M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The Source of Sufficiency
4 [a] Moses answered again,[b] “And if[c] they do not believe me or pay attention to me,[d] but say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you’?” 2 The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.”[e] 3 The Lord[f] said, “Throw it to the ground.” So he threw it to the ground, and it became a snake,[g] and Moses ran from it. 4 But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and grab it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand[h]— 5 “that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”
6 The Lord also said to him, “Put your hand into your robe.”[i] So he put his hand into his robe, and when he brought it out—there was his hand,[j] leprous like snow![k] 7 He said, “Put your hand back into your robe.” So he put his hand back into his robe, and when he brought it out from his robe—there it was,[l] restored[m] like the rest of his skin![n] 8 “If[o] they do not believe you or pay attention to[p] the former sign, then they may[q] believe the latter sign.[r] 9 And if[s] they do not believe even these two signs or listen to you,[t] then take[u] some water from the Nile and pour it out on the dry ground. The water you take out of the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.”[v]
10 Then Moses said to the Lord,[w] “O[x] my Lord,[y] I am not an eloquent man,[z] neither in the past[aa] nor since you have spoken to your servant, for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”[ab]
11 The Lord said to him, “Who gave[ac] a mouth to man, or who makes a person mute or deaf or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?[ad] 12 So now go, and I will be with your mouth[ae] and will teach you[af] what you must say.”[ag]
13 But Moses said,[ah] “O[ai] my Lord, please send anyone else whom you wish to send!”[aj]
14 Then the Lord became angry with[ak] Moses, and he said, “What about[al] your brother Aaron the Levite?[am] I know that he can speak very well.[an] Moreover, he is coming[ao] to meet you, and when he sees you he will be glad in his heart.[ap]
15 “So you are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And as for me, I will be with your mouth[aq] and with his mouth,[ar] and I will teach you both[as] what you must do.[at] 16 He[au] will speak for you to the people, and it will be as if[av] he[aw] were your mouth[ax] and as if you were his God.[ay] 17 You will also take in your hand this staff, with which you will do the signs.”[az]
The Return of Moses
18 [ba] So Moses went back[bb] to his father-in-law Jethro and said to him, “Let me go, so that I may return[bc] to my relatives[bd] in Egypt and see[be] if they are still alive.” Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” 19 The Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go back[bf] to Egypt, because all the men who were seeking your life are dead.”[bg] 20 Then Moses took[bh] his wife and sons[bi] and put them on a donkey and headed back[bj] to the land of Egypt, and Moses took the staff of God in his hand. 21 The Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt,[bk] see that you[bl] do before Pharaoh all the wonders I have put under your control.[bm] But I will harden[bn] his heart[bo] and[bp] he will not let the people go. 22 You must say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord has said, “Israel is my son, my firstborn,[bq] 23 and I said to you, ‘Let my son go that he may serve[br] me,’ but since you have refused to let him go,[bs] I will surely kill[bt] your son, your firstborn!”’”
24 Now on the way, at a place where they stopped for the night,[bu] the Lord met Moses and sought to kill him.[bv] 25 But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off the foreskin of her son and touched it to Moses’ feet,[bw] and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood[bx] to me.” 26 So the Lord[by] let him alone. (At that time[bz] she said, “A bridegroom of blood,” referring to[ca] the circumcision.)
27 The Lord said[cb] to Aaron, “Go to the wilderness to meet Moses. So he went and met him at the mountain of God[cc] and greeted him with a kiss.[cd] 28 Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord who had[ce] sent him and all the signs that he had commanded him. 29 Then Moses and Aaron went and brought together all the Israelite elders.[cf] 30 Aaron spoke[cg] all the words that the Lord had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people, 31 and the people believed. When they heard[ch] that the Lord had attended to[ci] the Israelites and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed down close to the ground.[cj]
Healing the Centurion’s Slave
7 After Jesus[a] had finished teaching all this to the people,[b] he entered Capernaum.[c] 2 A centurion[d] there[e] had a slave[f] who was highly regarded,[g] but who was sick and at the point of death. 3 When the centurion[h] heard[i] about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders[j] to him, asking him to come[k] and heal his slave. 4 When[l] they came[m] to Jesus, they urged[n] him earnestly,[o] “He is worthy[p] to have you do this for him, 5 because he loves our nation,[q] and even[r] built our synagogue.”[s] 6 So[t] Jesus went with them. When[u] he was not far from the house, the centurion[v] sent friends to say to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself,[w] for I am not worthy[x] to have you come under my roof! 7 That is why[y] I did not presume[z] to come to you. Instead, say the word, and my servant must be healed.[aa] 8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me.[ab] I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes,[ac] and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”[ad] 9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed[ae] at him. He turned and said to the crowd that followed him, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith!”[af] 10 So[ag] when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave[ah] well.
Raising a Widow’s Son
11 Soon[ai] afterward[aj] Jesus[ak] went to a town[al] called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went with him. 12 As he approached the town gate, a man[am] who had died was being carried out,[an] the only son of his mother (who[ao] was a widow[ap]), and a large crowd from the town[aq] was with her. 13 When[ar] the Lord saw her, he had compassion[as] for her and said to her, “Do not weep.”[at] 14 Then[au] he came up[av] and touched[aw] the bier,[ax] and those who carried it stood still. He[ay] said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” 15 So[az] the dead man[ba] sat up and began to speak, and Jesus[bb] gave him back[bc] to his mother. 16 Fear[bd] seized them all, and they began to glorify[be] God, saying, “A great prophet[bf] has appeared[bg] among us!” and “God has come to help[bh] his people!” 17 This[bi] report[bj] about Jesus[bk] circulated[bl] throughout[bm] Judea and all the surrounding country.
Jesus and John the Baptist
18 John’s[bn] disciples informed him about all these things. So[bo] John called[bp] two of his disciples 19 and sent them to Jesus[bq] to ask,[br] “Are you the one who is to come,[bs] or should we look for another?” 20 When[bt] the men came to Jesus,[bu] they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask,[bv] ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’”[bw] 21 At that very time[bx] Jesus[by] cured many people of diseases, sicknesses,[bz] and evil spirits, and granted[ca] sight to many who were blind. 22 So[cb] he answered them,[cc] “Go tell[cd] John what you have seen and heard:[ce] The blind see, the lame walk, lepers[cf] are cleansed, the[cg] deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news proclaimed to them. 23 Blessed is anyone[ch] who takes no offense at me.”
24 When[ci] John’s messengers had gone, Jesus[cj] began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness[ck] to see? A reed shaken by the wind?[cl] 25 What[cm] did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing?[cn] Look, those who wear soft clothing and live in luxury[co] are in the royal palaces![cp] 26 What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more[cq] than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,[cr] who will prepare your way before you.’[cs] 28 I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater[ct] than John.[cu] Yet the one who is least[cv] in the kingdom of God[cw] is greater than he is.” 29 (Now[cx] all the people who heard this, even the tax collectors,[cy] acknowledged[cz] God’s justice, because they had been baptized[da] with John’s baptism. 30 However, the Pharisees[db] and the experts in religious law[dc] rejected God’s purpose[dd] for themselves, because they had not been baptized[de] by John.[df])[dg]
31 “To what then should I compare the people[dh] of this generation, and what are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace[di] and calling out to one another,[dj]
‘We played the flute for you, yet you did not dance;[dk]
we wailed in mourning,[dl] yet you did not weep.’
33 For John the Baptist has come[dm] eating no bread and drinking no wine,[dn] and you say, ‘He has a demon!’[do] 34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him,[dp] a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’[dq] 35 But wisdom is vindicated[dr] by all her children.”[ds]
Jesus’ Anointing
36 Now one of the Pharisees[dt] asked Jesus[du] to have dinner with him, so[dv] he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table.[dw] 37 Then[dx] when a woman of that town, who was a sinner, learned that Jesus[dy] was dining[dz] at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar[ea] of perfumed oil.[eb] 38 As[ec] she stood[ed] behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. She[ee] wiped them with her hair,[ef] kissed[eg] them,[eh] and anointed[ei] them with the perfumed oil. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this,[ej] he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet,[ek] he would know who and what kind of woman[el] this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” 40 So[em] Jesus answered him,[en] “Simon, I have something to say to you.” He replied,[eo] “Say it, Teacher.” 41 “A certain creditor[ep] had two debtors; one owed him[eq] 500 silver coins,[er] and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he canceled[es] the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered,[et] “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.”[eu] Jesus[ev] said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then,[ew] turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house. You gave me no water for my feet,[ex] but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss of greeting,[ey] but from the time I entered she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet[ez] with perfumed oil. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which were many, are forgiven, thus she loved much;[fa] but the one who is forgiven little loves little.” 48 Then[fb] Jesus[fc] said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”[fd] 49 But[fe] those who were at the table[ff] with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50 He[fg] said to the woman, “Your faith[fh] has saved you;[fi] go in peace.”
Job’s Reply to Zophar[a]
21 Then Job answered:
2 “Listen carefully[b] to my words;
let this be[c] the consolation you offer me.[d]
3 Bear with me[e] and I[f] will speak,
and after I have spoken[g] you may mock.[h]
4 Is my[i] complaint against a man?[j]
If so,[k] why should I not be impatient?[l]
5 Look[m] at me and be appalled;
put your hands over your mouths.[n]
6 For, when I think about[o] this, I am terrified[p]
and my body feels a shudder.[q]
The Wicked Prosper
7 “Why do the wicked go on living,[r]
grow old,[s] even increase in power?
8 Their children[t] are firmly established in their presence,[u]
their offspring before their eyes.
9 Their houses are safe[v] and without fear;[w]
and no rod of punishment[x] from God is upon them.[y]
10 Their bulls[z] breed[aa] without fail;[ab]
their cows calve and do not miscarry.
11 They allow their children to run[ac] like a flock;
their little ones dance about.
12 They sing[ad] to the accompaniment of tambourine and harp,
and make merry to the sound of the flute.
13 They live out[ae] their years in prosperity
and go down[af] to the grave[ag] in peace.
14 So they say to God, ‘Turn away from us!
We do not want to know your ways.[ah]
15 Who is the Almighty, that[ai] we should serve him?
What would we gain
if we were to pray[aj] to him?’[ak]
16 But their prosperity is not their own doing.[al]
The counsel of the wicked is far from me![am]
How Often Do the Wicked Suffer?
17 “How often[an] is the lamp of the wicked extinguished?
How often does their[ao] misfortune come upon them?
How often does God apportion pain[ap] to them[aq] in his anger?
18 How often[ar] are they like straw before the wind,
and like chaff swept away[as] by a whirlwind?
19 You may say,[at] ‘God stores up a man’s[au] punishment for his children!’[av]
Instead let him repay[aw] the man himself[ax]
so that[ay] he may be humbled![az]
20 Let his own eyes see his destruction;[ba]
let him drink of the anger of the Almighty.
21 For what is his interest[bb] in his home
after his death,[bc]
when the number of his months
has been broken off?[bd]
22 Can anyone teach[be] God knowledge,
since[bf] he judges those that are on high?[bg]
Death Levels Everything
23 “One man dies in his full vigor,[bh]
completely secure and prosperous,
24 his body[bi] well nourished,[bj]
and the marrow of his bones moist.[bk]
25 And another man[bl] dies in bitterness of soul,[bm]
never having tasted[bn] anything good.
26 Together they lie down in the dust,
and worms cover over them both.
Futile Words, Deceptive Answers
27 “Yes, I know what you are thinking,[bo]
the schemes[bp] by which you would wrong me.[bq]
28 For you say,
‘Where now is the nobleman’s house,[br]
and where are the tents in which the wicked lived?’[bs]
29 Have you never questioned those who travel the roads?
Do you not recognize their accounts[bt]—
30 that the evil man is spared
from the day of his misfortune,
that he is delivered[bu]
from the day of God’s wrath?
31 No one denounces his conduct to his face;
no one repays him for what[bv] he has done.[bw]
32 And when he is carried to the tombs,
and watch is kept[bx] over the funeral mound,[by]
33 The clods of the torrent valley[bz] are sweet to him;
behind him everybody follows in procession,
and before him goes a countless throng.
34 So how can you console me with your futile words?
Nothing is left of your answers but deception!”[ca]
Food Sacrificed to Idols
8 With regard to food sacrificed to idols, we know that “we all have knowledge.”[a] Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2 If someone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know to the degree that he needs to know. 3 But if someone loves God, he[b] is known by God.[c]
4 With regard then to eating food sacrificed to idols, we know that “an idol in this world is nothing,” and that “there is no God but one.”[d] 5 If after all there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we live, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we live.[e]
7 But this knowledge is not shared by all. And some, by being accustomed to idols in former times, eat this food as an idol sacrifice, and their conscience, because it is weak, is defiled. 8 Now food will not bring us close to God. We are no worse if we do not eat and no better if we do. 9 But be careful that this liberty of yours does not become a hindrance to the weak. 10 For if someone weak sees you who possess knowledge dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience be “strengthened”[f] to eat food offered to idols? 11 So by your knowledge the weak brother or sister,[g] for whom Christ died, is destroyed.[h] 12 If you sin against your brothers or sisters[i] in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 For this reason, if food causes my brother or sister to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I may not cause one of them[j] to sin.
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