M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan
The practical life of God’s people
13 Let the family continue to care for one another. 2 Don’t forget to be hospitable; by that means, some people have entertained angels without realizing it. 3 Remember people in prison, as though you were in prison with them. When you think of people who are having a difficult time, remember that you too live in a frail body.
4 Let marriage be honored by everyone; let the marriage bed remain undefiled. God will judge those who misbehave sexually or commit adultery.
5 Keep your life free from love of money; be content with what you have. He himself has said, after all, “I will never, ever, leave you or forsake you.” 6 That’s why we can be cheerfully confident, and say, “The Lord is helping me; I’m not going to be afraid; what can anyone do to me?”
7 Remember your leaders, who spoke God’s word to you. Look carefully at how their lives reached their goal, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus the Messiah is the same, yesterday, today and forever.
Outside the old city, seeking the new
9 Don’t let yourselves be carried off by strange teachings of whatever sort. The heart needs to be strengthened by grace, you see, not by rules about what to eat, which don’t do any good to those who observe them.
10 We have an altar from which those who minister in the Tabernacle are not allowed to eat. 11 For the bodies of the animals whose blood is taken into the sanctuary by the high priest as a sin-offering are burned outside the camp. 12 That’s why Jesus too suffered outside the gate, so that he might make the people holy with his own blood. 13 So, then, let’s go out to him, outside the camp, bearing his shame. 14 Here, you see, we have no city that lasts; we are looking for the one that is still to come.
15 Our part, then, is this: to bring, through him, a continual sacrifice of praise to God—that is, lips that confess his name, and do so fruitfully. 16 Don’t neglect to do good, and to let “fellowship” mean what it says. God really enjoys sacrifices of that kind!
The God of peace be with you
17 Obey your leaders; submit to them. They are keeping watch over your lives, you see, as people who will have to give account. Make sure they can do this with joy, not with a groan. That would be of no value to you.
18 Pray for us! Our conscience is clear; we are quite sure of it. We wish to act appropriately in everything. 19 I beg you especially to do this, so that I may quickly be restored to you.
20 May the God of peace, who led up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 make you complete in every good work so that you may do his will. May he perform, in you, whatever will be pleasing in his sight, through Jesus the Messiah. Glory be to him forever and ever, Amen!
22 I beg you, my dear family, bear with this word of exhortation; I’ve written to you quite briefly, after all. 23 You should know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he comes soon, I will see you and him at the same time.
24 Greet all your leaders, and all God’s people. Those from Italy send you greetings. 25 Grace be with you all.
The birth of Jesus
2 At that time a decree was issued by Augustus Caesar: a census was to be taken of the whole world. 2 (This was the first census, before the one when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 So everyone set off to be registered, each to their own town. 4 Joseph too, who belonged to the house and family of David, went from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judaea, David’s city, 5 to be registered with his fiancée Mary, who was pregnant.
6 So that’s where they were when the time came for her to have her baby; 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him up and put him to rest in a feeding-trough, because there was no room for them in the normal living quarters.
8 There were shepherds in that region, out in the open, keeping a night watch around their flock. 9 An angel of the Lord stood in front of them. The glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10 “Don’t be afraid,” the angel said to them. “Look: I’ve got good news for you, news which will make everybody very happy. 11 Today a savior has been born for you—the Messiah, the Lord!—in David’s town. 12 This will be the sign for you: you’ll find the baby wrapped up, and lying in a feeding-trough.”
13 Suddenly, with the angel, there was a crowd of the heavenly armies. They were praising God, saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and peace upon earth among those in his favor.”
15 So when the angels had gone away again into heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Well then; let’s go to Bethlehem and see what it’s all about, all this that the Lord has told us.”
16 So they hurried off, and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the feeding-trough. 17 When they saw it, they told them what had been said to them about this child. 18 And all the people who heard it were amazed at the things the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured all these things and mused over them in her heart.
20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told to them.
Simeon and Anna
21 After eight days, the time came to circumcise the baby. He was called by the name Jesus, which the angel had given him before he had been conceived in the womb.
22 When the time came for them to be purified according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him before the Lord. 23 That’s what the law of the Lord says: “Every firstborn male shall be called holy to the Lord.” 24 They also came to offer sacrifice, according to what it says in the law of the Lord: “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout, waiting for God to comfort Israel, and the holy spirit was upon him. 26 He had been told by the holy spirit that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Led by the spirit, he came into the Temple. As Jesus’ parents brought him in, to do for him what the law’s regulations required, 28 he took the baby in his arms and blessed God with these words:
29 “Now, Master, you are dismissing your servant in peace,
just as you said.
30 These eyes of mine have seen your salvation,
31 which you made ready in the presence of all peoples:
32 a light for revelation to the nations,
and glory for your people Israel.”
33 His father and mother were astonished at the things that were said about him. 34 Simeon blessed them.
“Listen,” he said to Mary his mother, “this child has been placed here to make many in Israel fall and rise again, and as a sign that will be spoken against 35 (yes, a sword will go through your own soul as well), so that the thoughts of many hearts may be disclosed.”
36 There was also a prophetess called Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having been widowed after a seven-year marriage, 37 and was now eighty-four. She never left the Temple, but worshiped with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 She came up at that moment and gave thanks to God, and spoke about Jesus to everyone who was waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
39 So when they had finished everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their town of Nazareth. 40 The child grew and became strong, and was full of wisdom, and God’s grace was upon him.
The boy Jesus
41 Jesus’ parents used to go to Jerusalem every year for the Passover festival. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. 43 When the feast days were over, they began the journey back, but the boy Jesus remained in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t know; 44 they thought he was in the traveling party. They went a day’s journey before looking for him among their relatives and friends.
45 When they didn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 And so it happened that after three days they found him in the Temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was astonished at his understanding and his answers.
48 When they saw him they were quite overwhelmed.
“Child,” said his mother, “why did you do this to us? Look—your father and I have been in a terrible state looking for you!”
49 “Why were you looking for me?” he replied. “Didn’t you know that I would have to be involved with my father’s work?”
50 They didn’t understand what he had said to them. 51 He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and lived under their authority. And his mother kept all these things in her heart.
52 So Jesus became wiser and taller, gaining favor both with God and with the people.
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.