M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
A Silver Cup in a Sack
44 Joseph told the manager of his house what to do. “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry,” he said. “Put each man’s money in his sack. 2 Then put my silver cup in the youngest one’s sack. Put it there along with the money he paid for his grain.” So the manager did what Joseph told him to do.
3 When morning came, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys. 4 They hadn’t gone very far from the city when Joseph spoke to his manager. “Go after those men right away,” he said. “Catch up with them. Say to them, ‘My master was good to you. Why have you paid him back by doing evil? 5 Isn’t this the cup my master drinks from? Doesn’t he also use it to find things out? You have done an evil thing.’ ”
6 When the manager caught up with them, he told them what Joseph had said. 7 But they said to him, “Why do you say these things? We would never do anything like that! 8 We even brought back to you from Canaan the money we found in our sacks. So why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? 9 If you find out that any of us has the cup, he will die. And the rest of us will become your slaves.”
10 “All right, then,” he said. “As you wish. The one found to have the cup will become my slave. But the rest of you will not be blamed.”
11 Each of them quickly put his sack down on the ground and opened it. 12 Then the manager started to search. He began with the oldest and ended with the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13 When that happened, they were so upset they tore their clothes. Then all of them loaded their donkeys and went back to the city.
14 Joseph was still in the house when Judah and his brothers came in. They threw themselves down on the ground in front of him. 15 Joseph said to them, “What have you done? Don’t you know that a man like me has ways to find things out?”
16 “What can we say to you?” Judah replied. “What can we say? How can we prove we haven’t done anything wrong? God has shown you that we are guilty. We are now your slaves. All of us are, including the one found to have the cup.”
17 But Joseph said, “I would never do anything like that! Only the man found to have the cup will become my slave. The rest of you may go back to your father in peace.”
18 Then Judah went up to him. He said, “Please, sir. Let me speak a word to you. Don’t be angry with me, even though you are equal to Pharaoh himself. 19 You asked us, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ 20 We answered, ‘We have an old father. A young son was born to him when he was old. His brother is dead. He’s the only one of his mother’s sons left. And his father loves him.’
21 “Then you said to us, ‘Bring him down to me. I want to see him for myself.’ 22 We said to you, ‘The boy can’t leave his father. If he does, his father will die.’ 23 But you told us, ‘Your youngest brother must come down here with you. If he doesn’t, you won’t see my face again.’ 24 So we went back to my father. We told him what you had said.
25 “Then our father said, ‘Go back. Buy a little more food.’ 26 But we said, ‘We can’t go down. We’ll only go if our youngest brother goes there with us. We can’t even see the man’s face unless our youngest brother goes with us.’
27 “Your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife had two sons by me. 28 One of them went away from me. And I said, “He must have been torn to pieces.” I haven’t seen him since. 29 What if you take this one from me too and he is harmed? Then you would cause me to die as a sad old man. I would go down into the grave full of pain and suffering.’
30 “So now, what will happen if the boy isn’t with us when I go back to my father? His life depends on the boy’s life. 31 When he sees that the boy isn’t with us, he’ll die. Because of us, he’ll go down into the grave as a sad old man. 32 I promised my father I would keep the boy safe. I said, ‘Father, I’ll bring him back to you. If I don’t, you can put the blame on me for the rest of my life.’
33 “Now then, please let me stay here. Let me be your slave in place of the boy. Let the boy return with his brothers. 34 How can I go back to my father if the boy isn’t with me? No! Don’t let me see the pain and suffering that would come to my father.”
A Woman Pours Perfume on Jesus at Bethany
14 The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away. The chief priests and the teachers of the law were plotting to arrest Jesus secretly. They wanted to kill him. 2 “But not during the feast,” they said. “The people may stir up trouble.”
3 Jesus was in Bethany. He was at the table in the home of Simon, who had a skin disease. A woman came with a special sealed jar. It contained very expensive perfume made out of pure nard. She broke the jar open and poured the perfume on Jesus’ head.
4 Some of the people there became angry. They said to one another, “Why waste this perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s pay. The money could have been given to poor people.” So they found fault with the woman.
6 “Leave her alone,” Jesus said. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 You will always have poor people with you. You can help them any time you want to. But you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body to prepare me to be buried. 9 What I’m about to tell you is true. What she has done will be told anywhere the good news is preached all over the world. It will be told in memory of her.”
10 Judas Iscariot was one of the 12 disciples. He went to the chief priests to hand Jesus over to them. 11 They were delighted to hear that he would do this. They promised to give Judas money. So he watched for the right time to hand Jesus over to them.
The Last Supper
12 It was the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. That was the time to sacrifice the Passover lamb. Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover meal?”
13 So he sent out two of his disciples. He told them, “Go into the city. A man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 He will enter a house. Say to its owner, ‘The Teacher asks, “Where is my guest room? Where can I eat the Passover meal with my disciples?” ’ 15 He will show you a large upstairs room. It will have furniture and will be ready. Prepare for us to eat there.”
16 The disciples left and went into the city. They found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover meal.
17 When evening came, Jesus arrived with the 12 disciples. 18 While they were at the table eating, Jesus said, “What I’m about to tell you is true. One of you who is eating with me will hand me over to my enemies.”
19 The disciples became sad. One by one they said to him, “Surely you don’t mean me?”
20 “It is one of you,” Jesus replied. “It is the one who dips bread into the bowl with me. 21 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But how terrible it will be for the one who hands over the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread. He gave thanks and broke it. He handed it to his disciples and said, “Take it. This is my body.”
23 Then he took a cup. He gave thanks and handed it to them. All of them drank from it.
24 “This is my blood of the covenant,” he said to them. “It is poured out for many. 25 What I’m about to tell you is true. I won’t drink wine with you again until the day I drink it in God’s kingdom.”
26 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus Says That the Disciples Will Turn Away
27 “You will all turn away,” Jesus told the disciples. “It is written,
“ ‘I will strike the shepherd down.
Then the sheep will be scattered.’ (Zechariah 13:7)
28 But after I rise from the dead, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
29 Peter said, “All the others may turn away. But I will not.”
30 “What I’m about to tell you is true,” Jesus answered. “It will happen today, in fact tonight. Before the rooster crows twice, you yourself will say three times that you don’t know me.”
31 But Peter would not give in. He said, “I may have to die with you. But I will never say I don’t know you.” And all the others said the same thing.
Jesus Prays in Gethsemane
32 Jesus and his disciples went to a place called Gethsemane. Jesus said to them, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 He took Peter, James and John along with him. He began to be very upset and troubled. 34 “My soul is very sad. I feel close to death,” he said to them. “Stay here. Keep watch.”
35 He went a little farther. Then he fell to the ground. He prayed that, if possible, the hour might pass by him. 36 “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup of suffering away from me. But let what you want be done, not what I want.”
37 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? 38 Watch and pray. Then you won’t fall into sin when you are tempted. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
39 Once more Jesus went away and prayed the same thing. 40 Then he came back. Again he found them sleeping. They couldn’t keep their eyes open. They did not know what to say to him.
41 Jesus returned the third time. He said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look! The Son of Man is about to be handed over to sinners. 42 Get up! Let us go! Here comes the one who is handing me over to them!”
Jesus Is Arrested
43 Just as Jesus was speaking, Judas appeared. He was one of the 12 disciples. A crowd was with him. They were carrying swords and clubs. The chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders had sent them.
44 Judas, who was going to hand Jesus over, had arranged a signal with them. “The one I kiss is the man,” he said. “Arrest him and have the guards lead him away.” 45 So Judas went to Jesus at once. Judas said, “Rabbi!” And he kissed Jesus. 46 The men grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 47 Then one of those standing nearby pulled his sword out. He struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.
48 “Am I leading a band of armed men against you?” asked Jesus. “Do you have to come out with swords and clubs to capture me? 49 Every day I was with you. I taught in the temple courtyard, and you didn’t arrest me. But the Scriptures must come true.” 50 Then everyone left him and ran away.
51 A young man was following Jesus. The man was wearing nothing but a piece of linen cloth. When the crowd grabbed him, 52 he ran away naked. He left his clothing behind.
Jesus Is Taken to the Sanhedrin
53 The crowd took Jesus to the high priest. All the chief priests, the elders, and the teachers of the law came together. 54 Not too far away, Peter followed Jesus. He went right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards. He warmed himself at the fire.
55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for something to use against Jesus. They wanted to put him to death. But they did not find any proof. 56 Many witnesses lied about him. But their stories did not agree.
57 Then some of them stood up. Here is what those false witnesses said about him. 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made by human hands. In three days I will build another temple, not made by human hands.’ ” 59 But what they said did not agree.
60 Then the high priest stood up in front of them. He asked Jesus, “Aren’t you going to answer? What are these charges these men are bringing against you?” 61 But Jesus remained silent. He gave no answer.
Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah? Are you the Son of the Blessed One?”
62 “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One. You will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven.”
63 The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. 64 “You have heard him say a very evil thing against God. What do you think?”
They all found him guilty and said he must die. 65 Then some began to spit at him. They blindfolded him. They hit him with their fists. They said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him.
Peter Says He Does Not Know Jesus
66 Peter was below in the courtyard. One of the high priest’s female servants came by. 67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him.
“You also were with Jesus, that Nazarene,” she said.
68 But Peter said he had not been with him. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said. He went out to the entrance to the courtyard.
69 The servant saw him there. She said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.” 70 Again he said he was not.
After a little while, those standing nearby said to Peter, “You must be one of them. You are from Galilee.”
71 Then Peter began to curse. He said to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about!”
72 Right away the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had spoken to him. “The rooster will crow twice,” he had said. “Before it does, you will say three times that you don’t know me.” Peter broke down and cried.
10 “I’m sick of living.
So I’ll talk openly about my problems.
I’ll speak out because my spirit is bitter.
2 I say to God, ‘Don’t find me guilty.
Instead, tell me what charges
you are bringing against me.
3 Does it make you happy when you crush me?
Does it please you to turn your back on what you have made?
While you do those things,
you smile on the plans of sinful people!
4 You don’t have human eyes.
You don’t see as people see.
5 Your days aren’t like the days of a mere human being.
Your years aren’t even like the years of a strong man.
6 So you search for my mistakes.
You look for my sin.
7 You already know I’m not guilty.
No one can save me from your power.
8 “ ‘Your hands shaped me and made me.
So are you going to destroy me now?
9 Remember, you molded me like clay.
So are you going to turn me back into dust?
10 Didn’t you pour me out like milk?
Didn’t you form me like cheese?
11 Didn’t you put skin and flesh on me?
Didn’t you sew me together with bones and muscles?
12 You gave me life. You were kind to me.
You took good care of me. You watched over me.
13 “ ‘But here’s what you hid in your heart.
Here’s what you had on your mind.
14 If I sinned, you would be watching me.
You wouldn’t let me go without punishing me.
15 If I were guilty, how terrible that would be for me!
Even if I haven’t sinned,
I can’t be proud of what I’ve done.
That’s because I’m so full of shame.
I’m drowning in my suffering.
16 If I become proud, you hunt me down like a lion.
You show your mighty power against me.
17 You bring new witnesses against me.
You become more and more angry with me.
You use your power against me again and again.
18 “ ‘Why did you bring me out of my mother’s body?
I wish I had died before anyone saw me.
19 I wish I’d never been born!
I wish I’d been carried straight from my mother’s body to the grave!
20 Aren’t my few days almost over?
Leave me so I can have a moment of joy.
21 Turn away before I go to the place I can’t return from.
It’s the land of gloom and total darkness.
22 It’s the land of darkest night
and total darkness and disorder.
There even the light is like darkness.’ ”
The Weak and the Strong
14 Accept the person whose faith is weak. Don’t argue with them where you have differences of opinion. 2 One person’s faith allows them to eat anything. But another person eats only vegetables because their faith is weak. 3 The person who eats everything must not look down on the one who does not. And the one who doesn’t eat everything must not judge the person who does. That’s because God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? Whether they are faithful or not is their own master’s concern. And they will be faithful, because the Lord has the power to make them faithful.
5 One person considers one day to be more holy than another. Another person thinks all days are the same. Each of them should be absolutely sure in their own mind. 6 Whoever thinks that one day is special does so to honor the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to honor the Lord. They give thanks to God. And whoever doesn’t eat meat does so to honor the Lord. They also give thanks to God. 7 We don’t live for ourselves only. And we don’t die for ourselves only. 8 If we live, we live to honor the Lord. If we die, we die to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 Christ died and came back to life. He did this to become the Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 Now then, who are you to judge your brother or sister? Why do you act like you’re better than they are? We will all stand in God’s courtroom to be judged. 11 It is written,
“ ‘You can be sure that I live,’ says the Lord.
‘And you can be just as sure that everyone will kneel down in front of me.
Every tongue will have to tell the truth about God.’ ” (Isaiah 45:23)
12 So we will all have to explain to God the things we have done.
13 Let us stop judging one another. Instead, decide not to put anything in the way of a brother or sister. Don’t put anything in their way that would make them trip and fall. 14 I am absolutely sure that nothing is “unclean” in itself. The Lord Jesus has convinced me of this. But someone may consider a thing to be “unclean.” If they do, it is “unclean” for them. 15 Your brother or sister may be upset by what you eat. If they are, you are no longer acting as though you love them. So don’t destroy them by what you eat. Remember that Christ died for them. 16 So suppose you know something is good. Then don’t let it be spoken of as if it were evil. 17 God’s kingdom is not about eating or drinking. It is about doing what is right and having peace and joy. All this comes through the Holy Spirit. 18 Those who serve Christ in this way are pleasing to God. They are pleasing to people too.
19 So let us do all we can to live in peace. And let us work hard to build up one another. 20 Don’t destroy the work of God because of food. All food is “clean.” But it’s wrong to eat anything that might cause problems for someone else’s faith. 21 Don’t eat meat if it causes your brother or sister to sin. Don’t drink wine or do anything else that will make them sin.
22 Whatever you believe about these things, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the person who doesn’t feel guilty for what they do. 23 But whoever has doubts about what they eat is guilty if they eat. That’s because their eating is not based on faith. Everything that is not based on faith is sin.
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