M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
Jacob Goes Down to Egypt
46 So Israel started out with everything that belonged to him. When he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
2 God spoke to Israel in a vision at night. “Jacob! Jacob!” he said.
“Here I am,” Jacob replied.
3 “I am God. I am the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt. There I will make you into a great nation. 4 I will go down to Egypt with you. I will surely bring you back again. And when you die, Joseph will close your eyes with his own hand.”
5 Then Jacob left Beersheba. Israel’s sons put their father Jacob and their families in the carts that Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6 So Jacob and his whole family went to Egypt. They took their livestock with them. And they took everything they had acquired in Canaan. 7 Jacob brought his sons and grandsons with him to Egypt. He also brought his daughters and granddaughters. He brought his whole family with him.
8 Here are the names of Israel’s children and grandchildren who went to Egypt. Jacob and his whole family are included.
Reuben was Jacob’s oldest son.
9 The sons of Reuben were
Hanok, Pallu, Hezron and Karmi.
10 The sons of Simeon were
Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul. Shaul was the son of a woman from Canaan.
11 The sons of Levi were
Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
12 The sons of Judah were
Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez and Zerah. But Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan.
The sons of Perez were
Hezron and Hamul.
13 The sons of Issachar were
Tola, Puah, Jashub and Shimron.
14 The sons of Zebulun were
Sered, Elon and Jahleel.
15 These were the sons and grandsons born to Jacob and Leah in Paddan Aram. Leah also had a daughter by Jacob. Her name was Dinah. The total number of people in the family line of Jacob and Leah was 33.
16 The sons of Gad were
Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli.
17 The sons of Asher were
Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah. Their sister was Serah.
The sons of Beriah were
Heber and Malkiel.
18 These were the children and grandchildren born to Jacob and Zilpah. Laban had given Zilpah to his daughter Leah. The total number of people in the family line of Jacob and Zilpah was 16.
19 The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel were
Joseph and Benjamin.
20 In Egypt, Asenath had Manasseh and Ephraim by Joseph. Asenath was the daughter of Potiphera. Potiphera was the priest of On.
21 The sons of Benjamin were
Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.
22 These were the sons and grandsons born to Jacob and Rachel. The total number of people in the family line of Jacob and Rachel was 14.
23 The son of Dan was
Hushim.
24 The sons of Naphtali were
Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem.
25 These were the sons and grandsons born to Jacob and Bilhah. Laban had given Bilhah to his daughter Rachel. The total number of people in the family line of Jacob and Bilhah was seven.
26 The total number of people who went to Egypt with Jacob was 66. That number includes only his own children and grandchildren. It doesn’t include his sons’ wives or his grandsons’ wives. 27 The total number of the members of Jacob’s family who went to Egypt was 70. That includes the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt.
28 Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph. He sent him to get directions to Goshen. And so they arrived in the area of Goshen. 29 Then Joseph had his servants get his chariot ready. He went to Goshen to meet his father Israel. As soon as he came to his father, Joseph threw his arms around him. Then Joseph wept for a long time.
30 Israel said to Joseph, “I have seen for myself that you are still alive. Now I’m ready to die.”
31 Then Joseph spoke to his brothers and to the rest of his father’s family. He said, “I will go up and speak to Pharaoh. I’ll say to him, ‘My brothers and the rest of my father’s family have come to me. They were living in the land of Canaan. 32 The men are shepherds. They take care of livestock. They’ve brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own.’ 33 Pharaoh will send for you. He’ll ask, ‘What do you do for a living?’ 34 You should answer, ‘We’ve taken care of livestock from the time we were boys. We’ve done just as our fathers did.’ It’s the practice of the people of Egypt not to mix with shepherds. So Pharaoh will let you settle in the area of Goshen.”
Jesus Rises From the Dead
16 The Sabbath day ended. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices. They were going to use them for Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, they were on their way to the tomb. It was just after sunrise. 3 They asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb?”
4 Then they looked up and saw that the stone had been rolled away. The stone was very large. 5 They entered the tomb. As they did, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe. He was sitting on the right side. They were alarmed.
6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. But he has risen! He is not here! See the place where they had put him. 7 Go! Tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him. It will be just as he told you.’ ”
8 The women were shaking and confused. They went out and ran away from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
9 Jesus rose from the dead early on the first day of the week. He appeared first to Mary Magdalene. He had driven seven demons out of her. 10 She went and told those who had been with him. She found them crying. They were very sad. 11 They heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him. But they did not believe it.
12 After that, Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them. This happened while they were walking out in the country. 13 The two returned and told the others about it. But the others did not believe them either.
14 Later Jesus appeared to the 11 disciples as they were eating. He spoke firmly to them because they had no faith. They would not believe those who had seen him after he rose from the dead.
15 He said to them, “Go into all the world. Preach the good news to everyone. 16 Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who does not believe will be punished. 17 Here are the miraculous signs that those who believe will do. In my name they will drive out demons. They will speak in languages they had not known before. 18 They will pick up snakes with their hands. And when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all. They will place their hands on sick people. And the people will get well.”
19 When the Lord Jesus finished speaking to them, he was taken up into heaven. He sat down at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere. The Lord worked with them. And he backed up his word by the signs that went with it.
Job’s Reply
12 Job replied,
2 “You people think you are the only ones who matter!
You are sure that wisdom will die with you!
3 But I have a brain, just like you.
I’m as clever as you are.
In fact, everyone knows as much as you do.
4 “My friends laugh at me all the time,
even though I called out to God and he answered.
My friends laugh at me,
even though I’m honest and right.
5 People who have an easy life look down on those who have problems.
They think trouble comes only to those whose feet are slipping.
6 Why doesn’t anyone bother the tents of robbers?
Why do those who make God angry remain secure?
They are in God’s hands!
7 “But ask the animals what God does.
They will teach you.
Or ask the birds in the sky.
They will tell you.
8 Or speak to the earth. It will teach you.
Or let the fish in the ocean educate you.
9 Are there any of these creatures that don’t know
what the powerful hand of the Lord has done?
10 He holds the life of every creature in his hand.
He controls the breath of every human being.
11 Our tongues tell us what tastes good and what doesn’t.
And our ears tell us what’s true and what isn’t.
12 Old people are wise.
Those who live a long time have understanding.
13 “Wisdom and power belong to God.
Advice and understanding also belong to him.
14 What he tears down can’t be rebuilt.
The people he puts in prison can’t be set free.
15 If he holds back the water, everything dries up.
If he lets the water loose, it floods the land.
16 Strength and understanding belong to him.
Those who tell lies and those who believe them also belong to him.
17 He removes the wisdom of rulers and leads them away.
He makes judges look foolish.
18 He sets people free from the chains that kings put on them.
Then he dresses the kings in the clothes of slaves.
19 He removes the authority of priests and leads them away.
He removes from their positions
officials who have been in control for a long time.
20 He shuts the mouths of trusted advisers.
He takes away the understanding of elders.
21 He looks down on proud leaders.
He takes away the strength of those who are mighty.
22 He tells people the secrets of darkness.
He brings total darkness out into the light.
23 He makes nations great, and then he destroys them.
He makes nations grow, and then he scatters them.
24 He takes away the understanding of the leaders of the earth.
He makes them wander in a desert where no one lives.
25 Without any light, they feel their way along in darkness.
God makes them unsteady like those who get drunk.
Personal Greetings
16 I would like you to welcome our sister Phoebe. She is a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. 2 I ask you to receive her as one who belongs to the Lord. Receive her in the way God’s people should. Give her any help she may need from you. She has been a great help to many people, including me.
3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila. They work together with me in serving Christ Jesus. 4 They have put their lives in danger for me. I am thankful for them. So are all the Gentile churches.
5 Greet also the church that meets in the house of Priscilla and Aquila.
Greet my dear friend Epenetus. He was the first person in Asia Minor to become a believer in Christ.
6 Greet Mary. She worked very hard for you.
7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews. They have been in prison with me. They are leaders among the apostles. They became believers in Christ before I did.
8 Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.
9 Greet Urbanus. He works together with me in serving Christ. And greet my dear friend Stachys.
10 Greet Apelles. He remained faithful to Christ even when he was tested.
Greet those who live in the house of Aristobulus.
11 Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew.
Greet the believers who live in the house of Narcissus.
12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa. Those women work hard for the Lord.
Greet my dear friend Persis. She is another woman who has worked very hard for the Lord.
13 Greet Rufus. He is a chosen believer in the Lord. And greet his mother. She has been like a mother to me too.
14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon and Hermes. Greet Patrobas, Hermas and the other brothers and sisters with them.
15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister. Greet Olympas and all of the Lord’s people who are with them.
16 Greet one another with a holy kiss.
All the churches of Christ send their greetings.
17 I am warning you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who try to keep you from staying together. They want to trip you up. They teach you things opposite to what you have learned. Stay away from them. 18 People like that are not serving Christ our Lord. They are serving only themselves. With smooth talk and with words they don’t mean they fool people who don’t know any better. 19 Everyone has heard that you obey God. So you have filled me with joy. I want you to be wise about what is good. And I want you to have nothing to do with what is evil.
20 The God who gives peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
21 Timothy works together with me. He sends his greetings to you. So do Lucius, Jason and Sosipater, my fellow Jews.
22 I, Tertius, wrote down this letter. I greet you as a believer in the Lord.
23-24 Gaius sends you his greetings. He has welcomed me and the whole church here into his house.
Erastus is the director of public works here in the city. He sends you his greetings. Our brother Quartus also greets you.
25 May God receive glory. He is able to strengthen your faith. He does this in keeping with the good news and the message I preach. It is the message about Jesus Christ. This message is in keeping with the mystery hidden for a very long time. 26 The mystery has now been made known through the writings of the prophets. The eternal God commanded that it be made known. God wanted all the Gentiles to obey him by trusting in him. 27 May the only wise God receive glory forever through Jesus Christ. Amen.
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