M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Chapter 44
Benjamin Is Condemned To Remain in Egypt.[a] 1 Joseph then gave this order to the head steward of his house, “Fill these men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry and place each man’s money in the mouth of his sack. 2 Also place my cup, my silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest along with the money for their grain.” And he did as Joseph had ordered.
3 When morning dawned the men set out with their donkeys. 4 They had just left the city and were not far off when Joseph said to the head steward of his house, “Up, follow the men. When you reach them, tell them, ‘Why have you paid back evil for good? 5 Is this not the cup that my lord uses for drinking and to tell the future? Why have you done this evil thing?’ ”
6 He reached them and repeated these words to them. 7 They told him, “Why is my lord saying these things? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing! 8 We brought the money that we found in the mouth of the sacks back from the land of Canaan. How could we steal the silver or gold from the house of your master? 9 Whichever of your servants is found with it will be put to death, and we will also become the slaves of your master.”
10 He answered, “Very well, it will be as you have said. Whoever is found with it will be my slave; the others will be innocent.”
11 Each one hurried to unload his sack and open it. 12 The steward searched from the oldest to the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13 At this, they tore their clothes. Then each one loaded up his donkey, and they returned to the city.
14 When Judah and his brothers came to the house of Joseph, they found him still there; so they threw themselves on the ground in front of him. 15 Joseph told them, “What have you done? Did you not know that a man like me could cast a spell to find out the truth?”
16 Judah said, “What will we say to our lord? What can we say? How can we justify ourselves? God has uncovered the iniquity of your servants. Let us be slaves of my lord, we and the one with whom the cup was found.” 17 He answered them, “Far be it from me to do this! The man with whom the cup was found, he will be my slave. As for you, return in peace to your father.”
18 But Judah came before him and said, “My lord, let your servant please speak a word in the ear of my lord. Let your anger not burn against your servant, for you are as great as Pharaoh himself. 19 My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ 20 We told my lord, ‘We have an aged father and a younger brother who was born in his old age. His brother is dead, and he is the only remaining son of his mother, and his father loves him.’
21 “You said to your servants, ‘Bring him here to me, so that I can see him with my own eyes.’ 22 We told my lord, ‘The young one cannot leave his father; if he were to leave his father he would die.’ 23 But you said to your servants, ‘If your younger brother does not come down here with you, you shall not see my face.’ 24 When we returned to your servant, my father, we told him the words of my lord.
25 “Our father said, ‘Return to buy a little more food for us.’ 26 We answered, ‘We cannot return down there if our younger brother does not go down with us. Otherwise, we will not be admitted into the presence of that man, if our younger brother is not with us.’
27 “Your servant, my father, said, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons. 28 One left me, and I said, “Surely he has been torn to pieces,” and I have not seen him since. 29 If you carry away this one and something were to happen to him, you would make this gray head go down with sorrow into the netherworld.’
30 “Now, when I go back to your servant, my father, and the young one is not with me (for the life of one is bound to the other), 31 he will surely die as soon as he sees that the young one is not with me. Thus, your servants will have made the gray head of your servant, our father, go down into the netherworld. 32 Your servant made himself a pledge for the young one with my father: ‘If I do not bring him back to you, I will bear this guilt before you all my life.’
33 “Let your servant remain as the slave of my lord instead of the young one. Let the young one return back with his brothers. 34 How could I return to my father without having the young one with me? I could not bear to see the evil that I will have done to my father.”
The Mystery Is Fully Manifested in the Passion and Resurrection[a]
Chapter 14
The Plot against Jesus.[b] 1 It was now two days before the Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread, and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking to arrest Jesus by deceit and put him to death. 2 They said, “It must not occur during the feast, or the people may begin to riot.”
A Woman of Bethany Anoints Jesus.[c] 3 When Jesus was in Bethany reclining at table in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came in with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, made of pure nard. She broke open the jar and poured the ointment over his head. 4 Some of those present said to one another indignantly, “Why was this ointment wasted in such a manner? 5 It could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii,[d] with the money given to the poor.” And they began to rebuke her sharply.
6 However, Jesus said, “Let her alone! Why are you bothering her? She has performed a good action toward me. 7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish, but you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could. She has anointed my body to prepare for my burial. 9 Amen, I say to you, wherever in the whole world this gospel is proclaimed, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.”
10 Judas Betrays Jesus.[e] Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests and offered to hand him over to them. 11 They were delighted when they heard his proposal, and they promised to give him money. Then he began to look for an opportunity to betray him.
12 The Preparations for the Passover.[f] On the first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, the disciples said to Jesus, “Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?”
13 He sent forth two of his disciples, instructing them: “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jug of water will meet you. Follow him! 14 Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: “Where is the room where I can eat the Passover with my disciples?” ’ 15 Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there.” 16 The disciples went forth, entered the city, and found everything just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
17 The Treachery of Judas Foretold.[g] Now when evening came, he arrived with the Twelve. 18 And as they reclined at table and were eating, Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” 19 On hearing this they began to be distressed and to say to him, one after another, “Is it I?”
20 He said to them, “It is one of the Twelve, one who is dipping bread into the bowl with me. 21 For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for that man if he had never been born.”
22 The Last Supper.[h] While they were eating he took bread, and after he had pronounced the blessing, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “Take it; this is my body.” 23 Then he took a cup, and after offering thanks he gave it to them. After they all drank from it, 24 he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many. 25 Amen, I say to you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vine until the day when I shall drink it anew in the kingdom of God.”
26 And after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
27 Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial.[i] Then Jesus said to them, “You will all be scandalized, for it is written:
‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.’
28 But after I have been raised up, I shall go ahead of you to Galilee.” 29 Peter said to him, “Even if all the others will be scandalized, I will never be.” 30 Jesus replied, “Amen, I say to you, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.” 31 But Peter insisted, “If I have to die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same thing.
32 The Agony in the Garden.[j] Then they went to a place that was called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 He took with him Peter and James and John, and he began to suffer distress and anguish. 34 And he said to them, “My soul is sorrowful, even to the point of death. Remain here and keep watch.”
35 Moving on a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass him by, 36 saying, “Abba, Father, for you all things are possible. Take this cup from me. Yet not my will but yours be done.”
37 Returning to the disciples, he found them sleeping. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38 Stay awake and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit is indeed willing but the flesh is weak.”
39 Again, he went apart and prayed, saying the same words. 40 Then he came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to say to him. 41 When he returned a third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Enough! The hour has come when the Son of Man is to be betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Get up! Let us go! Look, my betrayer is approaching.”
43 Jesus Is Arrested.[k] At once, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him there was a crowd of men, armed with swords and clubs, who had been sent by the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. 44 Now his betrayer had agreed with them on a signal, saying, “The one I shall kiss is the man. Arrest him, and lead him away under guard!” 45 And so, when he came, he proceeded directly to Jesus and said “Rabbi!” and kissed him. 46 Then they seized him and placed him under arrest. 47 Meanwhile, one of the bystanders drew his sword and struck a servant of the high priest, slicing off his ear.
48 Then Jesus said to them, “Why are you coming forth with swords and clubs to arrest me, as though I were a bandit? 49 Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. But in this way the Scriptures must be fulfilled.” 50 Then everyone deserted him and fled. 51 [l]Among those who had followed Jesus was a young man wearing nothing but a linen cloth. They caught hold of him, 52 but he slipped out of the linen cloth and ran off naked.
53 Jesus Is Condemned by the Sanhedrin.[m] They led Jesus away to the high priest, where the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes were gathering. 54 Meanwhile, Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest, and he was sitting there with the attendants, warming himself at the fire.
55 The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin[n] tried to elicit testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they failed in their efforts. 56 Many witnesses offered perjured testimony against him, but their statements did not agree. 57 Then some stood up and gave this false witness against him: 58 “We heard this man say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands, and in three days I will build another not made with hands.’ ” 59 But even on this point their statements did not agree.
60 The high priest then rose among them and asked Jesus, “Have you no reply to counter the testimony that these witnesses have given?” 61 [o]But he remained silent and offered no response. Again, the high priest questioned him, asking, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”[p] 62 Jesus replied, “I am.
And you will see the Son of Man
seated at the right hand of the Power
and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
63 Thereupon the high priest tore his garments and exclaimed, “What need do we have of any further witnesses! 64 You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” They all condemned him as guilty and deserving of death. 65 Some of them began to spit at him. They blindfolded him and struck him, taunting him as they said, “Prophesy!” And the guards also slapped him.
66 Peter Denies Jesus.[q] While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the high priest’s servant girls came by. 67 When she noticed Peter warming himself, she stared at him and said, “You also were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth.” 68 But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.” Thereupon he went forth into the outer courtyard. Then the cock crowed.[r] 69 The servant girl saw him and again began to say to the bystanders: “This man is one of them.” 70 But again he denied it.
Shortly afterward, some bystanders said to Peter, “You are unquestionably one of them, for you are a Galilean.” 71 Then he began to shout curses, and he swore an oath: “I do not know this man you are talking about.” 72 At that very moment, a cock crowed for a second time, and Peter remembered that Jesus had said to him, “Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.
Chapter 10
Tell Me Why![a]
1 “I loathe my very life;
therefore I will give free rein to my complaints
and speak out in the bitterness of my soul.
2 I will say to God: ‘Do not condemn me,
but simply let me know what is your charge against me.
3 Do you get any joy in oppressing me,
spurning the work of your own hands
while approving the schemes of the wicked?
4 “ ‘Do you have eyes of flesh?
Do you see as a mortal sees?
5 Are your days like those of a mortal,
or your years like those of a man,
6 that you investigate my iniquity
and keep a record of my sins,
7 even though you know that I am innocent
and have no one to rescue me from your hand?
I Realize What Was Your Intent[b]
8 “ ‘Your hands created and fashioned me;
will you now turn away and destroy me?
9 Remember that you fashioned me like clay;
will you now reduce me again to dust?
10 Did you not pour me out like milk
and curdle me like cheese?
11 You clothed me with skin and flesh
and knit me together with bones and sinews.
12 “ ‘You have given me life and kindness,
and in your providence you have preserved my spirit.
13 Yet within your heart you had a secret plan,
and I realize what was your intent:
14 you would be watching me,
and if I sinned, you would not absolve me of my guilt.
15 “ ‘Woe to me if I should be wicked.
Even if I am righteous, I dare not lift up my head,
for I am filled with shame
and bent over with affliction.
16 Should I lift up my head, you hunt me like a proud lion,
confronting me time and again with your awesome power.
17 You renew your onslaughts against me,
your fury increasing incessantly
as fresh troops assail me wave after wave.
Let Me Alone So That I May Have a Few Moments of Happiness
18 “ ‘Why did you bring me forth from the womb?
It would have been better if I had died
before an eye had beheld me,
19 and had been carried from the womb to the grave
as though I had never existed.
20 Do I not have but a few remaining days of life?
Let me alone so that I may have a few moments of happiness
21 before I go to the place of no return,
to the land of gloom and darkness,
22 to the land of deepest night,
a land of gloom and disorder,
where even the light is like darkness.’ ”
Chapter 14
The Weak and the Strong in the Community.[a] 1 Welcome anyone whose faith is weak, but do not get into arguments about doubts. 2 One person may have the faith to eat any kind of food, whereas a weak person may eat only vegetables. 3 The one who eats everything must not look contemptuously on the one who does not, and the one who abstains must not pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed both. 4 What right do you have to pass judgment on someone else’s servant? The master will determine whether that servant will stand or fall. But the servant will be upheld, for the Lord has the power to enable him to stand.
5 One person may consider one day to be more sacred than another, while another may judge all days to be alike. Let everyone be convinced in his own beliefs. 6 Whoever observes the day observes it for the Lord. Also, the one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and thereby also gives thanks to God.
7 None of us lives for himself, and none of us dies for himself. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 It was for this reason that Christ died and came to life again: so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 Why then do you pass judgment on your brother? Or why do you despise your brother? All of us will have to stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written,
“As I live, says the Lord,
every knee shall bow before me,
and every tongue shall give praise to God.”
12 Consideration for the Weak Conscience. So, then, each one of us will have to give an account of himself to God. 13 Therefore, let us cease passing judgment on one another, but rather judge never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. 14 I know, and am convinced in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. However, it is unclean for someone who believes it to be unclean.
15 If your brother is seriously offended by what you eat, then you are no longer being guided by love. Do not allow the food that you eat to destroy anyone for whom Christ died. 16 Do not let what you think is good to become what others say is evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of food and drink but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 The one who serves Christ in such things is pleasing to God and respected by others.
19 Let us[b] then pursue the ways that lead to peace and mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is indeed clean, but it is wrong for you to cause others to fall by what you eat. 21 It is best not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else that causes your brother to stumble.
22 Whatever faith you have, keep it between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to condemn himself because of what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not act from faith. Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
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