[au] drank. 26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come here and kiss me, my son.” 27 So Jacob[av] went over and kissed him. When Isaac caught the scent[aw] of his clothing, he blessed him, saying,
“Yes,[ax] my son smells
like the scent of an open field
which the Lord has blessed.
28 May God give you
the dew of the sky[ay]
and the richness[az] of the earth,
and plenty of grain and new wine.
29 May peoples serve you
and nations bow down to you.
You will be[ba] lord[bb] over your brothers,
and the sons of your mother will bow down to you.[bc]
May those who curse you be cursed,
and those who bless you be blessed.”
30 Isaac had just finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had scarcely left[bd] his father’s[be] presence, when his brother Esau returned from the hunt.[bf] 31 He also prepared some tasty food and brought it to his father. Esau[bg] said to him, “My father, get up[bh] and eat some of your son’s wild game. Then you can bless me.”[bi] 32 His father Isaac asked,[bj] “Who are you?” “I am your firstborn son,”[bk] he replied, “Esau!” 33 Isaac began to shake violently[bl] and asked, “Then who else hunted game and brought it to me? I ate all of it just before you arrived, and I blessed him.[bm] He will indeed be blessed!”
34 When Esau heard[bn] his father’s words, he wailed loudly and bitterly.[bo] He said to his father, “Bless me too, my father!” 35 But Isaac[bp] replied, “Your brother came in here deceitfully and took away[bq] your blessing.” 36 Esau exclaimed, “Jacob is the right name for him![br] He has tripped me up[bs] two times! He took away my birthright, and now, look, he has taken away my blessing!” Then he asked, “Have you not kept back a blessing for me?”
37 Isaac replied to Esau, “Look! I have made him lord over you. I have made all his relatives his servants and provided him with grain and new wine. What is left that I can do for you, my son?” 38 Esau said to his father, “Do you have only that one blessing, my father? Bless me too!”[bt] Then Esau wept loudly.[bu]
39 So his father Isaac said to him,
“See here,[bv] your home will be by[bw] the richness[bx] of the earth,
and by the dew of the sky above.
40 You will live by your sword
but you will serve your brother.
When you grow restless,
you will tear off his yoke
from your neck.”[by]
41 So Esau hated[bz] Jacob because of the blessing his father had given to his brother.[ca] Esau said privately,[cb] “The time[cc] of mourning for my father is near; then I will kill[cd] my brother Jacob!”
42 When Rebekah heard what her older son Esau had said,[ce] she quickly summoned[cf] her younger son Jacob and told him, “Look, your brother Esau is planning to get revenge by killing you.[cg] 43 Now then, my son, do what I say.[ch] Run away immediately[ci] to my brother Laban in Haran. 44 Live with him for a little while[cj] until your brother’s rage subsides. 45 Stay there[ck] until your brother’s anger against you subsides and he forgets what you did to him. Then I’ll send someone to bring you back from there.[cl] Why should I lose both of you in one day?”[cm]
46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am deeply depressed[cn] because of the daughters of Heth.[co] If Jacob were to marry one of these daughters of Heth who live in this land, I would want to die!”[cp]
The Plot Against Jesus
26 When[a] Jesus had finished saying all these things, he told his disciples, 2 “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over[b] to be crucified.”[c] 3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people met together in the palace of the high priest, who was named Caiaphas. 4 They[d] planned to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. 5 But they said, “Not during the feast, so that there won’t be a riot among the people.”[e]
Jesus’ Anointing
6 Now while Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper,[f] 7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar[g] of expensive perfumed oil,[h] and she poured it on his head as he was at the table.[i] 8 When[j] the disciples saw this, they became indignant and said, “Why this waste? 9 It[k] could have been sold at a high price and the money[l] given to the poor!” 10 When[m] Jesus learned of this, he said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She[n] has done a good service for me. 11 For you will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me![o] 12 When[p] she poured this oil on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 13 I tell you the truth,[q] wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
The Plan to Betray Jesus
14 Then one of the twelve, the one named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What will you give me to betray him into your hands?”[r] So they set out thirty silver coins for him. 16 From that time[s] on, Judas[t] began looking for an opportunity to betray him.
The Passover
17 Now on the first day of the feast of[u] Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and said,[v] “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?”[w] 18 He[x] said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near. I will observe the Passover with my disciples at your house.”’” 19 So[y] the disciples did as Jesus had instructed them, and they prepared the Passover. 20 When[z] it was evening, he took his place at the table[aa] with the twelve.[ab] 21 And while they were eating he said, “I tell you the truth,[ac] one of you will betray me.”[ad] 22 They[ae] became greatly distressed[af] and each one began to say to him, “Surely not I, Lord?” 23 He[ag] answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me[ah] will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will go as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for him if he had never been born.” 25 Then[ai] Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” Jesus[aj] replied, “You have said it yourself.”
The Lord’s Supper
26 While[ak] they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it, gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat, this is my body.” 27 And after taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood, the blood[al] of the covenant,[am] that is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I[an] tell you, from now on I will not drink of this fruit[ao] of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” 30 After[ap] singing a hymn,[aq] they went out to the Mount of Olives.
The Prediction of Peter’s Denial
31 Then Jesus said to them, “This night you will all fall away because of me, for it is written:
‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’[ar]
32 But after I am raised, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” 33 Peter[as] said to him, “If they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away!” 34 Jesus said to him, “I tell you the truth,[at] on this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35 Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will never deny you.” And all the disciples said the same thing.
Gethsemane
36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and became anguished and distressed. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me.” 39 Going a little farther, he threw himself down with his face to the ground and prayed,[au] “My Father, if possible,[av] let this cup[aw] pass from me! Yet not what I will, but what you will.” 40 Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He[ax] said to Peter, “So, couldn’t you stay awake with me for one hour? 41 Stay awake and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 He went away a second time and prayed,[ay] “My Father, if this cup[az] cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will must be done.” 43 He came again and found them sleeping; they could not keep their eyes open.[ba] 44 So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same thing once more. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is approaching, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Get up, let us go. Look! My betrayer[bb] is approaching!”
Betrayal and Arrest
47 While he was still speaking, Judas,[bc] one of the twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and elders of the people. 48 (Now the betrayer[bd] had given them a sign, saying, “The one I kiss is the man.[be] Arrest him!”)[bf] 49 Immediately[bg] he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi,” and kissed him.[bh] 50 Jesus[bi] said to him, “Friend, do what you are here to do.” Then they came and took hold[bj] of Jesus and arrested him. 51 But[bk] one of those with Jesus grabbed[bl] his sword, drew it out, and struck the high priest’s slave,[bm] cutting off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back in its place![bn] For all who take hold of the sword will die by the sword. 53 Or do you think that I cannot call on my Father, and that he would send me more than twelve legions[bo] of angels right now? 54 How then would the scriptures that say it must happen this way be fulfilled?” 55 At that moment Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me like you would an outlaw?[bp] Day after day I sat teaching in the temple courts, yet[bq] you did not arrest me. 56 But this has happened so that the scriptures of the prophets would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.
Condemned by the Sanhedrin
57 Now the ones who had arrested Jesus led him to Caiaphas, the high priest, in whose house[br] the experts in the law[bs] and the elders had gathered. 58 But Peter was following him from a distance, all the way to the high priest’s courtyard. After[bt] going in, he sat with the guards[bu] to see the outcome. 59 The[bv] chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were trying to find false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 But they did not find anything, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally[bw] two came forward 61 and declared, “This man[bx] said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’” 62 So[by] the high priest stood up and said to him, “Have you no answer? What is this that they are testifying against you?” 63 But Jesus was silent. The[bz] high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ,[ca] the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand[cb] of the Power[cc] and coming on the clouds of heaven.”[cd] 65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and declared,[ce] “He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? Now[cf] you have heard the blasphemy! 66 What is your verdict?”[cg] They[ch] answered, “He is guilty and deserves[ci] death.” 67 Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists. And some slapped him, 68 saying, “Prophesy for us, you Christ![cj] Who hit you?”[ck]
Peter’s Denials
69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A[cl] slave girl[cm] came to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70 But he denied it in front of them all:[cn] “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” 71 When[co] he went out to the gateway, another slave girl[cp] saw him and said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.” 72 He denied it again with an oath, “I do not know the man!” 73 After[cq] a little while, those standing there came up to Peter and said, “You really are one of them too—even your accent[cr] gives you away!” 74 At that he began to curse, and he swore with an oath, “I do not know the man!” At that moment a rooster crowed.[cs] 75 Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.[ct]
Haman Conspires to Destroy the Jews
3 Some time later[a] King Ahasuerus promoted[b] Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, exalting him and setting his position[c] above that of all the officials who were with him. 2 As a result,[d] all the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate were bowing and paying homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded. However, Mordecai did not bow,[e] nor did he pay him homage.
3 Then the servants of the king who were at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why are you violating the king’s commandment?” 4 And after they had spoken to him day after day[f] without his paying any attention to them, they informed Haman to see whether this attitude on Mordecai’s part would be permitted.[g] Furthermore, he had disclosed to them that he was a Jew.[h]
5 When Haman saw that Mordecai was not bowing or paying homage to him, he[i] was filled with rage. 6 But the thought of striking out against[j] Mordecai alone was repugnant to him, for he had been informed[k] of the identity of Mordecai’s people.[l] So Haman sought to destroy all the Jews (that is, the people of Mordecai)[m] who were in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus.
7 In the first month (that is, the month of Nisan), in the twelfth year[n] of King Ahasuerus’ reign, pur[o] (that is, the lot) was cast before Haman in order to determine a day and a month.[p] It turned out to be the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar).[q]
8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a particular people[r] that is dispersed and spread among the inhabitants[s] throughout all the provinces of your kingdom whose laws differ from those of all other peoples. Furthermore, they do not observe the king’s laws. It is not appropriate for the king to provide a haven for them.[t] 9 If the king is so inclined,[u] let an edict be issued[v] to destroy them. I will pay 10,000 talents of silver[w] to be conveyed to the king’s treasuries for the officials who carry out this business.”
10 So the king removed his signet ring[x] from his hand and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, who was hostile toward the Jews. 11 The king replied to Haman, “Keep your money,[y] and do with those people whatever you wish.”[z]
12 So the royal scribes[aa] were summoned in the first month, on the thirteenth day of the month. Everything Haman commanded was written to the king’s satraps[ab] and governors who were in every province and to the officials of every people, province by province according to its script and people by people according to their language. In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 13 Letters were sent by the runners to all the king’s provinces stating that[ac] they should destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews, from youth to elderly, both women and children,[ad] on a particular day, namely the thirteenth day[ae] of the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar), and to loot and plunder their possessions. 14 A copy of this edict was to be presented as law throughout every province; it was to be made known to all the inhabitants,[af] so that they would be prepared for this day. 15 The messengers[ag] scurried forth[ah] with the king’s order.[ai] The edict was issued in Susa the citadel. While the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was in an uproar.[aj]
Paul Offers His Defense
26 So Agrippa[a] said to Paul, “You have permission[b] to speak for yourself.” Then Paul held out his hand[c] and began his defense:[d]
2 “Regarding all the things I have been accused of by the Jews, King Agrippa,[e] I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today, 3 because you are especially[f] familiar with all the customs and controversial issues[g] of the Jews. Therefore I ask[h] you to listen to me patiently. 4 Now all the Jews know the way I lived[i] from my youth, spending my life from the beginning among my own people[j] and in Jerusalem. 5 They know,[k] because they have known[l] me from time past,[m] if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party[n] of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee.[o] 6 And now I stand here on trial[p] because of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors,[q] 7 a promise[r] that our twelve tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve God[s] night and day. Concerning this hope the Jews are accusing me,[t] Your Majesty![u] 8 Why do you people[v] think[w] it is unbelievable[x] that[y] God raises the dead? 9 Of course,[z] I myself was convinced[aa] that it was necessary to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus the Nazarene. 10 And that is what I did in Jerusalem: Not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons by the authority I received[ab] from the chief priests, but I also cast my vote[ac] against them when they were sentenced to death.[ad] 11 I punished[ae] them often in all the synagogues[af] and tried to force[ag] them to blaspheme. Because I was so furiously enraged[ah] at them, I went to persecute[ai] them even in foreign cities.
12 “While doing this very thing,[aj] as I was going[ak] to Damascus with authority and complete power[al] from the chief priests, 13 about noon along the road, Your Majesty,[am] I saw a light from heaven,[an] brighter than the sun, shining everywhere around[ao] me and those traveling with me. 14 When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic,[ap] ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are hurting yourself[aq] by kicking against the goads.’[ar] 15 So I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord replied,[as] ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this reason, to designate you in advance[at] as a servant and witness[au] to the things[av] you have seen[aw] and to the things in which I will appear to you. 17 I will rescue[ax] you from your own people[ay] and from the Gentiles, to whom[az] I am sending you 18 to open their eyes so that they turn[ba] from darkness to light and from the power[bb] of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share[bc] among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
19 “Therefore, King Agrippa,[bd] I was not disobedient[be] to the heavenly[bf] vision, 20 but I declared to those in Damascus first, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea,[bg] and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God,[bh] performing deeds consistent with[bi] repentance. 21 For this reason the Jews, after they seized me while I was in the temple courts,[bj] were trying to kill me. 22 I have experienced[bk] help from God to this day, and so I stand testifying to both small and great, saying nothing except[bl] what the prophets and Moses said[bm] was going to happen: 23 that[bn] the Christ[bo] was to suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, to proclaim light both to our people[bp] and to the Gentiles.”[bq]
24 As Paul[br] was saying these things in his defense, Festus[bs] exclaimed loudly, “You have lost your mind,[bt] Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!” 25 But Paul replied,[bu] “I have not lost my mind, most excellent Festus,[bv] but am speaking[bw] true and rational[bx] words. 26 For the king knows about these things, and I am speaking freely[by] to him,[bz] because I cannot believe[ca] that any of these things has escaped his notice,[cb] for this was not done in a corner.[cc] 27 Do you believe the prophets,[cd] King Agrippa?[ce] I know that you believe.” 28 Agrippa[cf] said to Paul, “In such a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?”[cg] 29 Paul replied, “I pray to God that whether in a short or a long time[ch] not only you but also all those who are listening to me today could become such as I am, except for these chains.”[ci]
30 So the king got up, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them, 31 and as they were leaving they said to one another,[cj] “This man is not doing anything deserving[ck] death or imprisonment.” 32 Agrippa[cl] said to Festus,[cm] “This man could have been released[cn] if he had not appealed to Caesar.”[co]
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.