M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
31 The Eternal One instructed Moses.
Eternal One: 2 Look, I have a special calling upon one of the sons of Judah. His name is Bezalel (the son of Uri, son of Hur). 3 I have filled him with God’s Spirit, gifted him with wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and skills with a variety of crafts. 4 He is an expert designer and works well with gold, silver, and bronze. 5 He is able to cut and set gems, work with wood, and skillfully perform any craft needed to help construct the congregation tent and its furnishings. 6 I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan to assist Bezalel. I have gifted all of Israel’s artisans with the skills needed to build everything I have instructed you: 7 the congregation tent, the covenant chest, the seat of mercy that covers it, all the furnishings for the tent, 8 the table and its accessories, the pure gold lampstand with all its tools, the altar of incense, 9 the altar for burnt offering with all its utensils, the washing basin and its stand, 10 the woven garments, Aaron’s sacred priestly garments, the clothes worn by Aaron’s sons when they serve as My priests, 11 the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense to be used in the holy place. The craftsmen are to design and build all of these exactly as I have instructed you.
12 The Eternal One instructed Moses regarding the Sabbath.
Eternal One: 13 Speak to the Israelites and tell them, “You must be careful to observe My Sabbaths. For the Sabbath Day serves as a sign between Me and you for all generations, so that you will know I am the Eternal One who has set you apart from all the other nations. 14 Keep the Sabbath because it is a sacred day for you, different from all other days. Anyone who violates the Sabbath or defiles it must be executed; anyone who works on the Sabbath will be cut off from the community. 15 You have six days out of every week to do whatever work is needed, but the seventh day is the Sabbath, a day set aside for rest and only rest. It is sacred to Me. Anyone who works on the Sabbath must be executed. 16 Therefore, the Israelites are to keep the Sabbath and celebrate it throughout all their generations as an everlasting covenant. 17 The Sabbath exists as a sign forever of the covenant between Me and the people of Israel for I made heaven and earth in six days, but then on the seventh day I stopped My work and was refreshed.”
18 When God had finished giving these instructions to Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two stone tablets as a witness to their agreement inscribed by the very finger of God.
The Pharisees are frequently around to challenge whatever Jesus says and does, but He always gets the better of them. Once again, Jesus turns what the Pharisees say inside out. They think blindness is a curse that evidences sin, and they think vision ensures knowledge and understanding—even concerning spiritual matters. Instead, the Pharisees’ confidence in their vision and discernment make them unable to see the truth about Jesus. Ironically, they have blind trust in their sighted leaders. By refusing to believe in Him, they are the sinners—not the blind man.
10 Jesus: I tell you the truth: the man who crawls through the fence of the sheep pen, rather than walking through the gate, is a thief or a vandal. 2 The shepherd walks openly through the entrance. 3 The guard who is posted to protect the sheep opens the gate for the shepherd, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When all the sheep have been gathered, he walks on ahead of them; and they follow him because they know his voice. 5 The sheep would not be willing to follow a stranger; they run because they do not know the voice of a stranger.
6 Jesus explained a profound truth through this metaphor, but they did not understand His teaching. 7 So He explained further.
Jesus: I tell you the truth: I am the gate of the sheep. 8 All who approached the sheep before Me came as thieves and robbers, and the sheep did not listen to their voices. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through Me will be liberated, will go in and go out, and will find pastures. 10 The thief approaches with malicious intent, looking to steal, slaughter, and destroy; I came to give life with joy and abundance.
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep in His care. 12 The hired hand is not like the shepherd caring for His own sheep. When a wolf attacks, snatching and scattering the sheep, he runs for his life, leaving them defenseless. 13 The hired hand runs because he works only for wages and does not care for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; I know My sheep, and My sheep know Me. 15 As the Father knows Me, I know the Father; I will give My life for the sheep. 16 There are many more sheep than you can see here, and I will bring them as well. They will hear My voice, and the flock will be united. One flock. One shepherd. 17 The Father loves Me because I am willing to lay down My life—but I will take it up again. 18 My life cannot be taken away by anybody else; I am giving it of My own free will. My authority allows Me to give My life and to take it again. All this has been commanded by My Father.
Jesus loves to explain truth through everyday things like vines, fruit, fishing, building, and shepherding, as He does here. He is a master communicator. In this metaphor, Jesus is the shepherd. Eventually He becomes the sheep as well. On the cross, He is destined to become the innocent sacrifice that makes all future sin sacrifices and burnt offerings unnecessary.
19 When He spoke these words, some of the Jews began to argue.
Many Jews: 20 He has a demon and is a raving maniac. Why are you people listening to Him?
Other Jews: 21 No demon-possessed man ever spoke like this. Do demons give sight to the blind?
22-23 It was winter and time for the Festival of Dedication.[a] While in Jerusalem, Jesus was walking through the temple in an area known as Solomon’s porch, 24 and Jews gathered around Him.
Jews: How long are You going to keep us guessing? If You are God’s Anointed, the Liberating King, announce it clearly.
Jesus: 25 I have told you, and you do not believe. The works I am doing in My Father’s name tell the truth about Me. You do not listen; 26 you lack faith because you are not My sheep. 27 My sheep respond as they hear My voice; I know them intimately, and they follow Me. 28 I give them a life that is unceasing, and death will not have the last word. Nothing or no one can steal them from My hand. 29 My Father has given the flock to Me, and He is superior to all beings and things. No one is powerful enough to snatch the flock from My Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.
31 The Jews gathered stones to execute Jesus right then and there.
Jesus: 32 I have performed many beautiful works before you in the name of the Father. Which of these can be judged as an offense that merits My execution?
Jews: 33 You are not condemned for performing miracles. We demand Your life because You are a man, yet you claim to be God. This is blasphemy!
Jesus: 34 You know what is written in the Scriptures. Doesn’t it read, “I said, you are gods”?[b] 35 If the Scriptures called your ancestors (mere mortals) gods to whom the word of God came—and the Scriptures cannot be set aside— 36 what should you call One who is unique, sanctified by and sent from the Father into the world? I have said, “I am God’s Son.” How can you call that blasphemy? 37 By all means, do not believe in Me, if I am not doing the things of the Father. 38 But examine My actions, and you will see that My work is the work of the Father. Regardless of whether you believe in Me—believe the miracles. Then you will know that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father.
39 Once again, some of the Jews tried to capture Him, but He slipped away, eluding their grasp. 40 Jesus crossed the Jordan River and returned to the place where John was ritually cleansing the people through baptism[c] in the early days. He lingered in the area, 41 and scores of people gathered around Him.
Crowds: John never performed any miracles, but every word he spoke about this man has come to pass. It is all true!
42 In that place, many believed in Him.
7 My son, live according to what I am telling you;
guard my instructions as you would a treasure deep within you.
2 Stay true to my directives, and they will serve you well;
make my teachings the lens through which you see life.
3 Bind cords around your fingers to remind you of them;
meditate on them, and you’ll engrave them upon your heart.
4 Say to Lady Wisdom, “My sister”;
recognize that understanding is your best friend,
5 And they will keep you from the arms of another woman—
protect you from the enchantress who entices men into her bed.
People are forgetful, so we must be reminded constantly of Wisdom and her ways. We don’t always need to hear something new; often we just need to be reminded of what is true. In these proverbs wisdom is found when one not only knows what is right, but acts on that knowledge. Foolishness, on the other hand, means a lack of understanding and wrongdoing.
6 One day I was at the window of my house,
looking out through my lattice shutters,
7 And there among the usual crowd of the gullible people
I spotted a naive young man.
8 He was going down the street near the corner where she lived—that mysterious and evil woman—
taking the road that led directly to her house.
9 At the end of the day, as night approached
and darkness crept in,
10 I saw her! A woman came out to meet him.
She was dressed for temptation and devious with her affections.
11 Here’s what I know about her: she is loud and obnoxious, a rebel against what is proper and decent.
She’s always on the move—anxious to get out of the house and
12 Down the street; at times in the open,
at others lurking around every corner.
13 As I am watching them, she grabs him and kisses him,
then shamelessly tells him:
14 The Immoral Woman: It was my turn to offer a peace offering,
and today I paid my vows,
15 So now I come to see you.
I really want to be with you, and what luck! I have found you!
16 You’ll be impressed. I have decorated my couch,
laid colorful Egyptian linens over where we will be together,
17 And perfumed the bed with exotic oils and herbs:
myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come in, and we will feast on love until sunrise;
we will delight ourselves in our affections.
19 You don’t need to worry; my husband is long gone by now,
away from home on a distant journey.
20 He took a bag of money with him,
so I don’t expect him home until next month.
21 It worked! She enticed him with seductive words,
seduced him with her smooth talk.
22 Right away he followed her home.
He followed her like a bull being led to the slaughter,
Like a fool[a] caught in a trap
23 (that is, until an arrow punctures his liver),
Like a bird flying straight into a net.
He had no clue his life was at stake; everything was about to change.
24 This is why it is so important that you listen to me, my sons,
and pay attention to all I am telling you.
25 Do not let your mind wonder about her ways;
do not lose yourself and drift down her path,
26 For she’s claimed one life after another,
victim after victim, too many to count.
27 Her house is the gateway to the grave;
every step toward her is a step toward death’s dark chamber.
6 My spiritual brothers and sisters, if one of our faithful has fallen into a trap and is snared by sin, don’t stand idle and watch his demise. Gently restore him, being careful not to step into your own snare. 2 Shoulder each other’s burdens, and then you will live as the law of the Anointed teaches us. 3 Don’t take this opportunity to think you are better than those who slip because you aren’t; then you become the fool and deceive even yourself. 4 Examine your own works so that if you are proud, it will be because of your own accomplishments and not someone else’s. 5 Each person has his or her own burden to bear and story to write.
6 Remember to share what you have with your mentor in the Word.
7 Make no mistake: God can’t be mocked. What you give is what you get. What you sow, you harvest. 8 Those who sow seeds into their flesh will only harvest destruction from their sinful nature. But those who sow seeds into the Spirit shall harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. 9 May we never tire of doing what is good and right before our Lord because in His season we shall bring in a great harvest if we can just persist. 10 So seize any opportunity the Lord gives you to do good things and be a blessing to everyone, especially those within our faithful family.
Following in the path of the Spirit is not a chore; instead it opens us up to experiencing the life God has for us.
11 Look at how giant these letters are now that I am writing with my own hand!
12 The troublemakers who are putting pressure on you to be circumcised are trying to impress the flesh. They want to avoid the persecution that comes from preaching the cross of the Anointed One, the Liberating King. 13 But even those who receive circumcision can’t keep the law—although they think they can—and they hope to influence which way you go with your own skin so they can have bragging rights over your flesh.
14 May I never put anything above the cross of our Lord Jesus the Anointed. Through Him, the world has been crucified to me and I to this world. 15 Let me be clear: circumcision won’t save you—uncircumcision won’t either for that matter—for both amount to nothing. God’s new creation is what counts, and it counts for everything. 16 May peace and mercy come to all of you who live by this rule and to the Israel of God.
17 In the future, don’t let anyone cause trouble for me because I bear in my body the marks that wounded Jesus.
18 May the grace of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, infuse your spirit with His, brothers and sisters. Amen.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.