M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
22 Get a branch of a hyssop plant. Dip it into the blood in the bowl. Put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. None of you can go out of the door of your house until morning. 23 The Lord will go through the land to strike down the Egyptians. He’ll see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe. He will pass over that house. He won’t let the destroying angel enter your homes to strike you down.
24 “Obey all these directions. It’s a law for you and your children after you for all time to come. 25 The Lord will give you the land, just as he promised. When you enter it, keep this holy day. 26 Your children will ask you, ‘What does this holy day mean to you?’ 27 Tell them, ‘It’s the Passover sacrifice to honor the Lord. He passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt. He spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’ ” Then the Israelites bowed down and worshiped. 28 They did just what the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron.
29 At midnight the Lord struck down every oldest son in Egypt. He killed the oldest son of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne. He killed all the oldest sons of prisoners. He also killed all the male animals born first to their mothers among the livestock. 30 Pharaoh and all his officials got up during the night. So did all the Egyptians. There was loud crying in Egypt because someone had died in every home.
The Exodus
31 During the night, Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron. He said to them, “Get out of here! You and the Israelites, leave my people! Go. Worship the Lord, just as you have asked. 32 Go. Take your flocks and herds, just as you have said. And also give me your blessing.”
33 The Egyptians begged the people of Israel to hurry up and leave the country. “If you don’t,” they said, “we’ll all die!” 34 So the people took their dough before the yeast was added to it. They carried it on their shoulders in bowls for kneading bread. The bowls were wrapped in clothes. 35 They did just as Moses had directed them. They asked the Egyptians for things made out of silver and gold. They also asked them for clothes. 36 The Lord had caused the Egyptians to treat the Israelites in a kind way. So the Egyptians gave them what they asked for. The Israelites took many expensive things that belonged to the Egyptians.
37 The Israelites traveled from Rameses to Sukkoth. There were about 600,000 men old enough to go into battle. The women and children went with them. 38 So did many other people. The Israelites also took large flocks and herds with them. 39 The Israelites brought dough from Egypt. With it they baked loaves of bread without yeast. The dough didn’t have any yeast in it. That’s because the people had been driven out of Egypt before they had time to prepare their food.
40 The Israelites lived in Egypt for 430 years. 41 Then all the Lord’s people marched out of Egypt like an army. That happened at the end of the 430 years, to the exact day. 42 The Lord kept watch that night to bring them out of Egypt. So on that same night every year all the Israelites must keep watch. They must do it to honor the Lord for all time to come.
Rules for the Passover
43 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Here are the rules for the Passover meal.
“No one from another country is allowed to eat it. 44 Any slave you have bought is allowed to eat it after you have circumcised him. 45 But a hired worker or someone who lives with you for a short time is not allowed to eat it.
46 “It must be eaten inside the house. Do not take any of the meat outside. Do not break any of the bones. 47 The whole community of Israel must celebrate the Passover.
48 “Suppose an outsider living among you wants to celebrate the Lord’s Passover. Then all the males in that home must be circumcised. After that, the person can take part, just like an Israelite. Only circumcised males may eat it. 49 The same law applies to Israelites and to outsiders living among you.”
50 All the people of Israel did just what the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron. 51 On that day the Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt like an army on the march.
The Story of the Lost Sheep
15 The tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were whispering among themselves. They said, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3 Then Jesus told them a story. 4 He said, “Suppose one of you has 100 sheep and loses one of them. Won’t he leave the 99 in the open country? Won’t he go and look for the one lost sheep until he finds it? 5 When he finds it, he will joyfully put it on his shoulders 6 and go home. Then he will call his friends and neighbors together. He will say, ‘Be joyful with me. I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you, it will be the same in heaven. There will be great joy when one sinner turns away from sin. Yes, there will be more joy than for 99 godly people who do not need to turn away from their sins.
The Story of the Lost Coin
8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the house? Won’t she search carefully until she finds the coin? 9 And when she finds it, she will call her friends and neighbors together. She will say, ‘Be joyful with me. I have found my lost coin.’ 10 I tell you, it is the same in heaven. There is joy in heaven over one sinner who turns away from sin.”
The Story of the Lost Son
11 Jesus continued, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger son spoke to his father. He said, ‘Father, give me my share of the family property.’ So the father divided his property between his two sons.
13 “Not long after that, the younger son packed up all he had. Then he left for a country far away. There he wasted his money on wild living. 14 He spent everything he had. Then the whole country ran low on food. So the son didn’t have what he needed. 15 He went to work for someone who lived in that country. That person sent the son to the fields to feed the pigs. 16 The son wanted to fill his stomach with the food the pigs were eating. But no one gave him anything.
17 “Then he began to think clearly again. He said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough food! But here I am dying from hunger! 18 I will get up and go back to my father. I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven. And I have sinned against you. 19 I am no longer fit to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“While the son was still a long way off, his father saw him. He was filled with tender love for his son. He ran to him. He threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer fit to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattest calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 This son of mine was dead. And now he is alive again. He was lost. And now he is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25 “The older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants. He asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come home,’ the servant replied. ‘Your father has killed the fattest calf. He has done this because your brother is back safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry. He refused to go in. So his father went out and begged him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve worked like a slave for you. I have always obeyed your orders. You never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But this son of yours wasted your money with some prostitutes. Now he comes home. And for him you kill the fattest calf!’
31 “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me. Everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad. This brother of yours was dead. And now he is alive again. He was lost. And now he is found.’ ”
30 “But now those who are younger than I am make fun of me.
I wouldn’t even put their parents with my sheep dogs!
2 Their strong hands couldn’t give me any help.
That’s because their strength was gone.
3 They were weak because they were needy and hungry.
They wandered through dry and empty deserts at night.
4 Among the bushes they gathered salty plants.
They ate the roots of desert bushes.
5 They were driven away from human society.
They were shouted at as if they were robbers.
6 They were forced to live in dry stream beds.
They had to stay among rocks
and in holes in the ground.
7 Like donkeys they cried out among the bushes.
There they crowded together and hid.
8 They were so foolish that no one respected them.
They were driven out of the land.
9 “Now their children laugh at me.
They make fun of me with their songs.
10 They hate me. They stay away from me.
They even dare to spit in my face.
11 God has made my body weak.
It’s like a tent that has fallen down.
So those children do what they want to in front of me.
12 Many people attack me on my right side.
They lay traps for my feet.
They come at me from every direction.
13 They tear up the road I walk on.
They succeed in destroying me.
They say, ‘No one can help him.’
14 They attack me like troops smashing through a wall.
Among the destroyed buildings they come rolling in.
15 Terrors sweep over me.
My honor is driven away as if by the wind.
My safety vanishes like a cloud.
16 “Now my life is slipping away.
Days of suffering grab hold of me.
17 At night my bones hurt.
My aches and pains never stop.
18 God’s great power becomes like clothes to me.
He chokes me like the neck of my shirt.
19 He throws me down into the mud.
I’m nothing but dust and ashes.
20 “God, I cry out to you. But you don’t answer me.
I stand up. But all you do is look at me.
21 You do mean things to me.
You attack me with your mighty power.
22 You pick me up and blow me away with the wind.
You toss me around in the storm.
23 I know that you will bring me down to death.
That’s what you have appointed for everyone.
24 “No one would crush people
when they cry out for help in their trouble.
25 Haven’t I wept for those who are in trouble?
Haven’t I felt sorry for poor people?
26 I hoped good things would happen, but something evil came.
I looked for light, but all I saw was darkness.
27 My insides are always churning.
Nothing but days of suffering are ahead of me.
28 My skin has become dark, but the sun didn’t do it.
I stand up in the community and cry out for help.
29 I’ve become a brother to wild dogs.
Owls are my companions.
30 My skin grows black and peels.
My body burns with fever.
31 My lyre is tuned to sadness.
My flute makes a sound like weeping.
The Offering for the Lord’s People
16 Now I want to deal with the offering of money for the Lord’s people. Do what I told the churches in Galatia to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each of you should put some money away. The amount should be in keeping with how much money you make. Save the money so that you won’t have to take up an offering when I come. 3 When I arrive, I will send some people with your gift to Jerusalem. They will be people you consider to be good. And I will give them letters that explain who they are. 4 If it seems good for me to go also, they will go with me.
What Paul Asks for Himself
5 After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you. I will only be passing through Macedonia. 6 But I might stay with you for a while. I might even spend the winter. Then you can help me on my journey everywhere I go. 7 I don’t want to see you now while I am just passing through. Instead, I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord allows it. 8 But I will stay at Ephesus until the day of Pentecost. 9 A door has opened wide for me to do some good work here. There are many people who oppose me.
10 Timothy will visit you. Make sure he has nothing to worry about while he is with you. He is doing the work of the Lord, just as I am. 11 No one should treat him badly. Send him safely on his way so he can return to me. I’m expecting him to come back along with the others.
12 I want to say something about our brother Apollos. I tried my best to get him to go to you with the others. But he didn’t want to go right now. He will go when he can.
13 Be on your guard. Remain strong in the faith. Be brave. 14 Be loving in everything you do.
15 You know that the first believers in Achaia were from the family of Stephanas. They have spent all their time serving the Lord’s people. Brothers and sisters, I am asking you 16 to follow the lead of people like them. Follow everyone who joins in the task and works hard at it. 17 I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived. They have supplied me with what you couldn’t give me. 18 They renewed my spirit, and yours also. People like them are worthy of honor.
Final Greetings
19 The churches in Asia Minor send you greetings.
Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly because of the Lord’s love. So does the church that meets in their house.
20 All the brothers and sisters here send you greetings.
Greet one another with a holy kiss.
21 I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand.
22 If anyone does not love the Lord, let a curse be on that person! Come, Lord!
23 May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.
24 I give my love to all of you who belong to Christ Jesus. Amen.
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.